when your own positions come from right-wing extremism, i can understand why you think so many people are so far left. but whether or not i am "far to the left" doesn't mean i am automatically a democrat just because you don't like my political positions.

as to the government shutdown, newt gingrich admitted that it was basically done because clinton wouldn't let him sit in the front of air force one. i've always thought the welfare reform act was one of the things that completely incensed republicans because clinton took credit for one of their core causes, and for you to bring it up here when it has no meaning to what i had said earlier just reinforces that point for me.

but, back to my original point: clinton balanced the federal budget under his presidency. bill clinton, a democrat, created a budget that not only balanced the federal spending provisions, but also brought surpluses for two straight years, tech bubble or no. i understand that, as a republican, you have to blame the dems for everything you think is wrong with washington, but in reality they are both not even close to what they supposedly stand for.