Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

User:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-04T05:52:13Z

PaulDiFoglio:

{{cquote|'Tis hard to write parody articles when the serious ones are already so preposterous.|||God, on ''Conservapedia''}}

{{cquote|'Tis hard to know whether to laugh or cry when such preposterous assertions are known to be held sincerely.|||Jesus, on ''Conservapedia''}}

{{cquote|L. O. L.|||Jesus, again on ''Conservapedia''}}

Christopher Hitchens

2012-11-03T01:08:06Z

PaulDiFoglio: the silly comment in the caption sounds like parody. Putting it up on our website will only make people think we're a parody site and not take us seriously. Let's not fall for this

[[Image:Hitchens,_Stanford.jpg‎ |right|thumb|200px|Christopher Hitchens]]
'''Christopher Eric Hitchens''' (April 13, 1949 - December 15, 2011) was a [[Journalism|journalist]], [[author]] and literary critic. Hitchens received a degree in PPE ([[philosophy]], [[politics]] and [[economics]]) from [[Oxford University|Balliol College]], [[Oxford]], in 1970. From 1971-1981, he worked in [[Britain]] as book reviewer for ''The Times'' newspaper. He emigrated to the [[United States of America|United States]] in 1981, and has written regularly, or been a contributing editor for ''Harper's'', ''Vanity Fair'' and [[Nation (magazine)|''The Nation'']]. He was an avowed [[Marxist]], [[Atheism|atheist]] and [[Antitheism|antitheist]]. Hitchens has a younger brother, [[Peter Hitchens]], who is also a journalist, author and critic. Mr. Hitchens was one of the more prominent spokesperson for the [[New Atheism]] movement.

Christopher Hitchens was a member of the International Socialists and an active [[Trotskyist]] during his youth. Before his death he claimed to be "on the same side as the [[Neoconservatism|neo-conservatives]]," but did not consider himself a [[conservative]]. He supported [[George W. Bush|George W. Bush's]] foreign policy, but has a negative attitude towards Bush's support of [[intelligent design]]. Hitchens made himself unpopular, even among fellow atheists for his support of the Iraq War, which was motivated by his hatred of religion - in his own words, he supported the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom|Iraq War]] simply because [[Iraq|Iraqis]] were [[Islam|Muslim]], which has been compared to endorsement of racially-motivated [[genocide]].

He was a harsh critic of [[Ronald Reagan]], and considered [[Henry Kissinger]] a [[war criminal]].

== Unhealthy lifestyle and premature death ==

''See also:'' [[Atheism and health]]

Mr. Hitchens was known for having a history of heavy drinking and chain-smoking.<ref>http://www.counterpunch.org/mccarthy02212003.html</ref><ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/christopher-hitchens-desp_n_685021.html Christopher Hitchens: Despite Cancer, I'd Drink & Smoke Again]</ref> Christopher Hitchens was being treated for esophageal cancer which was likely caused by [[alcoholism|drinking]] and [[smoking]] up until his death on December 15, 2011.<ref>http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/08/07/video-extended-interview-hitchens-on-cancer-and-atheism/</ref><ref>[http://healthblog.ctv.ca/post/Why-did-Hitchens-continue-to-smoke-during-his-treatment.aspx Why did Hitchens continue to smoke & drink during treatment? -CTV News]</ref> Despite his esophageal cancer, when asked by interviewer Charlie Rose if in retrospect he would have engaged in heavy drinking and smoking knowing his present cancer condition, Hitchens said he think he would have done things the same.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/17/christopher-hitchens-desp_n_685021.html Christopher Hitchens: Despite Cancer, I'd Drink & Smoke Again]</ref> Hitchens also had problems with being overweight during his life (see: [[Atheism and obesity]] and [[New Atheism leadership's problem with excess weight]]).<ref>[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3UXl0oMYPLs/SXgxH_-MgFI/AAAAAAAAAF4/EU-wzxEjOmc/s1600-h/atheist-reason.jpg Picture of an overweight Christopher Hitchens smoking a cigarette]</ref> According to the [[National Cancer Institute]], "[[obesity]] is associated with increased risks of cancers of the esophagus."<ref>[http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/obesity National Institute of Health - Obesity and Cancer Risk]</ref>

== Hitchens on bestiality ==

''See also:'' [[Christopher Hitchens on bestiality]] and [[Atheism and bestiality]] and [[Evolutionary belief and bestiality]]

[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal.

At the end of a [[Christian apologetics|Christian apologist]] [[William Lane Craig]] vs. atheist Christopher Hitchens debate there was an audience question and answer period.[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU VIDEO] Around an hour and 54 minutes into the aforementioned video, the first audience member to ask a question asked Christopher Hitchens twice whether it is "good that the Bible prohibits humans from having sex with animals." Hitchens answered the question essentially by saying the Bible is not needed to stop humans from doing that, since we are genetically inclined against it and societies that do engage in such harmful behavior tend to die out, citing the example of cannibalistic societies that get kuru.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU Christopher Hitchens vs William Lane Craig - Does God Exist Debate]</ref> Dr. Craig said the question posed to Hitchens was a good one and it helped illustrate that atheism cannot offer objective moral standards (see: [[Atheism and morality]]).<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FofDChlSILU Christopher Hitchens vs William Lane Craig - Does God Exist Debate] </ref>
[[File:Sheep public domain picture.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right]]
On August 12, 2012, an article entitled ''Atheism: A religion of degenerates'' declared:
{{cquote|Christopher Hitchens, who was an atheist and a drunkard, was arguably the most popular atheists in the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century as well. At the end of his debate with Christian apologists William Lance Craig, there was an audience question and answer period. During this question and answer period, twice Hitchens was asked to condemn bestiality, but he refused to do it each time he was asked.

The Bible teaches that bestiality is a perversion and, under the Old Testament Jewish Law, punishable by death (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 27:21). I feel sorry for all the sheep, little dogs and horses who have been raped by depraved atheists because prominent atheists have refused to condemn bestiality. Atheism has no basis for objective morality so it is not surprising that atheist degenerates refuse to condemn bestiality.<ref>[http://conservativetriumphs.blogspot.com/2012/08/atheism-religion-of-degenerates.html ''Atheism: A religion of degenerates'']</ref>}}

== Hitchen's self-refutation of his irrational atheistic claims ==

[[Vox Day]] wrote:
{{cquote|In ''The Irrational Atheist'', I noted that Christopher Hitchens had committed a marvelous exercise in self-evisceration when he declared that “what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence”, then proceeded to pronounce no fewer than 52 different declarations, each of which was presented completely without evidence.<ref>[http://voxday.blogspot.com/2012/05/sam-harris-and-epic-self-evisceration.html Sam Harris and the epic self-evisceration]</ref>}}

== Christian ministry PPsimmons declares that Christopher Hitchens lead a wasted life ==
[[File:Circus clowns.jpg|thumbnail|250px|right|A supporter of the [[Question evolution! campaign]] declared that at best Christopher Hitchens was a "wicked, atheist clown" and the growth of belief in biblical creation in the world will continue to accelerate.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/11/ppsimmons-and-pastor-carl-gallups-said.html PPsimmons and Pastor Carl Gallups said Christopher Hitchens lived a "wasted life". The circus of pointless Darwinism is drawing to a close. Global creationism is on the rise and it will grow faster]</ref>]]
In a video entitled ''Christopher Hitchens - A Wasted Life'' the Christian ministry [[PPsimmons]] declared:
{{cquote|In Mike Shoesmith's book ''The Atheists are Wrong: How Modern Atheism Ruins Everything'' there is an abundance of material refuting the entire life's work of Christopher Hitchens.

Hitchen's personified the wasted life. A life lived as a fool. To live as one who embraces the [[philosophy]] of [[Naturalism (philosophy)|naturalism]] is to live a wasted life void of any originally intended and designed significance. It is the most closed-minded philosophy imaginable. Such a description is the legacy of Christopher Hitchens - a wasted life. A life spent as one fighting the ultimate reality.

And just as all those who lived between the time Jesus walked the earth and now, it may be stated correctly, Christopher Hitchens died in 2011 A.D., the year of our Lord.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHxjNcBZ9Tg Christopher Hitchens - A wasted life]</ref><ref>[http://www.lulu.com/shop/michael-d-shoesmith/the-atheists-are-wrong/ebook/product-18773719.html The Atheists are wrong by Michael D. Shoesmith</ref>}}

==Opposition to Islam and Support of the War on Terror==

Christopher Hitchens became an activist against [[Islam]] when Ayatullah Kohmeini declared a [[fatwa]] against his personal friend [[Salman Rushdie]]. The event has led him to become very vocal in his support of the war in Iraq and heavily critical of Muslim society and ethics.

==Insults toward Jerry Falwell==
In a TV interview with Hannity and Colmes a day after [[Jerry Falwell]]'s death, Christopher Hitchens expressed his anger over Falwell's legacy, calling the media coverage of his death uniform in its "stupidity" and calling Falwell himself a "vulgar fraud and crook"<ref name=FAL>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doKkOSMaTk4</ref>. Hitchens went on to state such comments as "we have been rid of an extremely dangerous demagogue who lived by hatred of others and prejudice", "that it's a pity there isn't a hell for him to go to", "the evil he did will live after him", and "and I think his death is a deliverance" <ref name=FAL/>. [[Hannity]] said that such comments were "crude", "thoughtless", "mean", and "hateful."

==Select bibliography ==

*''Callaghan: The Road to Number Ten'' (Cassell, 1976)
*''Hostage to History: Cyprus From the Ottomans to Kissinger'' (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1989)
*''Imperial Spoils: The Case of the Parthenon Marbles'' (Hill and Wang, 1989)
*''Blood, Class and Nostalgia: Anglo-American Ironies'' (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1990)
*''The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice'' (Verso, 1995)
*''Prepared for the Worst'' (Hill and Wang, 1989)
*''For the Sake of Argument: Essays & Minority Reports'' (Verso, 1993)
*''No One Left to Lie To: The Values of the Worst Family'' (Verso, 2000)
*''God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything'' - outside the US, published with the alternate subtitle ''The Case Against Religion'' (Atlantic, 2007)

Some other titles include: “Letters to a Young Contrarian,” “The Trial of Henry Kissinger (2001)” and his memoir, “Hitch-22. [http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2011/12/christopher-hitchens-a-reading-list.html#ixzz1gi8RBrKh]

<blockquote>
“Stranger in a Strange Land”: In this piece that The Atlantic published two months after the attacks of 9/11, Hitchens summed up his break from the establishment left over the attacks and the war on terror that was then only beginning. [[Ibidem]]
</blockquote>

==External links==

*[http://www.truefreethinker.com/christopher-hitchens Christopher Hitchens] by Mariano Grinbank at the [[Christian apologetics]] website [[True Free Thinker]]
*[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1662757,00.html "Why Christopher Hitchens Is Wrong About Billy Graham"], Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, ''[[Time magazine]]'' Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2007

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hitchens, Christopher}}
[[Category:Authors|Hitchens, Christopher]]

[[Category:Journalists]]
[[Category:Atheists]]
[[Category:Evolutionists]]
[[Category:New Atheism]]
[[Category:Atheism]]
[[Category:Communists]]

You didn't build that

2012-11-03T01:04:31Z

PaulDiFoglio: This site needs some serious editorial help. You have no idea how annoying it is to have to clean up after everyone else's messes

'''"You didn't build that"''' is an Obama quote that, for his opponents, sums up his vendetta against the free enterprise system:
:“What [President Obama] said was not a gaffe,” Mr. Romney said. “It was not a slip of the tongue. What he said was his philosophy. He said that if you have a business, you didn’t build it, someone else did that.”<ref> [http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/sep/4/you-didnt-build-that-was-gops-spark-plug/#ixzz25dE1fY43 ‘You didn’t build that’ was GOP’s spark plug - Washington Times]</ref>

On July 13, 2012, [[Barack Obama|President Obama]] told an audience at a fire station in Roanoke Virginia, "If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business -- '''you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.''' The Internet didn’t get invented on its own. Government research created the Internet so that all the companies could make money off the Internet." (emphasis added)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/13/remarks-president-campaign-event-roanoke-virginia|title=Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event in Roanoke, Virginia|date=July 13, 2012|accessdate=August 25, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dailycaller.com/2012/07/25/obamas-logic-a-system-that-allows-us-to-thrive-can-disallow-success/|title=Obama’s logic: a system that ‘allows’ us to thrive can disallow success|author=Steve Stanek|accessdate=August 25, 2012|date=July 25, 2012}}</ref>
<noinclude>
[[Republican]]s say it shows how the president believes in a government-driven economy that fundamentally distrusts private enterprise.<ref>http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/08/21/ryan-obamas-true-beliefs-revealed-when-he-drops-his-veil-0?intcmp=obnetwork#ixzz24c0eMKMB</ref>

==Critique by the Romney campaign==
The Romney campaign posted a video that shows the president saying over and over, "If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mittromney.com/forms/private-sector-what-creates-jobs-not-government?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=20120717_lb_petition-you-didn%27t-build-that_twitter|title=Hard-Working Americans Are What Create Jobs, Not Government|accessdate=August 27, 2012}}</ref> The campaign website stated, "Comments like that are a slap in the face to the American Dream and reveal the President's naïve view that government, and not the hard work, talent, and initiative of people is the center of society and the economy. Clearly, this President doesn't understand how our economy works."

Fox News then reported, "Echoing the Republican candidate's recent criticism on the stump, the video hammers the president for suggesting this past Friday that business owners owe their success to government."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/19/romney-hammers-didnt-build-that-in-new-web-ad/?intcmp=related#ixzz24le0iWx7 foxnews.com</ref> In a July 17 speech in Pennsylvania, Romney agreed "you really couldn’t have a business if you didn’t have those things" as described by Obama, including teachers and firefighters.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://factcheck.org/2012/07/you-didnt-build-that-uncut-and-unedited/|title='You Didn’t Build That,' Uncut and Unedited|date=July 24, 2012|accessdate=August 27, 2012|work=factcheck.org}}</ref>

==Response by the Obama campaign==
The Obama campaign said the president's phrase, "You didn't build that," referred only to his point that small businesses didn't build public infrastructure.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barackobama.com/truth-team/fact-check-what-president-obama-actually-said-about-small-businesses/|title=Fact check: What President Obama actually said about small businesses|date=July 17, 2012|accessdate=August 27, 2012}}</ref> The Obama campaign also posted a clarifying video.<ref>http://thehill.com/video/campaign/239659-obama-ad-aims-to-set-romney-straight-over-you-didnt-build-that-remark</ref>
==Other reactions==
Crossroads America posted a video called "Build" which quoted small businesspeople as reacting negatively toward Obama's quote.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ae9SjPEsRf0&feature=relmfu|title=American Crossroads: Build |date=July 24, 2012|accessdate=August 27, 2012}}</ref>

[[Scott Brown]] posted a two and a half minute video ad showing Obama's statement and similar statements by Elizabeth Warren and contrasted them with quotations from prior presidents.<ref>http://blip.tv/play/hIUWgv7VcQA.html?p=1</ref>

The Obama statement and the subsequent exchange with Mitt Romney drew satire from the ''Colbert Report'', which pointed out that Romney made essentially the same statement regarding the need for education and infrastructure to promote business success.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/416950/july-25-2012/mitt-romney-vs--barack-obama-on-small-business-owners|title=Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama on Small Business Owners|date=July 25, 2012}}</ref>

Carl Gibson of the ''Huffington Post'', pointed out that the Republican National Convention's theme of "We built that" contradicts the fact that the convention's venue was constructed with taxpayer funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-gibson/rnc-you-didnt-build-that_b_1830673.html|title=RNC: You Didn't Build That|date=August 26, 2012|accessdate=August 27, 2012|work=Huffington Post}}</ref>

The Wall Street Journal says “rarely do politicians so clearly reveal their core beliefs ... the President who says he wants to be transformational may be succeeding--and subordinating to government the individual enterprise and risk-taking that unlerlies prosperity.”<ref>{{cite news|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304388004577533300916053684.html|title=You Didn’t Build That|date=Jul 18, 2012}}</ref> In the New York Daily News, S. E. Cupp charges that the President’s is attacking the individualism inherent in the American dream.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-07-18/news/32734440_1_hard-work-systemic-racism-success|author=S. E. Cupp|title=You Didn’t Build That|date=Jul 18, 2012}}</ref> Several authors points out the phrase in question comes from Marx’s “Labor Theory of Value.” Labor creates the product to which nothing is contributed by management. Profit, therefore, is theft. The capitalist is a parasite.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://spectator.org/archives/2012/08/13/obamas-labor-theory-of-value|title=Obama’s Labor Theory of Value|author=Ron Ross|newspaper=The American Spectator|date=Aug 13, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.wnd.com/2012/08/karl-marx-and-our-emperor-of-envy/|title=Karl Marx and our Emperor on Envy|author=Robert Ringer|date=Aug 8 2012|newspaper=WorldNetDaily}}</ref> Forbes’ author Harry Binswanger, writes “This gigantic fraud is aimed at a single goal: re-assuring life’s losers that their failures are not their fault.” Achievement is an illusion, according to Obama, and you are just as deserving as Steve Jobs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/08/05/revenge-of-the-zeros-the-battle-between-ayn-rand-and-collectivism-reaches-a-climax/|title=Revenge Of The Zeros|author=Harry Binswanger|date=Aug 5, 2012|newspaper=Forbes}}</ref>

==External links==
* http://didntbuildthat.com/
* [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/19/romney-hammers-didnt-build-that-in-new-web-ad/?intcmp=related Romney hammers 'you didn't build that' in new web ad]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Template quotes]]
</noinclude>

Patriotism

2012-11-03T01:01:59Z

PaulDiFoglio: I fail to see the point of having two periods at the end of a sentence.

'''Patriotism''' means love or devotion to one's country or homeland.

The word ''patriot'' comes from Latin; the root is the same as that of "father": ''pater''.

The [[Roman]] poet [[Horace]] wrote "Dulce et decorum est pro Patria mori", which means "It is sweet and seemly to die for one's country."<ref>Horace, ''Odes'' (iii 2.13)</ref>

Later, American satirist [[Ambrose Bierce]] would write "In Dr. Johnson's famous dictionary patriotism is defined as the last resort of a scoundrel. With all due respect to an enlightened but inferior lexicographer I beg to submit that it is the first."<ref>Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary</ref>

Later still, [[World War I]] [[British]] infantryman and poet [[Wilfred Owen]] would mock Horace's words by describing a soldier dying a particularly gory death on the battlefield, and saying "My friend, you would not tell with such high zest / To children ardent for some desperate glory, / The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est / Pro patria mori."<ref>Wilfred Owen, Dulce Et Decorum Est</ref>

==Conflicts With Pacifism==

In rare cases patriotism has been a source of conflict for Christians in wartime. While their nation may call on them to do their patriotic duty, many Western pacifists believe that [[New Testament]] advocates [[Pacifism#Biblical_references_about_Christian_nonviolence|nonviolence]].

Many western conservative Christians feel that patriotism does not conflict with Christianity as in their view their countries' political systems are based upon Christian principles. However, this argument is dubious. With the possible exception of Vatican City, no nation can truly be labelled "Christian", and given that people of other religious dispositions are allowed to vote - and these are numerous - it is unreasonable to expect a "Christian" outcome.

== See also ==
* [[American Patriots]]
* [[Founding Fathers]]

==External links==
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/patriotism/ What Liberals Say - Category: Patriotism], [[Accuracy In Media]]
[[category:political Terms]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

Hollywood values

2012-11-03T01:01:09Z

PaulDiFoglio: again, no consistency whatsoever in section order -- not very encyclopedic, eh?

[[File:Hollywood-sign wikimedia.jpg|right|200px]]
'''Hollywood values''' are characterized by decadence, [[narcissism]], rampant [[drug|drug use]], [[adultery|extramarital sex]] leading to the spread of sexually-transmitted [[disease]], [[abortion]], lawlessness and the promotion of the [[homosexual agenda]]. Such values have a very negative influence on the life of individuals, and very often lead to death. A 2006 poll by MSNBC said that 60% of [[Americans]] agree that "Hollywood's values are not in line with the rest of America and that the quality of movies has diminished in recent years."<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11714540/</ref>

The lack of [[morals]] and [[values]] in [[Hollywood]] culture has been destroying the fabric of American culture, particularly the family.

There have been, however, a handful of prominent people whose work in Hollywood opposed these values. [[Ronald Reagan]], [[James Stewart]], [[Charlton Heston]], [[Pat Boone]], [[Paul Schofield]], [[Walt Disney]] and many others practiced conservative values while working in Hollywood and the productions of these and many others also reflect these values, irrespective of the star names associated with them: [[The Chronicles of Narnia]] and ''Independence Day'' (a movie about [[Independence Day]]) being recent examples.

Hollywood values include a flagrant disrespect and disregard for:

* [[marriage]] and [[abstinence]]
* [[patriotism]]
* [[religion]] and [[spirituality]] (Hollywood's profits depend on the [[advertising]] and sale of [[materialism|material goods]] and other superficial "solutions" to problems.)
* [[accountability]]
* the U.S. military<ref>[http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/hollywood_gets_it_right_p4d84a9jyymsfLw0THb7EM Hollywood gets it right, New York Post, March 09, 2010]</ref>
* family responsibilities, like childrearing<ref>[[Britney Spears]] "doesn't want [her] kids back." [http://www.nypost.com/seven/02132008/news/nationalnews/brit_doesnt_want_her_kids__1st_ex_97425.htm]</ref>
* laws that apply to everyone else
* Commonly accepted behavioral boundaries and values of human decency
* hard work and humility

In addition, Hollywood portrays these values as rebellious and [[counterculture|countercultural]]. They portray religious and spiritual institutions as greedy, self-serving, sexually perverted, prejudiced, ignorant, and unscientific. When comparing the satisfaction brought about by faith, spirituality, family, and friendship, which may happen to include donations to a church or other organization, it is clear that the profits of Hollywood and the industries which rely upon Hollywood for profit are the true establishment - thus making traditional values truly rebellious and countercultural, and Hollywood values a lie.

==Deaths ==
Hollywood values are deadly. Tourists in Hollywood can visit over 30 sites of typically self-inflicted Hollywood celebrity deaths.<ref>http://www.hollywoodusa.co.uk/celebrity-death-sites.htm</ref> A sampling of deaths caused by Hollywood values include:<ref>http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4174733&page=1</ref><ref>http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/entertainment/news/article/20021--list-of-celebrities-taken-by-drug-use-tragic-and-growing</ref>
*[[Nick Adams]], 36, TV actor died of an overdose from barbiturates.
*[[John Barrymore]], 60, cirrhosis of the liver from heavy drinking
*[[John Belushi]], 33, was a repeated drug abuser who ultimately died of a lethal injection of cocaine and heroin
*[[John Bonham]], 32, after too much drinking, asphyxiated on vomit
*[[Elisa Bridges]], 28, 'Playboy' magazine model, drug overdose combining heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs
*[[Joseph Brooks]], 73, Hollywood producer, composer, lyricist, and accused multiple rapist committed suicide.
*[[David Carradine]], 72, died from suffocation, most likely suicide, had history of suicidal thoughts, alcohol and narcotics abuse <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525177,00.html Thai Police: Carradine Death May Be Accidental Suffocation] Fox News, June 05, 2009 </ref>
*[[Stephen Clark]], 30, Def Leppard guitarist, drug and alcohol overdose<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1108020/bio</ref>
*[[Lana Clarkson]], 40, actress and model murdered by [[Phil Spector]]
*[[Kurt Cobain]], 27, lead singer from the band Nirvana, a heroin addict who committed suicide with a shotgun blast to the head.
*[[Ray Combs]], 40, host of the TV game show ''Family Feud'' committed suicide by hanging himself in a psychiatric ward.
*[[Jeff Conaway]], 60, film and television actor died from a suspected overdose. He struggled with addictions to cocaine and alcohol.
*[[Don Cornelius]], 75, "Soul Train" TV creator died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/02/01/soul-train-creator-don-cornelius-dead-apparent-suicide-report-says/ 'Soul Train' creator Don Cornelius dead of apparent suicide, Fox News, February 1, 2012]</ref>
*[[John Costelloe]], 47, actor from HBO's ''The Sopranos'' known as "Johnny Cakes", shot himself in the head. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472864,00.html 'Sopranos' Actor Shocks Fans, Loved Ones With Holiday Suicide] NYPost, December 25, 2008</ref>
*[[Bob Crane]],49, the actor's success led to a bizarre life of sex addiction. He was bludgeoned to death.
*[[Karl Dane]], 47, suicide by gunshot
*[[James Dean]], 24, a notoriously reckless and frequently ticketed driver crashed fatally head-on into a car turning left in front of his Porsche (see also crime, below)
*[[Kevin DuBrow]], 52, lead singer of 80's metal band Quiet Riot died from an overdose of cocaine.
*[[Ryan Dunn]], 34, [[MTV]]'s reality star from the series ''Jackass'', died in a 3:00 AM auto accident after a night of drinking. [http://www.tmz.com/2011/06/20/jackass-ryan-dunn-dies-dead-car-crash-accident-pennsylvania/]
*[[Eazy-E]], 31. [[AIDS]] contracted through drug use.
*[[Peg Entwistle]], 24, leaped to her death from atop the Hollywood sign.
*[[Brian Epstein]], 32, overdosed on sleeping pills and alcohol
*[[Chris Farley]], 33, overdose of morphine and cocaine
*[[Judy Garland]], 47, overdosed on sleeping pills
*[[Lucy Gordon]], 28, British actress from the movie ''Spiderman 3'', hung herself <ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/wireStory?id=7642829 Actress Lucy Gordon Found Dead at Age 28 in Paris, ABC News, May 21, 2009]</ref>
*[[Paul Gray]], 38, bassist of heavy metal band Slipknot, died of an overdose of morphine and fentanyl. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100622/ap_on_en_mu/us_slipknot_bassist_autopsy</ref>
*[[Lee Grivas]], 26, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of actress Christina Applegate, 36, was found dead of an apparent drug overdose<ref>http://www.bloggernews.net/116552a</ref>
*Corey Haim, 38, teen idol who starred in many movies and then a reality show, died of a drug overdose.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8560246.stm</ref>
*[[Russell Craig Hamer]], 42, child actor, self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
*[[Phil Hartman]], 49, murdered in his million-dollar house by his drug-addicted third wife Brynn Hartman
*[[Margaux Hemingway]], 42, suicide
*[[Jimi Hendrix]], 27, an enthusiastic abuser of illegal drugs, choked on his own vomit after overdosing on sleeping pills and alcohol.
*[[Whitney Houston]], 48, singer/actress autopsy reports showed cocaine and drowning as contributors to her death. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/03/30/cocaine-found-in-whitney-houstons-hotel-room-report-says/?intcmp=features Cocaine found in Whitney Houston's hotel room, report says, Fox News, March 30, 2012]</ref>
*[[Rock Hudson]], 59, AIDS
*[[Michael Hutchence]], 37, asphyxiated during an auto-erotic act while alone in a Sydney hotel. His wife, Paula Yates (see below), also fell victim to Hollywood Values.
*[[Michael Jackson]], 50, cardiac arrest from a toxic mixture and abuse of prescription drugs, improperly prescribed by doctors.
*[[Richard Jeni]], 49, suicide<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258231,00.html</ref>
*[[Russell Tyrone Jones]] (a.k,a. "Old Dirty Bastard"), 35, musician, died of drug overdose two days before his 36th birthday
*[[Janis Joplin]], 27, heroin overdose
*[[Andrew Koenig]], 41, child actor in the TV series ''Growing Pains'', committed suicide.<ref>[http://omg.yahoo.com/news/andrew-koenigs-body-found-in-vancouver-park/36485?nc Andrew Koenig's Body Found in Vancouver Park, Yahoo News, February 25, 2010]</ref>
*[[Jani Lane]], 47, lead singer for the rock band Warrant was found dead in a hotel room. He had a history of alcohol abuse.<ref>[http://www.tmz.com/2011/08/11/warrant-singer-jani-lane-dead-dies-died-hotel-ventura-los-angeles-cherry-pie/ EX-WARRANT SINGER JANI LANE
DEAD AT 47, TMZ.com, August 11, 2011]</ref>
*[[Heath Ledger]], 28, found dead in his [[Manhattan]] apartment. "Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said Wednesday." <ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328828,00.html</ref>
*[[Bruce Lee]] (Li Xiaolong), actor, 33, collapsed and died; trace amounts of cannabis found in bloodstream at postmortem; the official cause of death was acute cerebral edema (swelling of the brain) from hypersensitivity to aspirin. Cannabis probably didn't contribute to his death.
*[[Stuart Lubbock]], 31, found dead in the swimming pool of popular TV entertainer [[Michael Barrymore]], having suffered severe anal trauma, after a drug-fueled party at the star's home
*[[Queen (band)|Freddie Mercury]], 45, born Farrokh Bulsara, lead singer of the band Queen, died from AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia.
*[[Sal Mineo]], 37, murdered under circumstances that suggested "a homosexual motive".
*[[Marilyn Monroe]], 36, overdosed on sleeping pills.
*[[Keith Moon]], drummer of [[The Who]], 32, overdose of Clomethiazole prescribed to treat his [[alcoholism]].
*[[Jim Morrison]], 27, died of an apparent heroin overdose.
*[[Brittany Murphy]], 32, motion picture film actress died of cardiac arrest from combining prescription drugs <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/02/27/brittany-murphy-taken-vicodin-days/ Brittany Murphy May Have Taken 109 Vicodin in 11 Days, Fox News, February 27, 2010]</ref> Official death from pneumonia and drug intoxication.
*[[Chris Penn]], 40, brother of [[Sean Penn]], "died accidentally from an enlarged heart and the effects of a mix of multiple medications".
*[[River Phoenix]], 23, died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin.
*[[Dana Plato]], 34, ''Diff'rent Strokes'' star, suicide by drugs overdose after posing for lesbian pornography.
*[[Elvis Presley]], 42, large drug intake causes a cardiac arrhythmia, and rumored to have suffocated on the carpet when he collapsed from a drug overdose.
*[[Freddie Prinze]], 22, actor from ''Chico and the Man'', committed suicide by gunshot to the head.
*[[Richard Pryor]], 65, comedian with a history of smoking cocaine, died of a heart attack.
*[[Virginia Rappe]], 30, died of a ruptured bladder incurred at a party hosted by [[Roscoe Arbuckle]].
*[[Robert Reed]], 59, actor known as Mike Brady on ''The Brady Bunch'' was a homosexual with AIDS, died from cancer in 1992.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2009/08/14/brady-bunch?slide=25 Robert Reed in 1990, Fox News]</ref>
*[[Brad Renfro]], 25, became addicted to heroin and was found dead after a night of drinking
*[[George Reeves]], 45, played Superman from the series ''Adventures of Superman'', suicide by gunshot
*Rebecca Schaeffer, 21, actress in CBS's television series ''My Sister Sam'', stalked and murdered by a crazed fan.
*[[Jean Seberg]], 40, actress with clinic depression committed suicide by overdose of alcohol and barbiturates
*Michael Showers, 45, HBO actor found dead in the Mississippi River.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/08/25/treme-actor-michael-showers-body-found-in-mississippi-river/#ixzz1W3rKzHFr 'Treme' Actor Michael Showers' Body Found in Mississippi River, Fox News, August 25, 2011]</ref>
*[[Anna Nicole Smith]], 39, accidental overdose on prescription drugs
*[[Layne Staley]], 34, found dead in apartment two weeks after a drug overdose.<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/staley1.html</ref> Layne promoted the use of hard drugs in the 1992 [[Alice in Chains]] song "Junkhead"<ref>http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Junkhead-lyrics-Alice-In-Chains/3A665DABDFC00AD54825688F0010CD45</ref>
*[[Dorothy Stratten]], 20, murdered by spouse after engaging in extramarital affair
*[[David Strickland]], 29, cast member of NBC's ''Suddenly Susan'' hung himself in a Las Vegas hotel.
*[[Sharon Tate]], 26, an actress with a [[hippie]] lifestyle who was murdered by followers of [[Charles Manson]], a [[Beatles]]-obsessed musician wannabe; Manson's followers murdered Tate, who was pregnant and only two weeks from birth, her unborn child, her prior lover, who was staying with her while her husband, movie producer [[Roman Polanski]] (see 'Crime', below), was away, and another unmarried couple staying in the house. (It is believed that Manson had actually intended his followers to kill the home's previous residents, [[Terry Melcher]] (son of [[Doris Day]]) and [[Candice Bergen]].)<ref>The Polanski Problem [http://moviegeeksclub.blogspot.com/2008/04/polanski-problem.html]</ref> <ref>Sharon Tate Official Site: Sharon's Biography [http://www.sharontate.net/bio4.html]</ref>
*[[Lou Tellegen]], 52, a silent film and stage actor, suicide
*[[Lupe Velez]], 36, 1920s-1940s movie actress, suicide by an overdose of sleeping pills; she was pregnant and didn't want an illegitimate child.
*[[Sid Vicious]], 21. [[Heroin]] overdose while awaiting trial for his girlfriend's murder.
*[[Herve Villechaize]], 50, actor who played the character Tattoo on the hit show ''Fantasy Island'', committed suicide by self-inflicted gunshot.
*[[Kenneth Williams]], 62, comedian and actor, heart failure from interaction of pain medication and sleeping pills.
*[[Amy Winehouse]], 27, young singer with a life of substance abuse. Toxicology reports showed alcohol but no illegal drugs found in her system.<ref>[http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/amy-winehouse-was-drug-free-when-she-died-20110823 Amy Winehouse Toxicology Report Shows No Illegal Drugs] Perpetua, Matthew, August 23, 2011, ''The Rolling Stone'', retrieved August 25, 2011.</ref>
*[[Natalie Wood]], 43, actress, drowned while intoxicated.
*[[Paula Yates]], 41, television writer, heroin overdose. "Coroner Dr Paul Knapman told Westminster Coroners Court she had not committed suicide but said her behaviour had been "foolish and incautious". Her death was the result of "an unsophisticated taker of heroin" using drugs, he said. The court heard that 0.3mg of morphine per litre of blood was found in her body, which would not have been enough to kill her had she been a heroin addict."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1013404.stm Heroin overdose killed Yate] November 8, 2000, BBCNews.com, retrieved August 25, 2011</ref>
*[[Bubba Smith]], 66, football player and actor, died from an overdose of diet pills.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2056807/Police-Academy-star-Bubba-Smith-died-diet-pill-overdose.html Revealed: Police Academy star Bubba Smith died of a diet pill overdose - Daily Mail]</ref>
*Actor Jonathan Brandis committed suicide in 2003.<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/heath-ledger/ten-actors-who-died-in-their-20s/2008/01/23/1201024961111.html Ten actors who died in their 20s], The Sydney Morning Herald</ref>
*Singer [[Elliott Smith]] committed suicide in 2003 by stabbing himself in the chest.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1475177 Singer Elliott Smith Dead in Apparent Suicide - NPR]</ref>

==Sexually Transmitted Diseases==
The loose sexual morals characteristic of the lifestyle defined by Hollywood Values often lead to sexually transmitted diseases. Examples include,

* [[Rock Hudson]] died of AIDS-related complications after contracting the disease through homosexual intercourse.
* Michael Jeter, who was homosexual, also died due to AIDS-related complications.
* Freddie Mercury of the rock group [[Queen (band)|Queen]], notorious for his flamboyant onstage presence, also contracted AIDS through his wildly promiscuous homosexual lifestyle, and subsequently perished of the self-inflicted condition.

== Crime ==
'''Hollywood values often include being arrested or convicted for a variety of crimes. Here are some examples:'''

* [[Paris Hilton]] was convicted in 2007 of driving while intoxicated, and then violated the terms of her probation, leading to a 45-day prison sentence.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18472845/ Paris Hilton sentenced to 45 days in jail], MSNBC, May 4, 2007</ref> She was also arrested in Las Vegas on 8/27/2010 for possession of a controlled substance, [[Cocaine]]. The hotel heiress was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by police. The driver was arrested for DUI '''pertaining to drugs, not alcohol'''. Through further interaction between Hilton and authorities, it was discovered she was in possession of a controlled substance. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/28/paris-hilton-arrested-drug-possession/ Paris Hilton arrested in Las Vegas.]</ref> In order to avoid prison, Hilton pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors, and received a sentence of one year's probation, a fine, community service and also was ordered to complete a drug abuse program.
* Actress Lori Petty, who was featured in ''Free Willy'' and ''A League of their Own'', ran into a 14-year-old skateboarder and was arrested for felony drunk driving charges.<ref>http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7015343906</ref>
* Craig Phillip Robinson, the actor famous for playing Darryl Philbin on NBC's ''The Office'', "was arrested on June 29, 2008, on suspicion of possessing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and methamphetamine."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/15/office.actor.arrested.ap/index.html</ref>
* [[Winona Ryder]] was convicted of vandalism and grand theft for stealing designer merchandise worth $5,560.40.<ref>http://www.courttv.com/trials/ryder/</ref>
* [[O.J. Simpson]] is widely believed to have murdered his wife and her friend, and was found liable in a civil (but not criminal) trial. He has since been convicted of unrelated felonies.
*[[Hugh Grant]] was arrested in 1995 when found in a car with a prostitute.<ref>[http://www.mugshots.org/hollywood/hugh-grant.html]</ref>
*[[Stacy Keach]], movie actor, was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1984 after being arrested at [[London]] [[Heathrow Airport]] in possession of a large quantity of [[cocaine]].
*[[Kiefer Sutherland]], an actor starring in Fox television series ''24'' was given a 48-day sentence for DUI in 2007, an offense committed while still on probation following a 2004 conviction for DUI.<ref>Sutherland is released from jail [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7200633.stm BBC]</ref> He was also charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly head-butting a fashion designer at a nightclub in 2009. <ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47880 ‘24’ Star Kiefer Sutherland Charged for Allegedly Head-Butting a Fashion Designer] Associated Press, May 8, 2009</ref>

*[[George Michael]] was convicted of "committing a lewd act in public", having been arrested in a public restroom by a plain clothes police officer. Arrested in September 2008 in a [[London]] public lavatory, he was found in possession of crack cocaine and cannabis - but merely received a caution. <ref>http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKLL28201720080921</ref>
*[[Snoop Dogg]], a popular [[rap|rapper]], was arrested in 2006 for [[marijuana]] possession. He is a libertarian<ref>http://www.ucllibertarians.com/celebrities.html</ref> who advocates legal marijuana use.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/dailydish/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=21457</ref>
*[[Roman Polanski]], Polish-born film producer, is unable to return to Hollywood as he skipped bail and fled to [[France]] after being convicted in 1978 on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a thirteen-year old girl.
* Rapper DMX (Earl Simmons) was caught on camera drag racing at a speed over 110 miles on a freeway, and then a SWAT team was used to arrest him three days later on drug and animal cruelty charges. "The Maricopa County sheriff's office says the 37-year-old, whose real name is Earl Simmons, at first tried to barricade himself in his bedroom. He came out as a SWAT team entered during the early-morning raid Friday."<ref>http://news.aol.com/entertainment/music/music-news-story/ar/_a/dmx-arrested-on-animal-cruelty-charges/20080509163709990001</ref>
*[[Martha Stewart]] was charged with illegal [[insider trading]] in 2003.<ref>[http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2003-69.htm SEC press release (SEC Charges Martha Stewart, Broker Peter Bacanovic with Illegal Insider Trading)]</ref>
*[[Tatum O'Neal]] was arrested in 2008 for [[cocaine]] possession. <ref>
[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361361,00.html Tatum O'Neal Released After Drug Arrest], [[Associated Press]], ''[[Fox News Channel|Fox News]]'', June 02, 2008.</ref>
*[[James Dean]] displayed an unhealthy interest in a twelve-year-old boy. His former director Elia Kazan later commented: "I've known many actors who have been twisted up in their sex lives, but never anybody as sick and unhealthy as Dean was."
*Redmond O'Neal, son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, plead guilty to possessing heroin and methamphetamine as well as driving under the influence of drugs.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080627/ap_on_en_ot/people_redmond_o_neal;_ylt=AiQCBwpJpxqBOFWVyqEycXsDW7oF Redmond O'Neal pleads guilty to drug charges</ref>
*[[Actor]] Nick Nolte was arrested for drunk driving in 2002.<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/nolte1.html</ref>
*[[Sean Bean]] was arrested and spent the night in a cell after allegedly beating his wife.<ref>http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hR3pX0eEytJcMo7m5LRLHOYpasSA</ref>
*[[Shelley Malil]], 43, worked as an actor in [[movies]] and television. He is charged with causing great bodily injury and using a deadly weapon on Kendra Beebe, a 35-year-old [[mother]] of two. He appeared on the back patio of Kendra's house and stabbed her 20 times. Now held on a $10 million dollar bond. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug13/0,4670,ActorArrested,00.html 40-Year-Old Virgin' actor pleads not guilty] AP, August 13, 2008</ref>
*Former child actor [[Skylar Deleon]], who had a minor part in one episode of the ''Power Rangers'' series, was found guilty of three murders, including those of Tom and Jackie Hawks, who were allegedly bound to the anchor of their yacht and tossed overboard. <ref>[http://articles.latimes.com/2008/oct/21/local/me-deleon21 Deleon guilty of killing couple at sea
</ref> He was subsequently sentenced to death.<ref>http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=66850</ref>
*Musician George O'Dowd, better known by his stage name, [[Boy George]], was convicted for handcuffing a male escort to a bed against his will and then beating him with a chain.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1092168/Guilty-Boy-George-warned-judge-faces-jail-falsely-imprisoning-male-escort.html</ref> He served 4 months of his 15-month sentence in jail, and then spent an additional 90 days on home detention with electronic surveillance. Earlier he had been convicted of cocaine possession.
*Dana Plato was arrested for armed robbery and prescription forgery.
*Todd Bridges assaulted a motorist and was repeatedly arrested for drug-related offenses.
*Gary Coleman was arrested for assaulting a woman by punching her in the face.
*Musician/Producer [[Phil Spector]] was found guilty of second-degree murder for the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. <ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30194936/</ref>
*Actor Elmore "Rip" Torn was arrested for breaking into a bank and carrying a firearm while intoxicated. In 2009, he was given probation in a drunk-driving case. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/01/30/actor-rip-torn-arrested-allegedly-breaking-connecticut-bank/?test=latestnews Actor Rip Torn Arrested for Allegedly Breaking Into Connecticut Bank, Fox News, January 30, 2010]</ref>
*Former teen actor Leif Garrett was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. He has a number of former arrests including [[heroin]] possession. <ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/03/crimesider/entry6170622.shtml Leif Garrett Arrested: Former Teen Idol Busted for Controlled Substance, CBS News, February 3, 2010]</ref>
*[[Sean Penn]] was charged with criminal battery and vandalism for attacking the paparazzi in October 2009. <ref>[http://www.tmz.com/2010/02/19/sean-penn-crime-battery-vandalism-prosecution-jail-paparazzi/ Sean Penn Charged With Crimes, TMZ, February 19, 2010]</ref>
*Comedian [[Andy Dick]] was arrested for groping an employee and a patron of a nightclub in West Virginia. <ref>[http://www.herald-dispatch.com/breaking/x818845820/Andy-Dick-arrested-by-HPD Andy Dick charged with felony, shows still on, Herald Dispatch, January 23, 2010]</ref>
*Actor Nicholas Brendon from ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Criminal Minds'' was arrested March 2010 in a drunken scuffle with police. He was charged with resisting arrest, two counts of battery against a police officer and felony vandalism. Brendon has a history of alcoholism.<ref>[http://www.popeater.com/2010/04/07/nicholas-brendon-arrested-charged/ 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Star Charged With Police Battery, Vandalism, PopEater.com, April 7, 2010]</ref>
*Hollywood television producer Bruce Beresford-Redman of CBS's ''Survivor'' series was arrested as the lead suspect in the murder of his wife. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/04/08/mexican-official-hollywood-tv-producer-suspect-wifes-death/?test=latestnews 'Survivor' Producer 'Suspected' in Wife's Death in Mexico, FOX News, April 8, 2010]</ref>
*Actor Chris Klein, star of the ''American Pie'' films, which glorify sex and alcohol abuse, was arrested for drunk driving in June 2010<ref>http://www.tmz.com/2010/06/16/american-pie-chris-klein-busted-for-dui-arrest/</ref>
*Actor Michael Brea played roles in ''Ugly Betty'' and ''Step Up 3D'', killed his 55-year old mother with a sword while yelling Bible verses. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/11/24/ugly-betty-actor-allegedly-kills-mother-foot-sword-screaming-repent/ 'Ugly Betty' Actor Allegedly Kills Mother With 3-Foot Sword While Screaming 'Repent', FOX News, November 24, 2010]</ref>
*TV host and actor Gary Collins was arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly leaving a restaurant without paying his $59.35 tab. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/05/tv-host-gary-collins-arrested-skipping-restaurant/ TV Host Gary Collins Arrested for Skipping Out on $59 Restaurant Bill, FOXNews, January 5, 2011]</ref>
*Actress Jaime Pressly was arrested for driving under the influence. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/01/11/jaime-pressly-wasted-dui-arrest/ Jaime Pressly Blew Nearly Three Times Legal Limit on Breathalyzer Before Arrest, Fox News, January 11, 2011 ]</ref>
*Korey Rowe, producer of the 9/11 conspiracy film ''Loose Change'', was arrested for selling heroin.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/31/conspiracy-film-producer-arrested-drug-charges/?test=latestnews 9/11 Conspiracy Film Producer Arrested on Drug Charges, Fox News, January 31, 2011]</ref>
*Lindsay Lohan is facing felony grand theft charges; she was accused of stealing a $2500 necklace from a Venice boutique.<ref>[ttp://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/02/05/lindsay-lohan-facing-years-state-prison-jewelry-theft Lindsay Lohan Facing Three Years in State Prison, Fox News, February 5, 2011]</ref>
*Christina Aguilera was arrested under the misdemeanor charge of public intoxication.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/03/01/christina-aguilera-arrested-public-intoxication-report-says/?test=faces Christina Aguilera Arrested for Public Intoxication, Fox News, March 1, 2011]</ref>
*Actor Tom Sizemore was arrested on an outstanding warrant for battery. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/09/20/actor-tom-sizemore-arrested-on-outstanding-battery-warrant-report-says/#ixzz1YVp32AsJ Actor Tom Sizemore Arrested, Fox News, September 20, 2011]</ref>
*Canadian filmmaker Roger Avery, who had collaborated with Quentin Tarantino in the past, was convicted of drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter in August 2009.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/film/story/2009/08/21/avary-plea.html Pulp Fiction writer pleads guilty over deadly car crash - CBC0]</ref>
*[[Christian Bale]] was arrested for assaulting his mother.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,388124,00.html Christian Bale Arrested for Allegedly Assaulting Mother, Sister; Actor Denies Allegation - Fox News]</ref>
*[[Nicole Polizzi]], star of the reality show ''Jersey Shore'', was arrested in July 2010 for disorderly conduct and a month later was fined $500 for the charges that followed.<ref>[http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2012835886_apusjerseyshorearrest.html MTV's `Snooki' fined $500 for bothering beachgoers - The Seattle Times]</ref> On may 31 2011 she got into troubles with the law once more, this time in Italy.<ref>p[http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/90050118?Snooki%20crashes%20into%20police%20patrol%20car%20in%20Florence%2C%20Causes%20traffic%20jam Snooki crashes into police patrol car in Florence, Causes traffic jam]</ref>
*[[David Faustino]], known primarily for playing Bud in ''[[Married With Children]]'', was arrested in 2007 for possessing Marijuana.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272977,00.html 'Married With Children' Actor David Faustino Arrested on Marijuana, Intoxication Charges - Fox News]</ref>
*Actress Natasha Lyonne has a long history of crime and drug use.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/theater/06simo.html When Living at All Is the Best Revenge - The New York Times]</ref>
*Hollywood producer Robert Evans was convicted in 1980 of possessing cocaine.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/20/movies/the-rise-and-fall-and-now-rise-of-robert-evans.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm The Rise and Fall and, Now, Rise of Robert Evans - New York Times]</ref>
*Pop star Gary Glitter was conivcted several times on charges related to child pornography and statutory rape.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1088318/Take-Sex-Offender-Registry-says-Gary-Glitter--taxpayers-fund-appeal.html Take me off Sex Offender Registry, says Gary Glitter... and taxpayers will fund his appeal - The Daily Mail]</ref>
*Former child actor Taran Noah Smith from "Home Improvement" was arrested for a DUI and drug possession. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/02/01/home-improvement-kid-busted-for-dui-and-drug-possession/?intcmp=obnetwork 'Home Improvement' actor Taran Noah Smith busted for DUI, drug possession, Fox News, February 2, 2012]</ref>

== Falsehoods ==
''See also: [[Essay:Worst Liberal Movies]]''

[[Hollywood values]] perpetuate [[liberal]]-driven [[Essay:Liberal Falsehoods|falsehoods]]:

*[[The Road We’ve Traveled]]
:20 minute mini-documentary on [[Barack Obama]], narrated by actor [[Tom Hanks]], is more fiction than fact, more fantasy than reality.
*[[Game Change]]
:HBO's anti-Republican propaganda film about [[Sarah Palin]]. Stars and Executives of the production gave $200K to Democrats, Zero to Republicans. <ref>[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2012/03/07/game-change-stars-and-execs-gave-200k-democrats-zero-republicans#ixzz1oUdT6O5w 'Game Change' Stars and Execs Gave $200K to Democrats, Zero to Republicans, Newsbusters, March 7, 2012</ref>
*[[Inside Job]]
:A 2010 film by Democrat donor Charles Ferguson that blames the Great Recession on [[Wall Street]], deregulation, the [[Bush Administration]]. The film whitewashes Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's role and claims the financial system corrupted politics. Capitalists are the bad guys.
*[[Fair Game]]
:Another Bush bash flick starring communist [[Sean Penn]]. 2010 film rehashes the lead up to the war in Iraq and [[Valerie Plame]]'s role. Typical un-American Hollywood film ''"The narrative that [[Karl Rove]] and Dick Cheney’s Chief of Staff [[Scooter Libby]] were nefarious behind-the-scenes players intent on destroying innocent reputations while pushing the nation into war on false pretenses."'' <ref>[http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/10/hollywood-hit-job-fair-game-propagates-easily-disprovable-myths-about-lead-up-to-iraq-war/ Hollywood hit job: ‘Fair Game’ propagates easily disprovable myths about lead up to Iraq War http://dailycaller.com/2010/11/10/hollywood-hit-job-fair-game-propagates-easily-disprovable-myths-about-lead-up-to-iraq-war The Daily Caller, November 11, 2010]</ref>
*[[The Iron Lady]]
: Meryl Streep plays [[Margaret Thatcher]] in this gross mistake of a film. Liberals distort her triumphs and her low career points. Streep portrays Thatcher as a dementia-sufferer looking back at her life with sadness. The director defended the film as "a fictional film but it will be fair and accurate.” Thatcher's children Mark and Carol are appalled and say “They think it sounds like some Left-wing fantasy." <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/7895160/Margaret-Thatchers-family-are-appalled-at-Meryl-Streep-film.html Margaret Thatcher's family are 'appalled' at Meryl Streep film, Telegraphe.co.uk, July 17, 2010]</ref>

*[[The Tillman Story]]
:A liberals view of the circumstances surrounding the death of football star and Army Ranger [[Pat Tillman]]. The film portrays each and every fact as sinister. Plus, each and every fact is evidence of a conspiracy. Typical Hollywood [[George W. Bush]] bashing flick. The bias was clear, make Tillman a liberal atheist anti-war hero that was cannon-fodder for the government. Tillman's actions speak louder than any twisted accusations presented in this documentary. <ref>[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/kschlichter/2010/07/13/the-tillman-story-dont-let-the-facts-get-in-the-way-of-your-agenda/ FILM REVIEW: Absurd Conspiracy Theories Abound in Agenda-Driven ‘Tillman Story’, BigHollywood.com]</ref>

*[[Matthew Shepard Fallacy]]
:Adherents to Hollywood values "green-lighted a troika of [[Matthew Shepard]] movies after he was senselessly killed because it affirmed their gut feeling that a gay young man living in backward America is destined for death at the hands of hateful ultraconservatives. A street in West Hollywood still stands in his name despite ABC News reporting the story false: He was killed by crazed meth addicts for drugs and money -- not because he was gay. Isn't that tragic enough? Yet Shepard is still the icon of gay victims' rights, and the mistaken story of his 'fate' soon thereafter befell Jake Gyllenhaal's character in 'Brokeback Mountain.' The Oscar statuette stands as the exclamation point."<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-dustup26sep26,0,1800794,full.story</ref>

*[[Inherit the Wind]]
:Hollywood perpetuated complete lies about the [[Scopes Trial]] in order to smear Christianity, including:

:*portraying [[William Jennings Bryan]] as being ignorant, harsh and punitive, based on a false portrayal of his actions and testimony

:*falsely claiming that at the end Bryan, in a senseless fit of madness, died in the courtroom amid caring and reasonable Darwinists

:*falsely portraying the Darwinists in a positive light and the Christians as deceitful

:In real life, Bryan and the Christians won the trial and were charitable to the end, while the Darwinist Darrow was deceitful in reneging on his deal to take the witness stand after Bryan did.

*[[U 571]]
:The 2000 film [[U 571]] had a plot which was based on the first capture of a German Enigma machine in [[World War 2]]. However, in the film the capture is made by Americans. In fact the first Enigma machine was captured by the British in 1941 prior to the Americans entering the war.

*[[Better This World]]
:2011 documentary "feature length lie" is a [[PBS]] film regarding the thwarted domestic terrorist attack at the 2008 [[Republican]] National Convention and [[liberal]]s attempt to re-write history. <ref>[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/hgiles/2011/04/04/better-this-world-another-chapter-in-hollywoods-love-affair-with-terrorists/ ‘Better This World’: Another Chapter in Hollywood’s Love Affair With Terrorists]</ref>

*[[Recount-film]]
:The 2008 [[HBO]] movie on the 2000 Presidential elections and its aftermath in Florida. A look into how the [[Republicans]] stole the election and the role of its party members that made it happen. Republicans are portrayed as ghoulish and cited as manufacturing demonstrations. Both the real Warren Christopher and James Baker contend the film’s portrayal of the former is hopelessly untrue. <ref>[http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/hbos-recount-hanging-chads-and-black-humor/ HBO’s Recount: Hanging Chads, Black Humor] The Washington Times, May 4, 2008</ref>

*[[Winter Soldiers]]
:The 1972 film about U.S. troops from Vietnam put on record as baby killers, human rights violators, and general disservice to America. This myth was propagated by a few anti-war activist liberal actors that never did see combat in [[Vietnam]] and some were never in the country. The initial result was to hold hearings in Congress over the matter. All allegations were proven fabrications, falsehoods, and lies.

*[[An Inconvenient Truth]]
:The 2006 false documentary about man-made [[global warming]] created & hyped by [[Al Gore]]. A [[British]] court found the film contained at least [http://www.conservapedia.com/Global_warming#Al_Gore.27s_.22Inconvenient_Truth.22_Movie_Claims 11 material falsehoods]. The Science and Public Policy Institute has found 35 falsehoods associated with the film. <ref>[http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/monckton/goreerrors.html 35 Inconvenient Truths, Science and Public Policy Institute]</ref>

*[[Fahrenheit 911]]
:A [[Michael Moore]] film that was a false portrayal of why America fought a war against [[Saddam Hussein]]'s Iraq. The main theme was to attack [[George W. Bush]] during wartime.

*[[Sicko]]
:Another [[Michael Moore]] film which spread many falsehoods about American healthcare while unduly glorifying the so-called benefits of socialized healthcare. Memorably referred to Cuban healthcare as being better than American healthcare.

*[[Redacted]]
:Brian De Palma’s 2007 fictional anti-Iraq War film funded by [[Mark Cuban]]. The film is credited with inspiring a terrorist attack that killed two U.S. servicemen in [[Germany]]. <ref>[http://weaselzippers.us/2011/03/11/confirmed-german-authorities-say-de-palmas-anti-military-movie-redacted-motivated-frankfurt-jihadi-to-murder-american-airmen/ Confirmed: German Authorities Say De Palma’s Anti-Military Movie “Redacted” Motivated Frankfurt Jihadi to Murder American Airmen, March 11, 2011]</ref>

==Disrespect for marriage==

Many celebrities and other exponents of Hollywood Values have no respect for the sanctity of marriage - their own or anyone else's. This is manifested in a high rate of marriage breakdown, and by the home-wrecking activities of the promiscuous, whose moral outlooks have been distorted by Liberal and atheistic teachings.

