I have always been a supporter of President Clinton. Through Gennifer Flowers, Whitewater, Paula Jones and even much of the Monica Lewinsky scandal, I have consistently supported the President, stating that his professional actions were far more important than personal mistakes Many people who agree with me on this point feel that the President should remain in office. I don't.
My decision that President Clinton should resign was fairly recent and has nothing to do with my opinion of any of his sexual encounters or even his attempt to conceal them. Most American men, if suspected of cheating on their wives, would deny it, and this does not make them more inclined to lie about other issues. Nor do I feel that the President could not continue doing a superb job leading our country and the world simply because he had an affair with an intern. I do, however, believe that the political circus caused by Bill Clinton's affair and Ken Starr's investigation has impaired not only the President's ability to do his job, but has also taken up far too much of Congress's time and taxpayers' money.
In my idealistic view, the best possible solution would be for Congress to throw out Starr's report and move on with the business of running the country. Since the chances of this happening are slim to none, the only other possible way to bring a quick end to this mess is the President's resignation. This would allow Vice President Gore (who does not appear to have slept with anyone suspicious) to lead the country away from the scandal that has already wasted so much time and money.
Perhaps the best argument in support of Clinton's resignation can be found in looking ahead to probable events if he were to remain in office. The scandal has already caused a scare on Wall Street which would only be exacerbated by impeachment hearings. Overall, the economy would plummet into worse and worse shape leading up to the 2000 Presidential election. Republicans would, of course, lay all of the blame on President Clinton, making it extremely difficult for democrats to maintain control of the White House.
If Clinton were to resign before the situation gets any more out of hand than it already is, he would, in addition to ending the circus that his sex life has spawned, be giving Gore a head start, so to speak, in his 2000 race for the Presidency. The lack of impeachment hearings would help to keep the economy stable, which any incumbent president seeking reelection wants.
President Clinton has been revered as a man who has made excellent professional decisions, although his personal ones have often been somewhat upsetting at best. He now has a chance to redeem himself through resignation. He has always claimed to care more about America than himself, and now he has the chance, perhaps the greatest chance of all, to prove that he was not lying to us when he said that.
By resigning, he would allow the Democratic Party to regroup after the shameful scandal and rise strong once again with Gore as their leader by 2000. If he chooses to stay in office, too stubborn to give up his position, he would allow his party and his people to continue traveling in a downward, scandal-ridden spiral.
As a Clinton fan, I have always seen the President as a man who makes tough decisions and truly strives to do the right thing. He is now faced with what is probably the most difficult decision in his career as a public servant. Many feel that in lying about the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the first place, he let the country down. I sincerely hope he does not do it again.
