In a speech today in Springfield, Ohio – Obama took the time to compare his presidency against that of Bill Clinton. He wanted to drive home the point that the two presidents enacted similar policies and that they worked back then and are working now. To put it simply, Obama said that both he and Clinton believed that –

Bigger government = Bigger success for the middle class

From the Clinton SOTU speech in 1996:

We must answer here three fundamental questions: First, how do we make the American Dream of opportunity for all a reality for all Americans who are willing to work for it? Second, how do we preserve our old and enduring values as we move into the future? And, third, how do we meet these challenges together, as one America?

This is being repeated in Obama stump speeches as we all are in this together. However, Clinton took a dramatically different turn –

The era of big government is over.

That sucking sound you will hear is the collective gasp from liberals. Their guy was not for bigger government.

I believe our new, smaller government must work in an old-fashioned American way, together with all of our citizens through state and local governments, in the workplace, in religious, charitable and civic associations. Our goal must be to enable all our people to make the most of their own lives

Is it me or is Clinton endorsing Romney with this type of rhetoric? He echoed the sentiments of Reagan as that Washington is the illness and not the cure for what ails you. That people closer to the situation would be better equipped to know what is really going on and how to fix it. (Sounds like Romney and his approach to healthcare — let the states make the decision.)

On welfare:

For too long our welfare system has undermined the values of family and work, instead of supporting them… We agree on time limits, tough work requirements, and the toughest possible child support enforcement.

Translation: Welfare was to be a temporary solution — not a lifestyle. Obama has changed that.

I challenge people on welfare to make the most of this opportunity for independence.

People are supposed to be independent – not dependent on the government as Obama has done with expontential growth in the number of people on Food Stamps, living in poverty, and receiving aid from the government during his presidency.

I challenge American businesses to give people on welfare the chance to move into the work force.

Notice that Clinton did not propose another Cabinet post or czar — he challenged employers to help people get back on their feet. Obama has how many czars again?? He also proposed the Secretary of Business.

I applaud the work of religious groups and others who care for the poor. More than anyone else in our society, they know the true difficulty of the task before us, and they are in a position to help. Every one of us should join them. That is the only way we can make real welfare reform a reality in the lives of the American people.

He challenged the American people to get out there and do what they could to help in aiding people who tried to make their own situation better. (Not another government bureaucracy.) Wonder what would happen if people did like Mitt Romney did and got food to those people who were photographed dumpster diving  in NY – instead of waiting on FEMA?

On Education

Clinton proposed a radical idea during this speech –

I challenge every state to give all parents the right to choose which public school their children will attend; and to let teachers form new schools with a charter they can keep only if they do a good job.

School choice?? Really, Clinton wanted parents to be able to send their children to the school of their choice — not the local government’s choice or the federal government’s.

And if it means that teenagers will stop killing each other over designer jackets, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms.

As a parent, I will agree.

On Reform:

…we are eliminating 16,000 pages of unnecessary rules and regulations, shifting more decision-making out of Washington, back to states and local communities.

Is he saying that Washington must not be the final decision-maker on all things? Who knew that the American people could make sound decisions on their own? Hmmm….Romney knew. 

On Immigration:

Let me be very clear about this: We are still a nation of immigrants; we should be proud of it. We should honor every legal immigrant here, working hard to become a new citizen. But we are also a nation of laws.

The Obama Dream Act on the other hand says you can be a criminal as long as you vote for him.

On the size of the Federal government:

Today our federal government is 200,000 employees smaller than it was the day I took office as President.

• Under Obama — the federal government has been the only “industry” within the American economy that grew during the Great Recession.
• Under Obama — the Washington, DC metropolitan area is home to 7 of the 10 most affluent counties in the U.S.
• Under Obama — Unemployment for federal workers is down to 4.2%.

Clinton was successful as a President because he moved to the center — and did not stay the left-wing ideologue. Obama, on the other hand, has no intention of ever moving to the center.

Obama is hoping you won’t bother to call him on it.