*[[Larry King]] (real name Lawrence Zeiger) has been married eight (8) times to seven (7) different women.
*[[Elizabeth Taylor]] has been married eight (8) times, including a nearly 6-year marriage to [[John Warner|Senator John Warner]] (R-VA).<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000072/bio</ref>
*[[Valerie Bertinelli]] said her divorce from [[Eddie Van Halen]] was caused by infidelity and drug use - by her too. She said she was "destroying my body," trying to keep up with a rock-star lifestyle. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,332551,00.html Valerie Bertinelli About Divorce From Eddie Van Halen: 'I Wasn't An Angel Either'], [[Fox News Channel]], ''[[Associated Press]]'', February 26, 2008</ref>
*[[Zsa Zsa Gabor]] has been married nine (9) times. One of her marriages - to Felipe de Alba - was annulled after one day.
*[[Mickey Rooney]] has been married eight (8) times, but has been with his last wife for 30 years after embracing religion and abandoning his previous lifestyle.
*[[Charlie Chaplin]] married four (4) times, including his marriage at the age of 54 to an 18-year-old bride.
*[[James Cameron]] has been married five (5) times, one of which ended when he cheated on his wife. He also had an out of wedlock child with his fourth wife.
*[[Johnny Carson]] married four (4) times, and frequently made light of his having divorced three times, as if this were something funny.
*[[Meredith Baxter]] married and divorced four (4) times; she finally admitted in 2009 that she was a [[homosexual]].
*In 2009, the married [[David Letterman]] admitted to having had adulterous sexual relationships with multiple members of his staff; he had previously fathered a child out of wedlock.
*[[Jayne Mansfield]] was married three times and had numerous extramarital affairs. She appeared in the centerfold of the pornographic magazine Playboy, and died in an automobile accident.
*[[Britney Spears]]' 2004 marriage to Jason Alexander lasted 55 hours.
*Musicians [[Cher]] and [[Gregg Allman]] were married for eight days in 1975.
*[[Drew Barrymore]] has two of the shortest celebrity marriages on record, one of 30 days and a five-month marriage to notorious lowbrow comedian Tom Green. Barrymore is a poster child for Hollywood values, as a former child star who became an alcoholic and drug addict who also posed for pornographic magazines.
*[[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], made public that he had an adulterous relationship and fathered a child with another women.
*[[Halle Berry]], a fanatic supporter of [[Barack Hussein Obama]]<ref>[http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8605.html Obamamania verges on obsession - Politico]</ref>, had been married two times in the past and gave birth out of wedlock.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/08/21/celebrities-kids-wedlock/ Celebrities Who Had Kids Out of Wedlock - Fox News]</ref> Later on, Berry and her baby's father Gabriel Aubry had split and a custody battle between the two ensued.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/halle-berrys-latest-blunder-gabriel-aubry/story?id=12813387 Gabriel Aubry: Another Bad Apple for Halle Berry? - ABC News]</ref>
*[[Eddie Murphy]] impregnated former Spice Girl Melanie Brown without marrying her<ref>[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20043487,00.html Mel B: DNA Proves Eddie Murphy Fathered Her Baby - People Magazine]</ref> and later on severed all contact with Melanie and their shared daughter.<ref>[http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/news/a101281/mel-b-writes-song-about-eddie-murphy.html Mel B writes song about Eddie Murphy - Digital Spy]</ref>
*[[Kim Kardashian]] and [[NBA]] player [[Kris Humphries]] got divorced after 72 days.<ref>[http://articles.philly.com/2011-11-01/news/30346165_1_kris-humphries-kim-and-kris-kim-kardashian#ixzz1cVCWcXKK Sideshow: Smash go Kim and Kris - The Philadelphia Inquirer]</ref>
*Producer [[Robert Evans]] has been divorced seven times.<ref>[http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1205936,00.html Divorce No. 7 for Producer Robert Evans - People Magazine]</ref>
*Actor [[Gary Oldman]] had been married four times.<ref>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/gary-oldman-the-spy-who-came-in-and-brought-the-cold-with-him-2356597.html Gary Oldman: The spy who came in, and brought the cold with him - The Independent]</ref>
*[[Pamela Anderson]] has been divorced three times and her latest marriage lasted for only two months.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2008-02-26-pamela-anderson_N.htm Anderson seeks annulment of marriage to Salomon - USA Today]</ref>
*[[Gregg Allman]], founding member of The Allman Brothers Band, has been married six times and is engaged once again. He has a new memoir out with a Christian title My Cross to Bear. [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2150083/Gregg-Allman-engaged-girlfriend-Shannon-Allman-Brothers-singer-64-marry-blonde-24.html]

== Offensive Behavior/Moral depravity ==

* [[Charlie Sheen]] to Wife Brooke Mueller: "I'll Kill You." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/09/charlie-sheen-wife-brook-mueller-ill-kill-you/?test=latestnews Charlie Sheen to Wife Brooke Mueller: "I'll Kill You"]</ref>. Sheen was arrested on Christmas Day for domestic abuse of his current wife Brooke. He was booked for second-degree assault, menacing, and criminal mischief. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/12/25/actor-charlie-sheen-arrested-domestic-violence-charges/?test=faces Actor Charlie Sheen Released From Jail After Domestic Abuse Arrest, Fox News, December 25, 2009]</ref> Sheen has a history that includes assaults against girlfriends and his former wife. He is also infamous for drug/alcohol abuse, having tried (and failed) numerous attempts in rehab clinics. He was fired from the sitcom Two and A Half Men where, in true Hollywood hypocrisy, he played an "amusingly" alcohol-abusing ladies' man, except the lifestyle proves consequence-free. Sheen has become dangerously unhinged in recent weeks and has been making increasingly bizarre rants online. No one from Hollywood has yet to step in.
* Trashing hotel rooms is a favorite form of offensive behavior by Hollywood types. Many examples are readily available on the [[internet]].<ref>See, e.g., [http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101034.html]</ref>
*[[Mel Gibson]], who had started drinking again, was arrested after being stopped for driving at 84 mph in a 45 mph zone on a notoriously dangerous road in Malibu, California.<ref>''Mel Gibson apologizes after DUI arrest'' [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14080210/ Associated Press]</ref> A breathalyzer test confirmed he was drunk and next to him was an open bottle of Tequila; after being arrested he hurled Anti-Semitic abuse at a Jewish police officer.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2292336,00.html Mel Gibson rants against Jews in drink-drive arrest], Times Online, July 30, 2006</ref>
*The parents of [[Miley Cyrus]], just 15 years old, allowed [[Annie Liebowitz]] to pose the starlet without a shirt or bra (nominally [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topless "topless"]) and with just a sheet covering her front for Vanity Fair magazine.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/media/28hannah.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</ref><ref>http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195785,00.html</ref><ref>http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23608789-5001026,00.html</ref> "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about." <ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYLnT2kyPIgNUurQ71aNM3EJKpRAD90ARTGO0</ref>
:"... a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines," a network statement said. <ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYLnT2kyPIgNUurQ71aNM3EJKpRAD90ARTGO0</ref>
*Many Hollywood stars who have purposely sought fame have then turned upon photographers and fans. [[Sean Penn]] is well known to lash out at photographers.
*The parents of 16-year old Jamie Lynn Spears allowing her unwed pregnancy to be publicly portrayed as a normal act even though she is a role model for millions of underage teenagers. Mayor of Gloucester, Carolyn Kirk recently blamed the glamorizing of teen pregnancy by Jamie Lynn Spears for the 17 high school teenagers that got pregnant at the same time. <ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/06/gloucester_mayo.html Gloucester mayor rebuts report of teen pregnancy pact], June 23, 2008</ref>
*[[Ellen DeGeneres]] proudly displays her [[gay]] sexuality for all to see. On August 16, 2008, DeGeneres "married" Portia de Rossi in a small ceremony in Beverly Hills. Fox News called it "the biggest celebrity union since California legalized same-sex marriage." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405085,00.html Reports: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Wed] AP, August 17, 2008</ref> Now, her fans and millions of young girls can read about her gay "marriage" in magazines such as People and Us Magazine, hear about it on celebrity news television shows.
*Rapper [[Kanye West]] and bodyguard attacked the paparazzi at [[LAX]] airport and allegedly smashed a camera on the floor valued at $10,000. The pair were arrested for felony vandalism. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420869,00.html Kanye West Arrested in Altercation With Paparazzi] Ap, September 11, 2008</ref>
*[[Heather Locklear]] was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. The officer noticed Locklear's car parked on a state highway and blocking a lane in Montecito, Ca. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,429388,00.html Heather Locklear Arrested on Suspicion of DUI] AP, September 29, 2008</ref>
*Celebrity of the moment [[Kourtney Kardashian]] gave a risque lingerie shoot while pregnant with her boyfriend's child. After birth, Mom and baby adorned magazine covers, highlighting the modern acceptance of single motherhood. The cover reads ''"Baby Mason will bring our family together,"'' obscuring the traditional meaning of family. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2009/10/16/kardashian-sisters?slide=2 The Kardashian Family, Fox News]</ref>
*Actor [[Jude Law]] had a sexual relationship with model Samantha Burke that produced a daughter. It is reported that Law finally went to visit his daughter for the first time, 5 months after she was born. <ref>[http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/jude-law-makes-first-visit-to-love-child-216056/ Jude Law Makes First Visit To Love Child, CelebrityGossip.net, March 1, 2010]</ref>
*Actor [[Tom Hanks]] called Mormons 'un-American' for their support of Proposition 8 in California. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/01/23/tom-hanks-apologizes-calling-mormon-supporters-proposition-american/ Tom Hanks Apologizes for Calling Mormon Supporters of Proposition 8 'Un-American', Fox News, January 23, 2009]</ref>
*[[Woody Allen]] seduced and took pornographic photographs of the youthful daughter of his then girlfriend [[Mia Farrow]].
*Director David Lynch is apathetic towards religion and politics and is instead for [[transcendental meditation]].
*Director John Waters claims that is biggest influence for his "films" are pornographic movies. In addition, he is openly gay and thinks he's okay.
*[[John Cusack]] calls for satanic death cult to descend on Fox News, Dick Armey, Newt Gingrich and GOP welfare freaks. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/08/31/actor-john-cusack-calls-satanic-death-fox-news-gop-leaders/?test=faces John Cusack Calls for 'Satanic Death' of Fox News, GOP Leaders, FOXNews, August 31, 2010]</ref>
*[[Brad Pitt]], appearing in a Spike Lee film announces his desire to see BP executives get the death penalty. <ref>[http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1008/pitt_death_penalty_for_bp.html Brad Pitt: Death Penalty For BP, Politico, August 23, 2010]</ref> Pitt also admitted to having a history of drug use, and while he claims it belongs in his past [[Quentin Tarantino]] has said otherwise.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1207391/Brad-Pitt-offered-drugs-reveals-Quentin-Tarantino-actor-claims-quit-cannabis-years-ago.html 'Brad Pitt offered me drugs,' reveals Quentin Tarantino after actor claims he quit cannabis years ago - Daily Mail]</ref>
*[[Tracy Morgan]] made lewd comments about [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/01/tnt_apologizes_for_tracy_morga.html TNT Apologizes for Tracy Morgan’s Sarah Palin Comment - New York Magazine]</ref>
*[[Keith Richards]], guitarist of the [[Rolling Stones]], has said that he snorted his father's ashes.<ref>[http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/17933669/ns/today-entertainment/t/keith-richards-says-he-snorted-fathers-ashes/#.TrAYI3L4JJE Keith Richards says he snorted father's ashes - MSNBC]</ref>
*During one of his performances, [[Michael Richards]] lashed at a member of the audience with racial slurs.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/tv/story/2006/11/20/kramer-racial-slurs.html Richards 'deeply, deeply sorry' for racial slurs - CBC]</ref>
*Larry Wachowski, one of the directors of [[The Matrix]], previously dressed in drag before receiving a sex change and now goes by Lana Wachowski.
*International filmmaker, Federico Fellini did acid as a source of inspiration.
*Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of [[South Park]], attended the 2000 Academy Award Ceremony while dressed in drag; later on they admitted to taking drugs prior to doing so.<ref>[http://www.inquisitr.com/146670/trey-parker-and-matt-stone-say-acid-trip-was-behind-drag-appearance-at-2000-oscars/ Trey Parker and Matt Stone Say Acid Trip Was Behind Drag Appearance at 2000 Oscars - The Inquisitr]</ref>
=== Hollywood actor Dan Akroyd on bestiality ===

''See also:'' [[Liberalism and bestiality]]

On September 16, 2008 LifeSiteNews quotes Catholic League President Bill Donohue saying:
{{cquote|...Dan Akroyd...says there’s no such thing as sexual morality, even to the point of saying that a man having sex with a dog or a cat would be perfectly fine by him provided that the cat or dog could be sentient and could make a decision.<ref>[http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2008/sep/08091610 In New Book Actor Dan Akroyd Says he Would Support Bestiality if Animals Were Sentient]</ref>}}

== Hollywood "humor" ==
Another manifestation of Hollywood's offensiveness and moral depravity is found in many of its "comedy" movies. More so than any other entertainment industry, many Hollywood productions rely on lowbrow, juvenile humor. Unlike more intelligent comedies of the early to mid-20th century (such as ''The Great Dictator'' or ''Arsenic and Old Lace''), many contemporary Hollywood comedies eschew intelligence, social commentary, wit or satire in favor of lower-hanging fruit, such as "toilet humor," nudity/sex, gratuitous violence and shock value. Examples of such films include:

*''American Pie'' - a long-running film franchise primarily dealing with teenage sex and alcohol; it relies on jokes about sex and bodily functions
*''Jackass'' - essentially a montage of ridiculous stunts and pranks with no coherent story
*''South Park'' - uses constant iterations of urine, feces, farting and shock humor, such as jokes about abortion, rape and the Holocaust
*''There's Something About Mary'' - contains gratuitous sex and jokes about bodily functions
*''Family Guy'' - notorious for its shock tactics, this show routinely employs willful tastelessness for comedic shock value. Examples include one regular character who is a pedophile, as well as constant Hitler jokes
*''Harold and Kumar'' - the adventures of the pot-smoking duo that play up ethnic stereotypes.

== Rehabilitation clinics ==
Hollywood values often result in [[Celebrity|celebrities]] going into rehabilitation clinics. Here are some examples:

*[[Kirsten Dunst]] checked into the [[Cirque Lodge]] treatment facility in [[Utah]] after a week of hard partying at the [[Sundance Film Festival]], according to a source at the lodge, although the lodge's director of operations denies this. <ref name = "foxkirsten">
[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329545,00.html Reports Say Kirsten Dunst in Rehab; Rep for Facility Denies It], ''[[Fox News]]'', February 08, 2008</ref>

The following all checked into the above facility seeking treatment for various psychological problems:

*[[Lindsay Lohan]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Eva Mendes]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Mary-Kate Olsen]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Robert Downey Jr.]]
*[[Courtney Love]]

*[[Heather Locklear]]<ref>"A spokeswoman for the 47-year-old star said: 'Heather has been dealing with anxiety and depression.'" She "checked into a clinic in [[Arizona]] that treats depression."[http://www.pnas.org/content/101/11/3721.full]</ref>

*[[David Arquette]], enters rehab for for treatment of alcohol abuse and depression. <ref>[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/01/david-arquette-rehab-alcohol-courteney-cox-arquette.html David Arquette enters rehab; Courteney Cox supportive, L.A. Times, January 3, 2011]</ref>

*[[David Duchovny]], having boosted Hollywood Values through his role in a decadent television series, now finds himself trapped by the depravity that he promoted, and has had to enter rehab for his addiction to unchastity<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2835847820080829</ref>.

== Hypocrisy ==

Hollywood personalities often propose legislation such as outlawing private gun ownership, or speak out against things such as anti-gun laws, but have at the same time acted in movies contrary to their public opinions:

* [[George Clooney]] on hearing that fellow actor and gun-rights advocate, [[Charlton Heston]], suffers from Alzheimer's disease, said: ''"I don't care. Charlton Heston is the head of the [[National Rifle Association]]. He deserves whatever anyone says about him."''<ref>http://www.funnyreign.com/quotes-georgeclooney.shtml</ref> Clooney starred in the film ''The Peacemaker'', in which he played an American military man defending the country from a nuclear attack; scenes in the film showed him using a gun to defend himself and others.

* [[Mark Wahlberg]] upon meeting Charlton Heston on the set of the remake of ''Planet of the Apes'', Wahlberg rudely told Heston, "It was very disturbing meeting you." Later, Wahlberg would have this to say at the MTV Movie Awards: ''"I believe Charlton Heston is America's best villain because he loves guns so much. Maybe he should get the award for being president of the National Rifle Association."''<ref>http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=2360</ref> Wahlberg's character in ''Planet of the Apes'' uses a gun to defend himself and other humans from the apes who would rule over them.

* [[Helen Mirren]] played Queen Elizabeth II in a movie 'The Queen', but [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,414361,00.html admits she used to use cocaine] as a result of her poor life choices as a younger woman.

==Using appearances to promote their [[liberal]] political views==
*Rapper Kanye West infamously went way off script during a live benefit concert for victims of Hurricane Katrina, criticizing the media's treatment of images of black and white people and saying President [[George W. Bush]] "doesn't care about black people."<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html</ref>
*During the live broadcast of the 2007 Emmy Awards, actress Sally Field went on a sputtering anti-war rant, eventually concluding by saying, "If the mothers ruled the world, there would be no g**d*** war in the first place." She received thunderous applause from the Hollywood audience for her vulgar remark.<ref>http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3610891</ref>
*[[Michael Moore]] surprised no one by criticizing President Bush during his 2003 Oscar acceptance speech for "Bowling for Columbine," saying, "We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man who's sending us to war for fictitious reasons, whether it's the fiction of duct tape or the fiction of orange alerts. We are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you, Mr. Bush. Shame on you."<ref>http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20030323-2028-oscars-moore.html</ref>
*Actress Jessica Lange verbally attacked President Bush and the Iraq War during a 2008 commencement speech at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York, stating, "We are living in an America that, in the last seven and a half years, has waged an unnecessary war, established prison camps, condoned torture, employed corporate armies, eliminated the right of habeas corpus, practiced extraordinary rendition, and believe me, this is only a partial list."<ref>http://cbs5.com/politics/Jessica.Lange.President.2.732264.html</ref>
*Actress Megan Fox was recently quoted by MSN in a piece entitled "The Wit and Wisdom of Megan Fox" discussing her new movie Transformers 2. She said "why not just take out all of the white trash, hillbilly, anti-gay, super Bible-beating people in Middle America?” <ref>[http://www.onenewsnow.com/Blog/Default.aspx?id=559876 Megan Fox would barter using ‘Bible-beating white trash’]OneNewsNow.com</ref>

==Vanity and [[Idol]] Worship==
[[Hollywood]] places a value on appearance and it is driven into the minds of those who they seek profits and adulation from. There is such a need to be rich and famous that anything goes. It may be glamorizing to reveal skin <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2009/07/15/lovely-talented-khloe-kardashian?test=faces The youngest of the Kardashian gals decided flashing photographers was the best way to get some attention, FOX News, April 1, 2010]</ref> or shamelessly being sex symbols to audiences. Pat-your-back awards ceremonies whereby we breathlessly await the ''Stars'' to arrive. Naturally, scandals make big headlines and these people are no stranger to controversy, for [[money]]. These fake [[Gods]] have captured the hearts of millions upon millions who follow their every move. Negative stereotypes poison the minds of their followers. Women feel less worthy due to the overwhelming influence touching every part of society. [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State's]] Media Research found the following regarding Women's magazines, "Past research indicates that exposure to thin models results in lower [[self-esteem]] and decreased weight satisfaction, and to increased depression, guilt, shame, [[stress]], insecurity and body dissatisfaction." <ref>[http://www.psu.edu/dept/medialab/research/selfworth.html Construction of Beauty as a Measure of Self-Worth] Penn State Media Research</ref>

[[File:Celebrity.jpg|right|250px]]

==Award Shows==
Fans of Hollywood are served copious amounts of vanity and glamour as celebrities are greeted on the red-carpet attending award events. Paparazzi snap pictures and the stars are rated for their appearance in various tabloids and entertainment television. Once the celebrities have arrived at the awards, television cameras capture for the masses acceptance speeches of their beloved stars. Once limited to couple of banquets such as the [[Emmy Award|Emmys]] or [[Golden Globe]]s, now some two-dozen award shows are vying for exposure. These new award shows offer glimpses into ego and moral depravity of Hollywood. It's not uncommon for the stars to act cool by cussing to the audience during acceptance speeches. These awards shows have become tawdry events that are marketed mostly to teens.

*Madonna engages in a lustful lesbian kiss onstage to [[Britney Spears]] at the 2003 MTV Music Video Awards. <ref>[http://top40.about.com/od/britneyspears/ig/Britney-Spears-Photo-Biography/Britney-Spears-Kissing-Madonna.htm Britney Spears and Madonna Kiss, About.com, 2003]</ref>
*A notoriously self-serving [[Kanye West]] jumped onstage at the [[MTV Video Awards]] to interrupt an acceptance speech by [[Taylor Swift]]. <ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-15972-Raleigh-Pop-Culture-Examiner~y2009m9d14-MTV-Video-Music-Awards-inspire-annual-controversy MTV Video Music Awards inspire annual controversy, Examiner.com, September 14, 2009]</ref>
*[[Mariah Carey]] attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Her acceptance speech was made while completely drunk. <ref>[http://neonlimelight.com/2010/01/06/video-mariah-carey-accepts-film-festival-award-drunk/ Video: Mariah Carey Accepts Film Festival Award Drunk, Neonlimelight.com, January 6, 2010]</ref>
*[[Miley Cyrus]] performed at the Teen Choice Awards in August 2009. The 16-year old was dancing around on a stripper pole. <ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1619183/20090820/cyrus__miley.jhtml Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley's Teen Choice Pole Dance, MTV.com, August 20, 2009]</ref>
*Actor [[Jack Black]] opened the 2009 MTV Video Awards by leading everyone in a prayer to [[satan]]. <ref>[http://christianpress.com/content/entertainment/11-lifestyle/360-jack-black-leads-a-prayer-to-the-devil-at-the-2009-mtv-awards satan Jack Black Leads A Prayer To The Devil At The 2009 MTV Awards, Christian Press, September 14, 2009 ]</ref>
*Adam Lambert’s [[American Music Awards]] performance received over 1500 complaints for flipping off the audience, kissing a male keyboard player, and fondling several of his backup dancers. <ref>[http://www.ecanadanow.com/entertainment/2009/11/28/did-you-find-adam-lamberts-american-music-awards-performance-offensive/comment-page-1/ Did You Find Adam Lambert’s American Music Awards Performance Offensive?, eCanadanow.com, November 28, 2009]</ref>
*Nominees for the 13th annual 2011 [[Teen Choice Awards]] include a lesbian kiss, a masturbating dog, a pot head middle school teacher. ''"Teens will vote for their favorites, ranging from artists with hits about S&M, to sex and drug-filled R-rated comedies, to favorite “break up” songs – one nominated song features the “f” word 16 times."'' <ref>[http://m.newsbusters.org/blogs/erin-r-brown/2011/08/05/producers-pick-lesbian-kiss-r-rated-movies-teen-choice-award-nominees Producers Pick Lesbian Kiss, R-Rated Movies as Teen Choice Award Nominees, Newsbusters.org, August 5, 2011]</ref>

==Preying on Underage Stars==

Very many child actors and actresses have gone on to have damaged and tragically short lives as a result of early exposure to Hollywood Values.

Debbie Gibson reflects on her life as a sixteen-year-old teenage Pop star and her exposure to the very sinister side of show business. “It is very disheartening that there are so many older men that prey on young performers.” What is even more disturbing than dirty male fans would be older male record executives trying to take her to adult parties and corrupt her with alcohol. Even the way the paparazzi stalk the younger artists is very different from following around adults. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533542,00.html?test=faces Debbie Gibson Speaks Out About Pedophile Fans Wanting to 'Corrupt Little Girls' Fox News, July 17, 2009]</ref>

Former child-actor Corey Feldman tells ABC that a big group of Hollywood executives are responsible for pedophilia and rape of underage stars. <ref>[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/aprice/2011/08/16/child-molestation-allegations-against-hollywood-must-be-investigated/ Child Molestation Allegations Against Hollywood Must Be Investigated]</ref> Feldman blames the death of troubled teen actor Corey Haim on Haim's Hollywood agent who molested him at age 14. <ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2025357/Paedophilia-Hollywoods-biggest-problem-alleges-child-star-Corey-Feldman.html 'Paedophilia is Hollywood's biggest problem,' explosive claim by former child star Corey Feldman, UK Dailymail, August 12, 2011]</ref>

The father of teen idol Miley Cyrus said Disney destroyed their family. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/02/15/billy-ray-cyrus-scared-daughter-miley-says-hannah-montana-destroyed-family/#?test=faces Billy Ray Cyrus Scared For Daughter Miley, Says Hannah Montana 'Destroyed My Family', Fox News, February 15, 2011 </ref> Billy Ray Cyrus accuses Miley's 'handlers' (Disney Executives) of going too far to promote her and when she got bad press they made her father the scapegoat.

=== Reality Stars ===
[[MTV]] is notorious for filming underage reality stars. The pressure of instant fame with people in trying circumstances to begin with, the off camera news starts to creep more into the media. Arrests, suicide attempts, drugs and rehab are just some of the issues involving reality stars personal lives. Legal contracts with the network spell out MTV's rights to exploit their situations on the show. Psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere. “In this country the media rewards bad behavior with more attention, thus more bad behavior is manifested because it is reinforced and rewarded." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2011/06/17/is-mtv-repsonsible-when-at-risk-girls-it-exploits-go-off-deep-end/#ixzz1PYwX10oc Is MTV Responsible When At-Risk Teens it Features Go Off the Deep End?, Fox News, June 17, 2011]</ref>

==Productions==
The diseased moral values of the Liberal-dominated entertainment industry are manifested all too clearly in many of the products of that industry - motion pictures and television programs that offer no edification or instruction to the viewer, but plumb a cesspit of license and depravity. Some recent examples include the television series ''Desperate Housewives'' and the TV series/movie ''[[Sex and the City]]''.

==Religion==
A short study of the ten most successful actors <ref>http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-most-successful-actors-at-the-box-office.php 10 most successful actors] </ref> shows that only 50% are Christian (compared to 76% for the general population), with 30% expressing no religious beliefs at all (15% in the general public). These actors have had successful careers and it is very likely that religious affiliation in regular actors is much lower, exposing or predisposing them to the influence of Hollywood values.

[[Scientology]] is practiced by many Hollywood personalities. Tom Cruise and John Travolta are perhaps the most well known Hollywood Scientologists.

==Books==
* ''Hollywood Against America''
* ''Hollywood Babylon'' (1965) by Kenneth Anger (US edition)
* ''Hollywood Babylon II'' (1984) by Kenneth Anger

==See also==
*[[Supermodel]]s
*[[Gallery of American Heroes]]
*[[World Famous Pictures]]

==External Links==
*[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ic_Q3agTpruvzoCJ5UxWaAqGJW3A Bush attacks 'Hollywood values'], ''AFP'', Oct 1, 2007
*[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/index.html Mug-shots of arrested Hollywood stars]
*[http://www.parentstv.org/ptc/news/articles/2010/mtvmovieawards.asp Parent's Television Council: MTV’s Movie Awards Will Honor Profanity]
*[http://www.renewamerica.com/columns/vernon/100802 From Hollywood: to Hitler with love (Stalin, too)]
*[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/12/17/dumbest-things-celebs-said/?test=faces Ten Dumbest Things Celebs Said in 2010]
*[http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2011/01/04/foul-mouthed-celebs/?test=faces#slide=1 Foul Mouthed Celebrities]
*[http://www.irishexaminerusa.com/mt/2011/01/04/pop_culture_killing_classic_tr.html Pop Culture Killing Classic Traditions]
*[http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/ Andrew Breitbart's BigHollywood.com]

== References ==
{{Reflist|3}}

{{Liberalism}}
[[category:entertainment]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]
[[Category:Social Problems]]
[[Category:Hollywood]]

Pope Benedict XVI

2012-11-03T00:57:24Z

PaulDiFoglio: Unless something's changed in the last twenty-something hours, I believe "footnotes" go last and "also see" should be "see also." Why is there never any consistency here?

[[Image:Pope Benedict XVI 1.jpg|right|200px]]
His Holiness '''Benedict XVI''' ('''Joseph Alois Ratzinger''', born April 16, 1927 in [[Bavaria]]) is the current [[Pope]] (2005- ) of the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. He succeeded Pope [[John Paul II]].

==Early Life==
He was born in Marktl am Inn, [[Germany]] on April 16, 1927. As a child, he lived in Traunstein where much of his philosophy developed. Ratzinger joined the [[Hitler Youth]] in 1939 - membership being required by law - but was unenthusiastic and refused to attend meetings.<ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis">http://bc.edu/research/cjl/meta-elements/texts/cjrelations/topics/new_pope_defied_nazis.htm</ref> At the end of 1944, he was drafted into the German Army and assigned to the Traustein Garrison. He deserted in April or May 1945. <ref name="new_pope_defied_nazis" /><ref>Blanco, Pablo. A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger.</ref>
Ratzinger's father opposed Nazism.

==Education==
He studied at the higher School of Freising and the University of Munich, receiving a Doctor of Theology Degree in 1953.

==Ordination==
He was ordained to the priesthood of the Catholic Church on June 29, 1951.

==Appointment to the See of Munich==
[[File:Firma papal.jpg|thumb|Signature.]]
[[Pope Paul VI]] appointed Father Ratzinger Archbishop of the Archdiocese of [[Munich]] and Freisling on March 25, 1977.

==Cardinal==
He was chosen to membership in the [[College of Cardinals]] by Pope [[Paul VI]] on June 27, 1977. He was thereafter known as Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. On November 25, 1981, Pope [[John Paul II]] named Cardinal Ratzinger "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith", one of the major Curial institutions of the [[Holy See]].

==College Positions==
On November 6, 1998, Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals. On November 30, 2002 he was elected Dean.

==Accession to the Papacy==
[[Image:Popebenedictbirthday.jpg|right|His Holiness Benedict XVI p.p. on his 80th Birthday|thumb]]
On April 2, 2005, John Paul II passed away. Following the prescribed mourning period, the College of Cardinals was summoned to the Vatican for the Papal Conclave. Cardinal Ratzinger was widely regarded as one of the strongest candidates for election to the papacy, both for his expertise in theological matters and his reputation as a conservative. On April 19, 2005, after a prior false signal, white smoke appeared at the chimney of the [[Sistine Chapel]], signalling the election of a new pope. There were reports that several rounds of voting were needed before Ratzinger achieved the super majority that was required.

As in the past, the Cardinal Protodeacon, Jorge Cardinal Medina Estevez, appeared on the balcony and proclaimed the following;
<blockquote>
Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: 
Habemus Papam! 
Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum Dominum, 
Dominum Joseph, 
Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem Ratzinger, 
Qui sibi nomen imposuit Benedict XVI. 
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
(I announce to you all a great joy: 
We have a pope! 
A most Eminent and Reverend Lord, 
Lord Joseph, 
Cardinal Ratzinger, of the Holy Roman Church, 
Who has imposed a name for himself: Benedict XVI.) 
</blockquote>

On April 2008, Pope Benedict XVI made his first visit to the [[United States]]. He celebrated mass at [[Washington D.C.]] in a baseball stadium and then at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick and also Yankee Stadium in [[New York City]]. During this journey he became the first pope to visit an American [[synagogue]].

''"We need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth,"'' said [[George W. Bush]] welcoming Benedict to the [[White House]].

==Social Networking==
The Vatican has expressed its desire to communicate to the world's 1 billion Catholics via the internet. The Pope has created the website [http://www.pope2you.net Pope2You] with applications geared toward [[Facebook]], its [[YouTube]] video channel, [[iPhone]] apps and WikiCath. Presentation of the message says,

{{cquote| ''Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people.''}}

== See also ==
[[Image:C. A. Benedict XVI.gif|right|thumb|Coat of Arms of Benedict XVI.]]
*[[Our Lady of Guadalupe]]
*[[Holy See]]
*[[Sistine Chapel]]
*[[Roman Catholic Church]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.vatican.va/ The Vatican]
*[http://flagspot.net/flags/va_ben16.html Personal Flag and Arms of Benedict XVI]
*[http://www.vatican.va/news_services/or/or_eng/text.html#1 Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland.] Regarding child sexual abuse by members of the Church.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[File:Papa Benedetto XVI PD WC.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Pope Benedict XVI, 2005.]]

[[Category: Religion]]
[[Category: Christianity]]
[[Category: Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Popes|Benedict XVI, Pope]]

Anderson Cooper

2012-11-03T00:55:02Z

PaulDiFoglio: Come one, people, let's get our period placement right

[[Image:Anderson Cooper.jpg|left]]
'''Anderson Hays Cooper''' was born on June 3, 1967, and is an American television personality. He is the main anchor of [[CNN]]'s liberal news show ''Anderson Cooper 360°'', and hosted the first two seasons of the ABC reality game show ''The Mole''. The program is based out of New York City. Cooper is the son of the writer Wyatt Emory Cooper and the designer and heiress [[Gloria Vanderbilt]]. He graduated from Yale in 1989 in Political Science and International Relations.

Though Cooper is popular, he is no stranger to controversy and accusations of [[media bias]].
<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20972&keywords=anderson+cooper|title= Presidential Debate Topic: Bill Clinton's Influence? |last=Oddis|first=Michelle|date=06/04/2007 |language=English|accessdate=2008-12-31}}</ref> For example, during the time of [[Hurricane Katrina]], he consistently played-up the government's poor response, even appearing on ''[[Oprah Winfrey|The Oprah Winfrey Show]]'' to accuse the government of negligence while at the same time, giving [[John Edwards]] what one media watchdog group called the "silk glove treatment."

Cooper's first major interview occurred on April 22, 2007, when he interviewed the infamous rapper Cam'ron about the "Stop Snitching" campaign. During the interview, Cooper asked Cam'ron if he lived next door to a serial killer and knew for a fact that person was killing people if would he tell or "snitch" to the police. Cam'ron said, "No, I wouldn't call and tell on them but I'd probably move."

Cooper is currently in a homosexual relationship with gay bar owner Benjamin Maisani.<ref>http://gawker.com/5392965/what-we-know-so-far-about-anderson-coopers-boyfriend</ref>

==See also==
*[[Erica Hill]]
*[[Chris Matthews]]
*[[Sean Hannity]]
*[[Jack Cafferty]]
*[[Lou Dobbs]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Anderson}}

[[Category:Broadcasters]]
[[Category:Media personalities]]
[[Category:Liberal Media]]
[[Category:Homosexuals]]

Cable News Network

2012-11-03T00:53:48Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Well Known Bias */ There's really no need to capitalize the first letter of every word in a section heading

[[Image:LOGOCNN.png|right|200px]]
The '''Cable News Network''' (CNN) is a [[liberal]], [[secular]] 24-hour cable [[news]] channel in the [[United States]]. First started in 1980 by [[Ted Turner]], it is a division of the Turner Broadcasting System, which is owned by TimeWarner.

From its origin as a cable-only service, CNN now broadcasts worldwide by satellite, with programs presented from studios in several countries in addition to their headquarters in Atlanta. Some regions receive locally produced opt-outs (under the name "CNN International"), and there are also broadcasts in [[Spanish]], [[German]], [[Italian]], [[Croatian]],[[Japanese]], [[Turkish]] and [[Gaelic]].

Where [[Fox News]] has succeeded, CNN has watched the steady fall in ratings.

==History==
CNN is owned by media mogul Ted Turner and made its debut in 1980 as the first US 24-hour news network. <ref>http://www.turner.com/about/corporate_history.html</ref>
During its early years it struggled to achieve the success and credibility of older news agencies, such as the [[BBC]]. However it achieved a great deal of recognition during its coverage of the first Gulf War during which it was the only news agency reporting during the initial night of the war. These events led to a movie, ''Live from Baghdad'', which portrays the events. In September 2010, head of its U.S. network Jon Klein was fired. <ref>http://writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/Coursetexts/gulf-war-arnett.html</ref>

== Well known bias ==
[[Conservative media]] critics, amongst other groups, rightly accuse CNN of promoting the [[Liberalism | liberal agenda]] with slant reporting, <ref>http://newsbusters.org/taxonomy/term/13</ref> mock and insult members of the [[Tea Party Movement]]. <ref>[http://www.breitbart.tv/update-chicago-tea-party-crowd-confronts-cnn-reporter-after-hostile-interview/ UPDATE: CHICAGO TEA PARTY CROWD CONFRONTS CNN REPORTER AFTER HOSTILE INTERVIEW, Breitbart.tv, April 15, 2009]</ref> Their coverage of the US Election of 2012 has also made alarm bells ring in the minds of true journalists.

== News Anchors ==
*[[Larry King]]
*[[Anderson Cooper]]
*[[Erica Hill]]
*[[Paula Zahn]]
*[[Fareed Zakaria]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.cnn.com/ CNN official site]
{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Media]]

Mainstream media

2012-11-03T00:51:39Z

PaulDiFoglio: That is *not* how a cquote template's supposed to be used, people

[[Image:N.jpg|350px |right]]
The '''mainstream media''' ('''MSM'''), also humorously known by many of its very large number of vocal critics as the '''lamestream media''', are the increasingly [[liberal]] media organs that censor the dissemination of news.

The common denominator of the "mainstream media" is their [[censorship|censoring]] or downplaying stories that would lead viewers to [[conservative]] conclusions, and their use of [[photo bias]], [[placement bias]] and other forms of deception to mislead viewers into drawing incorrect [[liberal]] conclusions. The term '''mainstream media''' usually refers to how the majority of commercial-based or taxpayer-funded news reporting and commentary consist of [[liberal media | liberal bias]], while falsely pretending to be objective providers of information.

{{cquote|''They [the media] are not becoming irrelevant, but they are getting to the point where they are worse than irrelevant,” and “They’re the scourge of the American people.''|||[[Andrew Breitbart]]<ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/75274 Tea Party Must Stand Up to Liberal Smear Tactics, Conservative Activist Says, CNSNews, September 14, 2010]</ref>}}

Examples include:

*Without any evidence of church attendance or Bible-reading by the [[Anders Behring Breivik|defendant]] accused of murdering 92 people in Norway, the headline of the leading Australian newspaper declared, "Norway suspect 'fundamentalist Christian.'"<ref>http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/norway-suspect-fundamentalist-christian-20110724-1huqg.html</ref> The headline appears to be based in part on a [[Facebook]] page that was likely not even authentic.

== Fairness Doctrine ==
In 1987, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] voted 4-0 to revoke, and cancel their enforcement of the [[Fairness Doctrine]]. The Fairness Doctrine mandated that if any opinion considered "controversial" were ever discussed on the public airwaves, the station over which that opinion aired was required to give [[Censorship|equal time]] to any person wishing to reply. However, the FCC never set a standard about ''interpretations'' of current events that might be disputable, or even examined that issue.

With the revocation of the Fairness Doctrine, [[radio]] and [[television]] stations were now permitted to air any opinion or interpretation of the news, no matter how "controversial," without regard to the giving of "equal time."

On August 1, 1988, a new radio commentator named [[Rush Limbaugh]] began [[broadcast]]ing in national [[syndication]].

== List of mainstream media organs ==
[[File:MSMbyTEA.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Protest sign expressing [[Tea Party Movement]]'s attitude toward MSM]]
Significant mainstream media outlets include:

'''Newspapers'''
* ''[[The New York Times]]''
* ''[[The Washington Post]]''
* ''[[The Boston Globe]]''
* ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]''
* ''[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]''
* ''The [[Los Angeles Times]]''
* ''[[The San Francisco Chronicle]]''
* ''[[USA Today]]''
* ''The [[Wall Street Journal]]''<ref>The inclusion of ''The Wall Street Journal'' might strike some media observers as strange, until one remembers that, though its editorial board is [[conservative]] on most issues (except for immigration), its [[city room]] is definitely [[liberal]] in orientation and coverage of the news.</ref>
* All major, standard-newspaper-format dailies that have existed since before the Fairness Doctrine repeal.

'''News Syndication Agencies'''
* [[Associated Press (AP)|Associated Press]]
* [[UPI|United Press International]]
* [[Reuters]]

'''Television'''
* [[CBS]]
* [[NBC]]
* [[ABC]]
* [[National Public Radio]]
* [[PBS|Public Broadcasting Service]]
* The [[CNN|Cable News Network]]
* [[Fox News]] (see below).

Some media consumers do not consider [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]] to be part of the "mainstream media" as Fox News frequently presents viewpoints that do not fall in line with other mainstream outlets. For example, in 2007, the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[2008_Presidential_Election#Declared_Democratic_Party_Candidates|presidential candidates]] declared that they would not appear in debates hosted by Fox News, but they did appear on other MSM news outlets.

However, ratings indicate that because of its massive popularity, Fox News could be considered to be part of the mainstream media by definition. According to ratings organization [[Nielsen ratings|Nielsen]]:
:* Fox News has the 10 most viewed cable TV news shows (as of Dec 2009).
:* Fox News mean prime-time viewing figures are triple that of [[MSNBC]], and double that of CNN, and exceed the total ratings of CNN, MSNBC and [[CNBC]] combined.
:* "In 2006, more than half the people watching cable news were watching Fox News" <ref>Authors unknown. "[http://www.stateofthenewsmedia.org/2007/narrative_cabletv_audience.asp?cat=2&media=6 The State of the News Media 2007]." ''Project for Excellence in Journalism,'' 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref>
[[File:Leftist News.gif | right]]
===CNN===
In 2006 CNN.com ran an article by columnist R. Emmett Tyrell Jr. entitled "Tyrell: Goodbye MSM... and good riddance!" <ref>[[R. Emmett Tyrell|Tyrell, R. Emmet]]. "[http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/02/tyrrell.msm/index.html?iref=newssearch Goodbye MSM... and good riddance!]" Creators' Syndicate, 2006. Retrieved August 2, 2007, from [http://www.cnn.com CNN].</ref> Examining the relationship between the [[alternative media|alternative press]] and the MSM, Tyrell writes:

<blockquote> So we hear this week that President George W. Bush is taking delight in the spread of the "alternative press" (read conservatives on the Internet, in talk radio, in print, and at Fox) and the gentle detumescence of "mainstream media" (read liberal media, or more precisely, Democratic media). Well I join him in his satisfaction. </blockquote>

=='Alternative Media'==
Differing opinions also exist over the definition of a similar term - '''Alternative Media'''. Although some consider, for example, [[Rush Limbaugh]]'s launch to be the birth of 'alternative media', so too do the left consider publications like [[The Nation]] to be 'alternative media.'<ref>Albert, Michael. "[http://www.zmag.org/whatmakesalti.htm Alternative Media: What Makes Alternative Media Alternative?]" ''[http://www.zmag.org/ Z]'' Magazine. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref> In fact, many would view the [[Village Voice]] group to be the most widely published 'alternative media' outlet in the United States.

By whatever definition, most media watchers would classify as "alternative media" any media organ that is primarily hosted on the [[Internet]] rather than printed and delivered or mailed to subscribers. The alternative media ''is not'' exclusively conservative. It includes [[liberal]] organs as well. Some writers on these organs have suggested that the mainstream media has a ''conservative'' bias--by which they actually mean that mainstream-media organs are not as revolutionary, or as radical, in their thinking as are the writers themselves.<ref>[[Peter Dreier|Dreier, Peter]]. "[http://alternet.org/workplace/58108/ For a Brief Moment, The Media Rediscover Poverty]." [http://alternet.org AlterNet.org], July 26, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref><ref>[[Rory O'Connor|O'Connor, Rory]]. "[http://alternet.org/mediaculture/55915/ The Future of Citizen Journalism]. [http://alternet.org AlterNet.org], July 3, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref><ref> [[Sheldon Rampton|Rampton, Sheldon]]. "[http://alternet.org/story/54339/ Has the Internet Changed the Propaganda Model?]" [http://alternet.org AlterNet.org], June 22, 2007. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref>

At least one MSM organ, [[CBS]] News, attempted in 2006<ref>Pogue, David. "[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/09/sunday/main1786520.shtml?source=search_story Brave New Blogging World:
David Pogue Ventures Into The Blogosphere]." [http://www.cbsnews.com/ CBSNews.com], July 9, 2006. Retrieved August 2, 2007.</ref> to describe what a particular alternative-media segment (i.e., [[blog]]s) thinks of the MSM:
{{Cquote|They don't believe that you are unbiased, objective, fair a lot of times. And so what they want is they want to read a lot of different sources themselves. because they don't trust the mainstream media..that would be [you].}}

It is worth noting that liberal blog activity on the internet is declining after the election of [[Barack Hussein Obama]] <ref>http://bloggasm.com/blog-traffic-for-liberal-blogs-down-58-in-three-months-following-election-conservative-blogs-down-36</ref>. This shows that the distaste for bias in the liberal MSM is spreading to the alternative media.

==See also==
*[[Liberal media]]
*[[Advocacy journalism]]
*[[Journalistic malpractice]]
*[[Deaths directly attributed to the liberal media]]
*[[Alternative media]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.mediaresearch.org/biasbasics/biasbasics1.asp Media Bias Basics.]
*[http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/Media-Bias-Is-Real-Finds-UCLA-6664.aspx Media Bias Is Real-Finds UCLA Political Scientist.]
*[http://www.mrc.org/biasalert/archive.aspx Bias Alert.]
*[http://www.nowfoundation.org/issues/communications/tv/mediacontrol.html Who Controls the Media?]
*[http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main Ownership Chart: The Big Six.]
*[http://www.mathaba.net/news/?x=626979 Media Lies on Libya Ongoing.]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlSlXO_X_fE&feature=related Stephen Lendman talks about Libya and Media.] [[Stephen Lendman]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Liberalism}}

[[Category:Media]]
[[Category:Political Terms]]

Barack Hussein Obama

2012-11-03T00:49:41Z

PaulDiFoglio: This should be a *reference*. It looks unbecoming of an encyclopedia to have a link like that just sitting at the end of a sentence.

{{Officeholder
|name=Barack Hussein Obama
|image=President Barack Obama.jpg
|party=[[Democratic Party]]
|spouse=[[Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama]]; may have had a prior marriage.<ref>http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/was-barack-obama-married-in-college/</ref>
|religion=see [[Obama's religion]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=44th
|terms=January 20, 2009-Present
|vp=[[Joe Biden]]
|preceded=[[George W. Bush]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Illinois
|terms=January 3, 2005 – November 16, 2008
|preceded=Peter Fitzgerald
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Roland Burris]]
}}
}}

'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' (b. August 4, 1961, either in [[Kenya]] or [[Honolulu, Hawaii]]) was elected the 44th President. Promoted heavily by [[liberals]], as demonstrated by his unjustified receipt of the 2009 [[Nobel Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]], Obama won the presidency despite a short and unremarkable political career by outspending his opponent, [[John McCain]], by hundreds of millions of dollars in 2008.

The [[liberal claptrap]] that helped elect Obama as president seems silly today. It was claimed, for example, that Obama has millions of followers on Twitter, when allegedly some 70% of them are fake.<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/08/obama-has-millions-of-fake-twitter-followers/1#.UDfQVqA2et_</ref> And although the [[lamestream media]] promoted Obama as a great orator, in fact he relies almost entirely on teleprompters for his speeches and press conferences, and at one point even had teleprompters set up for him in a middle school classroom in order to speak to the media.

Obama is [[pro-abortion]]. During the 2008 election campaign Obama said that he intended to "[[Redistribution of wealth|spread the wealth around]]" - which conservatives have condemned for being [[Socialism|socialist]]. Barack Obama has been widely criticized by the American [[business]] community and others for his anti-business policies that are destroying American jobs during a period of high unemployment.<ref>Zuckerman, M.B. (2010, July 16). [http://www.usnews.com/opinion/mzuckerman/articles/2010/07/16/obamas-anti-business-policies-are-our-economic-katrina Obama's Anti-business Policies are our Economic Katrina]. ''U.S. News''. Barnes, F. (2009, July 22). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/619dvjlm.asp An Anti-Business President]. ''The Weekly Standard''. Vol. 14, No. 38 Shedlock, M. (2010, August 20). [http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/08/small-businesses-are-not-hiring-why.html Small Businesses are not hiring. Why should they?] Globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com. Wright, C.E. (2012, February 12). [http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/dear_mr_president_why_we_are_n.html Dear Mr. President: Why we are not hiring]. ''American Thinker''.</ref> On July 26, 2012, the [[Gallup Poll|Gallup organization]] reported that merely 35% of business owners approved of Barack Obama's job performance.<ref>[http://www.gallup.com/poll/156206/Business-Owners-Among-Least-Approving-Obama.aspx U.S. Business Owners Now Among Least Approving of Obama]</ref> Former [[Democrat]] Presidential candidate [[Joe Lieberman]] endorsed Obama's opponent in 2008 and has declined to endorse [[Obama]] for the [[Presidential Election 2012]].<ref>Lillis, M. (2012, April 22). [http://thehill.com/video/campaign/222929-lieberman-declines-to-endorse-in-presidential-race Sen. Lieberman declines to endorse in presidential race]. ''The Hill''.</ref>

Under President Obama's mismanagement of the economy, the United States Government's credit rating was, for the first time in its history, downgraded from AAA to AA+, and [[poverty]]<ref>[http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf Figure 4: Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate: 1959-2009]. ''U.S. Census Bureau''. Current Population Survey, 1960 to 2010 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.</ref> increased markedly. By and large his programs, said to combat the recession, unemployment, slow growth, and deficits, have failed<ref>"The vast majority (73%) of respondents reported the fiscal stimulus enacted in February 2009 has had no impact on employment to date. While 68% also believe a jobs bill, such as the one recently enacted into law, will have no impact on payrolls, 30% do believe it will boost payrolls moderately". [http://www.nabe.com/press/ind1004.pdf Industry Survey], ''National Association for Business Economics'', April 2010, p. 2.</ref> leaving the the country saddled with a $16 trillion [[national debt]].<ref>Under Obama the U.S. National Debt has tripled. Source: [https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=86836 U.S. Treasury]; Federal Reserve Board.</ref> One of his most well known tactics is blaming someone else, such as George W. Bush, for all his failures instead of taking responsibility. Also on the domestic front, Obama passed an expensive [[health care]] bill in 2009 with no [[bipartisan]] support and 34 Democrats dissenting. Recently, the [[Congressional Budget Office]] wrote an open letter to [[John Boehner]], the Speaker of the House, outlining the effects of repealing [[Obamacare]] and explaining why net loss of over 100 billion dollars would occur from the repeal.<ref>[http://cbo.gov/publication/43471]</ref>

Fatalities in [[Afghanistan]] have more than doubled under Obama's leadership then in the preceding eight years combined, according to the Congressional Research Service <ref>Chesser, S.G. (2012, July 12). [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R41084.pdf Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians - CRS Report for Congress]. Pg. 3. ''Congressional Research Service''.</ref>. Against his own Defense Secretary's advice, Obama [[Libyan uprising 2011|attacked Libya]] - a possible violation of the [[War Powers Act]]. After he announced the killing of [[September 11th]] mastermind and terrorist [[Osama bin Laden]], the [[U.S. State Department]] warned of the increased risk to the lives and safety of Americans around the world.<ref>''KABC-TV/DT'' (2011, July 27). [http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8273909 Risk of anti-US violence up after Osama bin Laden's death]. On ''ABC7 News''.</ref> Bin Laden's death had negligible long-term impact on Obama's approval ratings, as seen in Gallup's daily poll.<ref>''Gallup''. [http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/gallup-daily-obama-job-approval.aspx Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval].</ref>

Obama's bizarre gaffes are frequent and embarrassing, but typically unreported by the [[liberal media]]. Many hardworking American businessmen took offense to a 2012 campaign speech about the economy where he says "You didn't build that." Obama offended [[Poland]] by referring to the [[Nazi]] death camps there as "Polish death camps." Later Obama apologized.<ref>Sink, J. (2012, June 1). [http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/europe/230419-obama-letter-says-he-regrets-polish-death-camp-gaffe Obama apologizes in writing for 'Polish death camp' verbal gaffe]. ''The Hill''.</ref>

==Biography==
===Birth===
{{TOC right}}
:''Main article : [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama]]''
:''See also : [[Barack Obama's Muslim Heritage]]''
Obama claims to have been born in Hawaii to Stanley Ann Dunham and [[Barack Obama Sr.]] - who had married just six months prior - on August 4, 1961 in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].<ref name=msnbc>''MSNBC'' (2008, February 20). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ Obama Becomes Rising Star Among Democrats]."</ref> Some contend that this story is a complete fabrication. After many leading conservatives -- including the leadership of this site and [[Donald Trump]] -- called for Obama to release his birth certificate he produced a document that he claimed was his birth certificate on April 27 2011. Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]] of Maricopa County in Arizona conducted an investigation of the Obama's eligibility and alleged that the alleged "birth certificate" was a fake; however, no charges have been filed. [[Obama]] was reportedly assigned a social security number whose area code was assigned to applications coming from zip codes in Connecticut.<ref>Beginning in 1972, all Social Security numbers were issued from a central office in Baltimore, Maryland.[http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html]</ref>

Barack Obama Sr. was not a [[Natural born citizen|citizen of the United States]]. At the time of Obama's birth, Kenya was a British colony, meaning that not only was Obama Sr. a British subject, but he passed that status on to his son. When Kenya gained independence, Obama and his father both ceased to be British subjects and became Kenyan citizens. Barack Obama was a dual citizen of the United States and Kenya until his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired in 1984, as he had failed to renounce US nationality and swear loyalty to Kenya. Even if he had been born with US citizenship through his mother, it has been argued that as he was born with dual nationality, he is not a natural-born citizen of the United States, and thus constitutionally ineligible to become President. Despite this, no court that has considered such arguments has accepted the proposition that Obama is not a natural-born citizen.<ref>See [http://www.scribd.com/doc/88910250/Purpura-Moran-Initial-Decision-of-ALJ-Masin Initial Decision by Jeff S. Masin] in ''Purpura and Moran v. Obama'' at 7 ("Thus, accepting for the point of this issue that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii, he is a “natural born Citizen” regardless of the status of his father."), Tisdale v. Obama (E.D.Va 2012) Order at 2 ("It is well settled that those born in the United States are considered natural born citizens." (citing ''United States v. Wong Kim Ark'', 169 U.S. 649)), ''aff'd per curiam'' by 4th Cir., ''Ankeny v. Governor of the State of Indiana'', 916 N.E.2d 678, 685 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009) ("With regard to President Barack Obama, the Plaintiffs posit that because his father was a citizen of the United Kingdom, President Obama is constitutionally ineligible to assume the Office of the President....we hold that the Plaintiffs' arguments fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted")</ref>

===Early Life===
Obama's birth parents divorced in 1963 due to strain caused by Barack Obama Sr. leaving Hawaii to study economics at Harvard, when Obama was 2 years old, following which his mother married Lolo Soetoro, an [[Indonesian]] geologist. When Barack Obama was age 6 his mother and adoptive father took him to Jakarta, Indonesia for 4 years while his mother pursued a Ph.D. in Anthropology requiring fieldwork there.<ref name="db mother">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-03/a-singular-woman-by-janny-scott-review-by-stacy-schiff/#|work=The Daily Beast|format=HTML|language=English|title=Dreams of His Mother|author=Stacy Schiff}}</ref> His mother then left him in Hawaii with his grandparents (Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, who had moved to Hawaii in 1959) so he could pursue American education.<ref name=revealed>Malveaux, Suzanne (2008, August 20). "[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Barack Obama Revealed]." ''CNN''.</ref> Other siblings of Obama's include his half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and 7 other children born to his father by 4 different women.<ref name=raisingobama>Purdum, Todd (2008, March). "[http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/03/obama200803 Raising Obama]." ''Vanity Fair''.</ref> For much of his early life, prior to his transfer to Columbia University, he went by his nickname, "Barry." In the summer of 1988, before attending Harvard Law School (he'd just been accepted), he visited Kogelo, Kenya, to learn more about his father's family. When his mother died in 1995, he and his sister Maya scattered her ashes over Hawaii's south shore.<ref name=revealed />

===Personal Life===
[[Image:Michelle Obama.jpg|frame|right|Michelle (Robinson) Obama, wife of Barack Obama.]]
Barack Obama met and began dating his future wife, an attorney named Michelle Robinson, herself a recent Harvard Law School graduate, while he was working at Sidley Austin LLP, a prestigious corporate law firm.<ref name=msnbc /> The two continued dating long-distance while he finished law school, and on October 18, 1982, were married by Reverend [[Jeremiah Wright]] at Trinity United Church.<ref name=revealed /> In 1999, their first child was born, Malia, and in 2001, another daughter, Natasha (often called Sasha).<ref name=msnbc />

Obama attended Reverend Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church from 1984-1988 during his time as a community organizer (''See [[Barack_Obama#1984-1988.2C_Community_Organizer|1985-1988, Community Organizer]] section''). Obama credits Wright with his alleged conversion to Christianity, and had both his daughters, Sasha and Malia, baptized there.<ref name=revealed />

===Education===
At age 6, Obama attended schools in Indonesia, the first a Catholic School while he was in Kindergarten, and later a public school. While the public school had mostly Muslim students (since most Indonesians were Muslim), claims that it was a Muslim school or Madrassa are false. In 1971, at age 10, Barack Obama moved to Hawaii, and his grandparents helped him gain entrance to the prestigious Punahou Academy in Honolulu through a scholarship, while he was in 5th grade.<ref name=revealed /> At his elite high school with 1,200 students he was just 1 of 3 black students, and was on the second string of the state champion basketball team his senior year. During this time he also experimented briefly with marijuana and cocaine. He wrote a poem for the school's literary magazine, ''Ka Wai Ola''.<ref name=raisingobama />

