Anthony Gregory on life in the Clinton-Bush years:

“I’m perplexed by anyone who still hates Clinton more than Bush. I’ve seen this in libertarian circles.

I actually didn’t hate Bush right away. I didn’t like him or respect him. He was the president, after all. But I didn’t loathe him the way I did Clinton . So I can see why, at one point, people might have still hated Clinton more.

After 9/11, I told my friends I was glad Clinton and Reno weren’t in power, because the police state would come faster under Democrats. I also thought Republicans were less repulsive on economics. This is largely why I silently and with some shame rooted (but not voted) for Bush in 2000, just as I rooted for Dole in 1996, and for Bush the Elder in 1992 and 1988.

But after a while, something happened. Maybe it was the prescription drug program, which on one fell swoop expanded the welfare state more than Clinton could in eight years time.

More at Strike the Root.