Clintonism and the Legacy of 'New Democrat' Family Policy

Abstract

This paper assesses the legacy of President Clinton's family policy from the perspective of what it suggests about New Democrat, or Third Way politics, associated with such organizations such as the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) and the Progressive Policy Institute. In his 1992 campaign, Clinton elaborated a new social contract, or new covenant, of mutual responsibility: government should afford opportunity to people, who, in return, should take responsibility and adhere to such core values as work, family, and personal responsibility. This rhetorical appeal to values was a successful attempt, by Democratic politicians, to attract voters around themes of values and family - such that they were not the domain only of the Republicans. What is the legacy of Clintonism as it bears on linking family values to family policy? How did candidate Clinton's campaign pledges about a New Covenant for families, pairing opportunity and responsibility, translate into family policies during the two terms of Clinton's presidency? To evaluate President Clinton's family policy, and how it drew on these themes, I focus on three significant pieces of legislation that he signed: the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, and the Defense of Marriage Act. Family leave and welfare reform featured prominently in Clinton's New Covenant. By contrast, Clinton did not campaign for the Defense of Marriage Act, and the bill seemed, on one view, to be at odds with the New Covenant's commitment to address discrimination against gay man and lesbians. But Clinton defended his signing of DOMA as consistent with his philosophy. I evaluate the symbolic and practical significance of these three laws. These laws, with their strengths and weaknesses, continue to shape often-contentious public discourse over the place of families, family values, and how best to strengthen families.

Keywords: Clinton, Clintonism, New Democrat, DLC, family policy, welfare, New Covenant, defense of marriage, same-sex marriage, personal responsibility