In 1979, he began a 2-year stint at Occidental College college in Los Angeles<ref name=msnbc />, and then transferred to Columbia University in New York, which he graduated from in 1983.<ref name=pragmatic>Scott, Janny (2007, July 30). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd]." ''New York Times''.</ref> During this time he allegedly spoke at an Anti-Apartheid rally on campus,<ref name=revealed /> although several prominent student leaders said they did not remember him there. Professor Michael L. Baron was impressed by Obama and wrote him a recommendation for Harvard Law School.<ref name=differs>Scott, J. (2007, October 30). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all Obama's Account of New York Years Often Differs From What Others Say]." ''New York Times''.</ref> In the winter of 1988 Barack Obama decided to attend Harvard Law School, and left Chicago for Cambridge, Massachusetts. In his 2nd year he became the first black president of the ''Harvard Law Review'', following a "marathon voting session" in which he was elected on the 19th ballot.<ref name=raisingobama /> This led to national attention and numerous job offers, which Obama passed up, at age 30, to pursue a political career in Chicago.<ref name=msnbc /><ref name=revealed />
===Non-Political Employment===
====1983-1984, Financial Analyst and Writer====
In 1984 Obama worked as a writer and financial analyst for Business International Corporation to pay off his student loans. Business International Corporation was a small newsletter-publishing and research firm which aided multinational companies understand overseas markets. Obama served as a writer/researcher for a company reference service, Financing Foreign Operations, and wrote for their newsletter, ''Business International Money Report''. His supervisor was Cathy Lazere. <ref name=differs /><ref>Henig, J. (2008, June 21). "[http://www.factcheck.org/2008/06/obama-polishes-his-resume-2/ Obama Polishes His Resume]." ''FactCheck.org''.</ref>

====1984-1988, Community Organizer====
In 1984, Obama was hired by the New York Public Interest Research Group, a non-profit organization promoting environmental, consumer, and government reforms. He also was paid just under $10,000 annually as a full-time organizer for Harlem's City College to mobilize student volunteers.<ref name=differs /> From 1985-88, Obama worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago, for which he was paid $1,000 a year, with $2,000 extra for a car. He helped Loretta Herron gain city approval for a local community job center. <ref name=revealed /><ref name=streetwise>Scott, Janny (2007, September 9). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all In 2000, a Streetwise Veteran Schooled a Bold Young Obama]." ''New York Times''.</ref> During this time Obama joined Reverend Wright's Trinity United Church because in the words of Suzanne Malveaux of ''CNN'', "It was the church to join if you wanted to be one of Chicago's black movers and shakers." At the time, community organizing involved close affiliation with churches, which was how Obama met Wright. The slow progress in fighting asbestos contamination in the Altgeld Gardens housing project led to Obama's departure from Chicago, and enrollment at Harvard Law School in the winter of 1988.<ref name=revealed />
====1988-1996, Law Practice====
In 1988 Obama gained work as a Summer Associate at one of the most prestigious corporate law firms in the world, Sidley Austin LLP<ref name=austin>Lattman, P. (2007, May 11). "[http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/11/sidley-austin-when-barack-met-michelle/ When Barack Met Michelle]." ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref><ref name=revealed />, owned by Newton Minow, thanks to the recommendation of Minow's daughter Martha, a professor at Harvard Law School. It was at Minow's law firm that Obama would meet Michelle Robinson, his future wife.<ref name=raisingobama /> From 1993-96 he practiced civil rights law, after graduating from Harvard, at Miner, Barnhill, & Galland, a small politically-connected law firm.<ref name=austin /> It was at Miner, Barnhill, & Galland that he would meet influential real estate developer Tony Rezko.<ref name=revealed />
====1992-2004, Law Professor at University of Chicago====
Obama taught constitutional law part-time at the University of Chicago Law School<ref name=raisingobama /> from 1992-2004. He was a Lecturer from 1992-96, teaching 3 courses per year, and a Senior Lecturer from 1996-2004. Senior Lecturers are considered Law School faculty and regarded as professors but not full-time or tenured. Obama was invited to become a Senior Lecturer several times during this period but declined each time.<ref>"[http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media Media Inquiries: Statement Regarding Barack Obama]." ''University of Chicago Law School''.</ref>
====1995, Author====
In 1995 Obama published ''Dreams From My Father'' about his life and family background.<ref name=msnbc />

===Personal Awards===
====2009 Nobel Peace Prize====
On October 9, 2009 Barack H. Obama became the third sitting U.S. President<ref name=wilsons>Wilson, Scott (2009, October 10). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100900914.html President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize]. ''Washington Post''.</ref> to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "''for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples''".<ref>NobelPrize.org (2009, October 9). "[http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html The Nobel Prize for 2009: Press Release]." Oslo, Norway. Accessed May 13, 2012.</ref> Obama stated that he was "surprised and deeply humbled" to receive the unexpected award,<ref>(2009, October 9). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2009-10-09/world/nobel.peace.prize_1_norwegian-nobel-committee-international-diplomacy-and-cooperation-nuclear-weapons?_s=PM:WORLD Obama: Nobel Peace Prize is 'Call to Action']." ''CNN''.</ref> and also said, "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who have inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace".<ref name=wilsons /> The award was widely criticized given Obama's then lack of accomplishments.<ref>Chazan, G. & MacDonald, A. (2009, October 11). "[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125509603349176083.html Nobel Committee's Decision Courts Controversy]." ''Wall Street Journal''. (2009, October 9). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/09/obamas-peace-prize-draws-criticism-liberals/ Obama's Peace Prize Draws Criticism, Even From Some Liberals]." ''Associated Press''.</ref>
==1991-1992, Project Vote==
In 1991 Obama was recruited by Sandy Newman to head the Chicago chapter of Project Vote!<ref name=revealed />, and in 1992 was the Executive Director, overseeing a voter registration drive which registered 125,000 black voters and was credited with helping elect U.S. Senator Carol Mosely Braun.<ref name=raisingobama /><ref name=pragmatic />
==1996-2003, Illinois State Senate==
===1996 Election===
[[File:O-2002-antiwar-rally-davidson.jpg|right|thumb|250px| Obama speaking at the October 2002 rally in Chicago organized by [[Carl Davidson]].<ref>Davidson is a longtime [[Mao]]ist and champion of the ''Thought of Mao Tse Tung.'' Davidson's anti-Trotskyite polemic, [http://www.wengewang.org/read.php?tid=10925 ''Left in Form, Right in Essence''] defends Maoist doctrine. </ref> ''"[H]e is a brutal man who butchers his own people,"'' nevertheless Obama opposed ''"dumb wars".'']]
====Knocking Candidates Off the Ballot====
Barack Obama ran for the Illinois state senate in 1996. He was initially supported by incumbent Alice Palmer, who declared she would run for the U.S. Congress. However, when her bid for Congress failed on November 28, 1995, she tried to run for her old seat in the March 1996 election. Her supporters asked Obama to step aside, although whether this was with her permission remains uncertain.<ref name=pragmatic /> Not only did Obama not step down, he gathered a team of high-priced lawyers, including fellow Harvard Law School graduate Thomas Johnson, to challenge his opponent's petition signatures on technicalities after the filing deadline had passed. Such tactics are legal and frequently used in Chicago; in 2006 they eliminated 67 of the 245 aldermanic candidates;<ref name=bareknuckle>Jackson, David & Long, Ray (2007, April 4). "[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-0704030881apr04-archive,0,1523598,full.story Barack Obama: Showing His Bare Knuckles]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> yet nevertheless led to the term "hardball" by the ''New York Times''<ref name=pragmatic /> and "cutthroat" by David Mendel as reported by both ''CNN''<ref name=revealed /> and ''MSNBC''.<ref name=msnbc /> The ''Chicago Tribune'' declared Obama had mastered "the bare-knuckle arts of Chicago electoral politics", noting "The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it."<ref name=bareknuckle /> As one of Obama's four opponents, eliminated through his ballot challenges, would put it: {{cquote|"Why say you're for a new tomorrow, then do old-style Chicago politics to remove legitimate candidates? He talks about honor and democracy, but what honor is there in getting rid of every other candidate so you can run scot-free? Why not let the people decide?"
-Gha-is Askia, 1996 Illinois Senate candidate<ref>Jackson, David & Long, Ray (2007, April 3). "[http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive,0,5297304,full.story Obama Knows His Way Around a Ballot]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref>}} Mark Ewell, another candidate, filed 1,286 signatures, and Obama's challenges left him 86 short of the minimum requirement (757<ref name=spivak>Spivak, Todd (2008, February 28). "[http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/ Barack Obama and Me]." ''Houston Press''.</ref>). Ewell filed a federal lawsuit contesting the election board's decision but Tom Johnson intervened, and Ewell's case was dismissed just a few days later. Ewell and other Obama opponents were using early 1995 polling sheets to verify signatures of registered voters, but city authorities had just purged 15,871 unqualified people from the 13th district list, and Obama's challenges used the more recent, updated list. Askia was left 69 signatures short of the requirement. If names were printed instead of signed in cursive, they were declared invalid. If they were good but the person registering the signatures wasn't a registered voter (e.g. underage) they were invalid.<ref name=hardball>Griffin, Drew & Johnston, Kathleen (2008, May 29). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2008-05-29/politics/obamas.first.campaign_1_obama-campaign-barack-obama-chicago-politics?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Played Hardball in First Chicago Campaign]." ''CNN''.</ref> Palmer had according to Obama campaign consult Ronald Davis, used two children to help gather her petition signatures. To this day Palmer denies the challenges were valid, and maintains she could have overcome the objections with more time and resources.<ref name=bareknuckle /> Thanks to his lawyers, Obama would win the election without a single other candidate on the ballot.
===2000 Election===
: ''Main Article: [[Illinois 1st congressional district election, 2000]]''
In 2000, Obama lost his only political election when he chose to run against experienced incumbent and former Black Panther Bobby L. Rush for the U.S. Congress in a 65% black district. Rush's name recognition began at 90%, Obama's at 11%. As media consultant and former Rush campaign staffer Eric Adelstein noted, "Nobody said he’s ‘not black enough.’ They said he’s a professor, a Harvard elite who lives in Hyde Park." Todd Spivak would give voice to this impression of Obama, noting that{{cquote|"My view of Obama then wasn't all that different from the image he projects now. He was smart, confident, charismatic and liberal. One thing I can say is, I never heard him launch into the preacher-man voice he now employs during speeches. He sounded vanilla, and activists in his mostly black district often chided him for it."<ref name=spivak />}}Rush would go on to win the Primary with 61.02% of the vote; Obama received 30.36%.<ref name=streetwise /> The loss led to Obama considering dropping out of politics altogether, particularly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, since his name sounds similar to "Osama bin Laden".<ref name=msnbc />
===Voting Record===
Obama entered the Illinois Senate promising change to a corrupt system. He mixed often radical votes with more pragmatic agreements. Possibly one of his most radical votes was against requiring medical care for aborted children who survive [[abortion|the procedure]] - in fact the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council ascribed him a 100% rating for his consistently pro-choice votes.<ref name="cbs illinois">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml|title=Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics|work=CBS|format=HTML|language=English|last=Clark|first=Amy S.|date=Jan. 17, 2007}}</ref> He was criticized for using the statehouse as a stepping stone for a more illustrious career: Steven J. Rauschenberger, a [[Republican]], said prior to Obama's election as president: “He is a very bright but very ambitious person who has always had his eyes on the prize, and it wasn’t Springfield. If he deserves to be president, it is not because he was a great legislator.”<ref name="nyt illinois">{{cite web|work=The New York Times|title=In Illinois, Obama Proved Pragmatic and Shrewd|last=Scott|first=Janny|format=HTML|language=English|date=July 30, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html}}</ref>

The statehouse was majority Republican, so the Senator was sometimes forced to compromise. He formed allegiances across party lines to pass [[campaign finance]] reform that banned most gifts by lobbyists, prohibited spending campaign money for legislators’ personal use and required electronic filing of campaign disclosure reports.<ref name="nyt illinois"/> Obama also helped pass a so-called “driving-while-black bill”, which required the police to collect data on the race of drivers they stopped as a way to monitor [[racial profiling]].<ref name="nyt illinois"/>

Obama established himself as a chief spokesperson in opposition to the [[War on Terror]] during an October 2002 rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago<ref>The rally was organized by Chicagoans Against War in Iraq (CAWI) later renamed Chicagoans Against War and Injustice. [http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?page_id=2 About CAWI] by Carl Davidson, Nov 02 2006. Retrieved from Chicagoans Against War and Injustice, March 15, 2010.</ref> [[community organizing|organized]] by veteran [[Mao]]ist and webmaster of [[Progressives for Obama]],<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/carldavidson Carl Davidson,] LinkedIn.com, retrieved March 13, 2010.</ref> [[Carl Davidson]].
===Radical foundation and connection to William Ayers===
{{main article|Radical roots of Barack Hussein Obama}}
In 1995 a cadre of like minded individuals gathered in the home of [[Weather Underground]] (WUO) [[terrorist]]s [[Bernardine Dohrn]] and [[William Ayers|William "Bill" Ayers]]. Dohrn,<ref>Georgie Anne Geyer and Keyes Beach "Cuba: School for U.S. Radicals", ''Chicago Daily News/Chicago Sun-Times'' five part series October 1970, excerpted in [http://foia.fbi.gov/filelink.html?file=/weather/weath1c.pdf FBI file Weather Underground Organization (Weatherman),] Part 1c pp. 5-7 pdf (113-115 in original). [http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/clandestine-agents-of-the-cuban-government-ayers-dohrn-myers/]</ref> along with Carl Davidson, are veterans of [[guerrilla warfare]] training in [[Cuba]] prior 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. Ayers and Dohrn have taken credit for, and never denied, bombing the [[U.S. Capitol]], the [[Pentagon]] and the [[State Department]].

Ayers and Dohrn used their celebrity status among [[leftist]]s to launch Obama's career. Ayers, Dohrn and [[Jeff Jones]]<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106653 ''Obama's 'green jobs czar' worked with terror founder] Van Jones served on board of activist group where ex-Weatherman serves as top director'', By Aaron Klein, [[WorldNetDaily]], August 13, 2009.</ref> are authors of ''[[Bill_Ayers#Prairie_Fire_Organizing_Committee_and_Maoist_thought|Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-imperialism]],'' the title taken from ''The Sayings of Mao Zedong.''<ref>[http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/works/red-book/]</ref> The book declares "we are [[communist]] men and women."<ref>Harvey Klehr, ''Far Left of Center: The American Radical Left Today'' (Transaction Books, New Brunswick, 1988), 109.</ref> Ayers later jokingly, publicly admitted to ghostwriting Obama's book, ''Dreams From My Father''<ref>Cashill, J. (2011, March 28). [http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/ayers_affirms_he_wrote_dreams.html Ayers Affirms He Wrote Dreams From My Father]. ''American Thinker''.</ref> and Obama was to appoint several openly avowed Maoists to prominent White House and Executive Branch positions.<ref>Fund, J. (2009, October 21). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704597704574487431322664964.html From Mao to Obama]. ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref>

===2003 Emil Jones Deal===
: ''Main Article: [[2003 Barack Obama deal with Emil Jones]]''
When Illinois' U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald announced he would be retiring in April 2003, Obama jumped at the opportunity, declaring that he would be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004.<ref name=msnbc /> To boost his chances at reaching the U.S. Congress in the 2004 elections, in 2003 Barack Obama approached the newly crowned head of the Illinois Senate, Emil Jones Jr., with a proposal. According to Jones, who Obama has since called his "godfather"<ref name=godfather>''Associated Press'' (2009, June 18). "[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-250_162-3983147.html Obama's Political 'Godfather' In Illinois]."</ref> the conversation went as follows:
[
{{cquote|"After I was elected president, in 2003, he came to see me, a couple months later. And he said to me, he said, ‘You’re the senate president now, and with that, you have a lot of pow-er.’ And I told Barack, ‘You think I got a lot of pow-er now?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you got a lot of pow-er.’ And I said, ‘What kind of pow-er do I have?’ He said, ‘You have the pow-er to make a United States sen-a-tor!’ I said to Barack, I said, ‘That sounds good!’ I said, ‘I haven’t even thought of that.’ I said, ‘Do you have someone in mind you think I could make?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah. Me.’ "<ref name=raisingobama /><ref name=pragmatic />}}

Because of the deal, Obama's entire Illinois Senate legislative record was, as longtime Obama reporter Todd Spivak put it, built in a single year. During his 7th and final year in the Illinois Senate, Obama sponsored an incredible 26 bills into law, including many he now points to when criticized as inexperienced<ref name=spivak /> - as ''CNN's'' Suzanne Malveaux observed, "With help from on high, Obama got his name on hundreds of bills that he pushed through."<ref name=revealed /> Jones not only had Obama craft legislation addressing daily tragedies to raise his political profile<ref name=godfather />, he also appointed Obama head of almost all high-profile legislation in the Illinois Senate, angering other state legislators with more seniority who'd spent years supporting the bills.<ref name=spivak /> Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of the famous racial profiling bill requiring videotaped confessions in police interrogations, complained bitterly about Jones' decision.<ref name=revealed /><ref name=intheblack>Spivak, Todd (2004, March 25). "[http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-922-in-the-black.html In the Black]." ''Illinois Times''.</ref> Jones' influence had a major impact on Obama's chances in the 2004 elections, preventing major political players from backing Obama's opponents. To quote Emil Jones,{{cquote|"He knew if he had me in the run for the Senate, it would put a block on the current mayor. The current mayor and the father of the controller, which was Dan Hynes, they were roommates in Springfield when the mayor was a state senator, so they had a relationship. Another big financial backer for the governor was Blair Hull. Barack knew if he had me it would checkmate the governor, ’cause the governor couldn’t come out and go with Blair Hull, ’cause the governor needs me. Same with the mayor. So he had analyzed and figured all of that out. He knew I could help him with labor support. And I could put a checkmate on some of the local politicians that didn’t know him, but they couldn’t really go against me."
-Emil Jones<ref name=raisingobama />}}

==2004-2008, U.S. Senate==
:''See also: [[Early_life_and_career_of_Barack_Hussein_Obama#U.S._Senate_.282004-2008.29|Barack Obama:U.S. Senate (2004-2008)]], [[United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004]]''
[[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|Senator Barack Obama]]
===2004 Primary Election===
Despite initially trailing in the polls to frontrunner [[Blair Hull]]<ref name=intheblack />, Obama greatly benefited from what the ''Chicago Tribune'' called "the most inglorious campaign implosion in Illinois political history"<ref name=mendell>Mendell, David (2004, March 17). "[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-03-17/news/0403170332_1_blair-hull-gery-chico-blacks-and-liberal-whites Obama Routs Democratic Foes]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> when pressure from journalists and opposing candidates, just weeks before the election, forced the unsealing of Hull's messy divorce files.<ref name=blairhull>Voegeli, William (2004, March 19). "[http://www.claremont.org/publications/pubid.339/pub_detail.asp The Rise and Fall of Blair Hull]." ''The Claremont Institute''.</ref> The files revealed Hull's ex-wife's accusations of verbal and physical abuse.<ref name=spivak /> Hull would afterwards criticize the media, stating, "As for the press, I will never read the newspaper the same way again."<ref name=mendell /> Obama would go on to win the Primary with 53% of the vote.<ref name=blairhull /> Obama's unexpected victory led to him being termed a "rising star" by the media.<ref>Howlett, Debbie (2004, March 18). "[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-03-18-obama-usat_x.htm Dems See a Rising Star in Illinois Senate Candidate]." ''USA Today''.</ref>
===2004 General Election, Jack Ryan===
Once again Obama found himself trailing to popular frontrunner [[Jack Ryan]], and once again a candidate's campaign imploded thanks to media intervention. In an unprecedented move, the ''Chicago Tribune'' and local TV station WLS sued to force the unsealing of Ryan's divorce files, despite opposition from both Ryan and his wife, Jeri Ryan, who in the files accused Jack Ryan of trying to coerce her to perform sex acts in public. Though Ryan advisors told him he could still win if using a negative attack on Obama, Ryan refused to engage in what he considered dirty politics.<ref name=abandon>''Associated Press'' (2004, June 26). "[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2004-06-25-ryan_x.htm Jack Ryan Abandons Senate Bid]."</ref> Ryan then dropped out of the race (per request by the Illinois GOP<ref name=idealist>Sangwan, Rahul (2004, October 1). "[http://www.dartmouthindependent.com/archives/2004/10/jack_ryan_81_th.html Jack Ryan '81: The Conservative Idealist]." ''Dartmouth Independent''.</ref>), following which the Illinois GOP scrambled to find a replacement, leaving Obama uncontested for weeks to campaign and build up public support. On top of all this, Obama was selected to give the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (July 27<ref>''Washington Post'' (2004, June 26). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html Illinois Senate Candidate Barack Obama]."</ref>), catapulting him into the national spotlight, and leading to further media publicity terming him a "rising star".<ref>Page, Susan & Despoignes, Peronet (2004, July 28). "[http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-28-obama-speech_x.htm Rising Star Brings Democrats to Their Feet]." ''USA Today''.</ref>
===2004 General Election, Alan Keyes===
: ''Main Article: [[Obama born alive controversy]]''

After a number of candidates including former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka declined to run<ref>''CNN'' (2004, August 9). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2004-08-09/politics/il.keyes_1_senate-candidate-senate-race-illinois-senate?_s=PM:ALLPOLITICS Keyes Challenges Obama for Illinois Senate Seat]."</ref>, the Illinois GOP finally settled on fiery [[Alan Keyes]], a former Ambassador to the Economic and Social Counsel of the United Nations<ref name=spivak />, with less than 3 months left before the November 2004 election.<ref name=msnbc /> His sudden entrance into the state for the election was initially attacked in the press as "carpetbagging".<ref>''Chicago Tribune''. "[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-08-06/news/0408060313_1_mr-keyes-judy-baar-topinka-alan-keyes The GOP's Rent-A-Senator]." ''Washington Post'' (2004, August 9). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50885-2004Aug8.html Mr. Keyes the Carpetbagger].</ref><ref name=pearson>Pearson, Rick (2004, September 5). "[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-09-05/news/0409050304_1_selfish-hedonist-alan-keyes-illinois-republican-party Keyes, State GOP Gearing Up Blame Campaign]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> Keyes repeatedly claimed his primary motivation for entering a race he had seemingly no chance of winning was his disgust at Obama's votes on the popular [[Born Alive]] bills.<ref>Keyes, Alan (2004, August 18). "[http://www.mail-archive.com/newsandviews@chuckmuth.com/msg00699.html How You Can Help Alan Keyes for Senate!]." ''Keyes2004 Inc.''</ref> Keyes, from his first day of arriving in Illinois (August 9, 2004)<ref name=assails>''Associated Press'' (2004, August 9). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5654128/ Keyes Assails Obama's Abortion Views]."</ref>, accused Obama of having voted against bills mandating medical care for newborn children, and supporting "infanticide" (the term twice used in the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act<ref>''United States Congress'' (2003, March 13). "[http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/abortion/2003s3.html S.3: Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003]."</ref>) where hospitals left newborn infants to die like garbage.<ref>Smiley, Tavis (2004, August 31). "[http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=341 Alan Keyes on the Tavis Smiley Show]." ''NPR''. ''CBS2 Chicago'' (2004, August 30). "[http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=337 Alan Keyes on CBS2 Chicago This Morning]." This Morning.</ref> Obama in a debate on October 13, 2004, defended himself against Keyes' accusations of infanticide by claiming that Illinois law was already sufficient.<ref>''Chicago Tribune'' (2004, October 13). "[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-10-13/news/0410140004_1_alan-keyes-senate-race-first-of-three-debates Debate or Discussion?]"</ref>

However, Keyes' rhetoric, calling Obama's votes "the slaveholder's position"<ref name=assails /> and saying "Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama"<ref>Thomas, Scott (2004, September 7). "[http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=348 Alan Keyes on the Scott Thomas Show (AM1160 - WYLL)]." ''Scott Thomas Show''. Chicago, Illinois.</ref> was widely ridiculed by the press. Keyes' unabashed criticism of homosexuality as "selfish hedonism" was also targeted.<ref name=pearson /><ref>''Associated Press''. "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5897569/ Keyes: Cheney's Gay Daughter Practicing Selfish Hedonism]." Pallasch, Abdom M. (2004, September 2). "[http://web.archive.org/web/20071017122135/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20040902/ai_n12560727 Topinka Says He Should Apologize for 'Idiotic' Comment]." ''Chicago Sun-Times''.</ref> Obama would ultimately win the election, 70% to 27%.<ref>''CNN.com''. "[http://cnn.hu/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html Election Results: U.S. Senate/Illinois]." Election 2004.</ref>

===Voting Record===
Obama frequently used the [[filibuster]] to obstruct the operations of government,<ref>O'Keefe, E. (2010, February 4). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303801_pf.html Obama criticizes Senate Republicans for delaying confirmation votes]. ''The Washington Post''.</ref> voted against the [[minimum wage]]<ref>[http://uspolitics.about.com/od/legislatio1/a/HR2206.htm HR 2206 - Emergency Appropriations], Kathy Gill, Your Guide to U.S. Politics: Current Events. May 26 2007. [http://more.gov.mtopgroup.com/2007/05/votes-hr-2206-iraq-supplemental.html Votes - H.R. 2206: Iraq Supplemental], May 28, 2007. Retrieved from Deeper Inside the Mountain, June 4, 2007.</ref> and debt ceiling increases,<ref>Kaplan, R. (2011, April 11). [http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/obama-once-opposed-debt-ceiling-hike/237129/ Obama Once Opposed Debt Ceiling Hike]. ''The Atlantic''.</ref> and recieved more than $126,000 in campaign contributions from [[Fannie Mae]]. The ''[[National Journal]]'' ranked him the most liberal senator in 2007.<ref name="ranked">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-502163_162-3775451-502163.html|title=National Journal: Obama Most Liberal Senator In 2007|author=Brian Montopoli|date=January 31, 2008|work=CBS}}</ref>

==2008 Presidential Election==
{{main article|Barack Hussein Obama 2008 Presidential campaign}}
Democrats began calling for an Obama candidacy after liberals lauded his 2004 [[Democratic National Convention]] speech.
====Primary Election====
In 2007-08, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton competed for the Democratic nomination. Hillary Clinton cleverly resurrected the "Born Alive" controversy surrounding Obama that had lain largely dormant since 2004 (notwithstanding the continuing mentions by Jill Stanek), by accusing Obama of not being pro-choice for voting "Present" on a number of abortion-related bills<ref>Bettelheim, Adriel (2008, February 13). "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/ Obama's 'Present' Tension]." ''PolitiFact''.</ref> - including the Born Alive ones,<ref name=clinton>Berman, Russell (2008, January 17). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/clinton-obama-should-vote-no-on-abortion-issue/69700/ Clinton: Obama Should Vote 'No' On Abortion Issue She Backed]." ''New York Sun''. Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20obama.html?pagewanted=all It's Not Just 'Ayes' and 'Nays': Obama's Votes in Illinois Echo]." ''New York Times''.</ref> and cowardly ducking the votes.<ref>''Politi-Fact''. "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/feb/13/hillary-clinton/yes-but-its-complicated/ Response to Hillary Clinton Comment for January 21st, 2008]." Truth-o-Meter. Dorning, Mike (2007, December 20). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/criticism_of_obama_present_vot.html Clinton Camp Criticizes Obama 'Present' Votes]." The Swamp. ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> This led to criticism of Obama by two pro-choice organizations, Emily's List, and the National Organization for Women.<ref>Dorning, Mike (2008, January 14). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/obama_campaign_mounts_defense.html The Swamp: Obama Campaign Defends His Abortion-Rights Record]." ''Chicago Tribune''. Dorn, Michael (2008, February 6). "[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_voting_record_on_aborti_1.html Obama's Voting Record on Abortion]." ''Washington Post''. Newton-Small, Jay (2008, January 14). "[http://swampland.time.com/2008/01/14/obama_campaign_defends_present/ Obama Campaign Defends 'Present' Abortion Votes]." ''Time Magazine''.</ref> However, Pam Sutherland, the long-time head of Illinois Planned Parenthood, came to Obama's aid, criticizing Clinton for making the attack, and stating repeatedly that Obama's present votes were part of a broader strategy used by Planned Parenthood to keep Illinois voters from knowing their state senators were voting against the controversial and popular bills.<ref>Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20cnd-obama.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin Obama's Vote in Illinois Was Often Just 'Present']." ''New York Times''. Follmer, Max (2008, March 28). "[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/14/obama-emphasizes-prochoic_n_81460.html Obama Emphasizes Pro-Choice Voting Record as Clinton Questions 'Present' Votes]." ''Huffington Post''.</ref>
{{cquote|"He came to me and said: ‘My members are being attacked. We need to figure out a way to protect members and to protect women. A ‘present’ vote was hard to pigeonhole which is exactly what Obama wanted. What it did was give cover to moderate Democrats who wanted to vote with us but were afraid to do so" because of how their votes would be used against them electorally. A ‘present’ vote would protect them. Your senator voted ‘present.’ Most of the electorate is not going to know what that means."
-Pam Sutherland, President/CEO of Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, 1980-2012<ref>Davis, Teddy (2007, July 17). "[http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/07/obama-abortion/ Obama Abortion Dodges Blessed by Planned Parenthood], ''ABC News''.</ref>}}Clinton also made the claim repeatedly that while Obama was leading in Delegates she was winning the Popular Vote<ref>Koffler, Daniel (2008, May 28). "[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-koffler/hillary-clinton-and-the-p_b_103913.html Hillary Clinton and the Popular Vote: Not Wrong, but Meaningless]." ''Huffington Post''. Barone, Michael (2008, March 28). "[http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2008/03/28/projection-clinton-wins-popular-vote-obama-wins-delegate-count Projection: Clinton Wins Popular Vote, Obama Wins Delegate Vote]." ''U.S. News''.</ref>, though this was in part because Obama hadn't been registered in Michigan.<ref>Romano, Andrew (2008, August 2). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/blogs/stumper/2008/06/02/clinton-s-popular-vote-claim-close-but-not-quite.html Clinton's Popular Vote Claim? Close--But Not Quite*]." ''Newsweek''. ''RealClearPolitics''. "[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html 2008 Democratic Popular Vote]."</ref> Obama's advantage with super-delegates over Clinton was about 2-to-1.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Superdelegate endorsements for Friday 6/6|work=Democratic Convention Watch|url=http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/06/superdelegate-endorsements-for-friday.html}}</ref> Obama was able to attract the support of [[liberals]] by pointing out that he had come out against the [[Iraq War]] "from the beginning" whereas Clinton had voted in favor of the war in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-31-democrats-debate_N.htm|title=Obama, Clinton stress differences on Iraq, issues|author=David Jackson|work=USA Today|format=HTML|language=English}}</ref> On June 7, 2008, Hillary Clinton withdrew from the Primaries, conceding the race and endorsing her opponent<ref>''Associated Press''. "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24993082/ns/politics-decision_08/t/clinton-ends-historic-bid-endorses-obama/ Clinton Ends Historic Bid, Endorses Obama]."</ref>, when Obama passed the 2,118 Delegates required; winning 2,201 delegates to Clinton's 1,896.<ref>''CNN''. "[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#D Election Center 2008].</ref>
====Born Alive Record Resurfaces====
On June 30, 2008, Obama's voting record on the "Born Alive" bills came once more to the forefront when CNN gave voice to the growing controversy and revealed the defense Obama had been using since 2004-2008, that the Illinois bills he'd voted against were different from the federal bill, was false, since he'd brought up for a vote a bill word for word identical to the federal bill in the Health and Human Services Committee he chaired, and voted against it, defeating it.<ref>''CNN''. "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPZCXcTwZPY How He Really Voted on Abortion: Obama's Record Under Attack]." ''The Situation Room''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by Jill Stanek. ''CNN''. "[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0806/30/sitroom.02.html Transcripts: June 30, 2008]." The Situation Room.</ref> This led in August to a confrontation between Obama and the [[NRLC]].<ref>''National Right to Life Committee''. "[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2008/NRL08/ObamaCoverup.html Obama Cover-up Revealed on Born-Alive Abortion Survivor's Bill]." NRL News, Vol. 35, Issue 7-8, pg. 5.</ref> After Obama accused critics of 'lying'<ref>Brody, David (2008, August 16). "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skq5M1Ksp_c McCain/Obama Forum]." ''CNN''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by Jill Stanek. David Brody (August 16, 2008). "[http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/08/16/obama-gets-heated-on-born-alive-infant-protection-act.aspx Obama Gets Heated on Born Alive Infant Protection Act]." ''CBN News''. The Brody File.</ref> the NRLC challenged the assertion, and the Obama campaign conceded he "misspoke" and had voted against an identical bill to the "federal bill that everybody supported" but focused on Obama's new claim, that Illinois law was already sufficient to protect newborn children.<ref>Berman, Russell (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-facing-attacks-from-all-sides-over-abortion/84059/ Obama Facing Attacks From All Sides Over Abortion Record]." ''New York Sun''.</ref> The NRLC promptly declared "Senator Barack Obama's four-year effort to cover up his full role in killing legislation to protect born-alive survivors of abortions continues to unravel."<ref>Johnson, Douglas (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBAIPA/Obamacoveruponbornalive.htm Obama Cover-up on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Continues to Unravel After Sen. Obama Says NRLC is 'Lying']." ''National Right to Life Committee''.</ref>
====Jeremiah Wright====
:''See also: [[Barack Obama and Liberation Theology]]''
One major dilemma that arose for Obama during his campaign was his connection to his preacher [[Jeremiah Wright]]. Obama and his wife (raised a Baptist) were members of the Trinity [[United Church of Christ]]<ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1776246/posts</ref> in Chicago, a church that embraced [[black liberation theology]] and its emphasis on empowering so-called "oppressed groups" against "establishment forces". This denomination was the first in America to ordain gays as ministers.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/31079.html, Obama's church pushes controversial doctrines, March 20, 2008</ref> Church pastor Jeremiah Wright had been making inflammatory comments and posting his sermons online for sale. These include the statement "G-d damn America," and in describing the September 11th attacks, "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4443788 Obama's Pastor: G-d Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11]</ref> In addition, Rev. Wright blamed America saying "We supported Zionism shamelessly while ignoring the Palestinians and branding anybody who spoke out against it as being [[anti-Semitic]]."

In April 2008, after 20 years in the church, candidate Obama made public statements poised to set him at odds with the man who conducted his wedding and baptized his children. With the negative publicity persisting, a month later Obama ended the friendship, left Wright's church, and blamed the media.<ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/31/obama-resigns-church-membership-in-chicago/], Obama Drops Church Membership in Chicago, May 31, 2008</ref> Obama claimed “It’s not fair to the other members of the church who seek to worship in peace...", and distanced himself from Wright's sermons as "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in the truth."<ref>USA TODAY, ''Obama breaks with former pastor, Candidate cites rants on U.S. role in terror, AIDS'', by Kathy Kiely and David Jackson [http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080430/1a_offlede30_dom.art.htm]</ref><ref>''Obama Says He Is Outraged By Wright's "Rants"''[http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_080430.htm]</ref>

====Result====
Obama made an effort to portray John McCain as similar to George W. Bush, drawing attention to McCain's refusal to criticize the unpopular president. McCain was particularly criticized for saying of how many years we should be willing to stay in Iraq, "Make it a hundred."<ref>Dobbs, Michael (2008, April 2). "[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/04/mccains_100year_war.html FactChecker: McCain's '100-Year War']." ''Washington Post''.</ref>{{cquote|"John McCain went on television and said that there has been great progress economically over the last seven-and-a-half years. John McCain thinks our economy has made great progress under George W. Bush? How could somebody who has been traveling across this country, somebody who came to Erie, Pennsylvania, say we’ve made great progress?"
-Barack Obama<ref>Zeleny, Jeff (2008, April 18). "[http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/18/obama-criticizes-mccain-on-economic-stance/ Obama Criticizes McCain on Economic Stance]." ''New York Times''.</ref>}} On August 22nd, Obama selected [[Joe Biden]] as his running mate for the vice presidency<ref>''CNN'' (2008, August 23). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2008-08-23/politics/biden.democrat.vp.candidate_1_biden-john-mccain-barack-obama?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Introduces Biden as Running Mate]."</ref>, which would be contrasted one week later with John McCain's selection of [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>Cooper, Michael & Bumiller, Elisabeth (2008, August 29). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/29palin.html?pagewanted=all Alaskan is McCain's Choice; First Woman on G.O.P. Ticket]. ''New York Times''.</ref>

On November 2, 2008, Barack Obama won the presidential election with 365 electoral votes to John McCain's 173.<ref>(2008, November 14). "[http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/explorer.html Electoral Explorer]." Election Results 2008. ''New York Times''.</ref> Obama received 53% of the popular vote to John McCain's 46%.<ref>(2008, November 17). "[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/president/ President]." Election Center 2008. ''CNN''.</ref>

==2009-2012, U.S. Presidency==
{{main article|Obama administration}}
[[File:Obama and George H. W. Bush.jpg|thumb|right|300px|President Barack Obama meets with former President George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office, Feb. 15, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza).]]
Under Obama's stewardship the United States has suffered the largest [[Federal budget deficit|deficit]]s<ref>Edwards, B. et. al. (2009, November 6). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10708/11-06-mbr.htm Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2009]. ''Congressional Budget Office''. Delisle, E.C. et. al. (2010, November 5). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11873/NovemberMBR.pdf Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2010]. ''Congressional Budget Office''.</ref> in history and a credit downgrade from the rating agency Standard & Poor. However, during the Obama Administration the national deficit has increased at a much lower rate than during the Bush Administration. Most observers attribute the deficits to increasing benefits and welfare paid out on account of the Recession he inherited and has failed to end along with decreasing tax receipts. Standard & Poor decided to downgrade U.S. government deby after the debt ceiling debate debacle, where Congressional leaders refused to pass a bill authorizing borrowing to pay for the budget they had passed with much debate and controversy earlier in the year. Cynics have argued that rhetoric directed at the rating agencies about the issuance of AAA ratings to junk real estate bonds spurred the downgrade as a form of retribution. Ironically, the investor scare led to the flocking of investors to the safe haven of the Treasury bonds which had been downgraded, resulting in lower interest rates. As there are very few AAA bond markets, investors will likely continue to buy U.S. government debt for the foreseeable future. <ref>Greenwald, A. (2011, April 18). [http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2011/04/18/the-sp-outlook-and-obama/ The S&P Outlook and Obama]. ''Commentary Magazine''.</ref> When his [[economic stimulus]] program was adopted unemployment rose and stagnated in the 10% range, <ref>Di Leo, L & Lynch, S.N. (2010, August 20). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476104575439172480870774.html Jobless Claims Jump in New Sign Recovery is Sputtering]. ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref> leaving tens of millions without [[hope]] of finding a job.<ref>Bureau of Labor Statistics. [http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS11300000&years_option=specific_years&include_graphs=true&to_month=1&from_month=2 Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject: Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey]. ''United States Department of Labor''. Data extracted on: July 19, 2010 (4:31:11 PM).</ref>

Patrick H. Caddell and Douglas E. Schoen, writing in the [[Wall Street Journal]], noted, "Rather than being a unifier, Mr. Obama has divided America on the basis of race, class and partisanship." The commentators also note Obama's approach to governance has encouraged radical leftists to pursue a similar strategy on his behalf. Mary Frances Berry, former head of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, acknowledged that the [[Obama administration]] has taken to polarizing America around the issue of race as a means of diverting attention from other issues, saying, "Having one's opponent [[race card|rebut charges of racism]] is far better than discussing [[Unemployment|joblessness]]."<ref>Berry, M.F. (2010, July 20). [http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Mary_Frances_Berry_91E3D9D5-C40D-440C-9D48-1C50CBC60C87.html Energy Arena, Driving the Conversation: Contracting Out U.S. Security? And will Branding Tea Party Racist Work?] ''Politico''.</ref> Caddell and Schoen, who worked for President Carter and Clinton, respectively, further stated, "Mr. Obama has also cynically [[class warfare|divided the country on class lines]]. He has taken to playing the populist card time and time again. He bashes Wall Street and insurance companies whenever convenient to advance his programs, yet he has been eager to accept campaign contributions and negotiate with these very same banks and [[corporation]]s behind closed doors in order to advance his political agenda... President Obama's divisive approach to governance has weakened us as a people and paralyzed our political culture."<ref>Caddell, P.H. & Schoen, D.E. (2010, July 28). [http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703700904575391553798363586.html Our Divisive President]. ''The Wall Street Journal''.</ref>
===Domestic policy===
====Popular bills====
Obama's first act of office was to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act - effectively nullifying the [[Supreme Court]] case ''Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'', which ruled that Ledbetter had to have filed a pay [[discrimination]] suit within 180 days of the first time Ledbetter was paid less than her male peers;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html|work=The New York Times|format=HTML|language=English|title=Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation|author=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|date=January 29, 2009}}</ref> the law made corporations subject to suit within 180 days of each time the employee was unfairly paid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20090213.html?=features|work=FindLaw|author=Joanna L. Grossman|date=Feb. 13, 2009|format=HTML|language=English|title=The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009}}</ref>

On January 2, 2011, Obama signed the James Zadroga [[9/11]] Healthcare and Compensation Act.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2011/jan/02/obama-signs-zadroga-act-law/|publisher=New York Public Radio|title=Obama Signs Zadroga Act into Law|author=Fred Mogul|date=January 02, 2011|work=wNYC|format=HTML|language=English}}</ref> The act, which afforded 9/11 first responders who were sickened by the dust from the collapse of the [[World Trade Center]] health care and compensation, passed [[Congress]] after its sponsored agreed to scale down the pricing from 7.4 to 4.2 billion dollars.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wnyc.org/articles/wnyc-news/2010/dec/22/zadroga-911-bill-passes-senate/|publisher=New York Public Radio|work=wNYC|format=HTML|language=English|title=Congress Approves 9/11 Health Bill|date=December 22, 2010}}</ref>

====Economic policy====
[[File:Keynes.jpg|thumbnail|right|190px|[[Barack Obama]] advocates the use of discredited [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian economic concepts]]<ref>
*[http://centurean2.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/fabian-john-maynard-keynes-the-stealthy-enemy-of-human-freedom/ John Maynard Keynes the stealthy enemy of human freedom]
*[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-02-22/deathbed-of-keynesian-economics-will-be-in-u-k-matthew-lynn.html Deathbed of Keynesian Economics will be in the UK]
*[http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/23102.html Will the G8 Repudiate the Philosophy of Living Beyond Our Means?]
*[http://www.keynesatharvard.org/book/KeynesatHarvard-ch09.html KEYNES AT HARVARD Economic Deception as a Political Credo BY ZYGMUND DOBBS]
</ref> ]]
{{see also|Obamunism|American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009}}
Critics of the Obama administration have coined the word "[[Obamunism]]" to describe Barack Obama's [[socialism|socialistic]] and "[[fascism]] light" [[economic planning]] policies.<ref>[[Benito Mussolini]] defined fascism as the wedding of state and corporate powers. Accordingly, trend forecaster [[Gerald Celente]] labels [[Obama administration corporate bailouts|Obama's corporate bailouts]] as being "fascism light" in nature.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/daily-intel/2009/07/20/obamunism-inc|work=The Big Money|publisher=WashingtonPost.Newsweek Interactive Co. LLC|format=HTML|language=English|title=Obamunism, Inc.|author=David Sessions|date=July 20, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/small-business-interviews/gerald-celente-6944|author=Jim Blasingame|title=Is the government creating a bailout bubble?}}</ref> Obamunism can also refer to Obama's [[Obama administration fiscal policy|ruinous fiscal policies]] and [[Obama administration monetary policy|reckless monetary policies]].<ref name="gerard">{{cite web|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/120883-monetary-policynot-obama-s-stimulusis-what-needs-watching|title=Monetary Policy-Not Obama's Stimulus-Is What Needs Watching|author=Gerard Jackson|date=February 16, 2009|work=Seeking Alpha}}</ref><ref name="bam">{{cite web|work=New York Post|date=May 17, 2009|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172009/postopinion/editorials/bams_wise_words_169731.htm|title=BAM'S WISE WORDS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/|title=Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures|work=The Foundry|publisher=The Heritage Foundation|author=Conn Carroll|date=March 24th, 2009}}</ref> As seen in his own actions, Barack Obama instructed his advisors to find loopholes that would enable the president to act as a [[dictator]] by pushing through legislation and increases in spending without congressional authority.<ref>Naked Emperor News (2011, October 12). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/executive-dictatorship-obama-instructs-advisers-to-push-through-stimulus-projects-without-pesky-congressional-authorization/ Exclusive Dictatorship: Obama Instructs Advisors to Push Through Stimulus Projects Without Pesky 'Congressional Authorization']. ''The Blaze''.</ref>

Nevertheless, budgets passed under President Obama have included the smallest average annualized growth of federal spending (1.4%) since before President Reagan. Federal spending grew an average of 8.7% per year during Reagan's first term and an average of 8.1% per year during George W. Bush's second term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/05/24/who-is-the-smallest-government-spender-since-eisenhower-would-you-believe-its-barack-obama/|title=Who Is The Smallest Government Spender Since Eisenhower? Would You Believe It's Barack Obama?|publisher=Forbes|author=Rick Ungar|date=May 24th, 2012}}</ref>

[[Wall Street]] firms and banks that were bailed out were among Obama's biggest campaign supporters.<ref>''OpenSecrets.org''. [http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638 Barack Obama: Top Contributors]. The Center for Responsive Politics.</ref> Therefore, the Obama administration bailouts of corrupt, unproductive, and reckless Wall Street firms was hardly surprising, and many argue that it was not helpful in making the United States economy more productive and prosperous by encouraging more risk taking through letting banks off with a slap on the wrist. Others argue that bailing out the banks kept credit flowing and prevented a much deeper recession and a total collapse of the financial system. The government will recoup some though not all of its capital infusions over time. A 2005 study found that government corporate bailouts are often done for mere political considerations and the economic resources allocated exhibit significantly worse economic performance than resources allocated using purely business considerations.<ref>Faccio, M. et. al. (2005, March 1). [http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=676905 Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts]. ''Social Science Research Network''.</ref> Proponents of [[free market]] capitalism said Bernanke should not have bailed out failing firms and instead should have allowed free market capitalism to quickly recover as it did in the depression of 1920 without government intervention (free market capitalists assert that government intervention drags out economic recessions and depressions).<ref>Woods, T.E. (2009, April 10). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czcUmnsprQI Why You've Never Heard of the Great Depression of 1920]. ''Ludwig Von Mises Institute''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref>

Top trend forecaster [[Gerald Celente]] predicts that the corrupt economic policies of the Obama administration will lead to a second [[Great Depression|great depression]] (Celente predicted the 1987 US stock market crash, the dot.com crash, the US 2008/2009 recession, and the collapse of the USSR in the early 1990s) and may lead to a "second [[American Revolution]]" (Celente predicted the [[Tea Party Movement|tax protests]] that are now occurring in America).<ref name="celente1">Celente, G. (2009, August 1). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MMX3SKzrfU&feature=channel_page pt 2/2 Gerald Celente on Financial Sense Newshour Aug 1st 2009]. ''Financial Sense Newshour''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref><ref name="celente2">Celente, G. (2009, August 2). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy9bfw1ebgw&feature=response_watch ]. ''Financial Sense Newshour''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref> Celente also asserts that the costly and inefficient temporary short term methods that the Obama administration is using to alleviate economic problems in the short term (which is causing massive increases in [[Obama administration deficit spending]]) is only making matters worse and will not prevent the worse economic depression in United States history from occurring.<ref>Celente, G. (2009, August 11). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C8K7rWkGGw pt 1/2 Gerald Celente on Howestreet.com 11 Aug 2009]. ''HoweStreet.com''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref><ref>Celente, G. (2009, August 11). [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LBffdIW0XA&feature=response_watch pt 2/2 Gerald Celente on Howestreet.com 11 Aug 2009]. ''HoweStreet.com''. Hosted on ''YouTube''.</ref>

The Obama administration has been sharply criticized for [[Obama administration deficit spending|its massive deficit spending]] and [[Obama administration monetary policy|its reckless monetary policy]] via vast increases in the [[money supply]], although inflation under Bernanke has been below the historic mean.<ref name="gerard"/><ref name="bam"/><ref>Carroll, C. (2009, March 24). [http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/ Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures]. ''The Foundry''. The Heritage Network.</ref> Celente predicts that if a "second American Revolution" occurs in a peaceful and productive manner, it may include a [[Third Party System|third party movement]] of governance that will advocate a more [[free market]] [[capitalism]] approach to the American economy and a more strict interpretation of the [[United States Constitution|United States constitution]] as far as the authors' [[original intent]].<ref name="celente1"/><ref name="celente2"/>

During what the [[White House]] billed as [[Recovery Summer]], one half million workers per week continued losing their jobs. His signature legislative achievement, [[ObamaCare]],has been found to be [[unconstitutional]]<ref>Schoenberg, T. & Fisk, M.T. (2010, December 13). [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-13/u-s-health-care-law-requirement-thrown-out-by-judge.html Obama's Health-Care Law Ruled Unconstitutional Over Insurance Requirement]. ''Bloomberg''.</ref> by several judges and constitutional by others, and is credited as a major cause of uncertainty, high [[unemployment]],<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33220</ref> lagging job creation,<ref>Foster, J.D. (2010, August 5). [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/05/it%E2%80%99s-official-medicare%E2%80%99s-finances-shadowed-by-uncertainty/ It’s Official: Medicare’s Finances Shadowed by Uncertainty]. ''The Foundry''. The Heritage Network.</ref> and risk of a credit default crisis.<ref>Samuelson, R.J. (2010, March 29). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032802353.html With health bill, Obama has sown the seeds of a budget crisis]. ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>Cramer, J. (2010, March 16). [http://www.thestreet.com/story/10703361/cramer-obamacare-will-topple-the-market.html Cramer: Obamacare Will Topple the Market]. ''The Street''.</ref>

His 2012 Budget plan has been roundly criticized in the mainstream and liberal press as not a serious effort to deal with the nation's economic crisis.<ref>[http://republican.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=blogs.view&blog_id=1551d6f5-2ac9-4b8d-97ab-74def354024e Newspapers Call Out White House: ‘What Would That Path Be, Mr. President?’]</ref>

[[Jeffrey Tucker]] wrote, "President Obama's economic policy has been catastrophic for liberty, enterprise, and the American dream—the very archetype of what not to do to end recession." [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1118186176/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=anncoulter-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1118186176]

====2009 Stimulus====
In early 2009, Obama lobbied Congress and the public to pass sweeping Stimulus legislation for the ailing economy<ref>(2009, January 3). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Obama Urges Congress to Pass Stimulus Plan]." ''Associated Press''. Parsons, C. & Nicholas, P. (2009, February 10). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Barack Obama Sternly Urges Congress to Pass Economic Stimulus]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> known as ''The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009'' (H.R. 1)<ref>"[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1: Bill Text Versions: H.R. 1]." 111th Congress (2009-2010). ''Library of Congress''. "[http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204335,00.html The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center]." ''IRS''.</ref>, ignoring a report by the Congressional Budget Office that the legislation would ultimately harm the economy.<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, February 4). "[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/04/cbo-obama-stimulus-harmful-over-long-haul/ CBO: Obama Stimulus Harmful Over Long Haul]." ''U.S. News''.</ref> Contrary to his earlier promises of bipartisanship<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, March 28). "[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/28/mccain-obama-breaks-campaign-promises-shuns-bipart/?page=all McCain: Obama Breaks Promise of Bipartisanship]." ''Washington Times''.</ref>, the bill passed the House 244-188 without a single Republican vote on January 28, 2009,<ref>Calmes, J. (2009, January 28). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29obama.html House Passes Stimulus Plan With No G.O.P. Votes]." ''New York Times''.</ref> and received just 3 Republican votes when passing the Senate 61-37.<ref>Herszenhorn, D.M. (2009, February 10). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/washington/11web-stim.html Senate Approves Stimulus Plan]." ''New York Times''.</ref> One third of the massive $838 billion bill consisted of tax cuts<ref>(2009, February 11). "Senate Passes $838 Billion Stimulus Bill]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> and the rest spending on "just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years."<ref>(2009, January 28). "[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html A 40-Year Wish List]." ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref> In responding to criticism of the broken bipartisanship promise at the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously quipped, "We won the election. We wrote the bill."<ref>Kane, P. (2009, January 23). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203961.html Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance]." ''Washington Post''.</ref> On February 18, 2009, the Stimulus was signed into law by Obama.<ref>(2009, February 17). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29231790/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-stimulus-lets-americans-claim-destiny/ Obama: Stimulus Lets Americans Claim Destiny]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> In August 2009, Republicans and Democratic Senator David Obey drew attention to mistakes on the Recovery.gov site claiming Stimulus jobs created that didn't exist. Obama responded by saying the errors just indicate the accounting is an "inexact science".<ref>(2009, November 18). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/18/obama-calls-stimulus-data-errors-issue-says-focus-job-growth/ Obama Calls Stimulus Data Errors 'Side Issue,' Says Focus Is on Job Growth]." ''FOX News''.</ref>
====Healthcare====
{{main article|Obamacare}}
On March 23, 2010, Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The act had originated in the House of Representatives and passed September 17, 2009. The act was amended and passed the Senate prior to [[Democrat]] [[Ted Kennedy]]'s passing along party lines - just a filibuster-proof majority at 60-39. In what can be construed as a de facto rejection of the bill, [[Massachusetts]] voters elected a [[Republican]] candidate, [[Scott Brown]], who promised to vote against the bill,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/scott-brown-wins-massachusetts-senate-race.html|work=The Washington Post|author=Chris Cillizza|date=January 19, 2010|title=Scott Brown wins Massachusetts Senate special election race|language=English|format=HTML}}</ref> but another Senate vote would not occur. Scott Brown was also an excellent campaigner and judged to be a better candidate than his rival, Martha Coakley. He has since achieved one of the most moderate senate voting records, likely to avoid the anger of his mostly liberal constituency. After Obama made a promise to issue an [[executive order]] that would ultimately prohibit the use of taxpayer subsidies to pay for [[abortion]] services,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/22/nation/la-na-healthcare-passage22-2010mar22/3|work=The Los Angeles Times|format=HTML|language=English|title=House passes historic healthcare overhaul|date=March 22, 2010|author=Noam N. Levey and Janet Hook}}</ref> the [[House of Representatives]] would pass the bill as it left the Senate 219-212, with 34 Democrats and all other parties dissenting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-21/politics/health.care.main_1_health-care-entire-house-democratic-caucus-pre-existing-conditions?_s=PM:POLITICS|date=March 21, 2010|author=Alan Silverleib|work=CNN|format=HTML|language=English|title=House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote}}</ref>

Amongst other things, the act mandates that the population purchase health care coverage or face punitive tax measures, and on this basis has been constitutionally challenged in the federal courts, with mixed results (three courts have upheld the act, two have declared it unconstitutional); thus, the Act is likely destined for [[Supreme Court]] reviewal. Plans originally proposed involved instituting a universal public insurance program, that is, extending Medicare to everyone. The universal mandate included in the act was originally a conservative idea that was enacted in Massachusetts under Republican Mitt Romney. Its supporters note that having health insurance results in reduced costs in paying for treatment of uninsured and forcing people to take responsibility for their healthcare. Due to ethical constraints, doctors cannot deny care to poor patients, resulting in the hospital and the healthcare system at large bearing the cost.

