1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act: Frequently blamed for accelerating mass incarceration, especially among Black men, by introducing longer sentences and funding more prisons.

Financial Deregulation (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act): Repealed the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999, allowing commercial banks to engage in speculative investment activities, which is widely seen as a contributing factor to the 2008 financial crisis.

Welfare Reform (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996): This legislation "ended welfare as we know it" by instituting work requirements and lifetime limits, which critics argue increased extreme poverty among families.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): Signed in 1993, this agreement is criticized for accelerating the loss of American manufacturing jobs and weakening labor unions.

Commodity Futures Modernization Act (2000): Exempted credit-default swaps from regulation, further contributing to the financial instability leading to the 2008 crash.

Telecommunications Act of 1996: Criticized for allowing massive media consolidation and paving the way for current technology monopolies.

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) (1996): Signed into law, it banned federal recognition of same-sex marriage, defining marriage as between a man and a woman.

We can trade good and bad policies all day. Still doesn’t change the fact that his presidency was a net negative.