Study Tool: Chronological Events of the 1992-2003 Era 

 

 

Date

Presidential Election/ Event

Beyond America

Foreign Policy

Government Institutions

US Economic Development

Issue/Organization Development

Political Party Development

1992

 

 

 

Campaign finance changes stalled[1]

 

 

 

1992-11

George H. Bush vs. William Clinton vs. Ross Perot[2] (Independent)

 

 

 

 

 

“New Democrat”[3]; “Inspector Perot”[4]

TV and[5]

1993

 

 

 

Whitewater scandal[6]

Clinton tax increase; subsequent status[7]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAFTA est.[8]

 

 

1993-09

 

 

 

 

 

Health care plan[9]; TV and[10]

 

1993-10

 

Somalia debacle[11]

 

 

 

 

 

1994

 

 

 

 

Status[12]

Proposition 187 (CA)[13]

 

1994-06+

 

 

 

 

 

O. J. Simpson case begins, TV and[14]

 

1994-11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus groups[15] and rise of Newt Gingrich[16]

1995

 

 

 

D’Amato’s [17] failed probe

 

 

 

1995-04

 

 

 

 

 

Oklahoma City bombing[18]

 

1995-09

 

Serbian peace[19]

 

 

 

 

 

1995-10

 

 

 

 

 

“Million Man March”[20]

 

1995-11

 

 

 

1st government closedown

 

 

Gingrich’s rear door complaint

1995-12 -1996-01

 

 

 

2nd government closedown

 

 

 

1996

 

 

Secretary of State Madeline Albright

 

 

 

 

1996-07

 

 

 

 

Welfare change[21]

 

 

1996-11

Robert Dole vs. William Clinton vs. Ross Perot (Reform)

 

 

 

 

 

 

1997

 

 

 

 

Status[22]

 

 

1998

 

 

 

 

 

Technology status[23]

 

1998-01

 

 

 

 

 

Monica Lewinsky scandal

 

1998-11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Democratic increases

1998-12

 

 

 

House: 2 articles of impeachment[24]

 

 

 

1999-01

 

 

 

Senate – acquitted

 

 

 

1999-03

 

Kosovo[25]

 

 

 

 

 

2000

 

 

 

 

Immigration status[26]

 

 

2000-10

 

USS Cole in Yemen

 

 

 

 

 

2000-11

George W. Bush vs. Albert Gore vs. Ralph Nader (Green)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2000-12

 

 

 

Supreme Court: Bush v. Gore[27]

 

 

 

2001-09-11

 

 

NY: World Trade Center Towers[28]

 

 

 

 

2002-11

 

 

 

 

 

 

Republican control in Senate[29]

2003-03

 

UN: Resistance to Iraq war[30]

 

 

 

 

 

2003-05

 

Bush: Declares combat over.

 

 

 

 

 

2000-10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2000-10

 

USS Cole in Yemen

 

 

 

 

 

2004-11

George W. Bush vs. John Kerry

 

 

 

 

 

 

2005-08

 

 

 

 

Katrina

 

 

2007

 

 

 

 

Crisis in housing loans

 

 

2008-01

 

 

 

 

Federal Reserve cuts interest rates

 

 

2008-11

John McCain vs. Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2011

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or cjb_classes@yahoo.com

Last Updated:

2011

WCJC Home:

http://www.wcjc.edu/

 

 



[1] Congressional campaigns as well as campaigns for the Presidency funded by corporations, unions, special interests.

[2] Perot will campaign, withdraw, and then in October come back to the race.

[3] Clinton campaign slogan

[4] Phrase used by some Perot employees

[5] Perot was allowed to debate in this election.

[6] Whitewater real estate venture scandal, suicide of Vince Foster, a Presidential aide; later Paula Jones charged sexual harassment. 1st independent counsel (a Republican) found Foster’s death to be a suicide; replaced by Kenneth Starr.

[7] National debt = $255B (from $291B in 1992). Tax rates on wealthy = from 33 to 39.6%. Earned income credit for working poor = max. $3,500 to keep them above poverty line.

[8] North American Free Trade Agreement. Program nearly complete under Bush, but was signed and favored by Clinton.  Program for free trade between Canada + Mexico + US. Perot forecasted loss of American jobs – a great “sucking sound.”

[9] Proposed health care plan by Hillary Clinton task force rejected; health insurance lobbyists one of causes

[10] TV ads – “Harry and Louise”

[11] 1992-12: Bush administration sent in 25K US troops on humanitarian mission (starving). 1993-10: UN mission shifts to “nation-building.” US troops sent after local warlord, 18 Americans dead, televised mob’s dragging dead, naked US pilot through streets. US Pullout by 1994-03.

[12] National debt = $203B ($42B less in one year)

[13] No benefits to illegal immigrants

[14] Continues through 1995. TV coverage was constant; became symbol.

[15] Testing of issues in focus groups to determine what the Republicans will select for the “Contract with America,” platform for 1994

[16] Gingrich becomes Speaker of House; majority in House, Senate

[17] Simultaneous with Ken Starr’s probe, Senator Alphonse d/Amato (NY) led probe but found nothing to use.

[18] Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols, part of militia movement, blew up a federal building.

[19] 1995 – US air power as part of NATO effort and outside aid from Muslims resulting in a counter-offensive by Muslims as well as Croats; result – Serbian “ethnic cleansing” blocked. Ceasefire terms negotiated among the three in Dayton, Ohio.

[20] Est. vary. Leader Louis Farrakhan (anti-semitic, anti-white) of the Nation of Islam. Division in the black community over his role.

[21] AFDC (Aid for Dependent Children) replaced with block grant.

[22] National debt = $25B, lowest in 23 years. Unemployment decline to 4.8%. Reminder: reduction in national debt resulted in some referring to this as a surplus; however, the official national debt does not include the money owed for future commitments through Social Security.

[23] 1996, 18M (9%) used Internet regularly; 1998, 20M.

[24] Perjury in 1998-08 (grand jury); obstruction of justice over Lewinsky scandal.

[25] NATO airstrike to stop Serbian “ethnic cleansing” of Kosovo Albanians

[26] 1970-2000 est. 20M, of these estimated 3M Muslims, 500K Buddhists, 500K Hindus

[27] 5-4 for no recount

[28] Subsequent US countermoves against Afghanistan/Taliban government. Also subsequent reorganization of the federal government, including creation of Homeland Security Department.

[29] Senator James Jeffords (VT) had switched from being a Republican to being an Independent, thus previously giving the Democrats the majority.

[30] Position opposed by France, Germany, Russia, China.