====Gulf oil spill====
{{main article|Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster}}
President Obama authorized offshore oil drilling in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''Christian Science Monitor'', April 30, 2010.</ref> stating, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills"<ref>White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov 3 May 2010.</ref> and was widely criticized for his mishandling of the "[[Gulf oil spill disaster|worst environmental disaster]] in US history."<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] Paul Krugman, ''New York Times'', April 30, 2010.</ref>
====Don't Ask Don't Tell====
{{main article|Don't Ask Don't Tell}}
Candidate Obama promised to repeal a policy that originated in the Clinton era that prohibited inquiries into military personnel's [[sexual orientation]] while also barring "out" [[homosexuals]] from serving in the military. [[Liberals]] expressed anger when time passed and no effort to repeal the law was seen;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/21/obama-to-delay-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/|work=The Washington Times|format=HTML|title=Obama to delay ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal|language=English|author=Rowan Scarborough|date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> in fact, Obama's [[justice department]], as part of their duty to defend all laws passed by any administration, filed a brief arguing against the [[Supreme Court]] granting a [[writ of certiorari]] to a gay soldier challenging the law (the writ was not granted). In response, the soldier, James Pietrangelo II, a former Army infantryman and lawyer, said, “[Obama's] a coward, a bigot and a pathological liar. This is a guy who spent more time picking out his dog, Bo, and playing with him on the White House lawn than he has working for equality for gay people."<ref>{{cite web|work=Time Magazine|publisher=Time Inc.|format=HTML|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903545,00.html?imw=Y|title=Dismay Over Obama's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Turnabout|author=Mark Thompson|date=Jun. 09, 2009}}</ref>

On December 15th, 2010, a bill was introduced in the [[House of Representatives]] to repeal the law - it passed a day later by a vote of 250-175;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll638.xml|title=FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 638|format=HTML|work=Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives}}</ref> it passed the Senate three days later 65-31.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00281|work=The U.S. Senate|title=U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress - 2nd Session|format=HTML|language=English}}</ref> Obama signed the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 on December 22nd.<ref name="g dadt">{{cite web|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/dec/22/obama-repeals-dont-ask-dont-tell|work=The Guardian|format=HTML|language=English|title='Don't ask, don't tell' repealed as Obama signs landmark law|date=22 December 2010}}</ref>

The [[Pentagon]] itself could not immediately implement the repeal and questioned whether it would hurt combat readiness.<ref name="g dadt"/> Senator [[John McCain]], the senior Republican on the Armed Services Committee, opposed the bill, saying "It may be premature to make such a change at this time and in this manner, without further consideration of this report and further study of the issue by Congress – for of all the people we serve, one of our highest responsibilities is to the men and women of our armed services, especially those risking their lives in combat.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/02/mccain-on-dont-ask-dont-tell-dont-rush/|title=McCain on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’: Don’t Rush|date=December 2nd, 2010|format=HTML|author=David M. Herszenhorn|language=English|work=The New York Times}}</ref>
===Foreign policy===
[[File:Western Wall Obama.jpg|thumb|left|320px|At [[Western Wall]], Jerusalem, 2008.]]
As Senator, Obama was highly critical of President Bush and promised change. As President, Obama has tripled down in Afghanistan, widened the war into Pakistan, multiplied drone attacks, bombed Yemen and Somalia, and started an undeclared NATO war in Libya. On presidential war powers, surveillance questions, Guantanamo, detention policy and habeas corpus, Obama has similarly stayed the course, or expanded Bush's precedents. In a speech on May 19, 2011 Obama fully embraced the [[Bush Doctrine]] of preventative war.<ref>Krauthammer, C. (April 19). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-news-in-obamas-speech/2011/05/19/AF4dFN7G_story.html The News in Obama's Speech]. ''The Washington Post''.</ref>

From the Boston Globe:
<blockquote>
'The New America Foundation, which tracks the strikes, has listed 23 raids since the beginning of April, 2011, all but one in Pakistan’s tribal regions of North and South Waziristan. A June 20 attack was reported in Kurram, an area north of North Waziristan along the Afghanistan border.'
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
'The drone program has become increasingly controversial as the Obama administration has expanded its use beyond the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Lethal missiles have been launched from unmanned aircraft in at least five countries in addition to Pakistan: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and, most recently, Somalia. The military’s Joint Special Operations Command used a drone last June to attack what officials said were two senior members of the Al Shabab militant group on the Somali coast.' <ref>DeYoung, K. (2011, July 4). [http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/07/04/cia_halts_drone_launches_from_pakistan_base/ CIA Halts Drone Launches From Pakistan Base]. ''The Boston Globe''. </ref>
</blockquote>

A commentator says:
<blockquote>
'Obama is commendable when he says he wants to avoid war. His policies, however, favor war by destabilizing the Middle East making it extremely hostile and favoring radical Islam over America’s ally, Israel, and American interests in the region... The president has chosen a very dangerous path for every American and one that promises great difficulty for Israel.' <ref> [http://www.thejerusalemconnection.us/blog/2012/03/14/obamas-words-disguise-his-israel-foreign-policy-actions.html Obama's words disguise his Israel foreign policy actions.] </ref>
</blockquote>
====Commander-in-chief====
By Obama's third year as Commander-in-Chief, over 1200 American troops died in Iraq and Afghanistan - significantly more than the number who died during President [[George W. Bush]]'s term of office. And growing numbers of civilian contractors also have fallen. In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref>
=====National Defense=====
President Obama signed into U.S. law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), only after his administration successfully lobbied to remove language from the bill that would have protected American citizens from being detained indefinitely without trial.<ref>Aaron Dykes. [http://www.infowars.com/president-obamas-ndaa-signing-statement-i-have-the-power-to-detain-americans-but-i-wont/ Obama’s Signing Statement on NDAA: I have the power to detain Americans… but I won’t], Infowars.com, January 1, 2012. </ref> After the legislation cleared Congress, the ACLU commented that if President Obama signed the bill it "will damage both his legacy and American’s reputation for upholding the rule of law," while executive director of the ''Human Rights Watch'' blasted the President for being ‘on the wrong side of history,’ noting that "Obama will go down in history as the president who enshrined indefinite detention without trial in US law."<ref>President Decides to Sign Ill-Conceived National Defense Authorization Act. [http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/14/us-refusal-veto-detainee-bill-historic-tragedy-rights US: Refusal to Veto Detainee Bill A Historic Tragedy for Rights], ''Human Rights Watch'', December 14, 2011. [http://www.aclu.org/national-security/white-house-backs-away-defense-bill-veto-threat White House Backs Away from Defense Bill Veto Threat], ''[[ACLU]]'', December 14, 2011.</ref>

Section 1031 of the NDAA bill, which itself defines the entirety of the United States as a “battlefield,” allows American citizens to be snatched from the streets, carted off to a foreign detention camp and held indefinitely without trial. As reported by Infowars.com, the bill states that “any person who has committed a belligerent act” faces indefinite detention, but no trial or evidence has to be presented, the White House merely needs to make the accusation.<ref>Paul Joseph Watson. [http://www.infowars.com/obama-administration-demanded-power-to-indefinitely-detain-u-s-citizens/ Obama Administration Demanded Power To Indefinitely Detain U.S. Citizens], Infowars.com, December 12, 2011. S.1867 [http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?c112:2:./temp/~c1122VN0Iv:e548990: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Engrossed in Senate [Passed Senate] - ES)], ''The Library of Congress'' THOMAS, 112th Congress (2011-2011), Accessed January 25, 2012. Text of S.1867 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012. [http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-s1867/text?version=es&nid=t0:es:281 Sec. 1031. Affirmation of authority of the Armed Forces of the United States to detain covered persons pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force.], [[U.S. Congress]], ''OpenCongress.org'', (Accessed January 25, 2012).</ref>

=====2009-2011 Iraq Troop Withdrawal=====
{{main article|Operation Iraqi Freedom}}
On February 10, 2007, Barack Obama announced his campaign for the U.S. presidency while stating he had a "''plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008.''"<ref name=announcement>(2007, February 10). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/10/AR2007021000879.html Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's Announcement Speech]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> Later, Obama campaigned on having troops entirely out of Iraq within 16 months, but in February 2009 revised this promise to withdrawing all but 35-50 thousand troops by December 2011.<ref>Barry, J. (2009, February 25). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/02/25/reality-on-the-ground.html Reality on the Ground]." ''Newsweek''.</ref> However, some of the newly withdrawn troops were simply redirected from Iraq to Afghanistan - Obama in Summer 2009 ordered 21,000 troops to Afghanistan.<ref name=amanpour>Amanpour, C. (2009, April 29). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2009-04-29/politics/amanpour.obama.foreign.policy_1_president-obama-obama-administration-iraq?_s=PM:POLITICS Amanpour: Obama's 100 Days of Foreign Affairs]." ''CNN Politics''.</ref>{{cquote|"But all of this cannot come to pass until we bring an end to this war in Iraq. Most of you know I opposed this war from the start. I thought it was a tragic mistake. Today we grieve for the families who have lost loved ones, the hearts that have been broken, and the young lives that could have been. America, it's time to start bringing our troops home. It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of 2008. Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last, best hope to pressure the Sunni and Shia to come to the table and find peace."
-Barack Obama, February 10, 2007 Presidential Campaign Announcement Speech<ref name=announcement />}}Ultimately, it was the Status of Forces Agreement signed by George W. Bush on November 17, 2008 which forced U.S. combat troops to withdraw from Iraq's cities, villages, and localities by June 30, 2009, and from Iraq entirely by December 31st 2011.<ref>(2008, November 17). "[http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/pdf/world/20081119_SOFA_FINAL_AGREED_TEXT.pdf Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary Presence in Iraq]." Article 24. Withdrawal of the United States Forces from Iraq. Hosted by ''The New York Times''. Office of the Press Secretary (2008, November 27). "[http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/11/20081127-1.html Statement by the President on Agreements with Iraq]." ''The White House''.</ref> Obama privately contacted the Iraq government in an attempt to persuade them to let 10,000 troops stay, but was rejected.<ref>Froomkin, D. (2011, October 26). "[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/obama-iraq_n_1032507.html Ending the War in Iraq: How Obama's Own Rhetoric - And George Bush's Pact - Boxed in the President]." ''Huffington Post''.</ref> Newsweek's Michael Ware accused Obama of a "War Crime" for "''falsely taking credit for finally bringing Iraq to a close—a war actually ended by the Bush administration back in 2008''" and stated, "''The U.S. troops who fought and died in that war, the Iraqis who perished, and the American people deserve far better.''"<ref>Ware, M. (2011, October 24). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/10/24/obamas-war-crime-taking-credit-from-bush-adminsitration-for-ending-the-iraq-war.html Obama's War Crime]." ''Newsweek''. U.S. Politics.</ref> The last of Iraq's combat troops have now been withdrawn because of Bush's Status of Forces Agreement which Obama took credit for.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2011-12-17/middleeast/world_meast_iraq-troops-leave_1_1st-cavalry-division-camp-adder-troop-movements?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST|work=CNN|title=Obama: Last U.S. troops leave Iraq|date=December 17, 2011|language=English|format=HTML}}</ref>
=====Afghanistan=====
{{main article|Afghanistan War}}
Obama escalated troop strength<ref name="pbs">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamaswar/themes/strategy.html#ixzz1LhWNImZp|title=Obama's New Strategy (March '09)|author=George Packer, Seth Jones, David Kilcullen, Rory Stewart, Andrew Exum, Col. Andrew Bacevich (Ret.)|work=PBS|language=English|format=HTML}}</ref> and defense costs in Afghanistan from $43.5 billion in George Bush's last year to $113.7 billion for 2011.<ref>Congressional Research Service, quoted in Gregory Anthony, ''What price war?''</ref> Adviser to General [[Stanley McChrystal]] David Kilcullen wrote, "One of the big strategic shifts is the use of language now which talks about Pakistan and Afghanistan as the same theater. Now we talked about Af-Pak long before the Obama administration came about, but the public use of that term, and the description of it as the Afghanistan-Pakistan campaign, sends a new message to people about how the administration is going to think about Afghanistan and Pakistan."<ref name="pbs"/> This became evident when, under the orders of Obama, a military SEALs team killed September 11th mastermind [[Osama bin Laden]] in Abottabad, Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2011/05/05/commander-in-chief.html|title=Commander in Chief|author=Daniel Romano and Daniel Klaidman|date=May 05, 2011|work=Newsweek|publisher=The Newsweek/Daily Beast Company LLC|language=English|format=HTML}}</ref>
=====Guantanamo Bay=====
{{main article|Guantanamo Bay}}
One of Obama's campaign promises was that he would close the American detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba - detainees would be flown to other countries while the ones awaiting trial would enter the American court system. Two days after taking office he signed an order directing the military to do so.<ref name="salon">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/25/obama_guantanamo_rhetoric|work=Salon|title=The Obama/Gitmo timeline|author=Natasha Lennard|format=HTML|language=English}}</ref> But, in November 2009 Obama admitted that his self imposed deadline of January 2010 would be missed, and in March 2011 the president went back on his campaign promise, signing an executive order to create a formal system of indefinite detention for the prisoners.<ref name="salon"/>
=====Mexico=====
In May 2012, President Obama promised Mexican President [[Felipe Calderon]] that his administration would assist Mexico in curbing drug cartel violence, which has led to 30,000 deaths in Mexico. "President Calderon and I . . . stand together against the drug cartels that have unleashed horrific violence in so many communities," Obama said on May 19. "Mexico can count on the United States as a full partner in this effort."

The ''[[Washington Post]]'' has reported however that White House officials stopped a requirement for gun dealers to report bulk sales of high-powered semiautomatic rifles commonly used by illegal drug cartels. [[Justice Department]] officials had asked for White House approval to require thousands of gun dealers along the border to report the purchases to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and Explosives. ATF investigators expected to get leads on suspected arms traffickers. Senior law enforcement sources said the proposal from the ATF was held up by then White House chief of staff [[Rahm Emanuel]].<ref>Horwitz, S. & Grimaldi, J.V. (2010, December 17). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121706598.html White House Delayed Rule Meant to Stop Gun Flow to Mexico]. ''The Washington Post''.</ref> Gun dealers have been required for decades to report the sales of multiple handguns to the ATF.

=====Libya=====
{{main article|Libyan uprising 2011}}
In February 2011, the political unrest that had spread through the Arab world showed up as protests in Libya. Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi - leader of Libya for 41 years - responded to the violent activism<ref>http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28376.htm</ref> with legible steps.<ref name="nyt libya">{{cite web|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/libya/index.html|work=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Inc.|format=HTML|language=English|title=Libya — Protests and Revolt (2011)}}</ref> The [[United Nations Security Council]] voted unanimously to impose [[sanctions]], and later authorized all members to take action to protect civilians. Obama, acting without approval from Congress and at the beckoning of the [[United Nations]], directed American forces to take out Libya's air defense system.<ref name="nyt libya"/> Obama later said, "[I]f we waited one more day Benghazi, a city nearly the size of Charlotte, could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."<ref>{{cite web|author=Barack Obama|url=http://www.npr.org/2011/03/28/134935452/obamas-speech-on-libya-a-responsibility-to-act|title=Obama's Speech On Libya: 'A Responsibility To Act'|date=March 28, 2011|publisher=National Public Radio ([[NPR]])|language=English|format=HTML}}</ref> [[Alan J. Kuperman]] - writing an editorial for the ''[[Boston Globe]]'' - suggested this statement was false, writing, "[I]ntervention did not prevent genocide, because no such bloodbath was in the offing. To the contrary, by emboldening rebellion, US interference has prolonged Libya’s civil war and the resultant suffering of innocents."<ref name="kuperman">{{cite web|author=Alan J. Kuperman|work=The Boston Globe|url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-14/bostonglobe/29418371_1_rebel-stronghold-civilians-rebel-positions|title=False pretense for war in Libya?|date=April 14, 2011}}</ref> Kuperman, a professor of public affairs at the University of Texas who authored a book called ''The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention'', further stated that the rebels had tricked the world into thinking a bloodbath was at hand and that Obama had lied to the American people in order to act on this theory.<ref name="kuperman"/>
<blockquote>
Gaddafi [never] threaten civilian massacre in Benghazi, as Obama alleged. The “no mercy’’ warning, of March 17, targeted rebels only, as reported by The New York Times, which noted that Libya’s leader promised amnesty for those “who throw their weapons away.’’ Khadafy even offered the rebels an escape route and open border to Egypt, to avoid a fight “to the bitter end.’’ <ref> [http://politicalcartel.org/2011/04/17/libya-and-the-obama-doctrine/ Libya and the “Obama Doctrine”.] </ref>
</blockquote>

However Gaddafi wrote to Obama:

<blockquote>
Gaddafi said he bore no ill will toward Obama. "We have been hurt more morally than physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you," he wrote. "Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the USA. We endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaign." The letter, dated 5 April 2011 in Tripoli, is signed "Mu'aumer Qaddaffi, Leader of the Revolution".<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/06/gaddafi-obama-nato-libya?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487]</ref>
</blockquote>

Critics point out the only thing worse than starting a "stupid, unnecessary war" against a madman is losing it.<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/271847/war-libya-dumb-and-dumber-victor-davis-hanson</ref>

==2012 Presidential Campaign==
===2011, Birth Certificate Released===
: ''Main Article: [[Barack_Obama_Controversies#Birth_Certificate]]''
On April 27, 2011<ref>CNN Political Unit (2011, April 27). "[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/ White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate]." ''CNN''</ref>, a long-running controversy surrounding Obama's birth was largely put to rest<ref>Winter, J. (2011, April 29). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/29/expert-says-obamas-birth-certificate-legit/ Expert: No Doubt Obama's Birth Certificate is Legit]." ''FOX News''. Tuchman, G. (2011, April 25). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-25/politics/birthers.obama.hawaii_1_birther-controversy-obama-opinion-research-corporation?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Birther Claims Have No Merit]." ''CNN''. (2011, April 27). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42779923/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-releases-detailed-us-birth-certificate/ Obama Releases Detailed U.S. Birth Certificate]." ''MSNBC''.</ref> when Obama had his long-form birth certificate posted at WhiteHouse.gov.<ref>"[http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Certificate of Live Birth]." State of Hawaii. Retrieved from ''WhiteHouse.gov''.</ref> Donald Trump, who had attacked Obama on the Birth Certificate issue and was then leading Republicans in polls for the upcoming GOP primary<ref>James, F. (2011, April 15). "[http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/04/15/135446314/poll-donald-trump-birther-darling-leads-gop-field-at-26 Donald Trump, Birther In Chief? Poll Has Him Leading GOP Field with 26 Percent]." ''NPR''.</ref>, was effectively knocked out of the race because of this.<ref>Kapur, S. (2011, May 10). "[http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/10/trumps-popularity-tanks-after-obama-releases-long-form-birth-certificate/ Trump's Popularity Tanks After Obama Releases Long-Form Birth Certificate]." ''RawStory.com''.</ref>

The following is a timeline of previous events leading up to the release:

* In June 2008 the Obama campaign allowed FactCheck.org to look at his “Certificate of Live Birth” and take photos.<ref>Henig, J. (2008, August 21). Born in the U.S.A. FactCheck.org. Retrieved from http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html</ref>
* In July 2008 a blogger discovered a birth announcement from the Honolulu Advertiser from August 13, 1961 for Barack Obama. It has since been discovered another newspaper, the Star Bulletin, also documented the birth.<ref>Snopes.com. Barack Obama Birth Certificate. Retrieved from http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp</ref>
* PolitiFact went to extreme lengths to verify Obama’s citizenship, attaining scanned copies of his 1992 marriage certificate from Cook County, IL, his driver’s license record, and his registration and disciplinary record. PolitiFact also addressed a number of concerns about the documentation.<ref>Hollyfield, A. (2008, June 27). Obama’s birth certificate: Final chapter. PolitiFact. Retrieved from http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/jun/27/obamas-birth-certificate-part-ii/</ref>
* In October 2008 Hawaii’s Department of Health released a statement by Dr. Chiyome Fu.kino verifying that Obama’s birth certificate was on record.<ref>Hawaii Department of Health. News Release: Statement by Dr. Chiyome Fu.kino. Retrieved from http://hawaii.gov/health/about/pr/2008/08-93.pdf</ref>
* In August 2009 it was revealed that an alleged Kenyan birth certificate for Obama was a hoax.<ref>Snopes.com. Kenyan Mistake. Retrieved from http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/kenyacert.asp</ref> Another website allows you to create your own imitation Kenyan birth certificates online.<ref>KenyanBirthCertificateGenerator.com. Blue Collar Industries. Retrieved from http://kenyanbirthcertificategenerator.com/</ref>

===2011, Osama Bin Laden Confirmed Dead===
On May 1, 2011, Obama announced in a press conference<ref>Obama, B. (2011, May 2). "[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead Osama Bin Laden Dead]." ''WhiteHouse.gov''.</ref> that Osama Bin Laden was dead after a U.S. assault force infiltrated his military compound in Abottobad, Pakistan.<ref>Baker, P., Cooper, H., & Mazzetti, M. (2011, May 1). "[Bin Laden is Dead, Obama Says]." ''New York Times''. "[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Osama_Bin_Laden/ Target Bin Laden: The Death of Public Enemy #1]." ''ABC News''. ''NPR''. "[http://www.npr.org/series/135908383/osama-bin-laden-dead Special Series: Osama Bin Laden Killed]." </ref> Bin Laden was reportedly shot in the head after a helicopter raid ferried Navy SEAL Team Six and CIA paramilitary operatives into Pakistan on April 29.<ref>''Associated Press'' (2011, May 1). "[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-201_162-20058777.html Osama bin Laden is Dead]." Retrieved from ''CBSNews.com''.</ref> Reuters obtained photos of unidentified dead bodies from the raid, none of which look like bin Laden. However, the White House had the body of Osama bin Laden disposed of at sea because it claimed this was "in accordance with Islamic tradition" and didn't want to give Bin Laden followers a gravesite shrine.<ref>The Daily Beast (2011, May 2). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-killed-and-buried-at-sea-breaking-details.html Osama Bin Laden Killed and Buried at Sea]." ''Newsweek''.</ref> The White House also refused to publicly reveal photos or evidence of the body, because Obama claimed that "given the graphic nature of these photos, it would create some national security risk."<ref>Allbritton, C. (2011, May 4). "[http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/04/us-binladen-pakistan-photos-idUSTRE7437KK20110504 Photos Show Three Dead Men at Bin Laden Raid House]." ''Reuters''. ''Reuters''. "[http://www.reuters.com/subjects/bin-laden-compound Photos From the Bin Laden Compound]."</ref> The burial at sea was criticized by Islamic scholars<ref>''Associated Press'' (2011, May 2). "[http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-202_162-20058892.html Islamic Scholars Criticize Bin Laden Sea Burial]." Retrieved from ''CBSNews.com''. Also at [http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/05/02/islamic-scholars-question-bin-ladens-sea-burial/ Fox News].</ref> and 9/11 families.<ref>Zirulnick, A. (2011, May 3). "[http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2011/0503/Osama-bin-Laden-s-burial-at-sea-critics-range-from-9-11-families-to-militants Osama Bin Laden's Burial At Sea: Critics Range from 9/11 Families to Militants]." ''Christian Science Monitor''.</ref> The lack of photos resulted in skepticism about the death from a variety of sources, including the Taliban<ref>Faiez, R. & Vogt, H. (2011, May 4). "[http://articles.boston.com/2011-05-04/news/29509464_1_bin-taliban-spokesman-zabiullah-mujahid-samiullah-khan Taliban Holding Out for Clear Evidence]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> and Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.<ref>Rosen, J. & Thomma, S. (2011, May 5). "[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/05/113709/sc-sen-graham-wants-bin-laden.html S.C. Sen. Graham Wants Bin Laden Photos Released]." ''McClatchy Newspapers''.</ref>

The death of bin Laden, coupled with the revealing of Obama's long-form Birth Certificate, resulted in a boost of Obama's job approval from 46% to 57% within one month.<ref>Dao, J. & Sussman, D. (2011, May 4). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/us/politics/05poll.html For Obama, Big Rise in Poll Numbers After Bin Laden Raid]." ''New York Times''. ''Pew Research Center'' (2011, May 2). "[http://www.people-press.org/2011/05/03/public-relieved-by-bin-ladens-death-obamas-job-approval-rises/ Public 'Relieved' by Bin Laden's Death, Obama's Job Approval Rises]." Jones, J.M. (2011, May 5). "[http://www.gallup.com/poll/147437/obama-approval-rallies-six-points-bin-laden-death.aspx Obama Job Approval Rallies Six Points to 52% After Bin Laden Death]." ''Gallup''.</ref> In 2012, relations between the U.S. and Pakistan remain sour because the U.S. did not involve Pakistan fully in the raid to ensure success.<ref>''CBS/Associated Press'' (2012, May 1). "[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57424622/1-year-after-osama-bin-laden-killed-still-no-answers-from-pakistan/ 1 Year After Osama bin Laden Killed, Still No Answers from Pakistan]."</ref> Pakistan has denied White House claims that there was a deal with it allowing the raid.<ref>''Associated Press'' (2011, May 10). "[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/05/10/pakistani-president-claims-bin-laden-deal/ Former Pakistani President Claims There Was Never Bin Laden Deal With U.S.]." Retrieved from ''FOX News''.</ref>
=== 2012: Ties to ACORN? ===
According to Stanley Kurtz - author of ''Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism'' (2010) Obama in 1995 sought and obtained the endorsement of a left-wing third party, the [[New Party]] in his quest to be elected to the Illinois State Senate.<ref>Kurtz, S. (2012, June 7). [http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/302031/obamas-third-party-history-stanley-kurtz Obama's Third-Party History]. ''National Review Online''.</ref> Obama's "Fight the Smears" campaign has denied this, as has Politico's Ben Smith.<ref name=pollack>Pollack, J.B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/07/Obama-Caught-Lying-Again-He-WAS-Member-of-New-Party-Says-Kurtz Obama Caught Lying Again: He WAS Member of 'New Party', Says Kurtz]. ''Breitbart''. Smith, B. (2008, October 25). [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/The_dread_New_Party.html The Dread New Party]. ''Politico''.</ref> Others who claim he was affiliated with the New Party/ACORN include The Blaze's Billy Hallowell<ref>Hallowell, B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/report-new-documents-show-obama-was-a-member-of-the-far-left-new-party/ News Docs Reportedly Show Obama Was a Member of the Far-Left 'New Party']. ''The Blaze''.</ref>, Breitbart's Joel Pollack, Human Events' Erick Erickson<ref>Erickson, E. (2008, June 10). [http://www.humanevents.com/2008/06/10/obama-and-the-new-party/ Obama and the New Party]. ''Human Events''.</ref>, Newsbusters' P.J. Gladnick<ref>Gladnick, P.J. (2008, October 12). [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2008/10/08/will-msm-report-obama-membership-socialist-new-party#ixzz21JfE3z1z Will MSM Report on Obama Membership in Socialist New Party?] ''Newsbusters''.</ref>, Rick Moran at AmericanThinker.com<ref>Rick Moran. [http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/06/obamas_alliance_with_marxists.html Obama's Alliance with Marxists], ''American Thinker'', June 03, 2008.</ref>, and various writers at Discover the Networks (which include Kurtz and Erickson).<ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7434 NEW PARTY (NP)], ''DiscoverTheNetworks.org''.</ref>

Kurtz in 2012 has claimed to find minutes of the New Party Chicago chapter that say, "''Barack Obama, candidate for State Senate in the 13th Legislative District, gave a statement to the membership and answered questions. He signed the New Party 'Candidate Contract' and requested an endorsement from the New Party. He also joined the New Party.''"<ref name=pollack /> Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod responded to Kurtz with silence and when asked if that meant "yes or no", Axelrod stated, "You can take that as I have no idea what you are talking about."<ref>Pollack, J.B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/07/Exclusive-Axelrod-Plays-Dumb-on-Obama-and-Socialist-New-Party Exclusive: Axelrod Plays Dumb on Obama and Socialist New Party]. ''Breitbart''.</ref>

==="You didn't build that" Controversy===
On July 13, 2012, at a campaign event in [[Virginia]], Obama gave a speech that immediately stirred up controversy. Speaking about the government's role in the success of private business, he said:<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/13/remarks-president-campaign-event-roanoke-virginia</ref>
{{cquote|If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you’ve got a business - you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.}} The [[Romney]] campaign has used "If you’ve got a business - you didn’t build that" in ads to show America that Obama believes it is government that creates business rather than hard-working individuals. The Obama campaign has alternatively stated that the sentenced was poorly worded since he was not giving a scripted speech and that when Obama said "that" he was referring to roads and bridges. Obama points to a later portion of his speech in which he said, "The point is, is that when we succeed, we succeed because of our individual initiative, but also because we do things together," to support his claim.

==Accusations about birth certificate and cultural and name identity==
Some conservative opponents have accused Obama of not being an American but born outside of the United States, this accusation was bolstered by Obama's reluctance to show his birth certificate to the public, until prompted by [[Donald Trump]]. Obama presented a birth certificate to the public. Some conservative opponents believe that the birth certificate he presented was a forgery. They are known as "birthers" both by their conservative and liberal opponents. However conservatives like [[Ann Coulter]] reject the birthers' accusations, and view birthers as a fringe group that left-wing media like MSNBC have exaggerated in order to discredit the conservative movement.

There are other right-wing and anti-Islamic opponents of Obama who claim that he is a Muslim '''Barry Soetoro''' during his time in [[Indonesia]]<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQPXVJuT2vY Barry Soetoro the muslim - YouTube]</ref>

Other right-wing opponents claim that Obama is an [[Atheism|atheist]].

==See also==

*[[Political positions of Barack Obama]]
*[[Barack Obama and uncharitableness]]
*[[Barack Obama and abortion]]
*[[Essay:Born Outside the U.S.A.!]]
*[[Essay: The Special Interests Candidate]]
*[[Jobsgate]]
*[[Recovery Summer]]
*[[Lobbyists ties to the Obama administration]]
*[[New Party]]
*[[ObamaCare]]
*[[Obama doublespeak]]
*[[Obama inauguration]]
*[[Religion of Barack Hussein Obama]]
*[[The Honorable James David Manning]]
*[[Young Communist League]]

==External links==
*[http://www.antiobama.net/ Anti Obama.net]
*[http://www.dontvoteobama.net/ Don’t Vote For Obama.net]
*[http://nobamanetwork.com/ Nobama Network]
*[http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/ Audacity Of Hypocrisy]
*[http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/ The Real Barack Obama]
*[http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/6130/ The New Cult of Personality]
*[http://www.survivingobamunism.com/index.html Surviving Obamunism T-shirts]
*[http://www.barackobamaantichrist.blogspot.com/ Barack Obama the Anti-Christ ?]
*[http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/23/che-obama-and-the-revolutionary-agenda/ Che, Obama, and the Revolutionary Agenda]
*[http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/fashion-shows/ Obama Laundry List of Lies]
*[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/09/americas-first-muslim-president/ GAFFNEY: America's first Muslim president?] Washington Times
*[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/barack-obama-and-islam_b_212519.html Barack Obama and Islam.] by [[John L. Esposito]].
*[http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78931 Democrat: Obama's grandma confirms Kenyan birth.]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/barack_obama.htm Barack Obama on the issues.]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etWLwrvT2vo Obama = Kosher Puppet.] video on You Tube.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{USPresidents}}
{{2008 presidential candidates}}
[[Category: Barack Hussein Obama]]
[[Category:Obama Presidency]]
[[Category:Obama Administration]]
[[category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:Socialism]]
[[Category:Muslims]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obama, Barack Hussein}}

Formula One

2012-11-03T00:48:00Z

PaulDiFoglio: I honestly don't know why we bother putting in a "notes" heading (incorrect name, by the way -- it's "footnotes") if there are no references in the entire article

'''Formula One''', also known as '''Formula 1''' or '''F1''' and officially as the '''FIA Formula One World Championship''' is the highest class of [[single-seater]] [[auto racing]] sanctioned by the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] (FIA). Formula One is often considered the pinnacle of [[automobile]] [[racing]]. It is the highest class of car racing with speeds topping 320 kph. The Formula One World Championship is held every year on racing tracks on every continent except [[Africa]] and [[Antarctica]]. The Championship is given not only to the winning driver after all 20 races but also to the winner car manufacturer. The current Driver's World Champion is [[German]] [[Christian]] racer Sebastien Vettel, while the Constructor's Champions are the [[Austrian]] team Red Bull Racing, who are, like most of the F1 teams based close to the British circuit Silverstone. Due to the requirement of the drivers to be fit and focused, many of the drivers are devout [[Christians]].

=='''Constructors'''==

The teams for the 2012 season are;

*'''[[Red Bull]] Racing''', which bought the [[Jaguar]] team in 2005, who in turn bought out the [[Stewart]] team. The team's current drivers are Mark Webber ([[Australia]]) and Sebastien Vettel (Germany). The team uses Renault engines, and, like Toro Rosso, are sponsored by Red Bull.

*'''[[Vodafone]] [[McLaren]] [[Mercedes]]''' was founded in 1966. They are the third most successful team in the sport's history, having won the constructors' title 8 times. The team was formed by the [[New Zealand]]er Bruce Mclaren. The current drivers are [[Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars|Conservative Sports Star]] [[Lewis Hamilton]] and [[Jenson Button]]. [[Lewis Hamilton]] will leave McLaren at the end of the 2012 Formula One season and go to the Mercedes team for three seasons. He will be replaced by the Mexican Sauber driver Sergio Perez.

*'''Scuderia [[Ferrari]] [[Marlboro]]''', who first competed in the second-ever Formula One race at [[Monaco]] in 1950, are the most famous and most successful team in the history of Formula One, and present constructors' champions. They have won the constructors' championship 16 times, maostly because of the dominance of [[Michael Schumacher]], who holds the most championship wins in the sport's history. The team uses [[Ferrari]] engines and are sponsored by the [[Marlboro]] [[tobacco]] company. The current drivers are Fernando Alonso and Filipe Massa

*'''[[Mercedes]] F1 Team''', which replaced the [[Honda]] team in 2009 and then became the [[Petronas Mercedes AMG Racing]] in 2010. The are run by Norbet Hoog and have [[Nico Rosberg]] and seven time Formula One drivers champion, [[Micheal Schumacher]] driving for them. From 2013 the [[Lewis Hamilton]] will replace [[Michael Schumacher]], who has neither found a seat for 2013 or announced he is retiring again.

*'''[[Lotus]] F1''' Originally named [[Toleman]] and then became Benetton. Under the leadership of Flavio Briatore, Benetton bought out [[Renault]] and became Lucky 7 Renault F1. However, a tobacco sponsorship ban forced the team to change its name under new sponsorship from ING to ING Renault F1. Fernando Alonso won two championships with the team. Flavio Briatore, along with Pat Symmonds and Nelson Piquet Jr. were convicted of race fixing, which led to them being banned from the sport for for 5 years. The team was then bought out by GenII Capital and recieved sponsorship from Lotus. It later was involved in a legal battle with Caterham (who previously held the rights to the Lotus brand) over who had right to use the name. The current drivers are [[Kimi Raikonen]] and [[Romain Grosjean]].

*'''[[Force India]] F1 Team''', who replaced the [[Spyker]] team in 2008, scored their first points at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix. The team's present drivers are Nico Hulkenburg and Paul Di Resta. The team uses Mercedes engines and are sponsored by Indian airline [[Kingfisher]] and Indian Finance giant Sahara.

*'''Scuderia [[Red Bull|Toro Rosso]]''', who replaced the [[Minardi]] team in 2006, are a "farm" team for Red Bull Racing, but managed to beat their parent team in 2008. The team's drivers are 2012 debutante, Jean-Eric Vergne ([[France]]) and Daniel Ricciardo ([[Australia]]) who was in the [[HRT]] for 10 races last year. The drivers replaced [[Sebastion Buemi]] and [[Jaime Alguesari]]. The team uses Ferrari engines and are sponsored by beverage company [[Red Bull]].

*'''[[Williams]]''', founded in 1977, are the second most successful team in F1's history, having won the constructors' title 9 times. However, they have not won the title since 1997. The team is heavily reliant on the money from PVDSA, the state oil company of socialist [[Venezuela]]. The team's present drivers are Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) and Bruno Senna (Brazil). The team uses [[Renualt]] engines and are sponsored by various other Venezuelan state owned companies

*'''Air Asia Caterham Team''' Originally Malaysia F1 team and owned by [[businessman]] Tony Fernandes, who also owns leading English football club [[QPR]]. The team's name was changed to LotusF1 before threir first season in 2010, but Renault, who were sponsored by Lotus challenged this in cours but lost. Meanwhile, Tony Fernandes bought out the [[car]] [[manufacturer]] [[Caterham]] and promptly renamed his team Caterham. The [[Malaysia]]n government, who owns [[Proton]], which in turn owns [[Lotus Cars]] were also rumoured to have let [[Fernandes]] buy Air Malaysia in return for him dropping the legal action against [[Lotus]]. The drivers are [[Vitaly Petrov]] ([[Russia]]), who brings a large amount of state-owned [[Russian]] sponsors and the [[Finland|Finn]] [[Heikki Kovalinen]].

*'''HRT''' Is a Spanish F1 team. They lack funds to build competitive car and rely heavily on sponsors brought by the race drivers and the third drivers. The ircurrent drivers are [[Pedro De La Rosa]] and [[Narain Karthakain]].

*'''[[Marussia F1]]''' A Russian team owned by car manufacturer [[Marussia]], Charles Pic and Timo Glock currently race for them. WThey were originally [[Manor F1]] and then became [[Virgin|Virgin F1]].

== Drivers ==

The drivers fight for the world drivers' championship, it is currently being led by Sebastian Vettel.

== 2012 Season Schedule and Results ==

===Grands Prix===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:80%"
! Round
! Grand Prix
! Date
! Pole position
! Fastest lap
! Winning driver
! Winning constructor
|-
! 1
| Australian Grand Prix
| 18 March
| Lewis Hamilton
| Jenson Button
| Jenson Button
| McLaren-Mercedes
|-
! 2
| Malaysian Grand Prix
| 25 March
| Lewis Hamilton
| Kimi Räikkönen
| Fernando Alonso
| Scuderia Ferrari
|-
! 3
| Chinese Grand Prix
| 15 April
| Nico Rosberg
| Kamui Kobayashi
| Nico Rosberg
| Mercedes-Benz
|-
! 4
| Bahrain Grand Prix
| 22 April
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 5
| Spanish Grand Prix
| 13 May
| Pastor Maldonado
| Romain Grosjean
| Pastor Maldonado
| Williams F1
|-
! 6
| Monaco Grand Prix
| 27 May
| Mark Webber
| Sergio Pérez
| Mark Webber
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 7
| Canadian Grand Prix
| 10 June
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Lewis Hamilton
| McLaren-Mercedes
|-
! 8
| European Grand Prix
| 24 June
| Sebastian Vettel
| Nico Rosberg
| Fernando Alonso
| Scuderia Ferrari
|-
! 9
| British Grand Prix
| 8 July
| Fernando Alonso
| Kimi Räikkönen
| Mark Webber
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 10
| German Grand Prix
| 22 July
| Fernando Alonso
| Michael Schumacher
| Fernando Alonso
| Scuderia Ferrari|Ferrari
|-
! 11
| Hungarian Grand Prix
| 29 July
| Lewis Hamilton
| Sebastian Vettel
| Lewis Hamilton
| McLaren-Mercedes
|-
! 12
| Belgian Grand Prix
| 2 September
| Jenson Button
| Bruno Senna
| Jenson Button
| McLaren-Mercedes
|-
! 13
| Italian Grand Prix
| 9 September
| Lewis Hamilton
| Nico Rosberg
| Lewis Hamilton
| McLaren-Mercedes
|-
! 14
| Singapore Grand Prix
| 23 September
| Lewis Hamilton
| Nico Hülkenberg
| Sebastian Vettel
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 15
| Japanese Grand Prix
| 7 October
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 16
| Korean Grand Prix
| 14 October
| Mark Webber
| Mark Webber
| Sebastian Vettel
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 17
| Indian Grand Prix
| 28 October
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Sebastian Vettel
| Red Bull Racing
|-
! 18
| Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
| 4 November
|
|
|
|
|-
! 19
| United States Grand Prix
| 18 November
|
|
|
|
|-
! 20
| Brazilian Grand Prix
| 25 November
|
|
|
|
|-
|}

===WDC Standing===

== Controversies ==

Formula One racing has been involved in several controversies. [[Texas]] gave $300 million dollars to [[Bernie Eccelstone]] to host the [[US Grand Prix]] in [[Austin]], [[Texas]] at the [[Circuit of the Americas]] over the next 10 years.

The state of [[New Jersey]] also gave Ecclestone $300 million so it can host the [[New Jersey Grand Prix]] at [[West New York]] over the next 10 years, starting in 2013. There have been a number of reports that the 2013 [[American Grand Prix]] will not happen due to lack of payment of race fees to Bernie Eccelstone and lack of preparation. However New Jersey Governor [[Chris Christie]] has said that all is on track and that the required fees have been paid, however this conflicts with what is widely being reported in the [[European]] Press.

Another controversy was the incident involving the former head of the FIA, Max Mosley. The now defunct liberal gossip newspaper, ''News of the World'', published a story in which they accused Mosley of organizing and participating in a number of immoral and [[Nazi]]-themed events. These accusations caused a lot of concern within certain national sporting bodies and greatly damaged the road safety campaign that was being organised to save lives in developing countries as well as driving a number of key potential sponsors away from the sport. It was later found that these accusations be false and were made so the newspaper could sell more copies.

== Drivers' route to F1 ==

Almost all Formula One drivers start racing Karts in club and sub-national classes between the ages of 5 and their early teens. If they show some talent and have the funding they then progress to the national and international competitions. They then progress to either Formula Renault, Formula Ford or a National Formula 3 class if they have sufficient funding and talent. Drivers then progress to Formula 3 or GP3 which costs in the region of half a million euros per season. After this the drivers go into either [[World Series by Renault]] or [[GP2]], which can cost up to 3 million euros a season. Talented drivers also act as teams third and test drivers while they compete in these series; drivers who can bring large amounts of sponsorship money to the F1 teams are also given these roles even though they may be lacking in talent. Drivers can also get into F1 through routes such as Sports cars and touring cars (such as [[V8 Supercars]]) however this route is very uncommon now.

There are other, less common routes to a F1 race seat.. The last driver to come to formula one via this route was Paul di Resta who won the [[DTM]] title for [[Mercedes]] and was then given a race seat in the [[Mercedes]]-powered [[Force India]]. Sebastian Bourdais came to Formula 1 through IndyCar, however he failed to compete and was sacked by Toro Rosso.

== Other Information ==
While many people think that F1 is similar to [[Indycar]], Formula One takes place on [[race circuits]] and [[street circuits]], while Indycar races often take place on oval tracks.

==External Links==
*[http://www.fia.com The Sport's governing body] 
*[http://www.formula1.com/ Official Website] 
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/default.stm BBC Sport F1 - Site of the UK broadcaster] 
*[http://joesaward.wordpress.com/ Highly Respected Formula One Journalist] 
*[http://www.autosport.com Worlds leading motorsport publication] 
*[http://piranha.excom.us Vast amount of Material on F1 ] 
*[http://www.ten-tenths.com Leader in Motorsport News ]

[[Category:Motor Racing]]

Charles de Gaulle

2012-11-02T05:35:30Z

PaulDiFoglio: definitely seems like a word that could use an external link -- especially when it's in the first damn paragraph of the article

'''Charles de Gaulle''' (1890-1970) was the dominant military and political leader of [[France]], 1940-1969. He was a conservative in the traditionalist sense, and helped restore the leadership of conservatives and Catholics while weakening the Communists and socialists. He was notoriously hostile to the "Anglo-Saxons" (that is the British and the Americans), and pulled France out of the NATO military command, while maintaining political ties with the alliance.

Fleeing the victorious German invaders in 1940, he rejected the new [[Vichy regime]] that allied itself to Germany. Général de Gaulle set up his base in London, proclaimed himself the incarnation of France, created the Free French movement, rallied the oversees colonies (especially in Africa), organized the Resistance, and tried, but failed, to gain full recognition from the British and Americans. A firm proponent of democracy, he destroyed the vestiges of the totalitarian [[Vichy regime]]. He retired from office in 1946, but returned in 1958 as France verged on civil war over the Algeria crisis. As president (1958-69) during the Fifth Republic, he revised the constitution to provide for presidential control of foreign and military policy, granted independence to Algeria and the African colonies, and restored the nation's economic health. Forging a close bond with Germany, he sought to dominate the European Common Market by vetoing British entry and holding the U.S. at arms length. Exhausted politically and emotionally, he finally left office in 1969. His reputation as the strongest and greatest of French leaders since [[Napoleon]] continues into the 21st century.
==Career==
De Gaulle was born in Lille on November 22, 1890. His family moved to Paris in 1895, where his father became professor of philosophy in the Jesuit College of Paris. The father inculcated the son with a profound belief in the glory of traditional Catholic France. Charles received a rigorous classical education that included a year 1907-08 at a Jesuit college in Belgium. He matriculated at the Saint Cyr military academy in 1908; in 1911 he was commissioned in the French army.

At the battle of Douaumont in the Verdun campaign in February-March 1916 Captain de Gaulle led the 10th Battalion of the 33d Infantry Regiment; he was then assigned to relieve the 110th Regiment from its position at the Verdun front. On 2 March 1916 his company came under attack from the Germans and despite his much praised bravery, he was badly injured and was captured, spending 32 months in a prisoner of war camp.

After the war France set up a military mission to support [[Poland history|newly independent Poland]] by advising and training its army. In 1919, Captain de Gaulle volunteered for service in Poland and spent a year teaching at the Infantry School of the Polish army; he became strategic adviser to Polish general Edward Rydz-Smigly when France decided to actively aid the Polish counterattack against Russia. Back in France he taught military history at Saint Cyr, served as aide to Marshal [[Henri Philippe Pétain]], and wrote several books on military strategy. His book ''The Army of the Future'' (1934), daringly proposed mechanization of the infantry, with stress on the wholesale use of tanks. Ironically the German panzer units, so effectively employed in the invasion of France in 1940, utilized similar theories, while the French dispersed and wasted their armor. As the French armies collapsed in spring 1940 de Gaulle was made brigadier general<ref> He wore his uniform with the one-star insignia of a brigadier general for the remainder of his life.</ref> and then undersecretary of war in [[Paul Reynaud]]'s cabinet. The elderly Marshal Pétain now came to power in a regime headquartered in the resort town of Vichy. Pétain, venerated as the great hero of World War I, not only admitted defeat but accepted the idea of permanent subordination to Germany. Pétain wanted France to be welcomed by Berlin as the most useful and collaborationist of the nations of Europe, which he thought Germany would long control.

==Resistance==
De Gaulle refused to accept defeat and subservience to Germany. Resistance was possible because the air force and navy were intact (virtually the entire French Navy having 'surrendered' to Britain), as was the entire overseas empire; Britain was an ally and increasingly so too was the United States. As Pétain's new Vichy government prepared to sign a humiliating armistice on 22 June 1940, de Gaulle flew to London and on 18 June in disobedience of orders. As a rebel he issued his famous "Apple," proclaiming "France has lost a battle, but France has not lost the war!" and calling French patriots to resistance.<ref> Jean-Louis Cremieux-Brilhac, ''La France Libre de l'appel du 18 juin a la Liberation'' (Paris: Gallimard, 1996) </ref> De Gaulle's forces by November 1940, numbered 35,000 troops and twenty warships; several overseas colonies had rallied to his banner, although his forces were defeated in September in an attempt, with British aid, to seize Dakar, Senegal.

In London in Sept. 1941 de Gaulle formed the free French National Council, with himself as president. It was an all-encompassing coalition of resistance forces, ranging from conservative Catholics like himself to Communists.<ref>The Communists were controlled by Moscow, which was allied with Germany in 1940. They came into opposition only when Germany invaded Russia in June 1941. De Gaulle's policy became one of friendship directly with Moscow.</ref> By early 1942, the "Fighting French" movement, as it was now called, gained rapidly in power and influence; it overcame Vichy in Syria and Lebanon, adding to its base. In November 1942 the Americans invaded French North Africa. They favored General Henri Giraud, the High Commissioner of North Africa. But de Gaulle seized power from Giraud, who resigned in late 1942. De Gaulle took supreme command of all French forces in April 1944. Meanwhile, all the French colonies except Japanese-occupied Indochina came under Gaullist control, as did Corsica. Although Churchill was vacillating, his top aide [[Anthony Eden]] was a strong supporter of de Gaulle. De Gaulle's repeated protests against all violations of French sovereignty, real or imagined, irked the Americans and were largely ignored by the British. His imperial personality and humorless demands especially annoyed President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].

De Gaulle in turn was exasperated at the Americans, who were more willing to work with Vichy or Giraud than with him:
:The United States, delighting in her resources, feeling that she no longer had within herself sufficient scope for her energies, wishing to help those who were in misery or bondage the world over, yielded in her turn to that taste for intervention in which the instinct for domination cloaked itself.<ref> ''The War Memoirs of Charles de Gaulle,''(1959) vol. 2, p. 88 </ref>

It turn [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] distrusted him. De Gaulle removed French forces from the planned invasion of Normandy in June 1944. He was not at D-Day and was excluded from all the top-level conferences. The Allies, however, finally gave his regime de jure recognition and allowed his armies to enter France and to be the first to enter Paris after the Germans fled in August 1944. French armies, 1.3 million strong, under de Gaulle as provisional president, thereupon fought alongside the Allies. As a result France was given an occupation zone in Germany, and a permanent seat on the [[United Nations]] Security Council, with a veto.

==Fourth Republic: 1945-1958==
As the war ended the Resistance coalition fell apart. De Gaulle's advocacy of a strong executive power was rejected by the voters, who in late 1945 adopted a constitution for the Fourth Republic that resembled that of the discredited Third Republic. De Gaulle resigned the provisional presidency in January 1946, saying that he did not wish "to preside, powerless, over the powerlessness of the state." In 1947 he resigned all his offices, refusing to be a candidate in the presidential election. "How can anyone govern a nation that has two hundred and forty-six different kinds of cheese?", he quipped.<ref> Quoted in ''Newsweek'' (Oct. 1, 1962)</ref> In retirement at the village of Colombey-les-Deux-Églises, he created a new conservative party, RPF, Rassemblement du Peuple Français (Rally of the French People), which only lasted until 1953. He then focused on his great war memoirs, ''L'Appel'' (1954) (translated into English as "The Call to Honor," 1955); ''L'Unité,'' (1956) (translated as ''Unity'', 1959); and ''Le Salut'', (1959) (translated as "Salvation", 1960).

==Fifth Republic: 1958-1969==
===1958 crisis===
For four years France had fought a civil war in Algeria against the FLN, which demanded independence. The Frenchmen who lived in Algeria, their allies among the Arabs, and powerful elements of the military inside France, rejected the FLN and demanded that Algeria remain integrated into France. They insisted so vehemently they were prepared to overthrow the government in Paris if it wavered.

In May, 1958, Frenchmen in Algeria revolted, throwing France into turmoil that verged on civil war. Rebels comprised young nationalists, supported by the large planters, army officers, and other proponents of integration of the Muslim population with France, feared a new government in Paris would make concessions to the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN). The rebels proclaimed a committee of public safety; the revolt spread to Corsica. In Paris the National Assembly voted emergency powers to newly elected Premier Pierre Pflimlin. However only de Gaulle could solve the crisis, for he had the support of the navy, the police, and such prominent politicians as Socialist Guy Mollet and Moderate Republican chief Georges Bidault. Pflimlin resigned and President René Coty summoned de Gaulle as prime minister. The National Assembly, under threat that parachutists would seize Paris if it refused, voted 329-224 to invest de Gaulle with extraordinary powers for six months beginning June 1, 1958; the National Assembly then went home and de Gaulle took charge. When a new constitution took effect, he became the president of the Fifth Republic.
====Interpretations====
These uprisings provided the long-awaited chance to supporters of Général de Gaulle, who sought a new regime in which the executive power would be strengthened. Underlying the views of Gaullists such as Jacques Soustelle, Michel Debré, and Jacques Chaban-Delmas was a faith in French grandeur, a new nationalism which transformed itself into a desire for order and maintenance of the French Empire. These interests momentarily coincided with those of the Algerian rebels who feared Anglo-American mediation of the Algerian rebellion.

Gaullists have seen this critical episode as the result of the preplanned statesmanship of de Gaulle. Their "grand design" thesis includes three key arguments. First is the claim that de Gaulle decided to give up Algeria because he concluded that keeping in the face of a widespread popular anti-French revolt was too costly economically and against France's ideal policy of a focus on Europe. Second, Gaullists argue his general objective ending the Algerian burden was planned well before his return to power in 1958. Third they claim that what seemed an erratic, slow, and indecisive progress toward Algerian independence was in reality de Gaulle's well-orchestrated, consistent, and deceptive policy calculated to overcome the sentiments of the French people toward Algeria.<ref> Gil Meriam, "A 'Grand Design'? Charles de Gaulle and the End of the Algerian War," ''Armed Forces & Society''(1999); De Gaulle, ''Memoirs of Hope'' (1971) p. 84; Philip G. Cerny, ''The Politics of Grandeur'' (1980), pp 61, 145; Bernard Ledwidge, ''De Gaulle'' (1982), pp 244-45, 257; Philip M. Williams, ''Politics and Society in de Gaulle's Republic'' (1971), p. 28.</ref>

Other historians argue that the Général had no long-term plan, and probably did not want independence for Algeria. Thus French scholars Raoul Girardet and Jacques Julliard argue de Gaulle's Algerian policy was a set of unanticipated concessions imposed by events. They have an alternative "juggler" thesis that does not attribute harmony or continuity to de Gaulle's policy, nor does it try to explain the lack of discernible consistency in the policy by attributing cunning Machiavelism to de Gaulle. Instead it considers the policy as the result of an erratic improvisation.<ref> Gil Merom, "A 'Grand Design'? Charles de Gaulle and the End of the Algerian War," ''Armed Forces & Society''(1999)</ref> Merom says Algeria was not doomed by the economic realities because the cost was tolerable--between 50% to 60% of the defense budget, or 10% to 15% percent of the total budget in Paris. White the French indeed hads a severe budget crisis verging on bankruptcy, Algeria was only a small part of it. More important was spending on infrastructure renovation, industrial and agricultural modernization, nuclear energy, and expansion of education, and welfare entitlements. On the other hand military spending was helping the economy. Two years into de Gaulle's new regime, the financial crisis was over and the economy was in fine shape, notes Merom.

Merom says the second argument, that de Gaulle's policy was slow, gradual, and deceptive because he had to overcome a strong public sentiment in favor of keeping Algeria, is likewise invalid according to public opinion polls. They show opinion was evenly split; indeed, over 40% of the French people were alienated from core ideas of the old policy of no-recognition, no-negotiations, and no-compromise with the Arab rebels of the FLN. De Gaulle's policy of negotiation had a firm grounding in public opinion, though not a clear majority.

Merom agrees that de Gaulle's domineering manner and decisive style, the constitutional power he skillfully amassed as President of the Fifth Republic, his reputation as France's wartime savior, and the confidence vested in him by the people and the military, were indispensable qualities for a leader who wished to lead France out of Algeria. Merom concludes that his basic objective in Algeria was moderately conservative. He disliked the harsh military tactics in use and wanted more collaborative relations between France and the Arabs, but he did not want Algeria to become independent. Only when he realized his goals were impossible, Merom argues, did he start to compromise. Even then he tried to preserve as many French interests in Algeria as possible. By 1960, after suppressing another revolt, restoring the health of the national economy, and seeing his army drive the FLN almost to extinction, he realized the only long-term solution was a genuine Algerian independence, and he negotiated it.<ref> Gil Merom, "A 'Grand Design'? Charles de Gaulle and the End of the Algerian War," ''Armed Forces & Society''(1999)</ref>

===Domestic politics===
In 1958-59 de Gaulle concentrated on political reform, a new the constitution for the Fifth Republic, financial reform, economic recovery, and search for a solution to the Algerian question. A new constitution that gave the president control of foreign and military policy was adopted in a referendum on Sept. 28, 1958. At last executive power stood above legislative authority. President de Gaulle, inaugurated on Jan. 8, 1959, could rule by decree in emergency, appoint ministers without responsibility to the legislature, and dissolve the legislature whose regular sessions were reduced to five months per year.
====Economy====
De Gaulle's financial and economic program reflected his desire for stability, industrial expansion, and the need to prepare France for membership in the European Common Market. He devalued the franc to 492 to the dollar, raised taxes on high incomes, wines, liquors, and tobacco, and reduced pensions and subsidies. A new franc, at 5 per U.S. dollar, facilitated commercial transactions and international trade; it remained strong. He undertook a 25% increase in state investment in modernizing industry. By mid-1960 the French economy was in better shape than at any time since 1914.
====Algeria====
Against the unyielding Algerian Arab revolution De Gaulle made only slow progress. His middle course between independence and continued colonial status cost him support among those groups that helped to bring him to power, the European settler community and the army. In September 1959, the Général offered Algeria a three-way choice between integration with France, autonomy, and independence. The settlers counterattacked with another uprising in January 1960, which failed to overthrow De Gaulle. In response, de Gaulle assumed extraordinary powers, restored order, and replaced ranking officers in Algeria with Gaullist or apolitical officers. This purge proved insufficient, for in April 1961 some military officers engineered an abortive coup. He once again assumed extraordinary powers and systematically removed disloyal elements from the army command.

Finally the president decided to grant Algerian independence and end the cancer once and for all. Mutual concessions were made and the Evian Accords on Mar. 18, 1962 began a cease-fire with the FLN forces. There emerged an independent Algeria, closely associated with France; in return for certain guarantees for settlers and economic privileges, continued French aid was promised. Large numbers of Algerian Arabs, who had supported Paris, fled to France, and many settlers did so also.

At the same time France gave independence to most of its overseas colonies, although tying them closely to France with economic and military pacts.

