Third way social policy:: Clinton's legacy?

This article examines the success of the Clinton administration in developing a distinctive third way agenda in social policy by studying the record of the administration through the lens of 'pre-emptive presidential leadership' as outlined by Stephen Skowronek. Skowronek sees this as a leadership style which is decidedly instrumental in its outlook, and which is thus unlikely to develop a lasting ideological legacy. Clinton's initial healthcare and welfare reform proposals, however, did have certain third way characteristics as they combined elements of liberal and conservative discourse. This, though, was their undoing as the proposals were too politically ambiguous to make legislative progress. The healthcare plan was denounced as big government liberalism and welfare reform took a distinctly rightward turn. Clinton thus failed to create an ideological space for third way ideas and eventually resorted to the more straightforward use of social policy questions for immediate political advantage.