===Foreign policy===
====Objectives====
Restoring French greatness was his highest priority. That required a strong army, rockets and a space program, and especially nuclear weapons, explaining, "No country without an atom bomb could properly consider itself independent."<ref>Quoted in ''New York Times Magazine'' (May 12, 1968)</ref>

After a landslide victoiry in parliamentary election in 1962, De Gaulle turned to foreign policy. He held that Western Europe as a whole, with France in the lead, should follow an independent military and economic path, separate specifically from that of the United States and Britain, both of which he distrusted. De Gaulle held that American nuclear weapons in Europe made the area more susceptible to Soviet attack, and he doubted any guarantees that the U.S. would defend Europe. Economically, de Gaulle pressed for the return to the gold standard in international trade and the rejection of sterling and the dollar as reserve currencies, especially because both the U.S. and the British economies suffered severe balance of payments deficits.

====Common Market====
De Gaulle vetoed Britain's application to join the Common Market ([[European Economic Community]] or EEC, a forerunner of the [[European Union]]) in 1963, saying he wanted to avoid a loss of cohesion in the organization and to keep it from becoming a dominion of the United States. He said Britain was not sufficiently European and its entry into the EEC would make the EEC too dependent on the United States. De Gaulle blocked a second petition by Britain in 1967. Britain was finally admitted after de Gaulle's death. Analysts emphasized that de Gaulle saw Britain as insular and maritime rather than continental. De Gaulle was suspicious of British intentions in Europe, yet he admired Britain's political stability and past accomplishments. One military factor in de Gaulle's opposition was Britain's deal with the U.S. through NATO involving Polaris nuclear missile technology. De Gaulle wanted a strong Europe free of any dependence on the United States, while British Prime Minister [[Harold Macmillan]] felt Britain's "special relationship" with the United States more important to its future.<ref> Richard Davis, "'Why Did the General Do It?' De Gaulle, Polaris and the French Veto of Britain's Application to Join the Common Market." ''European History Quarterly'' 1998 28(3): 373-397. Issn: 0265-6914 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]] </ref>

====Military policy====
During the Berlin crisis from 1958 to 1962. De Gaulle took advantage to create an independent force de frappe--that is, nuclear weapons and bombers--in order to reassert France's role as a powerful world leader. De Gaulle enthusiastically supported American General Lauris Norstad's proposal in 1959 to establish a top secret quadripartite Allied military planning group (LIVE OAK), hoping that it would strengthen France's position and weaken US domination of NATO. De Gaulle created a bilateral alliance with West German chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]], which tended to upset the delicate diplomatic balance of NATO. His supporters rationalized France's cavalier position by arguing that independent French nuclear capability would provide a second center of deterrence against the Soviet Union.

De Gaulle forced a serious clash with Britain regarding the NATO alliance. By opposing British attempts to incorporate Europe in a broader transatlantic economic, political, and military alliance, de Gaulle hoped to create a chance for France to become what she ceased to be since Waterloo; the first in the world through driving a wedge between Europe, on one hand, and Britain and the United States on the other. Initially successful in isolating Britain, particularly through France's veto power over the European Economic Community (EEC), de Gaulle sought to further his country's status through a critique of, and withdrawal from, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The move backfired, however, allowing British foreign policy to isolate France and de Gaulle, hold NATO together, and eventually led to British inclusion in the EEC by other European members to counter France's disruptive behavior. In 1967, as in 1961-63, the French were determined to preserve their position of leadership within the EEC, and this was the reason for de Gaulle's second veto of Britain's application for membership. French diplomacy was based on the need to preserve the Community of Six while barring Britain. Although France succeeded in excluding Britain in the short term, in the longer term the French had to adjust their stance on enlargement in order to retain influence. Leadership within the community was the foundation of France's international status.<ref> James Ellison, "Separated by the Atlantic: the British and De Gaulle, 1958-1967." ''Diplomacy & Statecraft'' 2006 17(4): 853-870. Issn: 0959-2296 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]; Helen Parr, "Saving the Community: the French Response to Britain's Second EEC Application in 1967." ''Cold War History'' 2006 6(4): 425-454. Issn: 1468-2745 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]] </ref>

In 1966 de Gaulle's decision to withdraw French forces from NATO (but to remain nominally a member) paradoxically reinforced the cohesion of NATO, leaving the U.S. wholly dominant in the organization. Meanwhile he rebuilt the French army, restoring morale giving it a new and modern role in the economy and foreign affairs.

His continued deprecations of American involvement in Vietnam and his outspoken support of French-Canadian separatists in Quebec alienated opinion in the U.S. and canada.
===Departure===
De Gaulle was reelected president for seven years by a small margin in 1965, and in 1967 elections his allies won a slimmest majority in the National Assembly. Then, in May 1968, opposition to De Gaulle suddenly crystallized. It was an age of wortldwide student demonstrations, nowhere more serious than in France.<ref> Jeremi Suri, ''Power and Protest: Global Revolution and the Rise of Detente'' (2003); Stanley Hoffmann, "Confrontation in May 1968," '' Decline or Renewal? France since the 1930s'' (1974) pp 145-86. </ref> Student demonstrations against the government and labor union strikes coalesced to produce a nationwide strike and unrest that very nearly brought the government down. At a critical point the Général disappeared for 24 hours. He was not hiding; rather he was negotiating for army support to retake Paris in case the rebels seized the city. With the army's backing, de Gaulle confidently returned, rallied the conservative middle class, and called immediate elections. Taking a vigorous part in the campaign, De Gaulle defined the issue as a choice between himself and the Communists. Repelled by the violence and disorder, the French electorate returned the Gaullists to power with a large majority in the assembly.

De Gaulle's unexpected loss of power in 1969 was psychological for his temperament was marked by the awareness of national and personal greatness as well as the realization of his old age and failing health. Secondly it was personal regarding [[Georges Pompidou]] because de Gaulle could brook no rival and his initially self-effacing prime minister had grown so powerful that the Général replaced him in 1968 with Maurice Couve de Murville. It was constitutional, for de Gaulle's reliance on a referendum of 27 April 1969 regarding relatively minor issues of regionalization and senate reform was defeated at the polls by 53%-47%. The Général seized the opportunity and resigned for good the next day. He was succeeded by Pompidou, who won 58% of the vote by proclaiming himself de Gaulle's heir.<ref>Charles G. Cogan, "The Break-up: General de Gaulle's Separation from Power" ''Journal of Contemporary History,'' Vol. 27, No. 1. (Jan., 1992), pp. 167-199 </ref>

==Ideas and and memory==
The image of de Gaulle in France today is a great national hero--indeed a savior--honored by all parties. His vision of the grandeur of France is the national vision.<ref> Daniel J. Mahoney, "A 'Man of Character': The Statesmanship of Charles de Gaulle," ''Polity'' Vol. 27, No. 1 (1994), pp. 157-173 </ref>

De Gaulle's political philosophy, with its use of concepts such as élan, will, instinct, heroism, and participation, reflected the influences of Charles Péguy (1873-1914), Maurice Barrès (1862-1923), and Henri Bergson (1859-1941). Portier (1997) finds that de Gaulle's central principles derived from his religious devotion to Catholicism. Some scholars have suggested that De Gaulle modeled his authoritarian approach on the political theories of [[Machiavelli]], [[Maurras]], and [[Napoleon]], yet the French president's regard for the sovereignty of the state undermines all such theories. A close comparison of the papal encyclicals of Paul VI, [[Pius XI]], John XXIII, and [[Pius XII]] with De Gaulle's own writings reveals the statesman's close alliance with the political position of the Vatican. Portier concludes that Gaullism is not a rigid authoritarianism; rather it is a profound concern for social justice, a belief in the primacy of central authority in conjunction with intermediary legislative bodies, and respect for popular consensus.<ref> Philippe Portier, "Le General De Gaulle et Le Catholicisme: Pour Une Autre Interpretation De La Pensee Gaullienne," [General De Gaulle and Catholicism: Regarding Another Interpretation of Gaullist Thought]. ''Revue Historique'' 1997 297(2): 533-562. Issn: 0035-3264 </ref>

Kuisel (1992) asks whether de Gaulle was "Anti-American," and answers yes, for the Général consistently and mightily struggled to upend an international order built by and for America. He attacked America's arrogance of power and led his nation toward a less cooperative posture toward Washington. Indeed he incited expressions of anti-Americanism among the French and deep down he shared a stereotype common among French intellectuals of American society as soulless, materialist, and ahistorical.<ref> Richard F. Kuisel, "Was De Gaulle Anti-American?" ''Tocqueville Review'' 1992 13(1): 21-32. Issn: 0730-479x </ref>
==Notable Quotes==
:''Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it his own.'' <ref>[http://www.quotatio.com/g/gaulle-charles-de-faced-with-crisis-the-man-of-character-070486.html] Quotatio - Charles De Gaulle</ref>

:''How can you govern a country with 365 varieties of cheese?''<ref>[http://www.quotatio.com/g/gaulle-charles-de-how-can-anyone-govern-a-nation-070490.html] Quotatio - Charles De Gaulle</ref>

:''France has lost a battle. But France has not lost the war!''<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/66/61/15961.html</ref>

:''You start out giving your hat, then you give your coat, then your shirt, then your skin and finally your soul.'' (On dealing with the Soviet Union)<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/63/59/59.html</ref>

:''You may be sure that the [[Americans]] will commit all the stupidities they can think of, plus some that are beyond imagination.'' (On U.S. entry into the [[Vietnam War]])<ref>http://www.bartleby.com/63/68/68.html</ref>

===Quotes about de Gaulle===
:''The hardest cross I have to bear is the [[Cross of Lorraine]].'' —attributed, falsely, to [[Winston Churchill]] (it was really uttered by Churchill's envoy to France)<ref>http://www.winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=112</ref>

==Further reading==
* Berstein, Serge, and Peter Morris. ''The Republic of de Gaulle 1958-1969'' (The Cambridge History of Modern France) (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Republic-Gaulle-1958-1969-Cambridge-History/dp/0521272394/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205076945&sr=1-7 excerpt and text search]
* Cogan, Charles. ''Charles de Gaulle: A Brief Biography with Documents.'' (1995). 243 pp.
* De Gaulle, Charles. '' The Complete War Memoirs of Charles De Gaulle'' (1998) 1048pp; [http://www.amazon.com/Complete-War-Memoirs-Charles-Gaulle/dp/0786705469/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205076110&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* Lacouture, Jean. ''De Gaulle: The Rebel 1890-1944'' (1984; English ed. 1991), 640pp; [http://www.amazon.com/Gaulle-Rebel-1890-1944-Norton-Paperback/dp/0393309991/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1 excerpt and text search]; vol 2. ''De Gaulle: The Ruler 1945-1970'' (1993), 700pp, The standard scholarly biography,
* Kolodziej, Edward A. ''French International Policy under de Gaulle and Pompidou: The Politics of Grandeur'' (1974) [http://www.questia.com/read/9120986 online edition]
* Ledwidge, Bernard. ''De Gaulle'' (1982),
* Shennan, Andrew. ''De Gaulle'' (1993) 200pp
* Williams, Charles. ''The Last Great Frenchman: A Life of General De Gaulle'' (1997), 560pp [http://www.amazon.com/Last-Great-Frenchman-General-Gaulle/dp/0471180718/ref=pd_sim_b_img_3 excerpt and text search]
* Williams, Philip M. and Martin Harrison. ''De Gaulle's Republic'' (1965) [http://www.questia.com/read/54328775 online edition]

==Detailed bibliography==
===Biographies===
* Cogan, Charles. ''Charles de Gaulle: A Brief Biography with Documents.'' (1995). 243 pp.
* Lacouture, Jean. ''De Gaulle: The Rebel 1890-1944'' (1984; English ed. 1991), 640pp; [http://www.amazon.com/Gaulle-Rebel-1890-1944-Norton-Paperback/dp/0393309991/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1 excerpt and text search]; vol 2. ''De Gaulle: The Ruler 1945-1970'' (1993), 700pp, The standard scholarly biography, based on hundreds of interviews.
* Ledwidge, Bernard. ''De Gaulle'' (1982),
* Shennan, Andrew. ''De Gaulle'' (1993) 200pp
* Williams, Charles. ''The Last Great Frenchman: A Life of General De Gaulle'' (1997), 560pp [http://www.amazon.com/Last-Great-Frenchman-General-Gaulle/dp/0471180718/ref=pd_sim_b_img_3 excerpt and text search]
===Politics===
* Berstein, Serge, and Peter Morris. ''The Republic of de Gaulle 1958-1969'' (The Cambridge History of Modern France) (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Republic-Gaulle-1958-1969-Cambridge-History/dp/0521272394/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205076945&sr=1-7 excerpt and text search]
* Cameron, David R. and Hofferbert, Richard I. "Continuity and Change in Gaullism: the General's Legacy." ''American Journal of Political Science'' 1973 17(1): 77-98. Issn: 0092-5853, a statistcial analysis of the Gaullist voting coalition in elections 1958-73 Fulltext: [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0092-5853%28197302%2917%3A1%3C77%3ACACIGT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N
Abstract in Jstor]
* Cogan, Charles G. "The Break-up: General de Gaulle's Separation from Power," ''Journal of Contemporary History'' Vol. 27, No. 1 (Jan., 1992), pp. 167-199, re: 1969 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-0094%28199201%2927%3A1%3C167%3ATBGDGS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K in JSTOR]
* Furniss,Edgar J., Jr. ''De Gaulle and the French Army.'' (1964)
* Gough, Hugh and Horne, John, eds. ''De Gaulle and Twentieth-Century France.'' (1994). 158 pp. essays by experts
* Hauss, Charles. ''Politics in Gaullist France: Coping with Chaos'' (1991) [http://www.questia.com/read/23380015 online edition]
* Hoffmann, Stanley. ''Decline or Renewal? France since the 1930s'' (1974) [http://www.questia.com/read/14783192 online edition]
* Jackson, Julian. "General de Gaulle and His Enemies: Anti-Gaullism in France Since 1940," ''Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'' 6th Ser., Vol. 9 (1999), pp. 43-65 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0080-4401%281999%296%3A9%3C43%3AGDGAHE%3E2.0.CO%3B2-C in JSTOR]
* Merom, Gil. "A 'Grand Design'? Charles de Gaulle and the End of the Algerian War," ''Armed Forces & Society''(1999), Vol. 25, Issue 2; in [[EBSCO]]
* Northcutt, Wayne. ''Historical Dictionary of the French Fourth and Fifth Republics, 1946-1991'' (1992)
* Pierce, Roy, "De Gaulle and the RPF--A Post-Mortem," ''The Journal of Politics'' Vol. 16, No. 1 (Feb., 1954), pp. 96-119 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-3816%28195402%2916%3A1%3C96%3ADGATRP%3E2.0.CO%3B2-W in JSTOR]
* Rioux, Jean-Pierre, and Godfrey Rogers. ''The Fourth Republic, 1944-1958'' (The Cambridge History of Modern France) (1989)
* Shepard, Todd. ''The Invention of Decolonization: The Algerian War and the Remaking of France.'' (2006). 288 pp.
* Williams, Philip M. and Martin Harrison. ''De Gaulle's Republic'' (1965) [http://www.questia.com/read/54328775 online edition]
===Foreign policy===
* Bozo, Frédéric. ''Two Strategies for Europe: De Gaulle, the United States and the Atlantic Alliance'' (2000)
* Kolodziej, Edward A. ''French International Policy under de Gaulle and Pompidou: The Politics of Grandeur'' (1974) [http://www.questia.com/read/9120986 online edition]
* Logevall, Fredrik. "De Gaulle, Neutralization, and American Involvement in Vietnam, 1963-1964," ''The Pacific Historical Review'' Vol. 61, No. 1 (Feb., 1992), pp. 69-102 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0030-8684%28199202%2961%3A1%3C69%3ADGNAAI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8 in JSTOR]
* Mahan, E. ''Kennedy, De Gaulle and Western Europe.'' (2002). 229 pp.
* Mangold, Peter. ''The Almost Impossible Ally: Harold Macmillan and Charles de Gaulle.'' (2006). 275 pp.
* Paxton, Robert O. and Wahl, Nicholas, eds. ''De Gaulle and the United States: A Centennial Reassessment.'' (1994). 433 pp.
* Pratt, Julius W. "De Gaulle and the United States: How the Rift Began," ''The History Teacher'' Vol. 1, No. 4 (May, 1968), pp. 5-15 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2745%28196805%291%3A4%3C5%3ADGATUS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-N in JSTOR]
* Vaïsse, Maurice. ''La Grandeur: Politique Etrangère du Général de Gaulle, 1958-1969'' (1997)
* Varat, Benjamin E. "A Clash of Kings: De Gaulle, Kennedy, and the Battle for Western Europe, 1958-1963." PhD dissertation Boston U. 2006. 356 pp. DAI 2006 67(1): 295-A. DA3202578 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* White, Dorothy Shipley. ''Black Africa and de Gaulle: From the French Empire to Independence.'' (1979). 314 pp.

===Ideas and memory===
* Cerny, Philip G. ''The Politics of Grandeur: Ideological Aspects of de Gaulle's Foreign Policy.'' (1980). 319 pp.
* Clague, Monique. "Conceptions of Leadership: Charles de Gaulle and Max Weber," ''Political Theory'' Vol. 3, No. 4 (Nov., 1975), pp. 423-440 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0090-5917%28197511%293%3A4%3C423%3ACOLCDG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J in JSTOR]
* Gordon, Philip H. ''A Certain Idea of France: French Security Policy and the Gaullist Legacy'' (1993) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=107405557 online edition]
* Hoffmann, Stanley. "The Hero as History: De Gaulle's War Memoirs" in Hoffman ''Decline or Renewal? France since the 1930s'' (1974) pp 187-201 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14783192# online edition]
* Johnson, Douglas. "The Political Principles of General de Gaulle," ''International Affairs'' Vol. 41, No. 4 (Oct., 1965), pp. 650-662 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0020-5850%28196510%2941%3A4%3C650%3ATPPOGD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-F in JSTOR]
* Mahoney, Daniel J. ''De Gaulle: Statesmanship, Grandeur, and Modern Democracy.'' (1996). 188 pp. intellectual history
* Mahoney, Daniel J. "A 'Man of Character': The Statesmanship of Charles de Gaulle," ''Polity'' Vol. 27, No. 1 (Autumn, 1994), pp. 157-173 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0032-3497%28199423%2927%3A1%3C157%3AA%22OCTS%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T in JSTOR]
* Pedley, Alan. '' As Mighty as the Sword: A Study of the Writings of Charles de Gaulle'' (1996) 226pp
===World War II===
* Berthon, Simon. ''Allies at War: The Bitter Rivalry among Churchill, Roosevelt, and de Gaulle.'' (2001). 356 pp.
* Funk, Arthur Layton. ''Charles de Gaulle: The Crucial Years, 1943-1944'' (1959) [http://www.questia.com/read/58600747 online edition]
* Kersaudy, Francois. ''Churchill and De Gaulle'' (2nd ed 1990) 482pp
* Rossi, Mario. "United States Military Authorities and Free France, 1942-1944," ''The Journal of Military History'' Vol. 61, No. 1 (Jan., 1997), pp. 49-64 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0899-3718%28199701%2961%3A1%3C49%3AUSMAAF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3 in JSTOR]
* Weinberg, Gerhard L. ''Visions of Victory: The Hopes of Eight World War II Leaders.'' (2005). 292 pp. chapter on de Gaulle

===Primary sources===
* De Gaulle, Charles. '' The Complete War Memoirs of Charles De Gaulle'' (1998) 1048pp; [http://www.amazon.com/Complete-War-Memoirs-Charles-Gaulle/dp/0786705469/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205076110&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* De Gaulle, Charles. ''Memoirs of Hope: Renewal and Endeavor'' (1971)
* De Gaulle, Charles. ''The Enemy's House Divided'' (2002), translation of ''La Discorde chez l'ennemi'' (1924), analysis of Germany's mistakes in World War I

====notes====
<references/>

==See Also==

[[Gaullism]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaulle, Charles de}}

[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category: World War II Commanders]]
[[Category:French History]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]

Vichy regime

2012-11-02T05:34:37Z

PaulDiFoglio: extra spacing makes the article look a bit strange and isn't very aesthetically becoming of an encyclopedia

'''Vichy France''' can be dated from June 10 1940, when Marshal [[Philippe Pétain]] was granted full power to negotiate with the Germans. At this point the military defeat of [[France]] was inevitable so Pétain, a war hero from [[World War I]], suspended democratic government and surrendered to Germany.

Following the French surrender on June 22 1940 a new Government was established at [[Vichy]]. "Vichy France" is used to refer to the unoccupied area of southern France. However, the Vichy regime had administrative control over all France. This regime saw the cooperation with German forces, including deportations during the [[Holocaust]], and a full revolution in state government and French society. The French motto of "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité" (Liberty, equality, fraternity) was replaced with "Travail, Famille, [[Patrie]]" (Work, family, homeland). [[Trade Unions]] and other political opponents of [[fascism]] were oppressed, [[rugby league]], identified as traditionally anti-fascist was banned - and the sport even remain legally restricted in post-war France.

In 1942 a revolution of the [[French colonies]] in [[Africa]] against the Vichy French was lead by [[Louis DeBois]] but did not gain widespread support. In September DeBois was captured and sentenced to death.<ref>Martin King (1984). "The outcast Frenchmen". WWII remembrance press, New York. pg 128.</ref>

The [[United States]] granted Vichy full diplomatic recognition, thus acknowledging the puppet regime's [[legitimacy]], and it sent Admiral [[William Leahy]] to its capital as American ambassador. <ref>[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/WorldWar2/leahy.htm President Roosevelt to the Appointed Ambassador to France (Leahy), 20 December 1940], U.S., Department of State, Publication 1983, Peace and War: United States Foreign Policy, 1931-1941 (Washington, D.C.: U.S., Government Printing Office, 1943), pp. 595-598.</ref>

The great enemy of Vichy was [[Charles de Gaulle]], leader of the [[Free French]]. When they came to power in 1944-45 they systematically eradicated Vichy influence; many Vichy leaders were executed or imprisoned. Petain was given a death sentence, which de Gaulle commuted to life in prison.
==Bibliography==
* Azema, Jean-Pierre. ''From Munich to Liberation 1938-1944'' (The Cambridge History of Modern France) (1985)
* Berthon, Simon. ''Allies at War: The Bitter Rivalry among Churchill, Roosevelt, and de Gaulle.'' (2001). 356 pp.
* Funk, Arthur Layton. ''Charles de Gaulle: The Crucial Years, 1943-1944'' (1959) [http://www.questia.com/read/58600747 online edition]
* Gildea, Robert. ''Marianne in Chains: Daily Life in the Heart of France During the German Occupation'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Marianne-Chains-France-During-Occupation/dp/0312423594/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195984332&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Jackson, Julian. ''France: The Dark Years, 1940-1944'' (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/France-Years-1940-1944-Julian-Jackson/dp/0199254575/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195984384&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Kersaudy, Francois. ''Churchill and De Gaulle'' (2nd ed 1990 482pp
* Lacouture, Jean. ''De Gaulle: The Rebel 1890-1944'' (1984; English ed. 1991), 640pp; [http://www.amazon.com/Gaulle-Rebel-1890-1944-Norton-Paperback/dp/0393309991/ref=pd_sim_b_title_1 excerpt and text search]
* Paxton, Robert O. ''Vichy France'' 2nd ed. (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Vichy-France-Robert-O-Paxton/dp/0231124694/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195984423&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:World War II]]

T-34 tank

2012-11-02T05:32:36Z

PaulDiFoglio: not sure why we have a "references" heading if no one's going to bother adding any references

[[Image:T34drive.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A T-34 tank.]]
The '''T-34''' was a [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] tank during [[World War II]]. From 1941 to 1945, over 57,000 T-34s had been produced. At the beginning of the Soviet involvement of the war (see [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front of World War II]]), it was the most advanced tank in the world.

The T-34 was a technologically innovative design which addressed the short-comings of the earlier BT series of wheel/track tank. The T-34 was developed during the 1936-37 period, the prototype was completed in early 1939, and in September 1940 T-34 was put into series production mounting a 76mm gun. The Model 1940, the first T-34 production variant, t was armed with the L-11 76.2 mm gun, which was considerably shorter than the subsequent F-34 76.2 mm main gun of the 1941 and later models. The mantlet was also round in contrast to the more square mantlets of later models. The tank's main advantage was its simple design which made it easy to mass produce and repair.

[[Image:T34-85-line.gif|thumb|left|300px|Design diagrams for the T-34 tank.]]

The T-34 was also small and comparibaly light, while the tank's water-cooled diesel engine minimized the danger of fire and increased the tank's the radius of action. The design overcame the technological superiority of German forces during the Great Patriotic War. Built in Ukraine in the Kharkov Steam-Engine Factory (KhPZ), the German general [[von Runstedt]] called the T-34 the "best tank in the world" and [[von Kleist]] said it was the "finest in the world." The T-34 had a more powerful cannon than German tanks, a higher top speed (32 MPH versus 25 MPH), and superior sloped armor and superior welded construction. However, the German Tiger and Panther tanks outranged the T34's original 76mm gun, and subsequently a 85mm gun was mounted on a T-34 tank. The T-34/85 was a modification of the T-34 equipped with a more powerful armor and cannon. T-34/85 had a flatter turret which gave this already inovative tank design the look that all tanks adopted after the wars end. Although not equal to the German [[Panther Tank|Panther]] and [[Tiger tank]]s, the huge numbers of T-34s more than compensated for their technological shortcomings.

[[Category:Armored Fighting Vehicles]]

Panther Tank

2012-11-02T05:31:52Z

PaulDiFoglio: could we please have the decency to add captions to pictures. This *is* an encyclopedia after all

[[Image:Panther-tank.jpg|thumb|170px|A Panther tank]]
The '''Panther Tank''', also known as the ''Panzerkampfwagen V'', was one of many tanks produced during [[World War II]]. It was one of the most famous German tanks of the war. It was produced to counter the [[T-34 tank|Soviet T-34 tank]]. It had thick frontal armor of 80 mm which was sloped like the T-34; this made the Panther very hard to knock out of action from the front. It also had sloped armor on the turret and sides, however, it was not as thick as the front plate. The Panther had wide tracks, large overlapping road wheels and a highly developed suspension system. The tank was fast for its time, with a powerful V-12 gas engine giving it top speeds of 31 to 33 mph. It had a long barrel 75 mm KwK canon and a mounted coaxial MG-42 on its turret. Even though it wasn't as strong as the [[King Tiger Tank]] or the Tiger I tank, with their 88 mm guns as far as damage inflicted, the 75 mm had a very high muzzle velocity and a greater piercing depth of armor plate. Its main gun was very accurate, as well. The Panther had a crew of five. German factories produced approximately 6,000 by the end of the war.

==References==
* Chamberlain, Peter. ''Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two'', (1999).

[[Category:Armored Fighting Vehicles]]
[[Category:World War II]]

User talk:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-02T02:40:10Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Disciplinary action... */

{{welcome}}

This is user snowy what do you mean by the following message left on my talk page "address the issues that I just had to clean up"?
:You edited [[Bumblebee]], a page with several issues on it and didn't bother to fix most of them (look at the changes I had to make in the diff I provided for you). In the future I would like to see more cooperation among editors to not just fix one tiny thing, but all the issues they see when they edit. You don't have to worry about it though because I just fixed them. If you would like more advice on how to be a better Conservapedian, please let me know. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 21:05, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

==Hello==
Have fun here[[User:Brenden|brenden]] 01:27, 9 June 2012 (EDT)
:Thank you! [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 00:37, 16 June 2012 (EDT)

== An article you might want to write ==

Here is an article you might want to write: [[Atheism and pride]]. You might want to take a look at this article [[Atheism and satanic deception]]. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:20, 25 June 2012 (EDT)
:I'd really rather not. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 20:23, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

== Can you dial back the sarcasm a bit? ==

I know you're the smartest kid in class and all, but the smug attitude gives zero added value. [[User:MattyD|MattyD]] 21:07, 31 October 2012 (EDT)
:I'm trying to bring some common sense to this wiki, damn it! No one seems to understand that they're contributions are hurting my website. Now please hit "Random page" and correct some errors for me. Thank you. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 21:33, 31 October 2012 (EDT)
::''Their'' contributions. Does that count? [[User:MattyD|MattyD]] 21:34, 31 October 2012 (EDT)
:::It would have if you corrected it in my comment, not pointed it out separately. Now I look silly. Please get on that. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 21:44, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

== Disciplinary action... ==

Protip:You're not a sysop[[User:Brenden|brenden]] 22:04, 1 November 2012 (EDT)
:I'll pray for you. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 22:40, 1 November 2012 (EDT)

User talk:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-01T01:44:17Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Can you dial back the sarcasm a bit? */

User talk:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-01T01:33:16Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Can you dial back the sarcasm a bit? */

User talk:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-01T01:05:12Z

PaulDiFoglio:

Nazi platform of 1925

2012-11-01T01:00:58Z

PaulDiFoglio: giving the reader the simple encylopedic courtesy of an introductory sentence instead of letting them dive straight into material. Also had to add {{reflist}} because the original author didn't

Below is the platform of the Nazis from 1925.

===1925 platform===
Although the party only won 6.5% of the vote in 1924, and did not run a candidate in 1925, it issued an aggressive manifesto in 1925:<ref>from [http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/25points.htm text online]
</ref>

1. We demand the union of all [[Germans]] in a Great Germany on the basis of the principle of self-determination of all peoples.

2. We demand that the German people have [[rights]] equal to those of other [[nation]]s; and that the [[Treaty of Versailles|Peace Treaties of Versailles]] and St. Germain shall be abrogated.

3. We demand land and territory (colonies) for the maintenance of our people and the settlement of our surplus population.

4. Only those who are our fellow countrymen can become [[citizen]]s. Only those who have German blood, regardless of creed, can be our countrymen. Hence no [[Jew]] can be a countryman.

5. Those who are not citizens must live in Germany as foreigners and must be subject to the [[law]] of aliens.

6. The right to choose the [[government]] and determine the laws of the State shall belong only to citizens. We therefore demand that no public office, of whatever nature, whether in the central government, the province, or the municipality, shall be held by anyone who is not a citizen.

We wage war against the corrupt parliamentary administration whereby men are appointed to posts by favor of the party without regard to character and fitness.

7. We demand that the State shall above all undertake to ensure that every citizen shall have the possibility of living decently and earning a livelihood. If it should not be possible to feed the whole population, then aliens (non-citizens) must be expelled from the Reich.

8. Any further immigration of non-Germans must be prevented. We demand that all non-Germans who have entered Germany since August 2, 1914, shall be compelled to leave the Reich immediately.

9. All citizens must possess equal rights and duties.

10. The first duty of every citizen must be to work mentally or physically. No individual shall do any work that offends against the interest of the community to the benefit of all.

Therefore we demand:

11. That all unearned [[income]], and all income that does not arise from work, be abolished.

12. Since every war imposes on the people fearful sacrifices in blood and treasure, all personal profit arising from the war must be regarded as treason to the people. We therefore demand the total confiscation of all war profits.

13. We demand the nationalization of all trusts.

14. We demand profit-sharing in large industries.

15. We demand a generous increase in old-age pensions.

16. We demand the creation and maintenance of a sound middle-class, the immediate communalization of large stores which will be rented cheaply to small tradespeople, and the strongest consideration must be given to ensure that small traders shall deliver the supplies needed by the State, the provinces and municipalities.

17. We demand an agrarian reform in accordance with our national requirements, and the enactment of a law to expropriate the owners without compensation of any land needed for the common purpose. The abolition of ground rents, and the prohibition of all speculation in land.

18. We demand that ruthless war be waged against those who work to the injury of the common welfare. Traitors, usurers, profiteers, etc., are to be punished with death, regardless of creed or race.

19. We demand that Roman law, which serves a materialist ordering of the world, be replaced by German common law.

20. In order to make it possible for every capable and industrious German to obtain higher education, and thus the opportunity to reach into positions of leadership, the State must assume the responsibility of organizing thoroughly the entire cultural system of the people. The curricula of all educational establishments shall be adapted to practical life. The conception of the State Idea (science of citizenship) must be taught in the schools from the very beginning. We demand that specially talented children of poor parents, whatever their station or occupation, be educated at the expense of the State.

21. The State has the duty to help raise the standard of national health by providing maternity welfare centers, by prohibiting juvenile labor, by increasing physical fitness through the introduction of compulsory games and gymnastics, and by the greatest possible encouragement of associations concerned with the physical education of the young.

22. We demand the abolition of the regular [[army]] and the creation of a national (folk) army.

23. We demand that there be a legal campaign against those who propagate deliberate political lies and disseminate them through the press. In order to make possible the creation of a German press, we demand:

(a) All editors and their assistants on newspapers published in the German language shall be German citizens.

(b) Non-German [[newspapers]] shall only be published with the express permission of the State. They must not be published in the German language.

(c) All [[financial]] interests in or in any way affecting German newspapers shall be forbidden to non-Germans by law, and we demand that the punishment for transgressing this law be the immediate suppression of the newspaper and the expulsion of the non-Germans from the Reich.

Newspapers transgressing against the common welfare shall be suppressed. We demand legal action against those tendencies in art and literature that have a disruptive influence upon the life of our folk, and that any organizations that offend against the foregoing demands shall be dissolved.

24. We demand [[freedom]] for all religious faiths in the state, insofar as they do not endanger its existence or offend the moral and ethical sense of the Germanic race.

The party as such represents the point of view of a positive [[Christianity]] without binding itself to any one particular confession. It fights against the Jewish materialist spirit within and without, and is convinced that a lasting recovery of our folk can only come about from within on the pinciple:

COMMON GOOD BEFORE INDIVIDUAL GOOD

25. In order to carry out this program we demand: the creation of a strong central authority in the State, the unconditional authority by the political central parliament of the whole State and all its organizations.

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Nazis]]

User talk:Snowy

2012-11-01T00:53:30Z

PaulDiFoglio: Undo revision 1016063 by Snowy (talk) Please do not delete important comments on talk pages. Please instead address the issue properly.

== [[Bumblebee]] ==

If your going to edit the article, please at least take the time to address [http://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Bumblebee&curid=14478&diff=1016060&oldid=1016056 the issues that I just had to clean up]. Thank you. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 20:47, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

Body Mass Index

2012-11-01T00:52:43Z

PaulDiFoglio: again, as a trustworthy encyclopedia I think it's important we include this relevant information. Not sure why we're struggling to do that

'''Body Mass Index''' utilizes one's [[weight]] and [[height]] to categorize them as being either underweight, healthy, overweight, or obese. It was invented by the Belgian Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874) between 1830 and 1850, and is a mathematical formula:

<math>BMI = \frac{weight}{height^2}</math>

where weight is in kilograms and height is in meters. If the weight is entered in pounds and the height is entered in inches, the equation is as follows:

<math>BMI = 703 \frac{weight}{height^2}</math>

== Ranges of BMI ==

The ranges vary from different sources, but the most used guidelines are as follows.

A BMI of '''less than 18.5''' indicates an '''underweight''' person. Many female celebrities have BMIs significantly less than this value, such as 15 or 16. Some have described the ideal BMI of a female to be 19.

A BMI '''between 18.5 and 24.9''' indicates a '''healthy''' person.

A BMI of '''between 25 and 30''' indicates an '''overweight''' person.

A BMI of '''over 30''' indicates an '''obese''' person.

Atheists tend to, more than the rest of the population (especially Christians), [[atheism and obesity|land on the higher side of the BMI range]].

[[Category:Medicine]]

Uruguay

2012-11-01T00:49:08Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Economy */ a plain picture looks bad an isn't very becoming of an encyclopedia

{{Country
|name =''República Oriental del Uruguay''
|map =Uruguay rel 95.jpg
|map2 =Uruguay1.png
|flag =Flag of Uruguay.png
|arms =Arms of Uruguay.png
|capital =Montevideo
|capital-raw =
|government =Presidential Republic
|government-raw =
|language =Spanish
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =José Mujica
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|chairman =
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|area =
|pop =3,399,237 (2002)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
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|currency =Uruguayan peso
|idd =
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}}
'''Uruguay''' is a small nation in [[South America]] at the mouth of the [[River Plate]].

==People==
[[File:Gauchos Uruguayos.jpg|thumb|left|Gauchos.]]
Uruguayans share a Spanish linguistic and cultural background, even though about one-quarter of the population is of Italian origin. About 90% of the population is [[white people|white]] and 10% [[Mestizo]]. Most are nominally Roman Catholic although the majority of Uruguayans do not actively practice a religion. Church and state are officially separated.

Uruguay is distinguished by its high literacy rate, large urban middle class, and relatively even income distribution. The average Uruguayan standard of living compares favorably with that of most other Latin Americans. Metropolitan Montevideo, with about 1.4 million inhabitants, is the only large city. The rest of the urban population lives in about 20 towns. During the past two decades, an estimated 500,000 Uruguayans have emigrated, principally to Argentina and Spain. Emigration to the United States also rose significantly. As a result of the low birth rate, high life expectancy, and relatively high rate of emigration of younger people, Uruguay's population is quite mature.

==Government and Political Conditions==
Uruguay's 1967 constitution institutionalizes a strong presidency, subject to legislative and judicial checks. The president's term is 5 years. Thirteen cabinet ministers, appointed by the president, head executive departments. The constitution provides for a bicameral General Assembly responsible for enacting laws and regulating the administration of justice. The General Assembly consists of a 30-member Senate, presided over by the vice president of the republic, and a 99-member Chamber of Deputies. In the October 2004 general elections, the Frente Amplio won the presidency in the first round with 50.7% and a majority of the seats in each chamber. The National (Blanco) Party won 34.1%, the Colorado Party 10.3%, and the Independent Party 1.8%.

The highest court is the Supreme Court; below it are appellate and lower courts and justices of the peace. In addition, there are electoral and administrative ("contentious") courts, an accounts court, and a military judicial system.

===Principal Government Officials===
*President--José Mujica
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Reinaldo Apolo Gargano Ostuni
*Ambassador to the United States--Carlos Alberto Gianelli Derois
*Ambassador to the United Nations--Alejandro Artucio Rodriguez
*Ambassador to the OAS--Dr. Lujan Flores

===Foreign Relations===
Uruguay traditionally has had strong political and cultural links with its neighbors and Europe. With globalization and regional economic problems, its links to North America have strengthened. Uruguay is a strong advocate of constitutional democracy, political pluralism, and individual liberties. Its international relations historically have been guided by the principles of non-intervention, multilateralism, respect for national sovereignty, and reliance on the rule of law to settle disputes. Uruguay's international relations also reflect its drive to seek export markets and foreign investment. It is a founding member of MERCOSUR, the Southern Cone Common Market also composed of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. As of December 2006, Venezuela was in the process of becoming MERCOSUR's fifth full member, and Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru were associate members.

Uruguay is a member of the Rio Group, an association of Latin American states that deals with multilateral security issues (under the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance). Uruguay's location between Argentina and Brazil makes close relations with these two larger neighbors and MERCOSUR associate members Chile and Bolivia particularly important. Usually considered a neutral country and blessed with a professional diplomatic corps, Uruguay is often called on to preside over international bodies. Uruguay is a member of the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI), a trade association based in Montevideo that includes 10 South American countries plus Mexico and Cuba.

==Defense==
The armed forces are constitutionally subordinate to the president through the minister of defense. By offering early retirement incentives, the government has trimmed the armed forces to about 14,500 for the army, 6,000 for the navy, and 3,000 for the air force. As of February 2005, Uruguay's contributions amounted to 44% of the total UN peace keeping troops sent by the region (2,486 soldiers and officers in 11 UN peacekeeping missions). As of August 2006, Uruguay had nearly 1,150 military personnel deployed to Haiti in support of MINUSTAH; its other major PKO troop deployment was in the Congo.

==Economy==
[[File:Pampa cattle uruguay.jpg|center|thumb|800 px|A demonstration of whay much of Uruguay's economy relies on.]]
Uruguay's economy remains dependent on agriculture. Agriculture and agri-industry account for 23% of GDP, and for over two-thirds of total exports. Leading economic sectors include meat processing, agribusiness, wood, wool, leather production and apparel, textiles, and chemicals. Though still small, the information software industry is growing rapidly.

In 2002, Uruguay went through the steepest economic and financial crisis in recent history, which developed mostly from external factors. Devaluation in Brazil in 1999 made Uruguayan goods less competitive, and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in 2001 curtailed beef exports to North America. Starting in late 2001, an economic crisis in Argentina undermined Uruguay's economy, with exports to Argentina and tourist revenues falling dramatically. In mid-2002 Argentine withdrawals from Uruguayan banks started a bank run that was overcome only by massive borrowing from international financial institutions. This, in turn, led to serious debt sustainability problems. A successful debt swap helped restore confidence and significantly reduced country risk.

Uruguay’s economy resumed growth in 2003--with a 2.5% rise in GDP--and surged in 2004 and 2005 with growth rates of 12.3% and 6.6%, respectively. Growth equaled 7.0% in 2006 and is expected to reach 4.5% in 2007.

Uruguay’s spectacular recovery over the past couple of years has been based on increased exports, especially to North America. The U.S. became Uruguay’s largest export market in 2004, thanks in large part to meat exports. Uruguay enjoys a positive investment climate, with a strong legal system and open financial markets. It grants equal treatment to national and foreign investors and, aside from very few sectors, there is neither de jure nor de facto discrimination toward investment by source or origin.

Uruguay has traditionally favored substantial state involvement in the economy, and privatization is still widely opposed. Recent governments have carried out cautious programs of economic liberalization similar to those in many other Latin American countries. They included lowering tariffs, controlling deficit spending, reducing inflation, and cutting the size of government.

Uruguay’s economy is based on free enterprise and private ownership. In spite of some de-monopolization and privatization over the past ten years, the state continues to play a major role in the economy, owning either fully or partially, companies in insurance, water supply, electricity, telephone service, petroleum refining, airlines, postal service, railways, and banking.

==History==
[[File:Fortaleza Montevideo.JPG|thumb|300px|Fortress at Montevideo.]]
The only inhabitants of Uruguay before European colonization of the area were the Charrua Indians, a small tribe driven south by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. The Spanish discovered the territory of present-day Uruguay in 1516, but the Indians' fierce resistance to conquest, combined with the absence of gold and silver, limited settlement in the region during the 16th and 17th centuries. The Spanish introduced cattle, which became a source of wealth in the region. Spanish colonization increased as Spain sought to limit Portugal's expansion of Brazil's frontiers.

Montevideo was founded by the Spanish in the early 18th century as a military stronghold; its natural harbor soon developed into a commercial center competing with Argentina's capital, Buenos Aires. Uruguay's early 19th century history was shaped by ongoing conflicts between the British, Spanish, Portuguese, and colonial forces for dominance in the Argentina-Brazil-Uruguay region. In 1811, Jose Gervasio Artigas, who became Uruguay´s national hero, launched a successful revolt against Spain. In 1821, the Provincia Oriental del Rio de la Plata, present-day Uruguay, was annexed to Brazil by Portugal. The Provincia declared independence from Brazil in August 25, 1825 (after numerous revolts in 1821, 1823, and 1825) but decided to adhere to a regional federation with Argentina.

The regional federation defeated Brazil after a 3-year war. The 1828 Treaty of Montevideo, fostered by the United Kingdom, gave birth to Uruguay as an independent state. The nation's first constitution was adopted in 1830. The remainder of the 19th century, under a series of elected and appointed presidents, saw interventions by neighboring states, political and economic fluctuations, and large inflows of immigrants, mostly from Europe. Jose Batlle y Ordoñez, president from 1903 to 1907 and again from 1911 to 1915, set the pattern for Uruguay's modern political development. He established widespread political, social, and economic reforms such as a welfare program, government participation in many facets of the economy, and a plural executive. Some of these reforms were continued by his successors.

By 1966, economic, political, and social difficulties led to constitutional amendments, and a new constitution was adopted in 1967. In 1973, amid increasing economic and political turmoil, the armed forces closed the Congress and established a civilian-military regime, characterized by repression and widespread human rights abuses. A new constitution drafted by the military was rejected in a November 1980 plebiscite. Following the plebiscite, the armed forces announced a plan for return to civilian rule. National elections were held in 1984. Colorado Party leader Julio Maria Sanguinetti won the presidency and served from 1985 to 1990. The first Sanguinetti administration implemented economic reforms and consolidated democracy following the country's years under military rule.

Sanguinetti's economic reforms, focusing on the attraction of foreign trade and capital, achieved some success and stabilized the economy. In order to promote national reconciliation and facilitate the return of democratic civilian rule, Sanguinetti secured public approval by plebiscite of a controversial general amnesty for military leaders accused of committing human rights violations under the military regime, and sped the release of former guerrillas.

The National Party's Luis Alberto Lacalle won the 1989 presidential election and served from 1990 to 1995. Lacalle executed major structural economic reforms and pursued further liberalization of the trade regime. Uruguay became a founding member of MERCOSUR in 1991 (the Southern Cone Common Market, which includes Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay). Despite economic growth during Lacalle's term, adjustment and privatization efforts provoked political opposition, and some reforms were overturned by referendum.

In the 1994 elections, former President Sanguinetti won a new term, which ran from 1995 until March 2000. As no single party had a majority in the General Assembly, the National Party joined with Sanguinetti's Colorado Party in a coalition government. The Sanguinetti government continued Uruguay's economic reforms and integration into MERCOSUR. Other important reforms were aimed at improving the electoral system, social security, education, and public safety. The economy grew steadily for most of Sanguinetti's term, until low commodity prices and economic difficulties in its main export markets caused a recession in 1999, which continued into 2003.

The 1999 national elections were held under a new electoral system established by constitutional amendment. Primaries in April decided single presidential candidates for each party, and national elections on October 31 determined representation in the legislature. As no presidential candidate received a majority in the October election, a runoff was held in November. In the runoff, Colorado Party candidate Jorge Batlle, aided by the support of the National Party, defeated Frente Amplio candidate Tabaré Vázquez.

The legislative coalition of the Colorado and National parties that held during most of Batlle´s administration ended in November 2002, when the Blancos withdrew their ministers from the cabinet. Throughout most of his administration, President Batlle had to handle Uruguay´s largest economic crisis in recent history, which impacted on poverty and led to increased emigration. Aside from successfully addressing the crisis, Batlle increased international trade, attracted foreign investment and tried to resolve issues related to Uruguayans who disappeared during the military government.

The two traditional political parties, the National ("Blanco") and Colorado parties, which were founded in the early 19th century, in the past garnered about 90% of the vote but have seen their share decline over the past decades. At the same time the share of the Frente Amplio, a coalition of various left-of-center factions that became the largest political force in 1999, was on the rise. In October 2004 presidential elections, Tabare Vazquez ran against the Blanco candidate Jorge Larranaga, a former state governor and senator who got 34.3% of votes, and against the Colorado candidate, former Interior Minister Stirling who got 10.4%. President Vazquez won the elections in the first round, with 50.5% of ballots, and his party achieved parliamentary majority. The Frente Amplio has ruled Montevideo since 1990.

During its first 27 months in power, the Vázquez administration made good on its campaign promise to re-examine the human rights abuses committed during the period of military dictatorship and uncovered important forensic evidence. Bilateral relations with Argentina were strained by an ongoing dispute over the construction in Uruguay of large wood pulp mills on a shared river. Legislation tended to pass easily as the Frente Amplio enjoyed majorities in both houses of congress.

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}
Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2091.htm]}}

==See also==
*[[Montevideo Uruguay Temple]]

{{Nb countries south america}}

User talk:Snowy

2012-11-01T00:47:16Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Bumblebee */ new section

Bumblebee

2012-11-01T00:46:01Z

PaulDiFoglio: please put at least a little effort into making articles consistent in their formatting -- this is getting ridiculous

The '''bumblebee''' is a four-winged [[insect]], a species of [[bee]]. Its wings swivel and flap, knocking into each other which produces a buzzing sound.
Despite the small area of its wings, the swirling [[vortice]]s produced when the wings collide provide additional lift.<ref> [http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2004Mar/gee20040405024594.htm Geek News FAQ] </ref>

According to a persistent urban legend, the laws of physics supposedly say that "bumblebees can't fly." This stems from a rough calculation based on the assumption that their wings are smooth and fixed like that of an airplane.<ref> [http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20040911/mathtrek.asp Flight of the Bumblebee] - Ivars Peterson </ref>
Strobe photography of bumblebees in flight shows how the wings move.

Bumble bees, like their honeybee cousins, feed on [[pollen]] and [[nectar]]. A bumble bee will often identify where a food source is by flying in a figure-8 pattern around it.

==Footnotes==
<references/>

[[Category:Insects]]

Daniel Webster

2012-11-01T00:43:47Z

PaulDiFoglio: because *his* name isn't in the picture, it is okay to put it in the caption. I'd like to see more consistency here

[[image: webster.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Daniel Webster]]

'''Daniel Webster''' (1782-1852) was an American statesman and member of the [[Whig Party]] that was widely known for opposing [[Andrew Jackson]]'s war on the 2nd Bank of the United States. The greatest orator of his day, Webster was of the most influential [[United States Senators]] in history. He also served as [[Secretary of State]] for Presidents [[William Henry Harrison]], [[John Tyler]] and [[Millard Fillmore]], and his statue stands in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall.

A leading Boston attorney, Webster was an opponent of the [[slavery|slave trade]] and of [[secession]]. He declared in response to [[South Carolina]]'s threats of nullification, "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!" Webster also negotiated the Webster-Ashburton Treaty to fix the country's northeast boundary.

Webster was famous for his oratory, his legal and diplomatic skills, and his efforts to avoid the Civil War in the name of American nationalism. In an era that appreciated long complex speeches, Webster was acclaimed the greatest of all orators. He was one of the nation's most prominent conservatives, as an opponent of [[Andrew Jackson]] and the [[Democratic party]], a spokesman for modernization and the industrial interests of New England, and a leader of the [[Whig Party]]. During his forty years in national politics Webster served in the House of Representatives for ten years (representing New Hampshire), the Senate for nineteen years (representing Massachusetts), and served as Secretary of State for three presidents. He aspired to the White House but was an elitist, not a "man of the people," and the people knew it.

==Early Career==
He was born on January 18, 1782, in Salisbury, New Hampshire, the ninth of the ten children of Ebenezer Webster, a prominent local politician. Webster attended Phillips Exeter Academy and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1801. After teaching school briefly in Maine, he studied law with the noted politician Christopher Gore in Boston, where he was admitted to the bar in 1805. Webster practiced law in Boscawen, N.H., and then (1807-1816) in Portsmouth, N.H. He became a spokesman for merchants and shipowners who objected to the embargo and other commercial restrictions imposed by the federal government under presidents [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]. They opposed the [[Embargo of 1807]] and the [[Nonintercourse Acts]]. At this time an advocate of states rights, Webster suggested that New Hampshire might "interpose" to protect its citizens from unconstitutional measures of the federal government. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from New Hampshire as a [[Federalist Party|Federalist]] in 1812 and again in 1814. In the House of Representatives he criticized the war with England and opposed conscription and other measures for carrying it on, but he did not support the [[Hartford Convention]] of 1814 as did more extreme Federalists.

==Senator==
Webster moved to Boston in 1816 and, as attorney for the rising corporations located there, soon rose to be one of the best known and most highly paid lawyers of his time. Appearing frequently before the U.S. Supreme Court, he now abandoned his former states-rights views. In the '''Dartmouth College Case''' (Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 4 Wheat. 122 (1819), he strengthened the constitutional protection of corporate privileges by successfully arguing that a corporation charter was a contract which no state could infringe. In McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316 (1819), he successfully maintained that states could not constitutionally tax a federal agency, for, as he said, the power to tax involved a "power to destroy." As a delegate to the Massachusetts constitutional convention of 1820 and in an address at Plymouth celebrating the bicentennial of the landing of the Pilgrims, he expounded a conservative philosophy centering on the proposition that, in the absence of military force, political power must be distributed among the people more or less in proportion to the ownership of property.

Again elected (from Massachusetts this time) he served in the House (1823-1827) and in the U.S. Senate (1827-1841) as a [[Whig Party|Whig]]. Webster wanted the national government to speed up modernization through a high ("protective") tariff, a national bank, and transportation improvements. Earlier, he had opposed the tariff of 1816, but with the rise of the textile industry in New England he gradually changed his position, and in 1828 he supported the "tariff of abominations," as it was called by antiprotectionists, especially in the South. In the Webster-Hayne debate of January 1830 Senator Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina expounded the nullification doctrine, which [[John C. Calhoun]] had adopted as a way of safeguarding the interests of the planter class. Webster upheld the powers of the federal government, concluding with the words: "Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!" He sided with President [[Andrew Jackson]], a Democrat, and favored the use of presidential force when (1832-1833) South Carolina attempted to nullify the tariff laws.

Webster opposed Jackson on the central issue of the day, the Second Bank of the United States. Webster tried and failed to prolong the federal charter for the bank, which expired in 1836. It was known and accepted at the time that he received a retainer from the bank for his political services to it. Along with his perennial Whig rival, [[Henry Clay]], he became a leader of the new [[Whig Party]] and in 1836 was one of its regional candidates for the presidency; he carried only his own state of Massachusetts.

==Diplomat==
Webster believed in a peace policy, and strongly opposed both the [[War of 1812]] and the [[Mexican American War]], which were deeply unpopular in New England. As a Federalist, and a disciple of [[George Washington]], Webster opposed the implicit alliance with Napoleonic France and the invasion of Canada in 1812. Although he never advocated rebellion, and did not support the [[Hartford Convention]] of 1814, Webster's strong opposition to the war enabled his opponents to question his loyalty for many years, and undercut his presidential prospects.

===Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842===
The period from 1840 to 1844 was one of the stormiest passages
in Webster's career. That he not only survived it, but also accomplished something of enduring value to his country is a tribute to his courage, his ability, and his guile. He was secretary of state under presidents [[William Henry Harrison]] (who only lasted thirty days) and [[John Tyler]] (1841-1843), who broke with the Whig party and was disowned by it. Webster remained in Tyler's cabinet until May 1843 at the cost of his own standing in the Whig party in order to advance the larger national interest as well the cause of peace. Always an admirer of Britain, and lionized on his visit there (1839), he considered good Anglo-American relations as desirable for economic as well as sentimental reasons, for Britain was the chief trading partner. The British negotiator Lord Ashburton was a banker with many financial and personal ties to America. The two of them overcame petty localisms--such as the lumberjacks and farmers in the border region of Maine and New Brunswick who threatened violence if they did not get their border line. Webster did not ignore them but overcame them by flooding Maine with propaganda to the effect the new treaty was a great bargain. The two diplomats focused on the need to secure amicable relations between the two great powers in the North Atlantic, and they succeeded. They settled all the border issues that had festered for a half century by drawing compromise lines that proved final; they could not find a compromise on the Oregon question and dropped that issue. Likewise they settled the nasty legal disputes that had arisen when Canadian rebels used American merchant ships to bring in military supplies to the rebels inside Canada.<ref> Troubles had arisen in 1837 when Canadian militia burned a U.S. steamship, the "Caroline", in U.S. waters because it was used by rebels. Also involved was the 1840 arrest in New York State of a Canadian, Alexander McLeod, accused by New York officials of involvement in the Caroline affair. See Howard Jones and Donald A. Rakestraw, ''Prologue to Manifest Destiny: Anglo-American Relations in the 1840s'' (1997). Jones (1977) disproves old unfounded rumors that Webster took bribes from the British.</ref>

The slave trade issue was solved by agreement that the U.S. Navy would cooperate with the Royal Navy to halt the African slave trade, which was illegal in both nations.<ref>Informally Webster and Ashburton also solved two other high profile issues. The "Creole" was an American ship carrying slaves from one American port to another (which was legal). The slaves revolted and landed in Bermuda, where Britain set them free. Britain agreed to pay damages (which came to $110,330); Britain also agreed to end the impressment of American sailors which had been a casus bellum of the [[War of 1812]]. </ref> The [[Webster-Ashburton Treaty]] achieved peaceful relations that lasted until the Civil War in 1862 opened very serious new dangers.

Webster rejected the pleas by the independent [[Republic of Texas]] that it join the United States, and helped prepare the Cushing mission to China, which concluded the [[Treaty of Wanghia]] (1844), opening several Chinese ports to American trade.

In the Senate again (1845-1850), Webster opposed the [[Mexican American War]] (1846-1848) and the subsequent annexation of New Mexico and California. He feared that, because of the controversy regarding slavery in the territories, annexation might lead to a disunion threat, as in fact it did.

After the succession of [[Millard Fillmore]] to the presidency in 1850 Webster served a second time as secretary of state. He now devoted himself to the enforcement of the fugitive-slave law and to the enunciation of an assertive nationalism. Expressing sympathy with Louis Kossuth and the Hungarian rebels of 1848-1849, he boasted of American power in the so-called "Hülsemann Note" to the Austrian government.

==Slavery==
Webster opposed the expansion of slavery primarily because it threatened national unity. In his Seventh of March speech (1850) he spoke powerfully in favor of Clay's [[Compromise of 1850|compromise proposals]], though the strong fugitive-slave law was deeply unpopular in New England. He was bitterly, and perhaps unfairly, denounced by abolitionists.

==Oratory==
Webster made many famous speeches, including the presentation to the Supreme Court in the Dartmouth College case, the Plymouth Speech (1820, where he interpreted the sweep of American history), the Second Reply to Hayne (1830, where Webster emphasized the indissoluble nature of the government), and the Seventh of March speech during the debates on the [[Compromise of 1850]], where he cried out for compromise and reconciliation to preserve the Union. In every case the theme was the links between past, present and future, especially the roles of [[Republicanism, U.S.|republicanism]] and civic virtue with nationalism a sacred cause that should override all other concerns.<ref> See David F. Ericson, "The Nullification Crisis, American Republicanism, and the Force Bill Debate." ''Journal of Southern History'' 1995 61(2): 249-270. Issn: 0022-4642 Fulltext: [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-4642%28199505%2961%3A2%3C249%3ATNCARA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-E in Jstor]]</ref>

Webster, in his speech at the "Mass Meeting at Saratoga," makes a similarly consensual plea for the establishment of a common currency throughout the U.S., and uses the analogy of the circulation of currency through the nation and the circulation of blood through the body in order to represent the interdependency between the idea of Union and its material, particular manifestations.[7]

In 1840 Webster spoke at Saratoga, New York, to rebut [[Andrew Jackson]]'s attack on the National Bank as a danger to the nation. Webster insists there must be some form of abstract assurance for the nation's economic continuity. His argument was not so much a specialist economic analysis but rather a depiction of the national currency as intrinsic and fundamental to the larger question of national unity and sovereignty. The logic of his presentation thus persuades the audience of its details by first getting it to embrace his grand vision of the American Union:
:"When that fluid in the human system indispensable to life becomes disordered, corrupted, or obstructed in its circulation, not the head or the heart alone suffers; but the whole body--head, heart, and hand, all the members, and all the extremities--is affected with debility, paralysis, numbness, and death. The analogy between the human system and the social and political system is complete; and what the lifeblood is to the former, circulation, money, currency, is to the latter; and if that be disordered or corrupted, paralysis must fall on the system. The original, leading, main cause, then, of all our difficulties and disasters, is the disordered state of the circulation. This is, perhaps, not a perfectly obvious truth; and yet it is one susceptible of easy demonstration. In order to explain this the more readily, I wish to bring your minds to the consideration of the internal condition, and the vast domestic trade, of the United States. Our country is not a small province or canton, but an empire, extending over a large and diversified surface, with a population of various conditions and pursuits. It is in this variety that consists its prosperity; for the different parts become useful one to the other, not by identity, but by difference, of production, and thus each by interchange contributes to the interest of the other. Hence, our internal trade, that which carries on this exchange of the products and industry of the different portions of the United States, is one of our most important interests, I had almost said the most important. Its operations are easy and silent, not always perceptible, but diffusing health and life throughout the system by the intercourse thus promoted, from neighborhood to neighborhood, and from State to State. This circuit of trade, in a country of such great extent as ours, demands, more than in any country under heaven, a uniform currency for the whole people; that what is money in Carolina shall be so elsewhere; that what the Kentucky drover receives, what the planter of Alabama sells for, what the laborer in New York gets in pay for his work, and carries home to support his family, shall be of ascertained and uniform value."<ref> ''Select Speeches of Daniel Webster 1817-1845'' (1903)</ref>

==Lawyer==
Webster was undoubtedly the best constitutional scholar of his generation and probably had more influence on the powerful [[John Marshall|Marshall Court]] than any other advocate. Of the 223 cases he argued before the Supreme Court, he won about half of them. But, even more, Webster played a crucial role in eight of the most celebrated constitutional cases decided by the Court between 1801 and 1824. In many of these--particularly in Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819) and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)--the Supreme Court handed down decisions based largely on Webster's arguments. Marshall patterned some of his Court decisions after Webster's briefs, and Webster played a crucial role in helping many of the justices interpret matters of constitutional law. As a result many people began calling him the Great Expounder of the Constitution.<ref> Remini (1999) pp 162, 208</ref>

=="Godlike Dan" and "Black Dan" ==
Whether people hated Webster or admired him--there was little middle ground-- everyone agreed on the majesty of his oratory, the immensity of his intellectual powers, and the primacy of his constitutional knowledge. He was the heroic champion of nationalism and modernization.

Although Webster's diplomatic record was good, his 29 years in Congress produced not one significant piece of legislation. [[Henry Clay]] and [[Stephen Douglas]] were the leaders in legislation, and he never tried to rival them. There is also evidence that Webster took bribes while in public office and sold diplomatic appointments for private gain, both taboos even by 19th standards of probity.

Webster indulged his extravagant tastes (he spent enormous sums on wine, boats, and improvements to his Marshfield estate). A poor money manager, he relied on wealthy friends for indefinite "loans" to sustain his spendthrift lifestyle, a phenomenon that led his enemies to call him "Black Dan." Historians have not found any positions that he adjusted to curry favor with his rich friends, who saw it their duty to see what they considered the greatest man of the era be able to stay in office--they called him "Godlike Dan." "Black Dan" had several mistresses, and drank excessively, but did not dramatically differ from other Senators in these regards.
==Rhetoric==
Webster's "Reply to Hayne" in 1830 was generally regarded as "the most eloquent speech ever delivered in Congress," and was a stock exercise for oratory students for 75 years.<ref> Allan Nevins, ''Ordeal of the Union'' (1947) 1:288</ref>

In a speech to the New York Historical Society shortly before he died, Webster stated:
<blockquote>
"If we and our posterity ... live always in the fear of [[God]] and shall respect His Commandments ... we may have the highest hopes of the future fortunes of our country .... But if we ... neglect religious instruction and authority; violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the constitution which holds us together, no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us and bury all our glory in profound obscurity."
</blockquote>

==Bibliography==
* Remini, Robert V. ''Daniel Webster'' (1997), 796pp; the standard scholarly biography and the most important place to start [http://www.amazon.com/Daniel-Webster-Man-His-Time/dp/0393045528/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192442304&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Arntson, Paul, and Craig R. Smith. "The Seventh of March Address: A Mediating Influence." ''Southern Speech Communication Journal'' 40 (Spring 1975): 288-301.
* Bartlett, Irving H. "Daniel Webster as a Symbolic Hero." ''New England Quarterly'' 45 (December 1972): 484-507. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866(197212)45%3A4%3C484%3ADWAASH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0 in JSTOR]
* Bartlett, Irving H. ''Daniel Webster'' (1978) [http://www.questia.com/read/62762183 online edition]
* Baxter, Maurice G. "Webster, Daniel"; ''American National Biography Online'' Feb. 2000. (online edition at academic libraries)
* Baxter, Maurice G. ''Daniel Webster and the Supreme Court'' (1966)
* Baxter, Maurice G. ''One and Inseparable: Daniel Webster and the Union.'' 1984.
* Birkner, Michael. "Daniel Webster and the Crisis of Union, 1850.'' ''Historical New Hampshire'' 37 (Summer/Fall 1982): 151-73.
* Brauer, Kinley J. "The Webster-Lawrence Feud: A Study in Politics and Ambitions." ''Historian'' 29 (November 1966): 34-59.
* Brown, Thomas. "Daniel Webster: Conservative Whig.'' In Politics and Statesmanship: Essays on the American Whig Party, (1985) pp. 49-92. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=35907993 online]
* Carey, Robert Lincoln. ''Daniel Webster as an Economist.'' (1929). [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=643615 online edition]
* Current, Richard Nelson. ''Daniel Webster and the Rise of National Conservatism'' (1955), short biography
* Curtis, George Ticknor. ''Life of Daniel Webster'' (1870) [http://www.questia.com/read/96721029 online edition vol 1]; [http://www.questia.com/read/16203820 online edition vol 2]
* Dalzell, Robert F., Jr. ''Daniel Webster and the Trial of American Nationalism, 1843-1852.'' 1973.
* Dubofsky, Melvyn. "Daniel Webster and the Whig Theory of Economic Growth: 1828-1848.'' ''New England Quarterly'' 42 (December 1969): 551-72. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866(196912)42%3A4%3C551%3ADWATWT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8 in JSTOR]
* Eisenstadt, Arthur A. "Daniel Webster and the Seventh of March.'' ''Southern Speech Journal'' 20 (Winter 1954): 136-47.
* Fields, Wayne. "The Reply to Hayne: Daniel Webster and the Rhetoric of Stewardship." ''Political Theory'' 11 (February 1983): 5-28. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0090-5917(198302)11%3A1%3C5%3ATRTHDW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X in JSTOR]
* Foster, Herbert D. "Webster's Seventh of March Speech and the Secession Movement, 1850." ''American Historical Review'' 27 (January 1922): 245-70. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-8762(192201)27%3A2%3C245%3AWSOMSA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-5 in JSTOR]
* Fuess, Claude M. ''Daniel Webster.'' 2 vols. 1930. older scholarly biography
* Formisano, Ronald P. ''The Transformation of Political Culture: Massachusetts Parties, 1790s–1840s'' (1983)
* Hammond, Bray. ''Banks and Politics in America from the Revolution to the Civil War'' (1960), Pulitzer prize; the standard history. Pro-Bank
* Holt, Michael F. ''The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War'' (1999), 1000pp comprehensive scholarly history [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=99173945 online edition]
* Howe, Daniel Walker. ''What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848'' (2007). 928pp; survey of the political history
* Jones, Howard. ''To the Webster-Ashburton Treaty: A Study in Anglo-American Relations, 1783-1843.'' 1977. 251 pp.
* Lodge, Henry Cabot. ''Daniel Webster.'' 1883. too old to be useful
* Nathans, Sydney. ''Daniel Webster and Jacksonian Democracy.'' 1973.
* Nathans, Sydney. "Daniel Webster, Massachusetts Man.' ''New England Quarterly'' 39 (June 1966): 161-81. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/363276 in JSTOR]
* Nevins, Allan. ''Ordeal of the Union: Fruits of Manifest Destiny, 1847–1852" (1947), highly detailed narrative of national politics.
* Ogg, Frederic Austin. ''Daniel Webster'' (1914)
* Parish, Peter J. "Daniel Webster, New England, and the West.'' ''Journal of American History'' 54 (December 1967): 524-49. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8723(196712)54%3A3%3C524%3ADWNEAT%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L in JSTOR]
* Peterson, Merrill D. ''The Great Triumvirate: Webster, Clay, and Calhoun'' (1983)
* Prince, Carl E., and Seth Taylor. "Daniel Webster, the Boston Associates, and the U.S. Government's Role in the Industrializing Process, 1815-1830." ''Journal of the Early Republic'' 2 (Fall 1982): 283-99. [http://www.jstor.org/pss/3122975 in JSTOR]
* Shade, William G. "The Second Party System" in Paul Kleppner ed., "Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' (1983)
* Sheidley, Harlow W. "The Webster-Hayne Debate: Recasting New England's Sectionalism." ''New England Quarterly'' 1994 67(1): 5-29. Issn: 0028-4866 Fulltext: [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0028-4866%28199403%2967%3A1%3C5%3ATWDRNE%3E2.0.CO%3B2-U in Jstor]
* Sheidley, Harlow W. "`Congress only can declare war' and `the President is Commander in Chief': Daniel Webster and the War Power." ''Diplomatic History'' 12 (Fall 1988): 383-409.
* Shewmaker, Kenneth E. "Forging the `Great Chain': Daniel Webster and the Origins of American Foreign Policy toward East Asia and the Pacific, 1841-1852.'' Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 129 (September 1985): 225-59.
* Shewmaker, Kenneth E. ed. ''Daniel Webster: "The Completest Man.'' 1990.
* Simpson, Brooks D. "Daniel Webster and the Cult of the Constitution.'' Journal of American Culture 15 (Spring 1992): 15-23. online in [[Blackwell Synergy]]
* Smith, Craig R. "Daniel Webster's Epideictic Speaking: A Study in Emerging Whig Virtues" [http://www.csulb.edu/~crsmith/webepid.html online edition]
* Smith, Craig R. ''Daniel Webster and the Oratory of Civil Religion.'' (2005) 300pp
* Smith, Craig R. "Daniel Webster's July 17th Address: A Mediating Influence in the 1850 Compromise.'' Quarterly Journal of Speech 71 (August 1985): 349-61.
* Smith, Craig R. ''Defender of the Union: The Oratory of Daniel Webster.'' 1989.
* Szasz, Ferenc M. "Daniel Webster--Architect of America's `Civil Religion'.'' Historical New Hampshire 34 (Fall/Winter 1979): 223-43.
* Wilson, Major L. "Of Time and the Union: Webster and His Critics in the Crisis of 1850.'' ''Civil War History'' 14 (December 1968): 293-306. ch 1 of Wilson, ''Space, Time, and Freedom: The Quest for Nationality and the Irrepressible Conflict, 1815-1861'' (1974) [http://www.questia.com/read/14321778# online edition]

===Primary sources===
* ''Select Speeches of Daniel Webster 1817-1845'' edited by A. J. George, (1903) [http://infomotions.com/etexts/gutenberg/dirs/etext05/7sweb10.htm online at Project Gutenberg]<ref> Contains: Defence of the Kennistons; The Dartmouth College Case; First Settlement of New England; The Bunker Hill Monument; The Reply to Hayne; The Murder of Captain Joseph White; The Constitution Not a Compact Between Sovereign States; Speech at Saratoga; and Eulogy on Mr. Justice Story</ref>
* ''The works of Daniel Webster'' edited in 6 vol. by Edward Everett, Boston: Little, Brown and company, 1853. [http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?sid=92c15815cc33e5443a38fa6ad21dca7b&c=moa&idno=ABK0760.0001.001&view=toc online edition]
* Howe, Daniel Walker, ed. ''The American Whigs: An Anthology'' (1973) [http://www.questia.com/read/11195349 online edition]
* Wiltse, Charles M., Harold D. Moser, and Kenneth E. Shewmaker (Diplomatic papers), eds., ''The Papers of Daniel Webster'', (1974–1989). Published for Dartmouth College by the University Press of New England. ser. 1. Correspondence: v. 1. 1798–1824. v. 2. 1825–1829. v. 3. 1830–1834. v. 4. 1835–1839. v. 5. 1840–1843. v. 6. 1844–1849. v. 7. 1850–1852 -- ser. 2. Legal papers: v. 1. The New Hampshire practice. v. 2. The Boston practice. v. 3. The federal practice (2 v.) -- ser. 3. Diplomatic papers: v. 1. 1841–1843. v. 2. 1850–1852 -- ser. 4. Speeches and formal writings: v. 1. 1800–1833. v. 2. 1834–1852.
* Van Tyne, Claude H., ed. The Letters of Daniel Webster, from Documents Owned Principally by the New Hampshire Historical Society. 1902. Reprint. 1970.
* Webster, Fletcher, ed. ''The Private Correspondence of Daniel Webster.'' 2 vols. 1857. [http://www.questia.com/read/58675408 online edition vol 1]
* Wiltse, Charles M., ed. Microfilm Edition of the Papers of Daniel Webster. University Microfilms, 1971. 41 reels and guide.
* McIntyre, J.W., ed. ''The Writings and Speeches of Daniel Webster''. 18 vols. 1903.

==See also==
* [[Second Party System]]
* [[Whig Party]]
* [[Henry Clay]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/dwe/14323.htm State Department analysis of Webster-Ashburton Treaty, 1842]
* [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/britain/br-1842.htm text of The Webster-Ashburton Treaty. August 9, 1842]/
====notes====
<references/>
----------

{{DEFAULTSORT: Webster, Daniel}}
[[Category: Former United States Senators]]
[[Category: Attorneys]]
[[Category: Conservatives]]
[[Category: Diplomacy]]
[[Category: United States History]]
[[Category: Whig Party]]
[[category:Jacksonian Democracy]]

Dartmouth College

2012-11-01T00:42:51Z

PaulDiFoglio: again, really not that difficult

{{University
|name=Dartmouth College
|image=
|text=white
|background=rgb(0,95,47)
|type=Private
|city=Hanover, New Hampshire
|sports=Baseball, Basketball, Lightweight Crew, Heavyweight Crew, Women's Crew
|colors=Green
|mascot=Big Green
|website=http://www.dartmouth.edu/home/
}}
'''Dartmouth College''' is a university in Hanover, [[New Hampshire]]. It is a member of the [[Ivy League]], the smallest of them in terms of enrollment with an undergraduate community of 4,196. It was founded in 1769. Its current president, Jim Yong Kim, took office in July 2009 and is the first Asian-American to become president of an Ivy League institution.<ref>http://www.dartmouth.edu/home/about/facts.html</ref><ref>http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2009/03/02.html</ref>

Dartmouth College is a full scale university, with medical, engineering, and business [[graduate school|schools]]. It retains the name "College" as an important historical point of pride. It relates to the famous Dartmouth College Case of 1819, in which the State of New Hampshire attempted to take over Dartmouth and make it into a state university (which, for a brief period, they did successfully, Dartmouth University occupied Dartmouth College). The case was argued before the Supreme Court by [[Daniel Webster]], in which he made the famous remark:

<blockquote>"It is, Sir, as I have said, a small college. And yet there are those who love it."</blockquote>

==References==
*[http://www.dartmouth.edu/ Official website]
<References/>

[[Category:Universities]]

Dinesh D'Souza

2012-11-01T00:41:56Z

PaulDiFoglio: don't need name in caption when it's already in the picture

[[File:Dineshdsouza-full.jpg|thumb|150px|right]]
'''Dinesh D'Souza''' (b. 1961) is a [[conservative]] scholar, author, blogger and commentator. He is the former President of [[The King's College]] in New York.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tkc.edu/abouttkc/president_pressrelease.html|title=Dinesh D'Souza Named President of The King's College in NYC|date=Aug. 23, 2010|accessdate=Aug. 30, 2012}}</ref>

In college, he was a prominent writer with ''The [[Dartmouth]] Review'', a conservative publication. He is a former editor of ''[[Policy Review]]'', a conservative journal. He was a fellow at the Hoover Institute at [[Stanford University]].

A Christian immigrant from [[India]] who wrote a book entitled ''What's So Great About Christianity,'' D'Souza wrote a piece entitled "Thank God for America" on his blog on November 21, 2007.<ref>http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/bloggers/dinesh-dsouza</ref> Today he is mostly involved with exposing the contradictions and hypocrisy of [[atheists]], and the censorship of Christian leadership in the modern world.

He regularly participates in debates with [[New Atheism|New Atheist]]s. These have included [[Christopher Hitchens]] (6 times), [[Daniel Dennett]] (once), [[Peter Singer]] (twice), [[Dan Barker]] (twice), and [[Michael Shermer]] (twice).

In September 2010, D'Souza published ''Roots of Obama's Rage'', which explores possible influences that Barack Obama, Sr may have had on his son, the President. D'Souza asserts:
<blockquote>The most powerful country in the world is being governed according to the dreams of a Luo tribesman of the 1950s—a polygamist who abandoned his wives, drank himself into stupors, and bounced around on two iron legs (after his real legs had to be amputated because of a car crash caused by his drunk driving). This philandering, inebriated African socialist, who raged against the world for denying him the realization of his anti-colonial ambitions, is now setting the nation’s agenda through the reincarnation of his dreams in his son.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Roots-Obamas-Rage-Dinesh-DSouza/dp/1596986255</ref></blockquote>
The book did not receive wide attention until it was made into a motion picture entitled, "[[2016: Obama's America]]" which was released during the 2012 Presidential campaign. The movie has become a box office success, on track to garner the second-highest box office receipts for a documentary in history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/2016-obama-america-fact-checking-conservative-author-dinesh-ouza-film-article-1.1146143|title=‘2016: Obama’s America’: Fact checking conservative author Dinesh D’Souza’s film|work=NY Daily News|date=August 28, 2012|accessdate=August 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/nightline|title='2016': Anti-Obama Film's Giant Success|date=August 29, 2012|accessdate=August 30, 2012}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Richard Dawkins and Dinesh D'Souza]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External link==
*[http://www.ygodinstitute.com/ God debates]

{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Souza, Dinesh}}

[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Christians]]
[[Category:India]]

Affirmative Action

2012-11-01T00:41:20Z

PaulDiFoglio: again, the title only needs to be bolded once in the text

'''Affirmative action''' means giving someone a preference or advantage based on the color of his skin, or gender, to reverse the effects of [[discrimination]] and often for political motivation. [[Quotas]] are an extreme form of affirmative action. Though [[liberal]]s whine about how bad [[racial profiling]] is, they promote affirmative action, which is essentially the same thing as racial profiling.

The original concept of affirmative action, when introduced by the [[President Johnson|Johnson]] administration, was that it is desirable to not merely act on non-discrimination passively (i.e., saying "this job is open to any applicant", but then making no efforts to find minority applicants), but should also be done actively, by taking definite actions to find applicants from minorities.

This would be, in its way, admirable. However, in current use, affirmative action goes beyond this, often mandating the use of quotas for setting aside jobs or a portion of college entrance positions for each minority (including also some so-called minorities that are actually majorities).

* The worst feature of such programs is that they are presented to the public as if they were "equal opportunity" programs when they are patently aimed at "equal outcomes" regardless of the merits and abilities of job applicants. [http://www.endeavourforum.org.au/frauds1.htm]

In effect, this means selecting applicants by the color of their skin, precisely what the original concept of non-discrimination forbids. This is sometimes called "reverse discrimination," although this term is rather contradictory - discrimination remains discrimination.

''[[Regents v. Bakke]]'' effectively outlawed [[quotas]] but allowed affirmative action as long as there are considerations other than race. This is sometimes called reverse discrimination.

[[Dinesh D'Souza]] wrote:
{{cquote|Many whites have become increasingly scornful of black demands, and vehemently reject racial preferences. Most blacks, by contrast, support affirmative action as indispensable to fighting the enduring effects of white racism.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/endofrac.htm The End of Racism: The White Man's Burden by Dinesh D'Souza]</ref>}}

[[John H. McWhorter]] wrote:
{{cquote|For most black Americans, the rapid increase of the black middle class, of [[interracial relationship]]s and [[interracial marriage|marriages]], and of blacks in prestigious positions has no bearing on the real state of [[black America]]. Further, they believe, whites’ inability to grasp the unmistakable reality of [[oppression]] is itself proof of [[racism]], while blacks who question that reality are self-deluded. [http://www.city-journal.org/html/11_1_whats_holding_blacks.html]}}

On August 28, 2007 the United States Commission on Civil Rights released a report that determined that affirmative action can be harmful to minority law school students because students admitted through affirmative action programs are more likely to be unprepared and are thus being set up for failure.<ref>[http://www.usccr.gov/press/2007/AALS82807.pdf U.S. Civil Rights Commission Warns That Affirmative Action Might Harm Minority Law Students]</ref>

==See Also==
* [[Affirmative Action President]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Affirmative Action]]

University of California, Los Angeles

2012-11-01T00:40:50Z

PaulDiFoglio: unfairness of their love of affirmative action. Also, please remember to put a simple bullet point before each item under see also -- not that hard

{{University
|name=University of California, Los Angeles
|type=public
|city=Los Angeles, CA
|mascot=Bruin
|sports=Division I
|colors=Blue and Gold
|degrees=
|website=http://www.ucla.edu/
}}
'''University of California, Los Angeles''' (commonly known as just '''UCLA''') is the [[Los Angeles]] campus of the [[University of California]] system. It's located in the neighborhood of [[Westwood]] (notable for its remarkably low [[crime]] rate) and is considered along with [[University of California, Berkeley]] to be one of the two best, most prestigious, and most selective University of California schools. While applications are open to all, there is a bias in admissions toward students coming from Los Angeles-area public schools because of the notion that many students from these schools are underprivileged. UCLA is sometimes synonymous with [[affirmative action]] because of these unfair policies.

==See Also==
*[[Affirmative action]]

{{Nb_US_universities|California}}

Theodore Kaczynski

2012-11-01T00:39:02Z

PaulDiFoglio: simple grammar: in English the period goes inside the quotation marks. I'll assume the homeschooled students who write these articles haven't reached that lesson in their education yet

[[Image:Unabomber1.jpg|right|thumb|Unabomber Mugshot]]
'''Theodore John "Ted" Kaczynski''' (born May 22, 1942) was a mathematician and a convicted [[terrorist]] for his campaign of mail bombings. He is best known by the nickname "Unabomber," and was target of the [[FBI]]'s biggest manhunt in history. Kaczynski is widely admired by [[anarchist]]s.<ref>[http://anarchistnews.org/?q=node/8567 From Anarchistnews, lauding a book by Kaczynski]</ref>

Ted Kaczynski received his Ph.D. in mathematics from University of Michigan in 1967. His dissertation entitled ''Boundary Functions'' received was judged as the best dissertation of that year, winning him a prize. From mid-1967 until July 1969 Kaczynski served as an assistant professor at [[UCLA|University of California]] at Berkeley. In July 1969, Kaczynski resigned his position as assistant professor and moved into the woods of [[Montana]] to live as a hermit.

After his campaign of mail bombings, Kaczynski wrote an essay titled ''Industrial Society and its Future'' (later dubbed the ''Unabomber Manifesto''); in it, he described the motives for his terrorism activities. He promised that the terrorism would end if the essay were published, and major newspapers published it. Although Kaczynski dubbed himself an "anarchist", other anarchists disagree as to whether his manifesto truly represents an anarchist critique of technology. There is also little indication that he ever had any contact or involvement with the anarchist movement prior to his arrest.<ref>[http://www.allserialkillers.com/information_on_the_unbomber.htm Information On The Unabomber]</ref>

==Additional Reading==
*[http://www.time.com/time/reports/unabomber/wholemanifesto.html Kaczynski's manifesto, "Industrial Society and its Future", hosted by Time Magazine]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT: Kaczynski, Theodore}}
[[category:mathematicians]]
[[category:criminals]]

Al Qaeda

2012-11-01T00:37:49Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* See also */ adding former leader to see also

[[Image:al_qaeda.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Osama bin Laden with Al-Qaeda members]]
'''Al-Qaeda''' ([[Arabic]]: القاعدة‎, Translation: ''the base'') is an international [[Jihadism|Jihadist]] [[terrorism|terrorist]] organization founded in the late 1980s to fight the [[Red Army]] of the [[Soviet Union]] in [[Afghanistan]], during the 1980-89 [[Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan]]. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, Osama bin Bin Ladin and his comrades had their own sources of support and training, and they received little or no assistance from the United States,<ref>9/11 Commission Report[http://www.gpoaccess.gov/911/pdf/sec2.pdf ''The Foundation of the New Terrorism''], pg. 56.</ref> which only provided funding to indigenous Afghan ''mujaheddin'', which al-Qaeda was not. It was led by [[Osama Bin Laden]] until he was killed by Navy SEALs and CIA operatives on May 2, 2011. It is predominantly composed of fanatical [[Sunni]] [[Islam|Muslim]]s. [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]], former leader of the [[Egypt]]ian terrorist group called the [[Islamic Brotherhood]], now leads Al Qaeda since Bin Laden's death. Zawahiri has increasingly become the spokesperson for the terrorist network.

Al Qaeda is responsible for the September 11, 2001 attack on the [[World Trade Center]] and [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]], the bombings of American embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, the October 2000 bombing of the [[USS Cole]], and numerous smaller attacks. The group's wing in Iraq is believed to be responsible for many of the attacks and bombings there. The 9/11 Commission Report cites Bin laden meeting with Iraqi intelligence officials in Khartoum as early as 1995. Bin Laden declined reported Iraqi offers of a safe haven, instead settling in Afghanistan. Friendly contacts between Iraqis and Bin Laden continued, though there is no evidence of an operational relationship between the two sides.

"However difficult the fight in Iraq has become, we must win it," Mr. Bush said during a commencement speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn. "Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for Iraq's young democracy. Al Qaeda is public enemy No. 1 for America as well." <ref>http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm</ref>

Some [[liberals]] seem to have a problem calling this group what it is, a terrorist organization, and prefer to call it a more "politically correct" term: ''militant organization''.

==Decline?==
By late 2009 analysts were detecting a systematic decline in the strength and appeal of Al Qaeda. Its leadership has been forced to retreat to remote mountain villages in Pakistan, and many leaders have been killed by missiles and manhunts. Its tactics of killing innocent civilians have lost favor with the Muslim population in most countries. Between 2002 and 2009 the notion that suicide bombings are "often or sometimes justified" has plunged across the Islamic world. Its terrorists launched 10 major attacks worldwide in 2004, its peak year, but only three in 2008. "Al Qaeda is in the process of imploding," concludes professor Audrey Kurth Cronin of the National War College in Washington. In September 2009 American-led forces killed the leader of the Somali organization "Al Shabab", which is allied with Al Qaeda; the police in Indonesia killed the most wanted terrorist in Southeast Asia. It has become much harder for terrorists to move agents, money and supplies. <ref> Scott Shane, "Rethinking What to Fear," ''New York Times'' Sept. 27, 2009</ref>

== See also==
*[[Osama bin Laden]]
*[[Ramzan Kadyrov]]
*[[Terrorism]]

==External links==
*[http://polidics.com/cia/top-ranking-cia-operatives-admit-al-qaeda-is-a-complete-fabrication.html Top Ranking CIA Operatives Admit Al Qaeda Is a Complete Fabrication.]
*[http://www.uaff.info/alqaedatruth.htm Fake Al Qaeda] Al-Qaeda 100% Pentagon Run.
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/world/2001/war_on_terror/default.stm BBC Profile of Al-Qaeda]
*[http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070523-115137-6054r.htm Bush shares al Qaeda plans] - Jon Ward, ''Washington Times'' - May 24, 2007
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331512,00.html Al Qaeda in Northern Africa Has Become Pipeline for New Iraq Recruits], [[Reena Ninan]], ''[[Fox News Channel]]'', February 20, 2008
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328832,00.html Al Qaeda Trains Young Boys as Terrorists, Tapes Show],
*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330810,00.html Purported Al Qaeda Video Shows Prisoners Burned Alive]
*[http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/difference-between-taliban-and-al-qaeda/ Difference Between Taliban and Al Qaeda.]
*[http://www.rferl.org/content/Are_Theological_Tensions_Distancing_Taliban_From_Al_Qaeda/1332904.html Are Theological Tensions Distancing Taliban From Al-Qaeda?]

==References==
<references/>
{{Terrorism}}
[[Category:Terrorist Organizations]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:Iraq War]]
[[Category:Afghanistan War]]

Amoral

2012-11-01T00:37:00Z

PaulDiFoglio: surprised no one had the decency to add this. It's the "Trustworthy Encyclopedia" for a reason, people.

Someone who is '''amoral''' is one that does not know the difference between that which is right and that which is wrong. More and more western society is becoming amoral, as [[morality]] is taught as something that is relative to the situation. It is a well-known trait of [[liberal]]s and [[atheist]]s.

Amoral can also refer to ''something'' which has no moral quality, such as race or technology (but which can be used for good or for bad). In this case the word ''nonmoral'' may be used.<ref>American Heritage Dictionary (4th ed. 2000) defines "unmoral" as "1. Having no moral quality; amoral. 2. Unrelated to moral or ethical considerations; nonmoral."</ref><ref>http://philosophy.lander.edu/ethics/amoral.html</ref>

Legally, Amorality is reffered to as "insanity" when the person is incapapable of knowing right and wrong.

Amorality is not to be confused with [[immoral]]ity, in which the individual does have a sincerely held moral code, but that moral code is actually immoral in itself. For instance, [[Al-Qaeda]] is immoral, not amoral, because they morally believe that since America is evil, they are [[jihad|religiously required]] to annhilate it. Although this is immoral, Al-Qaeda sincerely believes it is moral, and thus has a sense (albeit a deformed one) of morality. Amoral individuals, on the other hand, have no moral code whatsoever.

In other cases, a person that is immoral chooses to do that which is wrong, knowing full well that it is wrong. For instance, a poor person might rob someone else, knowing it is wrong, but needing the money.

In many ways amorality is more dangerous than this type of immorality. A person who knows they are lost can turn to what is right, such as the poor robber finding a job so he can afford to buy food with his own money. Additionally, someone with a deformed, but sincerely held, moral code could see the err of his ways and change. However, a person who has lost their compass entirely will have a hard time finding their way at all.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Sin]]

Essay: New Ordeal

2012-11-01T00:35:04Z

PaulDiFoglio: adding see also, continued needed improvement

[[Image:29-49.gif|right|250px|thumb|Dow Jones Industrial Averages, 1929-49.]]
[[Image:115yeardowgoldratio.gif|right|200px|thumb|Dow Jones Index in constant dollars relative to the price of gold. The chart is a good reflection of living standards throughout the period.]]
The '''New Ordeal''' is the period of time between 1929 and 1949, when the American economy finally recovered from the [[Crash of '29]]. It encompasses the four presidential terms U.S. President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] had been elected to, the final term having been administered mostly by his successor, President [[Harry S. Truman]]. The New Ordeal also is sometimes referred to as the '''Great Ordeal''' or simply the '''Ordeal'''.

During the twenty years of the New Ordeal, America experienced 2 deep recessions, or essentially a second depression within the [[Great Depression]], and [[World War II]], a calamity that claimed the lives of 55 million people worldwide. Many of the nations involved in World War II resorted to "economic planning", as Economist [[Friedrich Hayek]] referred to it, to address the so-called "crisis in capitalism" in the 1930s.

The 1929-1949 recession had within it a recession from 1937-1943; 1933 to 1937 were recovery years stimulated by the [[New Deal]] government spending. However by 1937 the nation had nowhere near recovered to where it was in 1929. Manufacturing demand stimulated by WWII led to the 1943-1949 recovery, where finally, in 1949, the New York Stock Exchange recovered to the level it had been at 1929.

In 1929 the DJIA declined 90.0% over a duration 34 months. Six successive market crashes comprised this famed bear market: (1) September to November 1929 (DJIA fell 40% in this first phase). (2) April to June 1930. (3) September to December 1930. (4) March to May 1931. (5) July to January 1932. (6) March to July 1932. A new bull market then started immediately, as did a business recovery.

Business had topped out mildly, a month before the first crash; a gradual mild decline continued to April 1930, then fell sharply into a depression simultaneously with the end of the 1930 stock market rally. The business decline halted in December 1930, stayed level for 6 months, then plunged again in steep economic decline that didn’t lose its downward momentum for a full year, until July 1932. Business improved intermittently thereafter but still remained at depression levels through most of the decade of the 1930s except for a short recovery in 1936–37.

In 1934 a fall of 24.1% in the DJIA began again over 9 months. Then the market took seven more months to get back up to where 1934 began.

==Economic planning==
:'''''Main article'': [[Economic planning]]
[[Image:Economicplanning.JPG|right|250px|thumb|Criticism of Economic Planning was suppressed; F. A. Hayek's ''Road to Serfdom'' was rejected for publication 3 times "on political grounds" <ref>Richard Cockett, ''Thinking the Unthinkable: Think-Tanks and the Economic Counter-Revolution, 1931–1983'', Harper Collins, London 1995, pg. 100.</ref>]]
{{Cquote|Planning will become a function of the federal government; either that or the planning agency will supersede the government, which is why, of course, such a scheme will be assimilated to the State.|20px|20px|[[Rex Tugwell]]<ref>''The Principle of Planning and the Institution of Laissez Faire,'' Rexford G. Tugwell, The American Economic Review, vol. 22, no. 1, March 1932. [http://www.bartleby.com/73/147.html]</ref>}}
The New Deal did not promote economic recovery, rather it established a system which required a permanent crisis to support a military industrial complex. The system resembled the managed and bureaucratized, state supported system of [[Germany]] before [[World War I]]. Before this regime the United States lived in a system which depended for its economic expansion upon private investment in private enterprise. After World War II the US lived in a system which depended for its expansion and vitality upon the government. This is a system, based upon a pre-World War II European model created at the moment when it had fallen into complete disrepute and disintegration in Europe.<ref>[http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Fifteen__The_Roosevelt_.htm ''The Roosevelt Myth'', Book 3, Ch. 14], John T. Flynn, Fox and Wilkes, 1948.</ref>

===Cartelization===

Enforcement of the Anti-trust Act was considered as an essential instrument to prevent [[cartel]]s and trusts in restraint of trade which had been viewed as deadly to the system of [[free enterprise]]. On the [[United States presidential election, 1932|campaign trail in 1932]] Franklin Roosevelt called loudly for its strict enforcement. Yet immediately upon Roosevelt's accession to office the Anti-trust Act was suspended in order to cartelize every industry in America on the Italian [[fascist]] corporative model. <ref>''The Roosevelt Myth'', John T. Flynn, Fox and Wilkes, 1948, Book 1, Chapter 4, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/cgi-bin/framed/2767/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Four__The_New_New_Deal.htm ''The New New Deal''].</ref>

The [[National Recovery Act]] (NRA) and the [[Agricultural Adjustment Act]] (AAA) were plans to take the whole industrial and agricultural life of the country under the wing of the government, organize it into vast farm and industrial cartels, as they were called in Germany, corporatives as they were called in Italy, and operate business and farms by economic planning schemes dictated and carried out under the supervision of government. This, at the time, was known as [[fascism]]. In those days fascism was not yet defined as [[anti-Semitism]]. <ref>Lawrence H. White, ''[https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:LnGBDv8xPH4J:mercatus.org/sites/default/files/publication/WP1043_The%2520New%2520Deal%2520and%2520Institutionalist%2520Economies.pdf+&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESj6MXspbrCxLA0uDSgPqtrzOPAtz0eQMVFMtRwJXLV80zRN1V5yvMHVwFY74CIW0EijdZ6IaEK0aVEVtppi1AuQpbqA0dAdK00YNLlTpeE-ME-Y-ZlJ2HVkvawKAdn7921r9V_L&sig=AHIEtbQ4xqYx7frizGpPV9B2XEwSQLXhGg&pli=1 Pre-Keynsian Economic Policy]''. August 2010.</ref><ref>''The Roosevelt Myth'', Book 1, Chapter 7, p. 78 [http://books.google.com/books?id=CVqTXJjmtmUC&pg=PA78&dq=In+those+days+fascism+was+not+defined+as+anti-Semitism.&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UUJBT9WbHoPg2QW5-KXYAQ&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=In%20those%20days%20fascism%20was%20not%20defined%20as%20anti-Semitism.&f=false ''An Enemy Is Welcomed''], Flynn, 1948.</ref>

===Managerial state===

James Burnham, a former [[Trotskyite]], discovered in 1941 that the "workers revolution" which allegedly was to overthrow the capitalist "exploiters", was in real practice a "managerial revolution" which replaced older 19th century owners of capital with twentieth century technocrats and managers. Burnham found that "workers in this mythical 'workers' state' were, the facts showed, a subject class far more heavily exploited than the workers under capitalism," and that the new managers in a planned economy "have curbed the masses and have instituted a social structure in which they are on top, not by virtue of private property rights in the instruments of production, but through their monopoly control of a state power which has fused with the economy." <ref>James Burnham, ''The Managerial Revolution'', Indiana University Press, Bloomingham 1966.</ref>

==Wealth Tax Act of 1935==
The [[New Deal]] was able to expropriate the upper income brackets even before [[World War II]]. In 1929, total aggregate Personal Income was estimated at $80.6 billion and the tax brackets making above $50,000 retained $5.2 billion, after income and surtax; in 1936, when total Personal Income was estimated at $64.2 billion, not quite $1.2 billion was retained by "the Rich". Taxable income above $100,000 was wholly absorbed by the government when account is made of the inheritance tax. Economist and former Austrian Finance Minister [[Joseph Schumpeter]] described it in these terms:
:"''a tremendous transfer of wealth has actually been effected, a transfer that quantitatively is comparable with that effected by [[Lenin]]. The present distribution of disposable incomes compares well with the one actually prevailing in Russia.''<ref>Schumperter continues: "the Russian act of April 4, 1940, concerning the income tax, reveals that incomes as low as 1.812 rubles per year were subject to it. It also reveals the existence of incomes of over 300,000 rubles which were then taxed at the rate of 50 per cent. Now, let us neglect the tax on the lowest incomes entirely and put the modal income in the 1,812–2,400 ruble group at 2,000 rubles; further, let us put the modal retained income in the highest group at no higher than 150,000 rubles (though those 300,000 rubles before tax were a lower limit). Then we discover that the higher of these modes was 75 times the lower one. Even if we put, for 1940, the American equivalent (not of course in purchasing power, but in the sense of equivalent position in the income scale) of the lower mode at as low as $1,000, we shall evidently not find much in the United States income distribution of retained incomes (even apart from the reductions specifically motivated by the requirements of war finance) to support, in the light of the Russian paradigma, the current phrases about atrocious inequalities, “concentration of power” as measured by concentration of income, and the like. The evidence presented in the well-known book by Bienstock, Schwarz and Yugov on ''Industrial Management'' in [[Russia]] tends to support this view. Many other details point in the same direction, for instance, the fact that those ranges of the professions who could formerly but cannot now afford domestic servants in the United States, do enjoy this privilege—worth a ton of electrical household gadgets—in Russia. All this still fails to take account of advantages that do not pass through income accounts. The power and social position—which is one of the main reasons for valuing a high income—of the industrial manager, especially if leader of the local unit of the [[Bolshevik]] party, is far and away above that of an American industrialist. Interesting phenomenon—this Lag of Ideas! Many well-meaning people in this country now profess horror or indignation at social inequalities which did exist fifty years ago, but no longer do. Things change, slogans remain."</ref>

===Class warfare===
:Main article:'' [[Class warfare]]
[[Robert H. Jackson]], Assistant Attorney General, and Secretary of the Interior [[Harold Ickes]] in December 1937 made speeches inspired by the President on the [[conspiratorial]] [[Marxist]] diatribe, ''America's 60 Families.'' <ref>''New Deal Chorus'', Time magazine, [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758849-1,00.html pg. 1][http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758849-2,00.html pg. 2], Jan. 17, 1938.</ref>

In February 1944 Congress rejected Roosevelt's demand for a $10,500,000,000 tax increase and cut it to $2,300,000,000. Roosevelt vetoed it saying this was a "bill not for relief of the needy but of the greedy."
Senator [[Alben Barkley]], Democratic leader, rose on the floor of the Senate to say the veto was "a calculated and deliberate assault upon the legislative integrity of every member of Congress." The entire Senate united in a roar of applause. Barkley declared that after seven years of carrying the [[New Deal]] banner for Roosevelt, he would resign his post as Democratic majority leader and he called on every member of the Congress to preserve its self respect and override the veto. The Senate overrode it 72 to 14 and the House 299 to 95.

==Crash of 1937==

1937 DJIA declined 51.8% over 56 months. There were five crash phases: (1) August to November (DJIA fell 40% in this first phase). (2) February to March 1938. (3) January to April 1939. (4) May 1940. (5) October 1941 to April 1942. Business peaked out and fell violently, simultaneously with stocks. Economic indicators bottomed out 9 months later (May 1938). The recovery began mildly at first, but not until the World War II production boom was the country lifted out of the Great Depression.

The period 1941–42 contained the longest nonstop downswing crash (7 1/2 months) in history. Certain analysts call this two separate bear markets, one from September 1937 to March 1938, and the second from May 1940 to April 1942.

During the Great Bear Market from 1929 to 1942, the [[Dow Jones Industrial Average]] (DJIA) had rallies of 48% (from November 13, 1929, to April 17, 1930), 94% (July 8, 1932, to September 7 of that year), 121% (February 27, 1933, to February 5, 1934), 127% (July 26, 1934, to March 10, 1937), 60% (March 31, 1938, to November 12 of that year), and 28% (April 8, 1939, to September 12 of that year). Yet, on April 28, 1942, the apex of the [[Malthusian crisis]] that was [[World War II]], the DJIA was still at only 92.92, 76% below its September 3, 1929, high of 381.17. <ref>Daniel Turov, [http://www.leithner.com.au/newsletter/issue18.htm ''Mixed Message,''] Barron’s, 21 May 2001, quoted in the Liethner Letter, Issue 1826 June 2001, retrieved 11 June 2007.</ref>

===Double-dip recession===

When FDR was inaugurated for his second term in March 1937 [[national income]], [[payroll]]s, and industrial production<ref>League of Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, June, 1936. Percentage change 1929 to March 1936, United States -21.8%, rank number 13.</ref> were still 20 per cent below the 1929 figure and construction was still only about one third what it had been in 1929 when the nation had a booming economy due to massive speculation that would ultimately lead to the stock market crash. By June, 1937 the [[U.S. Treasury]] reported relief payments were less than in the same period the preceding 12 months, however this was not so. The Treasury merely shifted relief payments to other accounts. Relief payments were, in fact, larger than the year before. The Treasury made a practice of "cooking the books" to produce phony numbers. Stock prices declined and by September the dire reality could be no longer hidden. By the end of October 1937 the market crashed. The U.S budget was running a [[deficit]] at the time of $300,000,000 a month.

===Unemployment worse than in 1933===
In January 1938, John D. Biggers in a study commissioned by President Roosevelt reported there were 10,870,000 people out of work, more than when FDR first took office in 1933.
<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,758790,00.html ''Two Schemes''], Time magazine, Jan. 10, 1938.</ref> Roosevelt realized that all the “pump priming” and spending $17 billion had failed. Despite the billions added to the debt, the Depression was back and Roosevelt was at the center of a tug-of-war with advocates of spending like [[Harry Hopkins]], [[Leon Henderson]] and [[Rex Tugwell]] on one side, and opponents like [[Henry Morgenthau]] on the other.

DNC Chairman [[Jim Farley]] recalled on a meeting with Roosevelt on March 28, 1938. FDR told Farley he would have "to go in for pump priming or relief," but complained he could not spend on local projects because the states and cities did not want any more buildings and institutions which they would have to pay for in perpetuity. States and localities were having trouble paying the bills on New Deal projects already built. Many [[WPA]] projects approved by the federal government were abandoned because the states and cities could not raise the money to support and occupy them.

In the 1938 Congressional elections Harry Hopkins oversaw spending programs with no regard for economic utility to meet the immediate political necessities of an election, but the growth of debt could not go on indefinitely. And the New Dealers problem was complicated by pressure from within the Democratic party to balance the budget.

New capital made available for investment amounted to $348,000,000 in 1935. This was less than 1/10th of the amount available in 1929. By contrast, the British economy had nearly recovered to its 1929 levels by 1935, and the amount available for investment was almost twice as much as the United States.

{| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! United States <ref>Standard Statistics Co., ''New Money for Operating and Producing.''</ref>
! Great Britain <ref>Midland Bank, London, ''New Issues for British Companies,'' converted from £ to $ at $4.8665.</ref>
|-
| 1927
| $3,201,000,000
| $710,509,000
|-
| 1928
| 3,062,000,000
| 983,033,000
|-
| 1929
| 3,668,000,000
| 759,174,000
|-
| 1930
| 3,039,000,000
| 394,186,500
|-
| 1931
| 1,006,000,000
| 155,728,000
|-
| 1932
| 321,000,000
| 248,191,500
|-
| 1933
| 177,000,000
| 296,856,500
|-
| 1934
| 356,000,000
| 350,388,000
|-
| 1935
| 348,000,000
| 666,710,500
|-

|}

The country now reached a greater crisis than in 1933. The [[National debt]], which was $22 billion when Roosevelt took office and largely a heritage of [[World War I]], now was $37 billion. Taxes had been more than doubled by Roosevelt.

By April 1938 [[unemployment]] reached several thousand more than when Roosevelt was elected in 1932. This was now Roosevelt’s Double Dip Depression. Voices began to speak up suggesting after all Hoover may have known what he was doing, but here, nine years after the Depression began the fundamental condition of the country was no further advanced than it was at the end of Hoover's three year struggle with it.

===The Second New Deal===
All during the winter and spring of 1938 a group of young instructors from Harvard and Tufts were busy on a book which they called ''An Economic Program for American Democracy.'' which appeared in October, 1938. These instructors had been moving under the guidance of Dr. Alvin H. Hansen,<ref>Alvin H. Hansen, ''Fiscal Policy and Business Cycles'', (Norton, 1941).</ref> The theory propounded may be briefly stated thus: The expansion of the American economy came to an end in 1929. Before that it had grown for several well-known reasons. (1) There was a rapid increase in population due to free immigration. (2) The frontier was open to entry and exploitation. (3) Technological expansion went forward upon an amazing scale. But all this came an end. Population is no longer increasing save at a small rate. The frontier is gone, having been exploited and settled. Technological advance at the old rate is no longer possible—the great era of revolutionary inventions is over. A basic change had come over the structure of the American economy.
[[Image:Flatgrowth.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Real Output and Growth remained stagnant throughout the New Deal. By 1938 Unemployment was worse than when FDR took office.<ref>''New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium Analysis, ''Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, Journal of Political Economy, volume 112 (2004), pages 779–816.</ref>]]
The theory continued: Government spending on the First [[New Deal]] had been proved to be a powerful. Too many people made the mistake of supposing that this was a temporary expedient to bring back a self-sustaining economic recovery. Government spending must be not be used as merely a pump primer, but as a permanent additional or auxiliary pump. The old pump—private industry and business—could no longer produce the national income required for a full life. The government had to set up built in stabilizers to maintain prosperity. "The government must assume full responsibility for maintaining national income at a sufficiently high level to assure full utilization of our human and material resource."

This must be done, they insisted, by government spending. "The notion that public spending can he safely resorted to as a temporary emergency device must he abandoned."

Their thesis was as follows. The people do not spend all of the income they receive on consumable goods and services. Each year they save great sums. These savings are thus withdrawn from the function of spending. They must be brought back into the stream of spending some way or the system collapses. The orthodox method of accomplishing this in the past has been through private investment. People who save and who do not wish to spend their money for food or clothes or consumable goods are willing to invest it. If they invest it they put it into what are called capital goods—goods designed to produce other goods such as houses, buildings, machinery, etc. If they do this the money is used to create jobs, experts, technicians, etc., and this gets into the hands of people who will consume it. To keep the capitalist system going there must he a continuous flow of all savings into investment—into new industries and the expansion of old industries. That was considered a perfectly sound theory for many years. It was the basis of the opinion of those who appealed to President Roosevelt in 1933 to adopt a program that would encourage business expansion. Instead the president promoted anti-business rhetoric and class warfare causing uncertainty, and job creation suffered.

The New Deal economists, however, as John Flynn cited, were just learning this important principle. But the Brain Trusters concluded that a continuous flow of savings into private investment was no longer possible. This is possible only when business men wish to borrow funds for new enterprises and expansion of old ones. But this would happen again, they said. Expansion on a sufficient scale in new enterprises and expanding old ones is hopeless because the economy has reached the end of its expansion era, as described above. The only way to avoid the inevitable collapse of the system, they proposed, was for the government to step in and borrow those sums which business refused to borrow and to spend the money on all sorts of welfare, educational, social and other public enterprises.

Government spending had already plunged the nation into debt to the tune of nearly $40 billion. Continuous spending of funds borrowed by the government would mean a continuous expansion of the government debt. Government debt, they argued, is not like private debt. It does not have to be paid. The government can keep it afloat indefinitely by redeeming old bonds with new bonds. Moreover the interest on the government debt will not be a burden. "The debt is due by the people to themselves," they said. The people owe the debt. The people own the bonds which represent the debt. The government taxes the people to pay the interest on the bonds. It takes the taxes out of the pockets of the people and then pays it back to them in the form of interest. It is just taking it out of one pocket and putting it in the other.

The government therefore need not bother about the size of the debt. It can go on borrowing indefinitely.

At this same time [[Rex Tugwell]] and [[Leon Henderson]] both admitted that the New Deal spending programs failed. But they insisted it had failed because it had been on a far too modest scale. Instead of spending three billion a year, for which Roosevelt was being condemned, Tugwell said it should have spent twelve billion a year.

==Theory of the Permanent Crisis==

Making provision for war increased business profits. In 1936 Roosevelt had said, "If we face the choice of profits or peace, the nation will answer – must answer - 'We choose peace'. It is the duty of all of us to encourage such a body of public opinion in this country that the answer will be clear." <ref>''Getting Us into War'', Porter Sargent Publisher: P. Sargent, Boston, 1941. [http://americandeception.com/index.php?action=downloadpdf&photo=/PDFsml_AD/Getting_Us_Into_War-Porter_Sargent-1941-640pgs-POL.sml.pdf&id=218&PHPSESSID=03d3557b41f249f71349e6d730cc8498 ''No More Millionaires''], pg. 372 pdf</ref><ref>[http://thinkmarkets.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/%E2%80%9Cnever-let-a-crisis-go-to-waste%E2%80%9D/ Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste]'', Mario Rizzo, August 10, 2010.</ref>
By 1938 Roosevelt embarked on a massive defense appropriations buildup; the Administration would advance 30% to a defense contractor when placing an order. The National City Bank reported an increase of overall business profits in the year 1939 over 1938 of 63.6%, and in its December 1940 Bulletin showed for 284 companies "directly affected by war and defense program" a rise of 79.2%. The ''Wall Street Journal'' reported, "Betterment in profits was naturally more pronounced, as a rule, in those industries benefiting directly or indirectly from the European conflict." <ref>''Wall Street Journal'', May 3, 1940.</ref>

On February 28, 1934, Elliott Roosevelt, son of President Franklin Roosevelt, and [[Anthony Fokker]] each received half a million dollars for selling fifty military aircraft to the Soviet government. <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,756770-2,00.html ''Son's Scheme''], Time magazine, Oct. 19, 1936,</ref>

Curtiss-Wright Aircraft, to enlarge its plant, received a loan of $92 million at 4%. [[I. F. Stone]] of ''[[The Nation]]'' magazine wrote,
:"Offered as a non-recourse loan . . . the government would have no claim against the Wright company if it failed to repay the loan. All the government could do in that case would be to take the factory. Since the plant would be financed entirely by the government, the government would really be taking back its own property if the Wright company for some reason wanted to drop it. ...The ''Wall Street Journal'' reported on August 2 that while the loan was for $92,000,000, 'the cost of the proposed plant and its equipment is understood to be only $37,000,000 or $38,000,000'. When asked by the ''Journal'' correspondent about 'this apparent discrepancy', Jesse Jones said, 'We don't believe it would be in the public interest to break down that total at this time'....As this is being written, the Wright contract has yet to be signed. The company is now asking for five-year amortization instead of eight. Incidentally, a vice-president of this finicky company, T. P. Wright, was assigned to the Defense Commission on June 8 to help speed up production"
The Defense Commission was the same commission that would determine and approve the terms of the loan.<ref>''Getting Us into War'', Sargent, 1941, pg. 433.</ref> ''PM'' noted "For an $18,000,000 plant to command a $92,000,000 credit from any bank, including a federal one, may make financiers blink, but that is what has been arranged". The Curtiss-Wright loan was only a little over five times the value of the plant. But Boeing Aircraft, with a plant worth $3,000,000 was awarded a loan of $32,000,000, more than ten times. And Boeing was to own it in five years.<ref>Roger Ingersoll, ''PM'', August. 9, 1940.</ref>

==Stagnationism==
:'''''Main article:'' [[Keynesian]]ism'''
1946 DJIA declined 24.6% over 37 months. There was only one crash phase (August–September 1946), and the bottom was hit within 4 months. But the market moved sideways for almost three years and tested the 1946 low area three times. The final time was in 1949, after which the market rose almost without interruption for the next 12 years (160 to 741 in 1961).

==Record keeping & construction trades==

Record keeping and even economic definitions then were not what they are today. By using the Dow Jones Industrial Average (which is practically the only measurement available in real time that scans the entire period) the Dow did not get back to the level it was at in 1929 until 1949 (160 pts on the Dow). Other economic indexes either did not exist, or were developed later, often by guess work. For example, the oft quotes unemployment rate of 25% which peaked in 1932 is only guess work based upon observations in New York City. No one knows what the real national figures were, or what it actually had been in places like Arkansas or Oklahoma. Gross output figures such as [[GDP]] did not exist either.

It was not until 1949 that [[living standards]] and peacetime [[employment]] returned to something like it was prior to 1929. The New Ordeal is evident today throughout American cities where one can see a distinct gap in the building and construction trades that took place in the decades of the 1930's and 40's. Little was built beyond quonset huts, tin structures with a semi-circular shape and a timber frame underneath. And what was built was either extremely expensive, or built by the government usually for military purposes.

==See also==
*[[New Deal]]

==Further reading==
*[http://www.iea.org.uk/files/upld-publication43pdf?.pdf ''Road to Serfdom'',] Friedrich A. Hayek, Reader's Digest Condensed Version, April 1945.

*[http://gigablast.com/get?d=78268369924 ''Other People's Money''], John T. Flynn, The New Republic, February 20, 1935.

*''The New Ordeal'', Freeman Tilden, The North American Review, v. 239, February 1935, p. 131-7.

*''Ordeal by Planning'', John Jewkes, Macmillan, New York, 1948. [http://www.questia.com/library/book/ordeal-by-planning-by-john-jewkes.jsp]

*''The New Ordeal by Planning'', John Jewkes, Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1968.

*''The Ordeal of Total War, 1939-1945'', Gordon Wright, New York, Evanston, and London, Harper & Row, 1968.

*[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,792094,00.html ''The Great Ordeal''], TIME magazine, May. 14, 1945.

*''Franklin D. Roosevelt: The Ordeal'', Frank Freidel, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1954.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:Great Depression]]
[[Category:politics]]
[[Category:economics]]

Franklin D. Roosevelt

2012-11-01T00:33:39Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* notes */ trying to add at least a little bit of consistency to these articles. Again, "footnotes." Not just "notes."

{{Officeholder
|name=Franklin D. Roosevelt
|image=509px-FDR in 1933.jpg
|party=[[Democratic]]
|spouse=[[Eleanor Roosevelt]]
|religion=[[Episcopalian]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=32nd
|terms=March 4, 1933 – April 12, 1945
|vp=John N. Garner (1933–1941) Henry A. Wallace (1941–1945) Harry S. Truman (1945)
|preceded=[[Herbert Hoover]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Harry S. Truman]]
}}
{{Officeholder/governor
|number=44th
|state=New York
|terms=January 1, 1929 – December 31, 1932
|preceded=Alfred E. Smith
|former=y
|succeeded=Herbert H. Lehman
}}
}}
'''Franklin Delano Roosevelt''' was the 32nd [[President of the United States of America]] from 1933-45. He presided over the majority of the [[Great Depression]], which did not end until the attack on [[Pearl Harbor]]<ref>[http://www.fasttrackteaching.com/Unemployment_300g15.gif Unemployment Graph during the Great Depression]</ref>, and led the United States in [[World War II]] against the [[Axis Powers]]; he built the '''[[New Deal Coalition]]''' of voters and interest groups which dominated American politics into the 1960s.

He is still the great hero to liberals but castigated by conservatives for shifting the nation to the left, growing the federal government, imposing regulations on business, following a no-growth economic policy, catering to labor unions, and building a permanent [[New Deal Coalition]]. On the other hand, conservatives admire his strong military leadership that led the Allies to victory in record time in World War II.

His [[New Deal]] was a very large, complex interlocking set of programs designed to produce '''relief''' (especially government jobs for the unemployed)<ref>[http://www.northcarolinahistory.org/commentary/130/entry/ Works Progress Administration (WPA): One Failure to End the Great Depression]</ref>, '''recovery''' (of the economy), and '''reform''' (by which he meant regulation of Wall Street, banks and transportation), as well as Reelection (in 1936, 1940 and 1944) and Realignment of the [[Fifth Party System]]. Conservatives strongly opposed many, but not all, of the New Deal programs. Conservatives abolished most of the relief programs when unemployment practically ended during World War II. Most of the regulations on business were ended about 1975-85, except for the regulation of Wall Street by the [[Securities and Exchange Commission]], which still exists. The major surviving program is [[Social Security]], which Congress passed in 1935.

Conservatives at the time denounced his bids for presidential power, including building a national political machine through the [[WPA]] (it lasted from 1935 to 1943), attempting to take control of the Supreme Court by adding new liberal judges (an attempt which failed, 1937), and trying to purge the Democratic party of conservative congressman (an attempt which failed in 1938). The failures of those attempts can be attributed to the [[Conservative Coalition]] which emerged in Congress in 1937 as a coalition of most Northern republicans and most Southern Democrats.<ref>There were very few Southern Republicans in office.</ref>.

After 1938 FDR turned his attention to [[World War II]]. He was a strong supporter of [[China|Nationalist China]] under General [[Chiang Kai-shek]] against Japan; most conservatives agreed on that point. FDR also was a strong supporter of military aid to Britain. Conservatives split on that, with the "isolationists" (like [[Robert Taft]]) opposed, and "interventionists" (like [[Henry Stimson]]) in favor. Pearl Harbor brought the U.S. into the war in December, 1941; all conservatives then strongly supported the war effort. They generally approved FDR's military leadership, although they were highly critical of his close cooperation with [[Stalin]] and the Soviet Union.

FDR was the first and only President to be elected four times, breaking the traditional two-term-limit precedent established by [[George Washington]].<ref> Tradition was restored by the 22nd Amendment in 1947.</ref>

Roosevelt's health failed rapidly in 1944-45, even as he ran for reelection. He died on April 12, 1945. Despite polio which permanently crippled him starting in the early 1920s, he exuded a sense of confidence and hope for the future that made for a charismatic personality.

Scholars generally agree that relief efforts actually helped to prolong the [[Great Depression]]. It was only later that World War II brought a return to near full employment for every sector of the economy.

==Early Life==
Franklin was born to two old families, both based in upstate New York: the Dutch Roosevelts, and the Yankee Delanos. His father James Roosevelt (1828-1900), a wealthy railroad executive, was never close to Franklin and died when he was in college. Franklin was the only son of Sara Roosevelt (1854-1941), who exerted tight control over the family money, and tight psychological control over Franklin, until the day she died in 1941. The Delanos made their money in trading with China (originally, in selling opium); Sara was a world traveler who raised her son with the aid of tutors until he went to [[Groton]] at age 14; by that time Franklin had been to Europe many times and spoke fluent French and German. He was a gentleman at Harvard College, where he edited the student newspaper. He graduated from Columbia Law School, and was a successful lawyer before entering politics in 1910, and again while out of politics in the mid-1920s.

==Eleanor Roosevelt==
see [[Eleanor Roosevelt]]

Franklin Roosevelt met Eleanor, his fifth cousin, in 1902. He began courting her, and they became engaged in 1904 against his mother's wishes. Sara Roosevelt thought Eleanor too young and inexperienced. The couple was married on March 17, 1905 in New York; her uncle, President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], gave the bride away. She and Franklin lived with his mother Sara, who controlled both the finances and the raising of her grandchildren.

Six children followed in rapid succession, with all but one surviving infancy: Anna Eleanor, James, Franklin (died 1909), Elliott, a second Franklin Delano, and John Aspinwall.

FDR was elected as a Democrat to the New York State Senate in 1910, but the family remained in New York City. In 1913 the family moved to Washington where Franklin was the powerful and popular Assistant Secretary of the Navy during World War I.

Very shy at first, Eleanor kept a low profile during World War I. She became more accustomed to the limelight when Franklin was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 1920, and when he was elected governor of New York in 1928 and 1930. After he contracted polio she became much more active, serving as his spokesperson at many meetings around the state and advocated for women's issues inside the Democratic Party.

The Roosevelt marriage collapsed in 1918 when Eleanor discovered Franklin had a lover.<ref> Lucy Mercer (later Lucy Rutherfurd) was only the first of several known FDR lovers; Lucy was with FDR when he died. Joseph Persico, ''Franklin and Lucy: President Roosevelt, Mrs. Rutherfurd, and the Other Remarkable Women in His Life'' (2008) </ref> Divorce was politically impossible, love was absent. The solution was independence. By the 1920s Eleanor was living apart in a separate cabin on the Roosevelt estate at Hyde Park. Since the public knew nothing about the affairs (and historians did not learn until after Eleanor's death), the couple kept up appearances in public. Eleanor increasingly built her own career, all the while supporting liberal and leftist personalities and ideas.

==1920s==
In 1920 Roosevelt was the Democratic nominee for Vice President. He lost in the Harding landslide, but the fact that he won the nomination demonstrates that Democrats looked upon him as their new hero. In 1921 FDR became ill with [[poliomyelitis]], Eleanor became his helpmate through his serious health problems. The polio left FDR without the use of his legs, confined to a wheelchair for the most part. However, he did not allow this disability to end his political career; indeed it made him psychologically stronger and more determined to bring hope to people faced with poor odds in life.

In 1928 Franklin Roosevelt was elected governor of [[New York]], despite a narrow victory in the state by Republican presidential candidate [[Herbert Hoover]]. FDR was reelected governor in a landslide in 1930. As governor of the leading financial state he did nothing to prevent the Wall Street Crash of 1929 or solve the emerging financial depression, but he did begin a relief program that followed the Hoover Administration guidelines.

== Election of 1932 ==
:''Main article : [[United States presidential election, 1932]]''
With the economy continuing a downward spiral despite Hoover's efforts, a Democratic victory seemed certain. Roosevelt needed two-thirds of the delegates too get the nomination. He easily beat out [[Al Smith]], his former close ally. FDR won the nomination with the aid of powerful publisher [[William Randolph Hearst]] (still a liberal at the time), and the Texas delegation led by House Speaker [[John Nance Garner]]. Garner was given the vice presidency. Smith in 1932, Hearst in 1934, and Garner in 1937 all broke with FDR, becoming bitter enemies.

The election was a rout, with Democrats winning sweeping majorities in Congress and control of state governments in all parts of the country. Hoover tried to coordinate national policy with FDR during the long interregnum between the November election and the March 4 inauguration, but Roosevelt refused to cooperate.

== First Term ==
[[File:Newdealstamp.png|thumb|280px|1998 US stamp celebrates alphabet agencies of New Deal]]

===New Deal===
:''For Main Article see '''[[New Deal]].'''''

FDR is most famous for his [[New Deal]], a set of programs designed to produce recovery from the Depression, reform so it would never happen again, and relief for the tens of millions suffering severe hardships.

FDR's favorite program--and the nation's favorite as well, was the [[Civilian Conservation Corps]], begun in springc 1933. The CCC sent several hundred thousand young men at a time -- 2.5 million in all by 1943 -- to newly formed work camps for 6-month stints. There were no uniforms or military drills. It was strongly approved at the time by conservatives and liberals alike, including most religious and business leaders as a way to save the boys who were perpectually unemployed and drifting into gangs. The CCC was ended in 1943 when the need had vanished.

In 1934-35 the '''Second new Deal''' showed Roosevelt moving left. Key innovations included the Wagner Act (1935) that created the [[National Labor Relations Board]] and allowed [[Labor unions]] to rapidly expand. The [[WPA]] was a federalized relief program, in which 2+ million unemployed workers were hired by the federal government to work on projects sponsored by local government. Most important of all was the Social Security program, passed over intense Republican opposition.

==Second Term==
Roosevelt successfully built up the "[[New Deal Coalition]]", a powerful coalition of voters and interest groups. Key components included big city machines and labor unions. Key voter groups included traditional Democrats, white Southerners, Catholics, Jews, and liberals, as well as many blacks. This united voter base allowed Democrats to be elected to Congress and the presidency for much of the next 30 years.

===Court packing scheme===

After a sweeping landslide reelection in 1936--losing only Maine and Vermont--Roosevelt stunned the nation, and his party, by calling for legislation to enlarge the Supreme Court by five new members. [[Tommy Corcoran]]<ref>After World War II Corcoran employed Soviet agent [[Duncan Lee]] in his Washington law firm, Corcoran and Youngman. FBI Silvermaster file biographical details on [[Duncan C. Lee]], [[Elizabeth Bentley]]'s allegations concerning him, his contacts with [[Donald Wheeler]] and [[Mary Price]], [http://education-research.org/PDFs/Silvermaster092.pdf Vol. 92, pgs. 20 - 21] pdf, January 26, 1947. On June 6 1945, 6 persons, including U.S. government officials [[Andrew Roth]] and [[John Stewart Service]], were arrested on [[conspiracy]] and [[espionage]] charges related to possession of roughly 1000 stolen classified Government documents in the offices of ''[[Amerasia]]'' magazine. ''Amerasia'', edited by [[Philip J. Jaffe]], had published classified materials verbatim from the United States wartime intelligence service, the [[Office of Strategic Services]] (OSS). ''Amerasia's'' chief financial benefactor was [[Frederick V. Field]]. [[Joseph Milton Bernstein]], a [[GRU]] contact between Soviet agents in the OSS and the [[Board of Economic Warfare]], was also an employee. Others connected with the ''Amerasia'' scandal were [[T.A. Bisson]] and [[Owen Lattimore]]. Corcoran worked with the [[Truman administration]] to cover up the scandal.</ref> was given the task by Roosevelt to persuade Congress to pass the proposed legislation. [[I. F. Stone]] of the ''New York Post'', who was later to work for the Soviet [[KGB]], wrote speeches for Corcoran to promote this issue. A firestorm of opposition erupted, led by his own vice president [[John Nance Garner]]. Roosevelt was defeated by an alliance of Republicans and conservative Democrats, who formed a [[Conservative Coalition]] that managed to block nearly all liberal legislation. (Only a minimum wage law got through.) Angry with the conservative wing of his own party, Roosevelt tried to destroy it. In 1938, he actively campaigned against five incumbent conservative Democratic senators; all five senators won re-election.

Under FDR, the Democratic Party became identified closely with modern liberalism, which included the promotion of social welfare, unions and regulation of the economy. Civil rights were not on the party agenda at this time.

===Double dip recession===

When FDR was inaugurated for his second term [[national income]], [[payroll]]s, and industrial production<ref>League of Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics, June, 1936. Percentage change 1929 to March 1936, United States -21.8%, rank number 13.</ref> were still 20 per cent below the 1929 figure and construction was still only about one third what it had been in 1929 when the nation had a booming economy due to massive speculation that would ultimately lead to the stock market crash. By June, 1937 the Treasury boasted relief payments were less than in the same period the preceding year. But this was not so. The Treasury made a practice of cooking the books and producing phony numbers. It merely shifted relief payments to other accounts. They were, in fact, larger than the year before. Stock prices declined and by September the reality could be no longer hidden. By the end of October the market crashed. The budget was running a [[deficit]] at the time $300,000,000 a month.

FDR told [[DNC]] Chairman James Farley he would have "to go in for pump priming or relief," but as Farley explained FDR complained he could not spend on local projects because the states and cities did not want any more buildings and institutions which they would have to support in perpetuity. They were having trouble enough paying the bills of those already built. Roosevelt revealed to Farley that many [[WPA]] projects approved by the government were abandoned because the states and cities could not raise the money to support them. In the 1938 Congressional elections Harry Hopkins was spending as fast as he could without any regard to utility to meet the immediate political necessities of an election but couldn't go on indefinitely. And the whole problem was complicated by pressure from within his own party to balance the budget.
[[Image:Flatgrowth.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Real Output and Growth remained stagnant throughout the New Deal largely due to government involvement. The Depression came back with a vengeance in 1937-1938.<ref>''New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium Analysis, ''Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, Journal of Political Economy, volume 112 (2004), pages 779–816.</ref>]]
New capital made available for investment amounted to $348,000,000 in 1935. This was less than 1/10th of the amount available in 1929. By contrast, the British economy had nearly recovered to its 1929 levels by 1935, and the amount available for investment was almost twice as much as the United States.

{| style="background:white; color:blue" border="1" class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! United States <ref>Standard Statistics Co., ''New Honey for Operating and Producing.''</ref>
! Great Britain <ref>Midland Bank, London, ''New Issues for British Companies,'' converted from £ to $ at $4.8665.</ref>
|-
| 1927
| $3,201,000,000
| $710,509,000
|-
| 1928
| 3,062,000,000
| 983,033,000
|-
| 1929
| 3,668,000,000
| 759,174,000
|-
| 1930
| 3,039,000,000
| 394,186,500
|-
| 1931
| 1,006,000,000
| 155,728,000
|-
| 1932
| 321,000,000
| 248,191,500
|-
| 1933
| 177,000,000
| 296,856,500
|-
| 1934
| 356,000,000
| 350,388,000
|-
| 1935
| 348,000,000
| 666,710,500
|-

|}

The country now reached a greater crisis than in 1933. The [[National debt]], which was $22 billion when Roosevelt took office and largely a heritage of [[World War I]], now was $37 billion. Taxes had been more than doubled by Roosevelt.

By April 1938 [[unemployment]] reached several thousand more than when Roosevelt was elected in 1932. This was now Roosevelt’s Double Dip Depression. Voices began to speak up suggesting after all Hoover may have known what he was doing, but here, nine years after the Depression began the fundamental condition of the country was no further advanced than it was at the end of Hoover's three year struggle with it.

The Second Term was a failure, for FDR had overreached and his efforts to fight the conservatives in the business community, the GOP and his own party (in the South) produced a backlash against excessive presidential control. With war braking out in Europe in 1939, FDR turned to foreign affairs.

== Third Term ==
Early in 1939 FDR made up his mind to seek a third election in the [[United States presidential election, 1940|presidential election of 1940]]. FDR realized the political difficulties involved in a third nomination so he concocted a "draft Roosevelt" movement. He kept other candidates dangling in hope, including Democratic National Committee Chairman [[James Farley]], whom FDR rejected because he was [[Roman Catholic]], and Secretary of State Cordell Hull.

Administrative Assistants to Roosevelt included [[James Forrestal]], [[Lauchlin Currie]] and [[David K. Niles]]. Their function was to get information and to condense and summarize it for Roosevelt's use. FDR soon moved Forrestal to the Navy department, where he took over the responsibilities of the incompetent secretary.

Public opinion on entering the war became polarized in very complicated ways. Conservatives divided into pro-war ("interventionist") and anti-war ("isolationist") blocs, as did liberals. Republicans split and Democrats split. FDR was the leader of the interventionist liberal Democrats, but he was opposed by old allies like [[John L. Lewis]] and [[Joe Kennedy]], and supported by old foes like [[Henry Stimson]].

In general the dispute was entirely focused on Europe. Virtually every group was hostile to Japan and supported a strong pro-[[Nationalist China]] policy, which FDR pushed vigorously. Tokyo was threatened: end its invasion of China or FDR would--and did at the urging of [[KGB]] agent [[Harry Dexter White]] working as an Undersecretary of the Treasury--cut off Japan's oil supplies. Japan responded to an ultimatum--written by Harry White--with a decision for war. Once Pearl Harbor was attacked (Dec. 7, 1941), all the prior divisions vanished overnight, and all groups supported the war effort. Later stories to the effect that FDR knew about the Pearl Harbor attack in advance were all false fabrications.

see [[American Homefront, World War II]]

===Relationship with Stalin===
[[Image:Josephstalin.jpg‎|thumb|325px|right|Roosevelt in 1941 formed an alliance of convenience with Stalin to defeat Hitler.]]

In August 1939 [[Molotov-Ribbentrop pact|Stalin made an alliance with Hitler]] under which both jointly waged aggressive war against Poland; the two divided Poland between them, as Germany turned toward France and Britain and the Soviet Union invaded Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland. With Roosevelt strongly supporting France and Britain, the Communist Party USA at Moscow's direction began attacking Roosevelt in the wildest terms and did so for the next twenty-two months. In the 1940 election, pro-Moscow elements in the CIO forced [[John L. Lewis]] to turn against Roosevelt and support the liberal Republican [[Wendell Willkie]]. Roosevelt meanwhile moved right, and brought into top jobs the GOP vice presidential nominee from 1936, Frank Knox (a conservative who became Secretary of the Navy) and conservative Republican lawyer [[Henry Stimson]], who took over the War Department. Rejecting advice from its communist organizers, 90% of CIO members voted for Roosevelt, who was easily elected to a third term.

Roosevelt was determined to help Britain and at one point after Pearl Harbor [[Winston Churchill]] even moved into the White House to coordinate war strategy. Isolationists, led by the [[America First]] Committee and Senator [[Burton K. Wheeler]] tried to block the moves toward war.

Roosevelt in February 1940 sharply attacked the Soviet Union:
{{Cquote|In the early days of Communism, I recognized that many leaders in Russia were bringing education and better health and, above all, better opportunity to millions ... I disliked the regimentation ...I abhorred the indiscriminate killings of thousands of innocent victims ....
I heartily deprecated the banishment of religion - though I knew that some day Russia would return to religion for the simple reason that four or five thousand years of recorded history have proven that mankind has always believed in God in spite of many abortive attempts to exile God.

The Soviet Union, as everybody who has the courage to face the fact knows, is run by a dictatorship as absolute as any other dictatorship in the world. It has allied itself with another dictatorship [Germany], and it has invaded a neighbor [Finland] so infinitesimally small that it could do no conceivable possible harm to the Soviet Union, a neighbor which seeks only to live at peace as a democracy, and a liberal, forward-looking democracy at that.<ref>Quoted in Robert E. Sherwood, ''Roosevelt and Hopkins: An Intimate History'', (1948), [http://americandeception.com/index.php?action=downloadpdf&photo=/PDFsml_AD/Roosevelt_and_Hopkins-An_Intimate_History-Robert_E_Sherwood-1948-1034pgs-GOV-POL.sml.pdf&id=252&PHPSESSID=03d3557b41f249f71349e6d730cc8498 p. 138] pdf.</ref>}}
===World War II===
In June 1941 Germany invaded Russia, and Communists on Moscow's instructions immediately switched from anti-FDR isolationism to support for FDR and demands the US enter the war. The conservative isolationists were convinced that FDR was conniving to somehow trick the American people and enter the war. Public opinion steadily moved to support FDR's aggressive policies against Japan and Germany.
[[File:Warplan.jpg|thumb|400px|Wheeler leaks top secret US war plan three days before Pearl Harbor]]

In early December 1941 a military officer gave Senator Burton Wheeler, an isolationist liberal Democrat, a copy of the top secret American war plan for fighting Germany. Wheeler gave it to the ''Chicago Tribune'', which published the secrets in a desperate effort to weaken the American military so much that Roosevelt would avoid war. Pearl Harbor came a few days later and Wheeler and the isolationists went quiet.

The policy makers in Washington--including those at the newly constructed Pentagon--wanted to focus on defeating Germany. Public opinion (and the Navy) insisted on defeating Japan first. Given the military situation, there was little in 1942-43 the U.S. could do to open a ground front in Europe except send military supplies to Britain and Russia, which was done. The war in 1942-43 of necessity focused on Japan, and it was a very hard-fought war primarily with naval aviation. The great American victory at the [[Battle of Midway]] ended the Japanese blitzkrieg and evened out the forces. Japan was unprepared for a long war, and already by early 1942 the U.S. had far more warships and warplanes under construction than Japan did. Before the material edge became decisive, American forces defeated the Japanese at the [[Battle of Guadalcanal]]. By 1943 the "island hopping" campaign under Admiral [[Chester Nimitz]] in the central Pacific, and under General [[Douglas MacArthur]] in the Southwest Pacific was inexorably pushing American forces toward the Japanese home islands, with the goal of invading them and capturing Tokyo.

American and British troops invaded North Africa in 1942, and Sicily and Italy in 1943. In retrospect these were not major strategic goals, but they did provide the Army with the combat experience needed to prepare for the real invasion of France in June 1944. By then the German Luftwaffe had been destroyed by the U.S. Air Force, and the vast advantage in war material made the German military position hopeless. With the huge Russian armies pressing in from the east, and the smaller but more powerful Allied armies coming in from the west, the Nazi war machine was crushed in 1944-45.

FDR worked very closely with his military advisors, and followed their strategic advice. His stated policy was fostering diplomatic relations with Britain, the Soviet Union, and the Chinese Nationalists. Stalin publicly disbanded the [[Comintern]] in 1943 in return for [[lend-lease]] aid of food and munitions.<ref>
[http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/newspape/fi/vol08/no08/stalin.htm ''Has Stalin Revived the Comintern?,''] from ''Fourth International'', September-October 1947, Vol.8 No.8, pp.231-233. Transcribed, edited & formatted by Ted Crawford & David Walters in 2008 for Encyclopedia of Trotskyism Online. Retrieved from marxist.org April 3 2010.</ref> A message from Moscow to all [[KGB]] stations relating to this event is one of the most important messages<ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/venona/venon00008.cfm Venona 142(a) Moscow to Canberra 12 September 1943]. Text reads: "change in circumstances - and in particular the dissolution of the [[Comintern]] - necessitates a change in the method used by the workers of our residencies to keep in touch with the leaders of the local [[Communist_Party_of_the_United_States_of_America#Secret_apparatus|Communist]] organizations on intelligence matters. 
2. Our workers, by continuing to meet the leader of the Communists, are exposing themselves to danger and are giving cause [''orgs of''] local authorities to suspect that the Comintern is still in existence. 
3. We propose: 
a. That personal contact with leaders of the local Communist organizations should cease and that Communist material should not be accepted for forwarding to the Comintern. 
b. That meetings of our workers may take place only with special reliable undercover [ZAKONSPIRIROVANNYJ] contacts of the Communist [D% organizations], who are not suspected by the [''orgs of''] local authorities, exclusively about specific aspects of our intelligence work (acquiring [1 group unidentified] contacts, leads [NAVODKI], rechecking of those who are being cultivated, etc.). For each meeting it is necessary to obtain our consent. 

Representative of the Soviet Union. 

No. 4084 
Lt. Gen. [[P.M. Fitin]]. 

Notes: [a] This message is known to have been sent also to NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, and OTTAWA.</ref> in the entire corpus of [[VENONA]] translations. This message clearly discloses the KGB's connection to the Comintern and to the national Communist parties. <ref>''Counterintelligence Reader'', National Counterintelligence Center, United States, [http://www.fas.org/irp/ops/ci/docs/ci2/2ch4_a.htm Vol. 2, Ch. 4], n.d.</ref>

===China===
[[John P. Davies]] was assigned to Gen. [[Joseph Stilwell]] as Stilwell's adviser in China. Hopkins made a note at the time: "The President indicated his strong dissatisfaction with the way the whole show was running in China. He stated that Stillwell obviously hated the Chinese and that his cablegrams are sarcastic about the Chinese and this feeling is undoubtedly known to the Generalissimo."<ref>Roosevelt and Hopkin, Sherwood, pg. 739.</ref>Roosevelt and Hopkins biographer Robert Sherwood wrote that Gen. [[George C. Marshall]] told Hopkins his only serious disagreement with
Hopkins was on the issue of Stilwell. Sherwood adds that "he was unquestionably a serious nuisance to Roosevelt and there were many times when he was on the verge of recalling him."<ref> Roosevelt and Hopkin, Sherwood, pg. 740.</ref>

===Tax revolt in the Democratic party===

In February 1944 Congress rejected Roosevelt's demand for a $10,500,000,000 tax increase and cut it to $2,300,000,000. Roosevelt vetoed it saying this was a "bill not for relief of the needy but of the greedy." Senator [[Alben Barkley]], Democratic leader, rose on the floor of the Senate to say the veto was "a calculated and deliberate assault upon the legislative integrity of every member of Congress." The entire Senate united in a roar of applause. Barkley declared that after seven years of carrying the [[New Deal]] banner for Roosevelt, he would resign his post as Democratic majority leader and he called on the Congress to preserve its self respect and override the veto. The Senate overrode it 72 to 14 and the House 299 to 95.
[[Image:Fbisilvermasterfilevol15p4.JPG|right|250px|thumb|[[CPUSA]] defector [[Louis Budenz]] testified he could name 400 individuals involved in the [[CPUSA#Secret_apparatus|Communist conspiracy]]; <ref>[http://content.cdlib.org/xtf/view?docId=ft296nb15t&chunk.id=d0e6193&toc.depth=1&toc.id=d0e4718&brand=eschol FBI Headquarters File 100-63, Louis Francis Budenz, Internal Security—C, Serial 122.]</ref> others testified there may have been over 1000.<ref>Executive Sessions of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Government Operations ([http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/McCarthy_Transcripts.htm McCarthy Hearings 1953-54]).</ref> The [[Silvermaster group]] infiltrated 27 high level KGB operatives into government jobs in the Roosevelt administration<ref>So thorough was [[KGB]] penetration of the Roosevelt Administration, that when [[Army Signals Intelligence]] cryptographer [[Meredith Gardner]] extracted the names of [[Hans Bethe]], [[Niels Bohr]], [[Enrico Fermi]], [[Harold Urey]], [[Edward Teller]] and 11 other scientists working on the [[Manhattan Project]] from a December 2, 1944 KGB encypherment, [http://www.nsa.gov/venona/venon00014.cfm Venona 1699 New York to Moscow, December 2, 1944]. KGB agent [[William Weisband]] watched him do it. ''VENONA: Soviet Espionage and the American Response, 1939-1957'', Robert Louis Benson and Michael Warner, eds., (Washington, D.C.: [[National Security Agency]], Central Intelligence Agency, 1996) [https://www.cia.gov/library/center-for-the-study-of-intelligence/csi-publications/books-and-monographs/venona-soviet-espionage-and-the-american-response-1939-1957/preface.htm]; The ''Baltimore Sun'' (Laura Sullivan, "SPY'S ROLE LINKED TO US FAILURE ON KOREA," 6/29/00) reported that a report newly declassified by the US National Security Agency (NSA) shows that William Weisband alerted the Soviets to extensive US eavesdropping in 1948, resulting in a complete blackout of information from the communist bloc for more than two years. This crippled the NSA's intelligence gathering efforts in the late 1940s and begins to explain why the US was caught unprepared for the [[DPRK]]'s 1950 invasion of the [[ROK]]. NSA historian David A. Hatch, who authored the report, said, "This report answers several significant questions. Up until now, there has been a great lack of knowledge surrounding some of these events ... and this should help sharpen [the public's] understanding." [Ed. note: This article was included in the US Department of Defense's Early Bird news service for June 29, 2000.] [http://www.nautilus.org/archives/napsnet/dr/0006/JUN29.html#item8] </ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20060820054409/http://www.nwc.navy.mil/press/review/2000/summer/re2-su0.htm ''The Venona Progeny''], Hayen B. Peake, Naval War College Review, Summer 2000, Vol. LIII, No. 3. "[[Venona]] makes absolutely clear that they had active agents in the U.S. State Department, Treasury Department, Justice Department, Senate committee staffs, the military services, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), the [[Manhattan Project]], and the [[White House]], as well as wartime agencies. No modern government was more thoroughly penetrated." [[Hayden B. Peake]] is the curator of [[Central Intelligence Agency]]’s (CIA) Historical Intelligence Collection. [http://intellit.muskingum.edu/alpha_folder/P_folder/peake.html]</ref> that were still employed in the US government well after World War II ended.<ref>[http://education-research.org/PDFs/Silvermaster015.pdf FBI Silvermaster file Vol. 15, pg. 4 pdf.]</ref>
]]

== Fourth Term ==

Roosevelt had his closest election in 1944, with a subdued contest that was decided by turnout of FDR allies in the cities and labor unions, and increasingly among soldiers. [[Strom Thurmond]] also supported FDR's decision to seek a fourth term, and referred to Roosevelt as having been the world’s greatest leader. <ref>[http://www.kevinbaker.info/c_wtm.html What Trent Meant], Kevin Baker.</ref>

===Yalta conference===

At the [[Yalta conference]] in February 1945, victory was in sight in Europe. A [[reparations]] commission was set up to help repay Russia from German assets. Everyone realized that the conquest of eastern Europe by the Red Army guaranteed Soviet dominance, but efforts were made to get promises of fair elections; the promises were made, but the elections were never held. Roosevelt, despite his failing health, seemed to think that he and Stalin would personally iron out any difficulties after the war ended. FDR persuaded Stalin to promise to enter the war against Japan 90 days after Germany surrendered; Stalin did so.

==Failure of "competitive administration" ==
Roosevelt used a "competitive administration" strategy to maximize presidential power at the cost of confusion, delay and inefficiency. He made sure in each policy area that several top officials had overlapping jurisdictions. They would feud and have to bring the problem to FDR, who wanted to make every final decision. For example, in the case of the [[PWA]] relief program, the competition over the size of expenditure, the selection of the administrator, and the appointment of staff at the state level, led to delays and to the ultimate weakness of PWA as a recovery instrument. [[Harold L. Ickes]] headed the PWA (as well as the Interior Department), and FDR set it up so that Ickes had to continuously fight other top administrators like [[Lewis Douglas]] (the budget director), [[Henry A. Wallace]] (Secretary of Agriculture) and [[Harry Hopkins]] (head of rival relief efforts). The rivalries were just as fierce for other top administrators, many of whom resigned in frustration and (like [[Hugh Johnson]] and [[Raymond Moley]]) even became enemies of Roosevelt.<ref> [[Dean Acheson]] and [[Lewis Douglas]] also resigned in anger but kept quiet, allowing FDR to bring them back during the war. The vocal ones were entered on an enemy's list and permanently barred from serving the nation.</ref>

Roosevelt kept up his divisive strategy during the war, causing enormous confusion and contradictions in economic mobilization. It got so bad that FDR had to publicly humiliate Vice President Wallace and relieve him of all responsibilities. The Navy found a solution, as Admiral [[Ernest King]] deliberately kept FDR in the dark. Even when his fleet was threatened by the Japanese at Midway in May 1942, and King urgently needed the help of the British Navy, he decided not to ask because the request for help would have to go through Roosevelt and King refused to allow the White House to learn what dire peril the nation faced. Lucky for King--very lucky--he won a terrific victory at Midway.

== Reflections on Christianity ==

FDR said this about the Bible in an address on October 6, 1935:

:"We cannot read the history of our rise and development as a nation, without reckoning with the place the [[Bible]] has occupied in shaping the advances of the Republic."

:"Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity."<ref>Quoted in DeMar, ''The Untold Story'', p. 60 and Gabrial Sivan, ''The Bible and Civilization'' (New York: Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Co., 1973), p. 178.</ref>

FDR became famous for delivering "fireside chats" over the new medium of [[radio]], and on March 9, 1937 he declared:

:"I hope that you have re-read the [[United States Constitution| Constitution]] of the United States in these past few weeks. Like the Bible, it ought to be read again and again."

While running for his third time in a Brooklyn speech, Roosevelt said,

:"I am certain that the rank and file of patriotic Republicans do not realize the nature of this threat. They should remember, and we must remember, what the collaborative understanding between Communism and Nazism has done to the processes of democracy abroad...

:"Those forces hate democracy and Christianity as two phases of the same civilization. They oppose democracy because it is Christian. They oppose Christianity because it preaches democracy. Their objective is to prevent democracy from becoming strong. <ref>''Roosevelt and Hopkins'', Sherwood, 1948, pgs. 193-194 (pgs. 211 - 212 pdf).</ref>

As [[World War II]] broke out in Europe, FDR warned:

:"Those forces hate Democracy and Christianity as two phases of the same civilization."

The following year, on May 27, 1941, FDR stated in one of his radio addresses:

:The Nazis are as ruthless as the Communists in the denial of God.

"In his second inaugural address, FDR pledged to do his utmost by 'seeking Divine guidance.' He took that mission further on January 25, 1941, when he wrote a personal prologue to a special edition of the [[New Testament]], which was distributed to millions of U.S. soldiers. 'As Commander-in-Chief,' Roosevelt wrote, 'I take pleasure in commending the reading of the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States.' He believed that all American soldiers should have the opportunity to read the words of [[Christ]] in preparing for battle. Once, when joining those soldiers aboard a warship with Winston Churchill, FDR asked the crew and prime minister to join him in singing the hymn 'Onward Christian Soldiers.' In his final inaugural address, FDR affirmed, "So we pray to Him for the vision to see our way clearly ... to achievement of His will.' "<ref>God and George W. Bush (New York: Regan Books, 2004), p. 176</ref>

When American soldiers were landing on the beaches of Normandy, Roosevelt led the nation in prayer during a radio broadcast. <ref>Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, [http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/odddayp.html Franklin Roosevelt's D-Day Prayer], June 6, 1944.</ref>

==Legacy==
[[Image:Dcrosmor.jpg|right|thumb|330px|Statue of the president at [[The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial]] in Washington D.C.]]

Roosevelt is an admired but still hotly debated president. Many credit Roosevelt with helping the United States survive the Great Depression and with providing solid leadership during World War II. Others, especially conservatives, assert that he uselessly expanded the welfare state, abused executive powers, and badly botched diplomacy before and during World War II.

Roosevelt's image appears on the dime.

===Criticism===
It was essential that he do everything in his power to reestablish confidence in the economic system. What the nation needed was more jobs at machines, in ships, in mines and stores creating and distributing goods that were needed and providing wages and profits with which these goods could be purchased. If there are to be jobs for all they must be jobs producing something - goods and services. He began with a sweeping attack upon business and kept it up until the end of [[World War II]]. When Roosevelt came into power business was regarded as some gigantic criminal conspiracy against the welfare of the nation.

Business cannot function at full measure unless consumption is held within total output, and savings are produced. Those savings then must regularly flow into new investment. New investment means the flow of economic resources into establishing new industries and the expansion of old ones. It means encouraging construction trades, manufacturing, producing and installing new equipment and tools. It means allowing the creation of new private businesses. Instead FDR carried on ceaseless attacks and denouncements of business, warned people against it, subjected businesses to dozens of absurd, semi revolutionary schemes, coupled with deficit financing which ate up all the savings, inflation, utopian panaceas, constant preaching that profit was evil, investors parasites, and businessmen scoundrels and enemies of the people. <ref>''Roosevelt Myth'', Book 3, Ch. 4, [http://www.rooseveltmyth.com/cgi-bin/framed/2767/book/fdrmyth_Chapter_Four___Toward_the_Precip.htm ''Toward the Precipice''], Flynn, 1948.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Eleanor Roosevelt]]
*[[Michael Whitney Straight]]
*[[Gertrude Pratt]]
*[[Joseph Lash]]
*[[New Ordeal]]

==Further reading==
see also [[New Deal Bibliography]] for a much more detailed guide

*Alter, Jonathan. ''The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope'' (2006), popular [http://www.amazon.com/Defining-Moment-FDRs-Hundred-Triumph/dp/B000Q6GY1W/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881373&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Beschloss, Michael R. ''The Conquerors: Roosevelt, Truman and the Destruction of Hitler's Germany, 1941-1945'' (2002). [http://www.amazon.com/Conquerors-Roosevelt-Destruction-Hitlers-1941-1945/dp/0743244540/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881516&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Black, Conrad. ''Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom'' (2003). [http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Delano-Roosevelt-Champion-Freedom/dp/1586482823/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881865&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search], excellent detailed biography by a conservative writer
*Brands, H.W. ''Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt'' (2008)
* Brinkley, Alan. ''Franklin Delano Roosevelt'' (2009) 128pp
* Burns, James MacGregor. vol 1: ''Roosevelt" The Lion and the Fox'' (1956); [http://www.amazon.com/Roosevelt-1882-1940-James-MacGregor-Burns/dp/0156027623/ref=sr_1_2/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881949&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search vol 1]; vol. 2: ''Roosevelt: Soldier of Freedom 1940-1945'' (1970), [http://www.amazon.com/Roosevelt-1940-1945-James-MacGregor-Burns/dp/0156027577/ref=sr_1_3/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881949&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search vol 2]; major interpretive scholarly biography, emphasis on politics; vol 2 is on war years and is [http://www.historyebook.org/ online at ACLS e-books]
* Dallek, Robert. ''Franklin D. Roosevelt and American Foreign Policy, 1932-1945'' (2nd ed. 1995) scholarly survey of foreign policy [http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Roosevelt-American-Foreign-1932-1945/dp/0195097327/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881549&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Freidel, Frank. ''Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous with Destiny'' (1990), One-volume scholarly biography; covers entire life [http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-D-Roosevelt-Rendezvous-Destiny/dp/094570738X/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193881894&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search 2006 reprint edition]
* Goodwin, Doris Kearns. ''No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II'' (1995), joint biography by scholar [http://www.amazon.com/No-Ordinary-Time-Franklin-Roosevelt/dp/B000B86FI2/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193883493&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Graham, Otis L. and Meghan Robinson Wander, eds. ''Franklin D. Roosevelt: His Life and Times.'' (1985). encyclopedia by scholars
* Hamby, Alonzo L. ''For the Survival of Democracy: Franklin Roosevelt and the World Crisis of the 1930s'' (2004) major interpretation by leading conservative historian [http://www.amazon.com/Survival-Democracy-Franklin-Roosevelt-Crisis/dp/0684843404/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1240397848&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Jenkins, Roy. ''Franklin Delano Roosevelt'' (2003) short popular bio from British perspective
* Kennedy, David M. ''Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929-1945.'' (1999), wide-ranging survey of national affairs by scholar [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=52284041 online edition]
* Larrabee, Eric. '' Commander in Chief: Franklin Delano Roosevelt, His Lieutenants, and Their War''. History of how FDR handled the war [http://www.amazon.com/Commander-Chief-Roosevelt-Lieutenants-Bluejacket/dp/1591144558/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193883793&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Leuchtenberg, William E. Franklin D. ''Roosevelt and the New Deal, 1932-1940.'' (1963). Remains the standard scholarly interpretive history of era. [http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-D-Roosevelt-New-Deal/dp/0061330256/ref=sr_1_2/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1193883672&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Moley, Raymond. ''After Seven Years'' (1939), very important conservative memoir by ex-Brain Truster [http://www.questia.com/library/book/after-seven-years-by-raymond-moley.jsp online edition]
* Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr., ''The Age of Roosevelt'', 3 vols, (1957-1960), the classic narrative history. Strongly supports FDR.
*Smith, Jean Edward. ''FDR'' (2007) 885pp; good recent biography[http://www.amazon.com/FDR-Jean-Edward-Smith/dp/1400061210/ref=pd_ts_b_3?ie=UTF8&s=books excerpt and text search]

====Footnotes====
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT: Roosevelt, Franklin D.}}

==External links==
*[http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/ FDR cartoon archive], an especially useful source for understanding public opinion
*[http://www.nps.gov/hofr/ Hyde Park NY Home of FDR]
*[http://www.nps.gov/roca/ Campobello Island Summer Home of FDR]
*[http://www.fdr-littlewhitehouse.org/ Warm Springs GA FDR Retreat]
*[http://www.nps.gov/frde/ FDR Memorial Washington DC]
* [http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/ The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum]
** [http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/audio.html Audio Archive]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/data.php Academic Data Related to the Roosevelt Administration]

===Speeches and quotations: audio and transcripts===
* [http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Franklin_D._Roosevelt famous quotes]
* [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu The American Presidency Project] at [[University of California at Santa Barbara]]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php Public Papers of the Presidents: Franklin D. Roosevelt]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/sou.php State of the Union Addresses]
*** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=14683 1934], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=14890 1935], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15095 1936], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15336 1937], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15517 1938], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15684 1939], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15856 1940], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16092 1941], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16253 1942], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16386 1943], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16518 1944]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/sou.php State of the Union Written Messages]
*** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16595 1945]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/inaugurals.php Inaugural Addresses]
*** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=14473 1933], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=15349 1937], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16022 1941], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16607 1945]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/fireside.php Fireside Chats]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/elections.php Presidential Elections]
*** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showelection.php?year=1932 1932], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showelection.php?year=1936 1936], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showelection.php?year=1940 1940], [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/showelection.php?year=1944 1944]
** [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/medialist.php?presid=32 32 Audio/Video Clips of FDR]
* [http://www.whitehousetapes.org/pages/tapes_fdr.htm Roosevelt's Secret White House Recordings] via [[University of Virginia]]
* [http://www.evtv1.com/index.asp-itemnum-220 FDR - Day of Infamy video clip] (2 min.)
* [http://vvl.lib.msu.edu/showfindingaid.cfm?findaidid=RooseveltFD Audio clips of speeches]
* [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/froos1.htm First Inaugural Address], via [[Yale University]]
* [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/froos2.htm Second Inaugural Address], via [[Yale University]]
* [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/froos3.htm Third Inaugural Address], via [[Yale University]]
* [http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/inaug/froos4.htm Fourth Inaugural Address], via [[Yale University]]
* [http://www.hpol.org/fdr/chat/ Court "Packing" Speech March 9, 1937]
* [http://history.acusd.edu/gen/text/us/fdr1940.html University of Virginia graduating class speech ("Stab in the Back" speech) June 10, 1940]

===Other===
* [http://millercenter.org/academic/americanpresident/fdroosevelt Short essays by scholars]
* [http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/fdr/index.html An archive of political cartoons from the FDR years; highly revealing and out of copyright]
* [http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-767&pid=s-53 Warm Springs and FDR's Polio Treatment]
* [http://www.davidpietrusza.com/FDR-links.html Franklin D. Roosevelt Links]

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:World War II]]
[[Category:Great Depression]]
[[Category:Progressive Era]]
[[Category:World War I]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:People who were Educated at Home]]

Agricultural Adjustment Administration

2012-11-01T00:31:27Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* References */ one column is *way* too long

The '''Agricultural Adjustment Administration''' (AAA) was the largest of many farm programs under the [[New Deal]]. The goal was to increase the flow of income to farmers so they could reach "[[Parity]]" with urban America. The first AAA lasted 1933-35; the second one 1938-41.

[[File:Farm-bill.jpg|thumb|350px|Would FDR steamroller over traditional American values? ]]The AAA was the brainchild of FDR's [[Secretary of Agriculture]] (and future [[Vice president|Vice President]]),<ref>[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000077 WALLACE, Henry Agard, (1888 - 1965)], Biographical Directory of the United States Congress</ref> so-called "farm dictator"<ref>"[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F4061FF83C5C16738DDDAB0994DB405B838FF1D3 ROOSEVELT IS URGED TO ASK WIDE POWER AS 'FARM DICTATOR'; Leaders Visit the White House to Propose He Act as He Did in Bank Case. PRICE FIXING IS INCLUDED Wallace Conference Agrees on Plan for Land Leasing and Market Supervision. FARM DICTATOR' IS NOW PROPOSED]," ''The New York Times'', March 12, 1933, p. 1. Roosevelt and his supporters saw the New Deal in revolutionary and dictatorial terms: [[First Lady]] [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] “lamented that the nation lacked a [http://www.slate.com/id/2000099/entry/1003296/ benevolent dictator] to force through reforms." Soviet intelligence source ([http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/9sep_lippman_views_churchill_roosevelt.pdf 1289 KGB New York to Moscow], 9 September 1944, Venona, Central Security Service [National Security Agency/Central Intelligence Agency/Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive]) Walter Lippmann told Roosevelt, "The situation is critical, Franklin. You may have no alternative but to assume [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924464,00.html dictatorial powers]"; in his influential column, Lippmann added that the use of "'dictatorial powers,' if that is the name for it—[http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22273 is essential].'" The ''New York Herald Tribune'' approved FDR's inauguration with the headline "[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5525748 FOR DICTATORSHIP IF NECESSARY]." In response to a hit [[Hollywood]] [http://allmovie.com/work/gabriel-over-the-white-house-19092 movie] featuring as hero a President who “dissolves Congress, creates an army of the unemployed, and lines up his enemies before a [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/books/chapters/0507-1st-alter.html?pagewanted=all firing squad],” FDR wrote "I think it is an intensely interesting picture and should do much to help." (Jonathan Alter, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ASmlaOHQNawC The Defining Moment: FDR's Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope]'' [New York: Simon and Schuster, 2007] ISBN 0743246012, p. 185)</ref> [[Henry Wallace]], who was reportedly "most impressed" with [[USSR|Soviet]] collective farming.<ref>[http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Henry_Wallace.htm Henry Agard Wallace, 33rd Vice President (1941-1945)], Art & History, United States Senate</ref> Wallace would run for [[President]] in 1948, as the candidate of the Progressive Party—a creation of the [[CPUSA|Communist Party]],<ref>Barry Loberfeld, "[http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=11398 The Real Meaning of 'Progressive' Politics]," FrontPageMagazine.com, September 28, 2004</ref> originating in [[CPUSA]] General Secretary Eugene Dennis' February 12, 1946 order "to establish in time for the 1948 elections a national third party."<ref>Eugene Dennis, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=TafcYQEACAAJ What America Faces]'' (New York: New Century Publishers, 1946), pp. 37-38. Cf. Arthur Meier Schlesinger, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=yeoSSLzr-jAC The vital center: the politics of freedom]'' (Transaction Publishers, 1997) ISBN 1560009896, p. 115; Arthur Meier Schlesinger, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=LLyNX6hMDCIC A Life in the Twentieth Century: Innocent Beginnings, 1917-1950]'' (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000) ISBN 0618219250, pp. 455-456; Karl M. Schmidt, ''[http://ia700307.us.archive.org/34/items/henryawallace006268mbp/henryawallace006268mbp.pdf Henry A. Wallace: Quixotic Crusade 1948]'' (Syracuse University Press, 1960), p. 265 (PDF p. 291)</ref> The Progressive Party would dissolve in 1955, after the [[SISS|Jenner subcommittee]] cited it on its list of subversive organizations, identified as a Communist front.<ref>[http://www.joincalifornia.com/party/Independent%20Progressive Independent Progressive], joincalifornia.com</ref> Wallace said if he were to become President, he would appoint Soviet agent<ref>[http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/18nov_lawrence_duggan.pdf 1613 KGB New York to Moscow], 19 November 1944, Venona, Central Security Service (National Security Agency/Central Intelligence Agency/Office of the National Counterintelligence Executive)</ref> Laurence Duggan as Secretary of State<ref>Ethan Bronner, "[http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/18/weekinreview/witching-hour-rethinking-mccarthyism-if-not-mccarthy.html?pagewanted=all Witching Hour; Rethinking McCarthyism, if Not McCarthy]," ''New York Times'', October 18, 1998</ref>; had [[FDR]] died [http://www.trumanlibrary.org/lifetimes/whouse.htm 82 days] earlier, Wallace would indeed have become President. Wallace would finally recant his support for the [[Soviet Union]]<ref>Linda Rodriguez, "[http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/09/almost.great.men/index.html A celebration of almost-great men]," CNN, May 9, 2008</ref> in 1952.<ref>Henry Agard Wallace, “Where I Was Wrong.” ''This Week'', September 2, 1952</ref>

At the peak of [[Stalin]]'s [[Holodomor|Terror Famine]] (during which the [[USSR|Soviets]] killed some 14 million<ref>Robert Conquest, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=Bp31GmfH-6YC The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine]'' (Oxford University Press, 1987) ISBN 0195051807, p. 306</ref> people through collectivization of agriculture),<ref>Peter Finn, "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/26/AR2008042602039_pf.html Aftermath of a Soviet Famine]," ''Washington Post'', April 27, 2008</ref> the AAA curtailed U.S. farm production<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/9551/Agricultural-Adjustment-Administration Agricultural Adjustment Administration], ''Encyclopedia Britannica''</ref> in order to drive up food prices<ref>James D. Hamilton, [http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2007/01/the_new_deal_an.html The New Deal and the Great Depression], Econbrowser.com, January 10, 2007</ref> in the depths of the [[Great Depression]]. According to ex-Marxist<ref>Ray Sawhill, "[http://www.salon.com/books/int/1999/11/10/sowell Black and right]," Salon.com, November 10, 1999</ref> economist Thomas Sowell:
{{cquote|During the Great Depression of the 1930s, agricultural price support programs led to vast amounts of food being deliberately destroyed at a time when malnutrition was a serious problem in the United States.... For example, the federal government bought 6 million hogs in 1933 alone and destroyed them. Huge amounts of farm produce were plowed under, in order to keep it off the market and maintain prices at the officially fixed level, and vast amounts of milk were poured down the sewers for the same reason. Meanwhile, many American children were suffering from diseases caused by malnutrition.<ref>Thomas Sowell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=gbfTLG_HmGEC Basic Economics]'' [New York: Basic Books, 2007] 3rd Ed., ISBN 0465002609, p. 56</ref>}}
As Gene Smiley, emeritus professor of economics at Marquette University, writes in ''The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics'': "Reduced production, of course, is what happens in depressions, and it never made sense to try to get the country out of depression by reducing production further. In its zeal, the administration apparently did not consider the elementary impossibility of raising all real wage rates and all real prices."<ref>Gene Smiley, [http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/GreatDepression.html Great Depression], The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics (econlib.org)</ref> One study found that such [[New Deal]] policies prolonged the [[Great Depression]] by about seven years.<ref>Meg Sullivan, [http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/FDR-s-Policies-Prolonged-Depression-5409.aspx FDR's policies prolonged Depression by 7 years, UCLA economists calculate], ''UCLA Newsroom'', August 10, 2004. Cf. Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, "[http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/421169 New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium Analysis]," ''The Journal of Political Economy'', Vol. 112, No. 4 (August 2004), pp. 779-816; Harold L. Cole and Lee E. Ohanian, [http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/421169 New Deal Policies and the Persistence of the Great Depression: A General Equilibrium Analysis] (Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Research Department Staﬀ Report XXX), February 2003 (Archived copy [http://web.archive.org/web/20110722041438/http://www.economics.hawaii.edu/research/seminars/02-03/02-21.pdf here])</ref>

By reducing farm production, according to Cornell University agricultural economist James E. Boyle, the AAA was responsible for throwing some two million American farm workers out of work.<ref>James E. Boyle, "The AAA: An Epitaph," ''The Atlantic Monthly'', Vol. 157, No. 2 (February 1936), pp. 217-225. In the case of cotton, "the 1933 plow-up of the crop would aid many Arkansas cotton growers but slighted and ultimately displaced large numbers of the state's tenant farmers and sharecroppers." Keith J. Volanto, "[http://www.pccua.edu/keough/aaa_cotton_plow_up.htm The AAA cotton plow-up campaign in Arkansas]," ''Arkansas Historical Quarterly'' (Fayetteville: Arkansas Historical Association, Department of History, University of Arkansas) Vol. 59, Iss. 4 (Winter 2000), pp. 388</ref> While the AAA raised the prices farmers could charge for food, the [[National Recovery Administration]] raised the price farmers had to pay for manufactured goods even more; as a result, farmers actually lost ground under these New Deal programs, becoming on net worse off.<ref>For farmers, "the net loss from the pre-recession level was greater among prices received than among prices paid." (Frederick C. Mills, ''[http://www.nber.org/books/mill36-1 Prices in Recession and Recovery: A Survey of Recent Changes]'' [National Bureau of Economic Research, 1936] ISBN 0-87014-030-2, p. 239) Cf. "Although overall farm incomes increased, farmers actually found themselves worse off because FDR’s NRA had been even more successful in forcing up the prices that consumers, including farmers, had to pay for manufactured goods." (Jim Powell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=HDLgbQ38v_wC FDR's Folly: How Roosevelt and His New Deal Prolonged the Great Depression]'' (Random House Digital, Inc., 2004) ISBN 140005477X, pp. 136-137) </ref>

==Rationale==
Both versions of AAA were designed primarily to solve the economic crisis in rural America--farmers had too little money because they produced too much and the prices they received were very low. Under President [[Herbert Hoover]], the Federal Farm Board in 1931-32 repeatedly urged farmers to cut production so that the abysmally low prices could be lifted; that was a good idea for everyone, but for each individual farmer it was better to grow as much as possible, thus resulting in more surplus and even lower prices. The farmers welcomed help from the New Deal, but instead of the crop-reduction plan those more on the left wanted a "cost of production" scheme that would have involved vast subsidies. They wanted prices set by the government (as happened in World War I), but the new Secretary of Agriculture [[Henry A. Wallace]], rejected price fixing, explaining it had worked during the war because demand was much higher than supply, but that exports had shru nk and supply was now much higher than demand.

The Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA) (P.L. 73-10 of May 12, 1933) restricted production by reducing crop acreage and animal production. The first AAA used the "domestic allotment" system to tell farmers how many acres to use. Producers of corn, cotton,<ref>In 1936 the Bureau of Agricultural Economics reported that in the case of cotton, farm income would have been at least as high, if not higher, in the absence of the AAA. (Leander D. Howell and John Sanderlain Burgess, ''Farm Prices of Cotton as related to its Grade and Staple Length in the United States, Seasons 1928-29 to 1932-33'' [U.S. Department of Agriculture Technical Bulletin no. 493, 1936]). Cf. Thomas E. Woods, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=ltSIOnW6XLsC The politically incorrect guide to American history]'' (Regnery Publishing, 2004) ISBN 0895260476, p. 147</ref> dairy products, hogs, rice, tobacco, and wheat would decide on production limits for their output. Every farmer was told how much of their land to use. Farmers rented their unused their land directly to the government and were paid for that. They were not allowed to grow crops on this rented land, and if any had started in spring 1933 they had to be plowed over. A farmer could refuse to participate, but then would have a 50% tax on his sales. They all participated. Processors had to pay a new tax to the federal government, which was used for the rental payments to farmers. The rental income was new cash into rural America. More important, the farm output was lower so the prices of crops and animals increased, thus solving the problem of very low crop prices.

The AAA was led by George Peek and Chester Davis, under the general supervision of Agriculture Secretary [[Henry A. Wallace]]. When left-wing elements in the AAA tried to slip through provisions to build a political base among sharecroppers, they were immediately fired by Davis, with the explicit approval of Wallace and President Roosevelt.

The goal was to increase farm prices up to the point of "parity". "Parity" was the relationship between urban and rural costs that prevailed in 1910-14, in the "golden age" of farming.

Farm incomes increased significantly in the first three years of the New Deal. Consumers paid higher prices than in 1932-33, but food was still 25% lower in price than in the 1920-31 period.<ref> For detailed price data see [http://www2.census.gov/prod2/statcomp/documents/1938-06.pdf ''Statistical Abstract: 1938'' (1939) ch 13 pp 306ff]; for farm income see ''ibid.'' ch 25 pp. 616ff</ref> A Gallup Poll revealed that a majority of the American public opposed the AAA, but the majorities existed in Congress to pass it. The AAA established an important and long-lasting federal role in the planning on the entire agricultural sector of the economy.
[[Image:Food$21-40.jpg|right]]

===Sharecroppers and the 1935 purge of the far left===
One criticism from the left was that in the cotton belt South the AAA favored rich landowners over the impoverished tenant farmers and sharecroppers. The allegation was false but was widely spread in history books. (The AAA required land owners to maintain the same number of tenants and croppers as before.)

In 1933-35 a group of leftist lawyers had moved into the Agriculture department, led by Jerome Frank. They were big city people who were on the far left; several were secret Communists or fellow travelers.<ref>One who later became infamous as a Soviet spy was [[Alger Hiss]]. Jess Gilbert, "Eastern Urban Liberals and Midwestern Agrarian Intellectuals: Two Group Portraits of Progressives in the New Deal Department of Agriculture," ''Agricultural History,'' Vol. 74, No. 2 (Spring, 2000), pp. 162-180 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3744845 in JSTOR]</ref> They wanted to use the New Deal farm program to redistribute income and power AMONG farmers--they favored the tenant farmers and sharecroppers as opposed to the farm owners. (The "conservatives" wanted to raise farm incomes so that farmers would regain their historic [[parity]] with urbanites.)

The AAA head was Chester Davis, an "agrarian" who belonged to the more "conservative" faction that deeply distrusted the leftists as un-American. The agrarians issued the rule that (in cotton) a landowner had to keep the ''same number'' of croppers. The red position was the landowner had to keep the same number ''and the same people'' as croppers. The radical solution would have the effect of locking the croppers to a piece of land--something like serfdom did in old regime Europe. The radicals wanted that so they could eventually build a stable base of voters among the croppers (who otherwise moved so often they seldom could be mobilized.)

One day in early 1935 Davis was on a trip and the legal office got the acting head to send out a ruling (written by Hiss) that froze tenant farmers on the land they rented. Davis was outraged as were southern farm owners, the [[Farm Bureau]] (the main national organization of farmers) and nearly all politicians. Davis got approval from Wallace and in Feb. 1935 fired the main leaders. The leftists appealed to Wallace and FDR but they approved the purge and the urban liberals lost their voice in the AAA.<ref> Lawrence J. Nelson, "The Art of the Possible: Another Look at the 'Purge' of the AAA Liberals in 1935.' ''Agricultural History'' 1983 57(4): 416-435. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3742633 in JSTOR]</ref>

The radical plan failed in the AAA because of the 1935 purge, but then [[Rex Tugwell]], forced out of the AAA, and other leftists tried to mobilize the sharecroppers and tenants through two new agencies, the "Resettlement Administration" (RA) and the "[[Farm Security Administration]]" (FSA). Their efforts failed because the tenants wanted money to buy land and become landowners and the reds saw that meant losing the proletariat. During World War II most of the sharecroppers and tenants (white and black) left farming and moved to town for much better paying jobs.

==Goals==
The idea of raising farm prices by cutting production was developed in the 1920s by Professor M. L. Wilson of Montana State University. The idea was a) it would raise city prices a little and farm income a lot; and 2) it was assumed that farmers (not city folk) are the best citizens and they deserve special protection and support.

<TABLE BORDER>
<TR> <TD>
Parity</TD> </TR>
<TR> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1910-14</TD><TD>
100</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1915-19</TD><TD>
109</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1920-24</TD><TD>
89</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1925-29</TD><TD>
91</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1930-34</TD><TD>
69</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1935-39</TD><TD>
86</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1940-44</TD><TD>
100</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1945-49</TD><TD>
109</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
1950-54</TD><TD>
98</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
Source: Don Paarlberg, ''The Agricultural Revolution of the 20th Century (2001)'' p 183 [http://books.google.com/books?id=7xYewA8coD4C&pg=PA128&dq=parity+1910-1914&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=3#v=onepage&q=parity%201910-1914&f=false online]</TD> </TR>
</TABLE>

==100 Days==

In President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]]’s Inaugural Address, Roosevelt spoke of redressing “the overbalance of population in our industrial centers” by an unspecified “redistribution” of the population to the countryside. This would somehow make farmers out of the unemployed. At the same time, though, there would be efforts “to raise the values of agricultural products.” Roosevelt referred to the need for “[[Economic planning|national planning]]”. <ref>[http://www.independent.org/publications/article.asp?id=1468 ''FDR: The Man, the Leader, the Legacy''], Ralph Raico, Future of Freedom Foundation, April 1, 2001. Retrieved from The Independent Institute.org 06/17/07.</ref>

In May when the AAA began its operations, the agricultural season was already under way. In effect, the agency oversaw a large-scale destruction of existing crops and livestock in an attempt to reduce surpluses. For example, 6,200,000 pigs and 220,000 mother sows were slaughtered in the AAA's effort to raise prices at a cost of over $30,000,000.

The conservative [[American Liberty League]] referred to the economic planning of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration as "a trend toward fascist control of agriculture."

==Cattle==
At first cattlemen refused with pride the early efforts of New Deal government supervision in 1933. As drought and depression swept the range, however, there was a reluctant reversal of their earlier position, especially in Texas. The AAA launched a massive emergency beef purchasing to reduce the number of cattle on the drought-blighted ranges. After some two million head of cattle were slaughtered from the Texas herds alone, the emergency program was halted, over the protests of the cattlemen. The AAA urged them to join the New Deal controls program, but they refused. Eventually, as cattle prices began to climb again, Texas cattlemen felt vindicated in their independent stance and untainted by participation in a government-controlled economy. The ranchers remained outside the government programs.<ref> C. Roger Lambert, "Texas Cattlemen and the AAA, 1933-1935." ''Arizona & the West'' 1972 14(2): 137-154; Lambert, "The Drought Cattle Purchase, 1934-1935: Problems and Complaints," ''Agricultural History'' 1971 45(2): 85-93 [ http://www.jstor.org/stable/3742072 in JSTOR]</ref>
==Prosperity returns==
By 1936 conditions had dramatically improved in agriculture. Although the holy grail of 100% parity was not reached until 1943, incomes were much higher rising from $4.7 billion in 1932 to $8.7 billion in 1936. The heavy burden of debt that had soured the 1920s was mostly paid off or refinanced. The chimerical vision of escaping to the rich cities no longer enthralled the farm youth.

The main causes of the return to prosperity include the overall improved national economy, the severe draught of 1934 that reduced output and caused prices to rise. The AAA payments to farmers were a help. The acreage reduction program had little effect except in cotton and tobacco. In other crops the farmers improved their efficiency on the remaining acreage and output stayed level. In cotton and tobacco, however, prices were much higher and since the great majority of Southerners lived in rural areas and depended on these crops, the New Deal was very well regarded.<ref> Benedict, ''Farm Policies,'' p 353</ref>

==Unconstitutional and 2nd AAA==
In the two years of the first AAA’s existence it distributed some $700 million to farmers to restrict production and keep farm prices high.

The first AAA was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the case [http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct-cgi/get-us-cite?297+1 United States v. Butler ''et al''. (297 U.S. 1, January 6, 1936)] because it gave too much power to the Executive branch. In 1937 Congress then rewrote the law, creating a '''second AAA''' that achieved part of the original Act's goals with the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 until the enactment of a second AAA (P.L. 75-430) on February 16, 1938. This second AAA was funded from general taxation, and therefore acceptable to the Supreme Court. It represented a bipartisan approach, as did the addition of an "ever normal granary" program in 1938. By 1940 Republicans and Democrats were in general agreement on farm policy. During World War II, all restrictions were ended and farmers were encouraged to plant as much as possible. However there was a price cap--100% parity--which angered farmers who saw a bonanza if their prices had been allowed to skyrocket.

Under the 1938 iteration of the AAA, the government in 1940 ordered an Ohio farmer, Roscoe Filburn, to destroy his crop and pay a large fine to the federal government, as Filburn's wheat output had exceeded his government "allotment." Filburn appealed to the [[Supreme Court]] in the case known as ''[[Wickard v. Filburn]]'', but under threat of Roosevelt's "court packing" scheme, the court buckled, ruling in 1942 that growing crops on one's own land, to feed one's own chickens, was "interstate commerce"—though it was neither "commerce" nor "interstate." Nevertheless, this ruling established that the Interstate Commerce Clause of the Constitution empowered the government to dictate how much an American citizen could produce on his own property, for his own use. Richard Epstein, Laurence A. Tisch Professor of Law at New York University, comments:
{{cquote|Wickard does not pass the laugh test if the issue is whether it bears any fidelity to the original constitutional design. It was put into place for the rather ignoble purpose to make sure that the federally sponsored cartel arrangements for agriculture could be properly administered.<ref>Richard Epstein, "[http://ricochet.com/main-feed/ObamaCare-is-Now-on-the-Ropes ObamaCare Is Now On The Ropes]," Rocochet.com, December 13, 2010</ref>}}

==Impact==
The acreage cutbacks of the first AAA led many farmers to be more efficient in their use of the remaining acres. Except for cotton, where output fell 17%, the total output did not change much. The move to efficiency was a gain, but there was inefficiency as farmers became protective of their allotments and mismanaged their resources to getter larger payments. For example, cotton farmers in the east held on to cotton too long, to protect their allotments and subsidies.<ref> Theodore W. Schultz, ''Agriculture in an Unstable Economy'' (1945) p. 174. </ref>

==Communist influence==
One AAA official, [[Harold Ware]], was a [[Communist]],<ref>John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=pNwEyL1b6XQC Early Cold War Spies: The Espionage Trials That Shaped American Politics]'' (Cambridge University Press, 2006), ISBN 0521857384, p. 94; Kai Bird and Svetlana Chervonnaya, "[http://www.theamericanscholar.org/the-mystery-of-ales-2/print/ The Mystery of Ales]," ''The American Scholar,'' Summer 2007</ref> and the son of [[Ella Reeve Bloor|"Mother" Bloor]], a founder of the [[CPUSA|American Communist Party]].<ref>[http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/sophiasmith/mnsss8_bioghist.html Biographical Note], Ella Reeve Bloor Papers, 1890-197, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College (Five College Archives and Manuscript Collections)</ref> But Ware was also the organizer of a secret cell of the Communist underground within the federal government,<ref>Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, United States Congress, [http://ia700409.us.archive.org/0/items/hearingsregardin195002unit/hearingsregardin195002unit_bw.pdf Hearings Regarding Communism in the United States Government—Part 2], (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1950), p. 2850 (PDF p. 16) </ref> the most infamous member of which was [[Alger Hiss]].

Ware had spent many years in the [[Soviet Union]], where he was instrumental in the organization of [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/archives/ukra.html collective farms].<ref>James C. Scott, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=PqcPCgsr2u0C Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition have Failed]'' (Yale University Press, 1998) ISBN 0300078153, pp. 200-201.</ref> Ware and his wife, [[Jessica Smith]], editor of ''Soviet Russia Today'', tried to establish a “model” collective farm in the Ural mountains using American tractors. They reportedly "tricked" Soviet peasants into collective farms.<ref>Deborah Kay Fitzgerald, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=nQMNb6nGmPsC Every Farm a Factory: The Industrial Ideal in American Agriculture]'' [New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003] ISBN 0300088132, p. 161</ref> "As the Soviet archives reveal, the experiment was a dystopian nightmare. Ware and Smith lured a group of unenthusiastic peasants into their grasp and proceeded to abuse them in a brutal fashion."<ref>Stephen Schwartz, "[http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=14209 Lenin's Loudspeaker]," ''New York Sun'', February 11, 2004</ref> For this Ware received a commendation from [[Lenin]],<ref>V.I. Lenin, [http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1922/oct/20b.htm To the Society of Friends of Soviet Russia], ''Pravda'', No. 240 (October 24, 1922), reprinted in Lenin, ''Collected Works'' (Tr: David Skvirsky and George Hanna), 2nd English Ed., (Moscow: Progress Publishers, 1965) Vol. 33, p. 380</ref> praise repeated by [[Stalin]].<ref>J.V. Stalin, ''[http://www.marx2mao.com/PDFs/StWorks11.pdf Works, Vol. 11: 1928-March 1929]'' [Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1954], pp. 195-196</ref>

In Moscow, Ware had attended the Lenin School, an institute for the study of sabotoge, revolutionary organization, and espionage. Following the election of [[Franklin Roosevelt]], back in the U.S., he founded the [[Communist-front]]<ref>John Earl Haynes, [http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page100.html Adolf Berle’s Notes on his Meeting with Whittaker Chambers], johnearlhaynes.org</ref> Farm Research Incorporated, which published ''[[Facts for Farmers]]'', a [[List of Communist publications|communist publication]] intended to influence decision makers in the Agricultural Department.<ref>Sam Tanenhaus, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=WNp4AAAAMAAJ Whittaker Chambers: A Biography]'' (New York: Random House, 1997) ISBN 0-375-75145-9, pp. 92-93</ref> Ware became an official of the federal government, serving as a consultant to the [[Agricultural Adjustment Administration]] (AAA).

Beginning within AAA, Ware organized a secret cell of the Communist Party underground "apparatus" (covert arm) known as the [[Ware group]].<ref>Harvey Klehr, John Earl Haynes and Fridrikh Igorevich Firsov, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=MBHSY0bCFWoC The Secret World of American Communism]'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1996) ISBN 0300068557, p. 96</ref> Into this cell, Ware recruited [[Alger Hiss]].<ref>G. Edward White, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=FvR4HBTiYzAC Alger Hiss's Looking-glass Wars: The Covert Life of a Soviet Spy]'' (Oxford University Press, 2004) ISBN 0195182553, p. 30</ref> Other members of this cell included Hiss's Harvard friends [[Henry Collins]] and [[Lee Pressman]] (who would join the [[Communist Party]] about this time),<ref>Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, United States Congress, [http://ia700409.us.archive.org/0/items/hearingsregardin195002unit/hearingsregardin195002unit_bw.pdf Hearings Regarding Communism in the United States Government—Part 2], (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1950), p. 2850 (PDF p. 16)</ref> as well as [[Nathan Witt]] (who would be identified as a fellow [[Communist]] by Pressman),<ref>Whittaker Chambers, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=xrqbAAAACAAJ Witness]'' (Washington: Regnery, 1952) ISBN 0895267896, p. 612</ref> secret Communist<ref>Joan Cook, "[http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/13/nyregion/john-j-abt-lawyer-dies-at-87-communist-party-counsel-in-us.html John J. Abt, Lawyer, Dies at 87]," August 13, 1991</ref> [[John Abt]]<ref>Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, United States Congress, [http://ia700305.us.archive.org/6/items/hearingsregardin1948unit/hearingsregardin1948unit_bw.pdf Hearings Regarding Communist Espionage in the United States Government] (Washington: United States Government Printing Office, 1948), p. 643 (PDF 153)</ref> and [[USSR|Soviet]] spy<ref>John Earl Haynes, Harvey Klehr and Alexander Vassiliev, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=qCAVQ_cdomcC Spies: The Rise and Fall of the KGB in America]'' (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009) ISBN 0300123906, 279-282</ref> [[Charles Kramer]]. Abt would later admit having been a member of the [[Ware group]],<ref>John J. Abt with Michael Myerson, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=9REaIPPh4k4C Advocate and Activist: Memoirs of an American Communist Lawyer]'' (University of Illinois Press, 1993) ISBN 0252020308, pp. 40-41.</ref> as would [http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~sch01057 Communist writer] Hope Hale Davis, who would write that its meetings involved discussions of how to "achieve promotion—a primary goal," or whether to "try to influence policy," as well as "secret directives—for purloining official documents," etc.;<ref>Gilbert J. Gall, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=xCYoLnaWXdoC Pursuing Justice: Lee Pressman, the New Deal, and the CIO]'' (Albany, N.Y: SUNY Press, 1999), ISBN 079144103, p. 41.</ref> According to Davis, the Ware group “was used, [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~th15/nav2.html to my knowledge], for stealing documents from government agencies.” Her husband, she said, regularly supplied “a party contact confidential information from his job.” Davis added, “Everyone in Hal Ware's group had accepted the directive to get whatever we could for the party to use in any way it saw fit.”<ref>Eric Jacobs et al., "Arguments (New and Old) About the Hiss Case," [http://books.google.com/books?id=DA4HAQAAIAAJ''Encounter'', vol. 52] (March 1979), p. 87</ref>

Abt would later become chief counsel for the Communist Party.<ref>Joan Cook, "[http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/13/nyregion/john-j-abt-lawyer-dies-at-87-communist-party-counsel-in-us.html John J. Abt, Lawyer, Dies at 87]," August 13, 1991</ref> In 1950-53, Abt would unsuccessfully defend the [[Communist Party]] before the [[Subversive Activities Control Board]], which found that the party was required by law to register as an agent of a foreign power;<ref>83d Cong., 1st sess., Document No. 41, Subversive Activities Control Board, [http://ia600409.us.archive.org/22/items/herbertbrownellj1956unit/herbertbrownellj1956unit_bw.pdf Herbert Brownell, Jr. Attorney General of the United States, Petitioner vs. Communist Party of the United States of America, Respondent: Report of the Board], April 23, 1953 (Washington: United States Government Printing Office: 1953), pp. 1, 132 (PDF pp. 9, 140)</ref> he would later argue unsuccessfully before the [[Supreme Court]] for the repeal of the [[McCarran Act]].<ref>Joan Cook, "[http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/13/nyregion/john-j-abt-lawyer-dies-at-87-communist-party-counsel-in-us.html John J. Abt, Lawyer, Dies at 87]," August 13, 1991</ref> Arrested for [http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/09/books/books-of-the-times-kennedy-assassination-answers.html the assassination of President] [[John F. Kennedy]] in 1963, [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh25/html/WC_Vol25_0085b.htm self-proclaimed "Marxist"] [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] would request Abt as his attorney.<ref>Warren Commission Hearings, CE 2240, [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh25/html/WC_Vol25_0085b.htm FBI transcript: Lee Oswald to the Socialist Party of America Vol. XXV, p. 140], October 3, 1956) [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] would request Abt as his attorney. [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh7/html/WC_Vol7_0154a.htm Testimony of Harry D. Holmes], Warren Commission Hearings, Vol. VII, pp. 299-300. Cf. [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh7/html/WC_Vol7_0168b.htm Testimony of H. Louis Nichols], Warren Commission Hearings, Vol. VII, pp. 328-329; [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh10/html/WC_Vol10_0062b.htm Testimony of John J. Abt], Warren Commission Hearings, Vol. XX, p. 116; [http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0315b.htm Report of Capt. J.W. Fritz, Dallas Police Department], p. 8, Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, p. 606</ref>

The Soviet espionage ring commonly referred to as the [[Harold Ware|Ware group]] originated among government employees in the AAA. [[Alger Hiss]] began his government career with the AAA. [[Charles Kramer]] worked the AAA consumer council. Leonora Fuller, an associate of Hiss from 1933 to 1935 stated that Hiss, [[Lee Pressman]], Gardner Jackson, Frank Shea and others interpreted the Agricultural Adjustment Act not in the spirit of the law but in manner which would suit their own beliefs and private purposes. Hiss and the others brought into the government employees of their choosing who they intended to fall in line with their social and economic agenda. Fuller stated it was the definite purpose of this group to change the form of government of the United States, regardless of its democratic and constitutional underpinnings, and to use the instrumentality of the offices of the Department of Agriculture to further their purpose. Instead of administering the law as it was intended, they deliberately used the government's time and money for unionization efforts.

In 1933, Brain truster [[Felix Frankfurter]] sent Alger Hiss a [http://www.salon.com/books/feature/1999/06/01/hiss/index.html telegram] [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/8-5testimony.html urging him] to join President's Roosevelt's administration <ref>Roosevelt and his supporters saw the New Deal in revolutionary and dictatorial terms: [[First Lady]] [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] “lamented that the nation lacked a [http://www.slate.com/id/2000099/entry/1003296/ benevolent dictator] to force through reforms." [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/9sep_lippman_views_churchill_roosevelt.pdf Soviet intelligence source] Walter Lippmann told Roosevelt, "The situation is critical, Franklin. You may have no alternative but to assume [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,924464,00.html dictatorial powers]"; in his influential column, Lippmann added that the use of "'dictatorial powers,' if that is the name for it—[http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22273 is essential].'" The ''New York Herald Tribune'' approved the Inauguration with the headline "[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5525748 FOR DICTATORSHIP IF NECESSARY]." In response to a hit [[Hollywood]] [http://allmovie.com/work/gabriel-over-the-white-house-19092 movie] featuring as hero a President who “dissolves Congress, creates an army of the unemployed, and lines up his enemies before a [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/07/books/chapters/0507-1st-alter.html?pagewanted=all firing squad],” FDR wrote that he thought the film “would help the country.”</ref> as assistant general counsel to the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). At the peak of [[Stalin]]'s [[Holodomor|Terror Famine]] (during which the [[Soviets]] killed some 14 million<ref>Robert Conquest, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=Bp31GmfH-6YC The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine]'' (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987) ISBN 0195051807) p. 306</ref> people through [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/26/AR2008042602039_pf.html collectivization of agriculture]), the AAA [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/9551/Agricultural-Adjustment-Administration curtailed U.S. farm production] in order to [http://www.econbrowser.com/archives/2007/01/the_new_deal_an.html drive up food prices] in the depths of the [[Great Depression]].<ref>“During the Great Depression of the 1930s, agricultural price support programs led to vast amounts of food being deliberately destroyed at a time when malnutrition was a serious problem in the United States.... For example, the federal government bought 6 million hogs in 1933 alone and destroyed them. Huge amounts of farm produce were plowed under, in order to keep it off the market and maintain prices at the officially fixed level, and vast amounts of milk were poured down the sewers for the same reason. Meanwhile, many American children were suffering from diseases caused by malnutrition.” (Thomas Sowell, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=gbfTLG_HmGEC Basic Economics]'' [New York: Basic Books, 2007] 3rd Ed., ISBN 0465002609, p. 56) As Gene Smiley, emeritus professor of economics at Marquette University, writes in ''[http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/GreatDepression.html The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics]'': "Reduced production, of course, is what happens in depressions, and it never made sense to try to get the country out of depression by reducing production further. In its zeal, the administration apparently did not consider the elementary impossibility of raising all real wage rates and all real prices." [http://www.economics.hawaii.edu/research/seminars/02-03/02-21.pdf One] [http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdf/10.1086/421169 study] found that such [[New Deal]] policies prolonged the [[Great Depression]] by about [http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/FDR-s-Policies-Prolonged-Depression-5409.aspx seven years].</ref>

The agency was the brainchild of FDR's [[Secretary of Agriculture]] ([http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000077 and future] [[Vice president|Vice President]]), so-called "[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F4061FF83C5C16738DDDAB0994DB405B838FF1D3 farm dictator]" [[Henry Wallace]], who was reportedly "most impressed" with [http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/VP_Henry_Wallace.htm Soviet collective farming]. Wallace would run for [[President]] in 1948 on the [[Communist]]-inspired<ref>The Progressive Party was in fact a [http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=11398 creation of the Communist Party], growing out of [[CPUSA]] General Secretary Eugene Dennis' February 12, 1946 order "to establish in time for the 1948 elections a national third party." Arthur Schlesinger, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=LLyNX6hMDCIC A Life in the Twentieth Century: Innocent Beginnings, 1917-1950]'' (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2000) ISBN 0618219250, pp. 455-456. In 1955, the [[SISS|Jenner subcommittee]] cited the Progressive Party on its list of subversive organizations, identified as [http://www.joincalifornia.com/party/Independent%20Progressive a Communist front].</ref> [[Progressive]] Party ticket, finally recanting [http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/05/09/almost.great.men/index.html his support] for the [[Soviet Union]]<ref>Had [[FDR]] died a few months earlier, [[Henry Wallace|Wallace]] would have become President; Wallace once said if he were to become President, he would appoint [http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/venona/1944/18nov_lawrence_duggan.pdf Soviet agent] [http://www.nytimes.com/1998/10/18/weekinreview/witching-hour-rethinking-mccarthyism-if-not-mccarthy.html?pagewanted=all Laurence Duggan as Secretary of State]</ref> in 1952.<ref>Henry Agard Wallace, “Where I Was Wrong.” ''This Week'', September 2, 1952</ref>

In response to a query about candidates for employment at AAA, [[Lee Pressman]], a [[Soviet]] operative already serving as Wallace's assistant general counsel at the agency, wrote, "I have talked to Alger Hiss and [[Nathan Witt|Nat Witt]] who are considering" taking posts at AAA (Hiss would later deny under oath that he had discussed the position with Pressman).<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=YRyoAAAAIAAJ&pgis=1 Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case]'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 133</ref>

At AAA, Hiss reunited with [[Henry Collins]], a Soviet operative, as well as International Juridical Association (IJA)<ref> The International Juridical Association (IJA) was a [[Communist front]] organization which "consistently followed the [[Communist Party]] line." [http://ia360638.us.archive.org/2/items/reportonnational1950unit/reportonnational1950unit.pdf Report on the National Lawyers Guild, legal bulwark of the Communist Party]," Committee on Un-American Activities, House of Representatives, United States Congress (1950), p. 12</ref> collegue Pressman,<ref> Pressman joined the [[Communist Party]] [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~th15/pressmanx.html about this time]</ref> and [[Nathan Witt|Witt]] (who would be identified as a fellow [[Communist]] by Pressman),<ref>Whittaker Chambers, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=xrqbAAAACAAJ Witness]'' [Washington: Regnery, 1952] ISBN 0895267896, p. 612</ref> and [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/8-5testimony.html became acquainted] with [http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/13/nyregion/john-j-abt-lawyer-dies-at-87-communist-party-counsel-in-us.html secret Communist] [[John Abt]] and [http://www.theamericanscholar.org/the-mystery-of-ales-2/3/ the Communist]<ref>John Earl Haynes and Harvey Klehr, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=pNwEyL1b6XQC Early Cold War Spies: The Espionage Trials That Shaped American Politics]'' (Cambridge University Press, 2006) ISBN 0521857384, p. 94</ref> [[Harold Ware]]—recently returned from several years in the [[Soviet Union]], where he had been instrumental in the organization of [http://mars.wnec.edu/~grempel/courses/stalin/lectures/WarCom.html collective farms].<ref>[[Harold Ware|Ware]], the son of [http://asteria.fivecolleges.edu/findaids/sophiasmith/mnsss8_bioghist.html American Communist Party founder] [[Ella Reeve Bloor|"Mother" Bloor]], reportedly "tricked" Soviet peasants into collective farms (Deborah Kay Fitzgerald, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=nQMNb6nGmPsC Every Farm a Factory: The Industrial Ideal in American Agriculture]'' [New Haven: Yale University Press, 2003] ISBN 0300088132, p. 161), for which he was [http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1922/oct/20b.htm praised by Lenin], that praise repeated by [[Stalin]] (J.V. Stalin, ''[http://www.marx2mao.com/PDFs/StWorks11.pdf Works, Vol. 11: 1928-March 1929]'' [Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House, 1954], pp. 195-196.)</ref>

Even before the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] would learn of [[Whittaker Chambers]]' charges, one of Hiss' colleagues at the AAA would tip off FBI investigators that Hiss and his circle were [[fellow traveller|fellow travelers]], if not Communists.<ref>FBI memorandum: Ladd to Hoover, January 28, 1949, p. 2 (FBI file: Hiss-Chambers, Vol. 44)</ref> In February 1935, the "[http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/hisschronology.html radicals]" [http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,748453,00.html were "purged"] from AAA. According to New Dealer [http://lts.brandeis.edu/research/archives-speccoll/findingguides/xml/jackson.html Gardner Jackson]:
{{cquote|Late in the day of our dismissal Wallace sent word that he would see two of the people on the dismissal list. Jerome Frank<ref>"....Jerome Frank, the leading liberal judge on the court; Jerome Frank, the intellectual leader of the New Deal and architect of its most progressive legislation; Jerome Frank, the idol of young progressive law students and leader of the liberals when he taught law at Yale, who had led the fight against the conservatism of the old-guard faculty...." Arthur Kinoy, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=8IQaAAAAIAAJ&pgis=1 Rights on Trial: The Odyssey of a People's Lawyer]'' (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1983) ISBN 0674770137, p. 97</ref> and a member of his legal staff, Alger Hiss, were delegated for the interview. Wallace haltingly greeted them (and, through them, others on the list) as "the best fighters in a good cause" he had ever worked with. But he said that he had to [http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/194808/henry-wallace fire them].}}

As it turned out, Jackson, Frank and Pressman were indeed fired—but [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/hisschronology.html Hiss was not]. "Alger must have known at least a week before the purge that it was coming," said Jackson. "He undoubtedly told Pressman, and Lee told him what to do in order to remain in the Department as his pipeline."<ref>Ralph de Toledano and Victor Lasky, ''[http://www.americandeception.com/index.php?action=downloadpdf&photo=/PDFsml_AD/Seeds_Of_Treason-Ralph_de_Toledano_and_Victor_Lasky-1950-278pgs-POL.sml.pdf Seeds of Treason]'' (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1950) ASIN B0007DS43A, p. 60</ref>

Frank, believing Hiss to be closely linked to a coterie of Communist lawyers at the agency, would later refuse to appear as a character witness for him.<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=YRyoAAAAIAAJ&pgis=1 Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case]'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 43</ref> According to reporters Ralph de Toledano (who covered the Hiss trials for ''Newsweek'') and Victor Lasky (who covered the trials for the ''New York World-Telegram''): "When Hiss' lawyers approached a well-known jurist to ask him if he would appear as a character witness [for Hiss]...he said tartly: 'I have no way of knowing whether or not Mr. Hiss was ever a Communist. But as to his character—Mr. Hiss has no character.'"<ref>Ralph de Toledano and Victor Lasky, ''[http://www.americandeception.com/index.php?action=downloadpdf&photo=/PDFsml_AD/Seeds_Of_Treason-Ralph_de_Toledano_and_Victor_Lasky-1950-278pgs-POL.sml.pdf Seeds of Treason]'' (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1950) ASIN B0007DS43A, p. 60</ref>

[[Henry Collins|Collins]] would [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/hiss/8-25testimony.html refuse to testify] on grounds of potential [[self-incrimination]], but another AAA official, [[Nathaniel Weyl]], would later testify that he attended [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090525/guttenplan/5 Communist cell meetings with Hiss]<ref>
:Mr. COHN. Did you know Alger Hiss to be a member of the Communist party?
:Mr. WEYL. Yes, I did.
:Mr. COHN. Were you in the same Communist cell with Alger Hiss at one time?
:Mr. WEYL. That is correct.
…
:Mr. WEYL. ...Hiss and I were among the eight or nine people who met with the first meeting of that organization, I presume. So I was in this Communist cell with him for a period of approximately nine months.
:[http://www.gpo.gov/congress/senate/mccarthy/83869.pdf Testimony of Nathaniel Weyl] before the [[Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Government Operations]], United States Senate, February 23, 1953, pp. 619-620 (PDF pp. 658-659)</ref> and [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,890230,00.html saw him pay his party dues],<ref>Nathaniel Weyl, “I Was in a Communist Unit with Hiss,” ''U.S. News and World Report'', January 9, 1953</ref> testimony he would reaffirm in his 2004 autobiography.<ref>Nathaniel Weyl, ''[http://www.worldcat.org/isbn/1413407471 Encounters With Communism]'' (Philadelphia: Xlibris, 2004), cited in John Earl Haynes, "[http://www.johnearlhaynes.org/page63.html Ales: Hiss, Foote, Stettinius?]" johnearlhaynes.org, June 7, 2007</ref> Ex-Communists Ralph de Sola and George Hewitt would both also testify to having seen Hiss at [[Communist Party]] meetings.<ref>Allen Weinstein, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=YRyoAAAAIAAJ&pgis=1 Perjury: The Hiss-Chambers Case]'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1978), ISBN 0394495462, p. 360</ref> [http://www.nytimes.com/1991/08/13/nyregion/john-j-abt-lawyer-dies-at-87-communist-party-counsel-in-us.html Communist lawyer] [[John Abt]] would later admit having been a member of the [[Ware group]],<ref>John J. Abt with Michael Myerson, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=9REaIPPh4k4C Advocate and Activist: Memoirs of an American Communist Lawyer]'' (University of Illinois Press, 1993) ISBN 0252020308, pp. 40-41. Arrested for [http://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/09/books/books-of-the-times-kennedy-assassination-answers.html the assassination of President] [[John F. Kennedy]] in 1963, [http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/terrorists_spies/assassins/jfk/7.html the communist] [[Lee Harvey Oswald]] would request Abt as his attorney. Pamela J. Ray with James E. Files,''[http://books.google.com/books?id=MvyLBI6yZ4sC Interview with History: The JFK Assassination]'' (AuthorHouse, 2007) ISBN 142595992X, p. 64</ref> as would [http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~sch01057 Communist writer] Hope Hale Davis, who would write that its meetings involved discussions of how to "achieve promotion—a primary goal," or whether to "try to influence policy," as well as "secret directives—for purloining official documents," etc.;<ref>Gilbert J. Gall, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=xCYoLnaWXdoC Pursuing Justice: Lee Pressman, the New Deal, and the CIO]'' (SUNY Press, 1999) ISBN 0791441032, p. 41. According to Davis, the Ware group “was used, to my knowledge, for [http://homepages.nyu.edu/~th15/nav2.html stealing documents from government agencies].” Her husband, she said, regularly supplied “a party contact confidential information from his job.” Davis added, “Everyone in Hal Ware's group had accepted the directive to get whatever we could for the party to use in any way it saw fit.”
</ref> a former [[GRU]] station chief in [[London]] and [[New York]] reported that during the early and middle 1930s Hiss was a source of agent information for a [[Soviet]] [[espionage|spy]] ring in Washington, the [[Silvermaster group]], according to Pavel Sudoplatov, former [http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/28/world/pavel-sudoplatov-89-dies-top-soviet-spy-who-accused-oppenheimer.html deputy director of Foreign Intelligence for the USSR].<ref>Anatoli Sudoplatov, Pavel Sudoplatov, Leona P. Schecter and Jerrold L. Schecter, ''[http://books.google.com/books?id=lt8FHQAACAAJ Special Tasks: The Memoirs of an Unwanted Witness, a Soviet Spymaster]'' (New York: Back Bay Books, 1995) ISBN 0316821152, p. 227-228. Two others also alleged to be in contact with the [[Ware group]] ([[George Silverman]] and [[Harry Dexter White]]) would likewise be identified as sources of the [[Silvermaster group]].</ref>

==See also==
* [[Agricultural history of the U.S.]]
* [[Henry C. Wallace]]
* [[McNary-Haugen Bill]]
* [[New Deal]]
* [[Ware group]]

==Further reading==
* Fite, Gilbert C. "Farmer Opinion and the Agricultural Adjustment Act, 1933," ''Mississippi Valley Historical Review,'' Vol. 48, No. 4 (Mar., 1962), pp. 656-673[http://www.jstor.org/stable/1893147 in JSTOR]
* Nourse, Edwin Griswold. ''Three years of the Agricultural Adjustment Administration'' (1937) [http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=2758781 online edition], valuable overview
* Perkins, Van L. ''Crisis in agriculture: the Agricultural Adjustment Administration and the New Deal, 1933'' (1969), a standard scholarly history
* Saloutos, Theodore. ''The American Farmer and the New Deal.'' (1982). 327 pp.
* Schultz, Theodore W. '' Agriculture in an Unstable Economy.'' (1945) by Nobel-prize winning conservative [http://www.questia.com/read/9105343?title=Agriculture%20in%20an%20Unstable%20Economy online edition]
* Wilcox, Walter W. ''The farmer in the second world war'' (1947) [http://chla.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=chla;idno=2944025 online edition]
==See also==
* [[Farm Bureau]]
* [[Grange]]
* [[Henry Wallace]]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

== External link ==

* [http://www.asu.edu/caed/proceedings01/HEMMENS/hemmens.htm Roosevelt and Tugwell in the New Deal]

[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:Great Depression]]
[[Category:Agriculture]]
[[Category:Economic history]]
[[Category:Farmers]]

Mitt Romney

2012-11-01T00:30:32Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* 2012 Presidential campaign */ really not that hard

{{Officeholder
|name=Willard Mitt Romney
|image=MittPortrait.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Ann Romney]]
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Massachusetts
|terms=January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007
|preceded=[[Jane Swift]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Deval Patrick]]
}}
}}

'''Willard Mitt Romney''', most popularly known as '''Mitt Romney''', (born March 12, 1947) is the former governor of [[Massachusetts]], and a successful U.S. businessman, and the [[2012 Republican Primary|Republican nominee]] for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]. Romney is favored by most voters on economic issues.

According to [[CNN]], Romney won by a margin of 67-25% the first presidential debate against [[liberal]] incumbent [[Barack Obama]]. This debate had the largest television audience for a presidential debate since [[Ronald Reagan]]'s 1980 classic against [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/presidential-debate-drew-more-than-70-million-viewers/</ref>

He was first runner-up for the nomination in 2008. In 1994, Mitt Romney proved to be the most difficult challenger that incumbent Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts ever faced for reelection, causing Kennedy to pour far more money into the race than he expected.<ref>[http://archive.newsmax.com/romney/ Romney to the Rescue: Mitt Romney's Got the Right Stuff for 2008] Kessler, Ronald, newsmax.com archives, retrieved April 27, 2012</ref>

Romney leads Obama among many key segments of the electorate: "Romney leads [[Barack Obama|Obama]] 58%-34% among [[veteran]]s, who make up about 13% of the [[electorate]]" and influence many other voters.<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/gallup-romney-tops-obama-with-veterans/1</ref> One national poll showed Romney with a 7-point lead over [[Obama]], 50-43%, in early May.<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226943-poll-romney-opens-up-big-lead-nationally</ref> Other polls show different results,<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html</ref> in swing states like Ohio,<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html </ref> Virginia<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html </ref> and Wisconsin.<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/wi/wisconsin_romney_vs_obama-1871.html </ref>

Before entering politics Romney was a businessman in Boston, having served as CEO of Bain Capital, a management consulting firm known for saving American companies. <ref>Staples, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Clear Channel Radio, Dunkin Donuts, Domino's Pizza, The Weather Channel, Burger King, Sealy Mattress, Baskin Robbins, Outback Steakhouse, Guitar Center, Gymboree, Bonefish Grill, Burlington Coat Factory, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Michael's, to name a few</ref> His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for being extremely liberal, and was elected governor in 2002. As governor he raised taxes several times. He unashamedly admits creating [[RomneyCare]], which is a complete disaster and forces everyone to buy health insurance and has resulted in long delays for obtaining medical services, such as an ordinary physical, in that state. [[Ted Kennedy]] and other [[liberals]] supported the bill and probably wrote key parts of it. Romney declined to run for reelection and announced his candidacy for President.

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely but incorrectly supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in Florida, Michigan, and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved, though [[Sarah Palin]] eventually became the vice-president nominee.

Romney had supported many far left positions: Romney had a pro-abortion record but is firmly pro-life today; Romney also continues to believe in liberal propaganda claiming global warming; Romney has been criticized for standing behind his 2005 [[RomneyCare|health care plan in Massachusetts]], which featured an 'individual mandate' requiring everyone to purchase health insurance. This plan is very similar to the 2010 ObamaCare bill that was adopted on a national level, and Obama claims Romney's people helped craft it.

== Personal Life ==
[[Image:MittRomneyYouth05.jpg|thumb|Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney]]
Romney is the scion of an old Mormon family. His grandparents were polygamists who fled the United States in the early 20th century when the Mormon Church repudiated polygamy; his father was born in Mexico. The Romneys returned to the U.S. in 1911 when a violent civil war broke out in Mexico.

Mitt Romney is a devout member of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]], and spent time as a missionary during his youth converting Catholics and agnostics to Mormonism in France. In fact, his time as a student and missionary helped him defer from military service during the Vietnam draft,<ref>Michael Kranish, "The Making of Mitt Romney: Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries" June 24, 2007. The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=1 </ref> but he stated during interviews that "he had longed to join the soldiers in Vietnam and support the war effort." His father had stated in 1967 that he felt "brainwashed" by U.S. officials over the justification of the prolonged Vietnam war. This statement had been very costly in George Romney's 1968 campaign for president against Richard Nixon.

Romney maintains a stable marriage with his wife Ann, with whom he has five children.

Romney is the son of former [[Michigan]] governor and presidential candidate [[George Romney]], a "Rockefeller Republican,"<ref>Lisa McGirr, ''Suburban Warriors''(2001) pp. 141, 222.</ref> who amassed a large fortune as an automobile industry magnate during World War II.  George Romney was popular among moderates during his presidential run and was well-equipped for victory; many of his political advisors had come from [[Nelson Rockefeller]]'s 1964 campaign.

==Business Career==
From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain Capital. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority. Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

==Record as Governor==
Romney served as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included economic expansion. He balanced the budget every year of his administration with out increasing taxes or increasing state dept. Romney turned a $3 billion budget deficit into a $500 million surplus by reducing government spending and added 80,000 new jobs by the end of his term. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Governor Romney proposed cutting the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% <ref>http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/mitt_romneys_record_on_economi.php</ref>. Although the Democratic super majority in the state legislator refused to budge. Romney vetoed 844 pieces of legislation, with over 700 overridden. <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Mitt_Romney_Government_Reform.htm</ref> He vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, saying "there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs." <ref>Telegram & Gazette, 08/01/06</ref> Under Governor Romney the state abolished a retroactive capital gains tax that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay additional taxes and fees. <ref>http://www.americansformitt.com/</ref> Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson praised Romney, saying "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. … And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers."

However, some of the actions Governor Romney took received criticisms from conservatives, such as supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal [[health care]] program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign Romney supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos. In 2006, Governor Romney testified before the [[United States]] [[Senate]] to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. Additionally, Romney filed legislation to reinstate [[capital punishment]], but was defeated in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on a 99-53 vote.

Mitt Romney made no pardons as governor, "My conclusion was, if somebody has been convicted by a jury of their peers, and they’ve been prosecuted and the police were able to get the evidence necessary to put them behind bars, why in the world would I step in and reverse that sentence?" <ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2009/12/04/romney-on-huckabee-unlike-some-people-i-never-pardoned-anyone/</ref>

On [[Education]] Romney called for the privatization of the University of Massachusetts medical school<ref>Telegram & Gazette, 02/27/03</ref>. In 2004, he established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, which rewarded the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with tuition-free scholarship to any Massachusetts public [[university]] or [[college]]. In August 2006, Governor Romney refused to allow former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, an outspoken opponent of the [[United States]] and [[Israel]], state police escorts during his speech at [[Harvard University]]. <ref>http://www.nysun.com/editorials/khatemi-at-harvard/38903/</ref>

In December 2006, Romney signed a memorandum of agreement with the federal government that would allow state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws <ref>http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=96543</ref>, however was revoked when Democrat Deval Patrict took office as Governor in January 2007.

== Political Views ==

===Abortion===
Currently, Romney claims to be pro-life, but his record is very spotty. At times he has claimed to be pro-infantacide.
"I am [[pro-life]]. I believe that [[abortion]] is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by [[judicial mandate]]." ([[Boston]] Globe, Mitt Romney Editorial, July 26, 2005)
<ref>[http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Values America's Culture and Values] mittromney.com</ref> 

Despite having a largely pro-life record as governor, in a 1994 debate with Senator [[Edward Kennedy]], Romney said that abortion should be legal, declaring that "regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal." "Many years ago, I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion", Romney said. "It is since that time my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter. And you will not see me wavering on that."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/03/clarity_sought_on_romneys_abortion_stance/?page=2</ref>

In his campaign literature for the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Romney expressed a willingness to defend that State's pro-choice status quo.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/4</ref> He stated in a live, televised debate:<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_w9pquznG4</ref>

{{cquote|"I've been very clear on that, I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose, and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard."}}

===Civil Unions===
Romney claims to be opposed to the idea of [[gay marriage]], however he has voiced explicit support for the [[homosexual agenda]]. He has advocated for domestic partnership benefits and equal rights for [[homosexuals]], which is gay marriage in everything but name and an easy stepping stone on the vile gay agenda path towards homosexual recruitment.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/3</ref>. He also supports adoption for gay couples<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57432292-503544/romney-says-hes-fine-with-gay-couples-adopting-children/</ref>.

===Economic Agenda===
As President, Romney promised to pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. His number one economic priority would be to grow the economy — helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He says he would work to rein in excessive government spending and reform entitlements. To ensure America's continued economic growth, he promises to cut taxes — such as the Death Tax, savings taxes, corporate taxes and marginal tax rates. Despite these claims, he has supported the [[socialist|socialism]] agenda. He claimed credit for the government bailout of the union controlled car companies.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/07/romney-taking-credit-for-auto-industry-success/</ref> Also his [[RomneyCare]] law started the process of [[socialism|socializing]] medical care in [[Massachusetts]]. He continues to defend this law up to this day, undermining his commitment to repel the similar and equally atrocious [[ObamaCare]].<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-defends-romneycare_560953.html</ref>

Romney says he would also promote trade, bring market forces to bear in health care, pursue national tort and liability reform, eliminate excessive regulations that put a burden on our economy and strengthen American families.

===Immigration===

<blockquote>Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.<ref>http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Immigration</ref></blockquote>

Romney supports a strong stance on illegal immigration.<ref>[http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=91722 IowaPolitics.com: Romney Touts Strong Stance On Illegal Immigration]</ref> On 5/24/07, Romney spoke about how he was tolerant about gays and then he discussed the current illegal immigration bill before Congress:
<blockquote>He expressed less tolerance for illegal immigrants, and said he and President Bush have a difference of opinions on a bill that would provide a path toward legalization for an estimated 12 million people unlawfully in the country.

"He has his view, and other people have their views and I have my own," Romney said. "This is for all intents and purposes a form of amnesty in that everyone who is here illegally today will be able to stay under this bill."

The bill is unfair to people who are trying to come to the country legally, he said. People here illegally should be able to apply to come to the United States, but under the same terms as everyone else and behind those who have already applied.

"I don't think that we're going to round up 11 or 12 or however many million people and bus them out of the country. That's not what I'm talking about," Romney said. "Those who committed felonies, of course, would be deported. Those who require government assistance to stay here would surely need to get off government assistance and ultimately could not remain here on government assistance."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May24/0,4670,RomneyGays,00.html</ref></blockquote>

===Stem Cell Research===
Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments. Critics consider this to be essentially infantacide.<ref>http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main Article: [[Mitt Romney 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

[[Image:Dude and mitt romney.jpg|right|180px]] As chairman of the [[Republican Governors Association]], Romney campaigned nationwide for GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2006, building up a network of allies and supporters. While he did not run for reelection as governor, in 2004 Romney set up a federal political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC, which raised $2.71 million during the 2006 election cycle. On January 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. He officially announced his candidacy for President a month later. Romney was the first candidate in either party to start running television and radio ads. The ads focused mainly on his record as governor, running the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, and his work as a very successful businessman. Romney's five sons had been actively campaigning for their father, traveling around in a campaign bus called the "Mitt Mobile, A Five Brothers Bus."

As a presidential candidate Romney sought the support of the business community and social conservatives. He reversed moderate positions on abortion and gay rights to take a hardline conservative position on them, and on opposition to illegal immigrants. Opponents charged he changed too often. Romney was a leader in fund-raising, augmented by over $35 million from his own fortune. However he was little known outside of Massachusetts, so his strategy was to play for early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, then "sling-shot" the momentum into national visibility. Romney won the Michigan primary on January 16th, 2008, with 39% of the vote, edging out McCain with 30% and Huckabee with 16%. Romney was favored to win in the state of his birth, where his father, [[George Romney]] was governor from 1963-1969. After losing both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary (to Huckabee and McCain, respectively), Romney won a low-publicized Wyoming caucus. On January 19, Romney easily won the [[Nevada]] caucuses by 37 percentage points when there were seven candidates on the ballot, however, on that same day he placed a distant fourth in the [[South Carolina]] primary. After a disappointing performance on Super Tuesday, Romney announced the suspension of his campaign on Thursday 7th February. He expressed his wishes not to divide the Republican party and later endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]. Commentators correctly speculated on his chances for a return effort in 2012.

===Fundraising===
Mitt Romney had done well in fund raising. During his first fund raiser as a presidential candidate, he raised $6.5 million dollars compared to an original goal of only $1 million. During the first quarter Romney raised more money then any other Republican presidential candidate with $23 million. However, a substantial portion of his funds ($17 million) came from his own personal wealth. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/16/top_spender_romney_could_soon_run_short/]

==2012 Presidential campaign==
In April 2011, Romney announced his candidacy for President of the United States for the 2012 election, running as a Republican.<ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/11/mitt-romney-president-candidate</ref> Romney was criticized throughout the primary season for being a Republican In Name Only due to his liberal views on social issues as governor and his flip-flops, as well as a controversial business record. His main competitors during the primaries were former conservative Speaker of the House [[Newt Gingrich]], Pro-Life Senator [[Rick Santorum]], and libertarian Congressman [[Ron Paul]]. Romney ended up winning the vast majority of contests, though the race remained close in delegate count throughout. Romney together with Vice Presidential candidate [[Paul Ryan]] are running against President Barack Obama and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] in an election to be held on November 6, 2012. During the campaign, Romney was criticized for saying that the [[Romney's 47 percent comment|47% of Americans who do not pay income taxes consider themselves to be 'victims']].

Prior to his campaign for president in 2012, Romney had been criticized for flip-flopping on key social issues:

*Mitt Romney once changed his positions on gun control. He was originally for it, but recently joined the National Rifle Association, an organization opposed to it.

*Romney changed his position on immigration shortly before the [[2012 Presidential Election]]. He originally supported amnesty for certain illegals and moratoriums on criminal prosecution for drug dealing by illegal immigrants. It is possible that Romney is trying to erode President Obama's support in the Latin community in places like [[Nevada]], where immigration is a hot-button issue and Obama's victory in 2008 was by only a few percentage points.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mittromney.com Mitt Romney for President 2008]
*[http://www.ldslivingonline.com/article.php?articleId=17633 Mitt Romney: proudly, quietly Mormon]
*[http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/ Evangelicals for Mitt]
*[http://sparklepony.blogspot.com/2007/03/fresh-mitt-romney-juvenalia-hot-off.html Fresh Mitt Romney Juvenalia] Pics - Comments.
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjE4MmMyMzVkZjlhZGQzNzlhZjdmMDEzNjI3MzM4ZTA= Mitt Romney: “I Changed My View. Is that So Difficult to Understand?”] The candidate talks about his efforts to convince voters that his pro-life conversion is real. Byron York, National Review Online, November 20, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Y2ZkMWNkZDkzOTk1YTM0NTNkNmJlZThmYjJmM2ZmOGE= Did Mitt Romney Push Poll Himself?] Mark Hemingway, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2EzODZjY2UxZTRhMWE2ZDk1ZWE5MGI0ZmRjMDViZTI= Team Romney on Push-Poll Connections] After reading the Hemingway piece, Kevin Madden, Romney for President campaign spokesman replies. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzliMDgzOWVlOGEwYThlMzc5ZDVlNzM2YjA4M2ZkYTg= Romney Stands for Faith] The candidate pushes back against push-poll attacks. Larry Kudlow, National Review Online, November 16, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQ4YmM4Y2U3Yjc3MzYzNDQwYzk3YTVjMTI5YTkwNzg= Romney’s Religion], The Editors, National Review Online, November 16, 2007

==Blogs==
*[http://www.mymanmitt.com/mitt-romney/ My Man Mitt]
*[http://libertariansformitt.wordpress.com/ Libertarians for Romney]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Mitt}}
[[Category:Massachusetts Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Mormons]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Rino backers]]
[[Category: Candidates for United States President]]

Mitt Romney

2012-11-01T00:29:20Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Economic Agenda */ periods go before the reference, not after -- not that hard

{{Officeholder
|name=Willard Mitt Romney
|image=MittPortrait.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Ann Romney]]
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Massachusetts
|terms=January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007
|preceded=[[Jane Swift]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Deval Patrick]]
}}
}}

'''Willard Mitt Romney''', most popularly known as '''Mitt Romney''', (born March 12, 1947) is the former governor of [[Massachusetts]], and a successful U.S. businessman, and the [[2012 Republican Primary|Republican nominee]] for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]. Romney is favored by most voters on economic issues.

According to [[CNN]], Romney won by a margin of 67-25% the first presidential debate against [[liberal]] incumbent [[Barack Obama]]. This debate had the largest television audience for a presidential debate since [[Ronald Reagan]]'s 1980 classic against [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/presidential-debate-drew-more-than-70-million-viewers/</ref>

He was first runner-up for the nomination in 2008. In 1994, Mitt Romney proved to be the most difficult challenger that incumbent Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts ever faced for reelection, causing Kennedy to pour far more money into the race than he expected.<ref>[http://archive.newsmax.com/romney/ Romney to the Rescue: Mitt Romney's Got the Right Stuff for 2008] Kessler, Ronald, newsmax.com archives, retrieved April 27, 2012</ref>

Romney leads Obama among many key segments of the electorate: "Romney leads [[Barack Obama|Obama]] 58%-34% among [[veteran]]s, who make up about 13% of the [[electorate]]" and influence many other voters.<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/gallup-romney-tops-obama-with-veterans/1</ref> One national poll showed Romney with a 7-point lead over [[Obama]], 50-43%, in early May.<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226943-poll-romney-opens-up-big-lead-nationally</ref> Other polls show different results,<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html</ref> in swing states like Ohio,<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html </ref> Virginia<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html </ref> and Wisconsin.<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/wi/wisconsin_romney_vs_obama-1871.html </ref>

Before entering politics Romney was a businessman in Boston, having served as CEO of Bain Capital, a management consulting firm known for saving American companies. <ref>Staples, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Clear Channel Radio, Dunkin Donuts, Domino's Pizza, The Weather Channel, Burger King, Sealy Mattress, Baskin Robbins, Outback Steakhouse, Guitar Center, Gymboree, Bonefish Grill, Burlington Coat Factory, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Michael's, to name a few</ref> His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for being extremely liberal, and was elected governor in 2002. As governor he raised taxes several times. He unashamedly admits creating [[RomneyCare]], which is a complete disaster and forces everyone to buy health insurance and has resulted in long delays for obtaining medical services, such as an ordinary physical, in that state. [[Ted Kennedy]] and other [[liberals]] supported the bill and probably wrote key parts of it. Romney declined to run for reelection and announced his candidacy for President.

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely but incorrectly supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in Florida, Michigan, and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved, though [[Sarah Palin]] eventually became the vice-president nominee.

Romney had supported many far left positions: Romney had a pro-abortion record but is firmly pro-life today; Romney also continues to believe in liberal propaganda claiming global warming; Romney has been criticized for standing behind his 2005 [[RomneyCare|health care plan in Massachusetts]], which featured an 'individual mandate' requiring everyone to purchase health insurance. This plan is very similar to the 2010 ObamaCare bill that was adopted on a national level, and Obama claims Romney's people helped craft it.

== Personal Life ==
[[Image:MittRomneyYouth05.jpg|thumb|Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney]]
Romney is the scion of an old Mormon family. His grandparents were polygamists who fled the United States in the early 20th century when the Mormon Church repudiated polygamy; his father was born in Mexico. The Romneys returned to the U.S. in 1911 when a violent civil war broke out in Mexico.

Mitt Romney is a devout member of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]], and spent time as a missionary during his youth converting Catholics and agnostics to Mormonism in France. In fact, his time as a student and missionary helped him defer from military service during the Vietnam draft,<ref>Michael Kranish, "The Making of Mitt Romney: Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries" June 24, 2007. The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=1 </ref> but he stated during interviews that "he had longed to join the soldiers in Vietnam and support the war effort." His father had stated in 1967 that he felt "brainwashed" by U.S. officials over the justification of the prolonged Vietnam war. This statement had been very costly in George Romney's 1968 campaign for president against Richard Nixon.

Romney maintains a stable marriage with his wife Ann, with whom he has five children.

Romney is the son of former [[Michigan]] governor and presidential candidate [[George Romney]], a "Rockefeller Republican,"<ref>Lisa McGirr, ''Suburban Warriors''(2001) pp. 141, 222.</ref> who amassed a large fortune as an automobile industry magnate during World War II.  George Romney was popular among moderates during his presidential run and was well-equipped for victory; many of his political advisors had come from [[Nelson Rockefeller]]'s 1964 campaign.

==Business Career==
From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain Capital. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority. Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

==Record as Governor==
Romney served as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included economic expansion. He balanced the budget every year of his administration with out increasing taxes or increasing state dept. Romney turned a $3 billion budget deficit into a $500 million surplus by reducing government spending and added 80,000 new jobs by the end of his term. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Governor Romney proposed cutting the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% <ref>http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/mitt_romneys_record_on_economi.php</ref>. Although the Democratic super majority in the state legislator refused to budge. Romney vetoed 844 pieces of legislation, with over 700 overridden. <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Mitt_Romney_Government_Reform.htm</ref> He vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, saying "there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs." <ref>Telegram & Gazette, 08/01/06</ref> Under Governor Romney the state abolished a retroactive capital gains tax that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay additional taxes and fees. <ref>http://www.americansformitt.com/</ref> Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson praised Romney, saying "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. … And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers."

However, some of the actions Governor Romney took received criticisms from conservatives, such as supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal [[health care]] program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign Romney supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos. In 2006, Governor Romney testified before the [[United States]] [[Senate]] to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. Additionally, Romney filed legislation to reinstate [[capital punishment]], but was defeated in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on a 99-53 vote.

Mitt Romney made no pardons as governor, "My conclusion was, if somebody has been convicted by a jury of their peers, and they’ve been prosecuted and the police were able to get the evidence necessary to put them behind bars, why in the world would I step in and reverse that sentence?" <ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2009/12/04/romney-on-huckabee-unlike-some-people-i-never-pardoned-anyone/</ref>

On [[Education]] Romney called for the privatization of the University of Massachusetts medical school<ref>Telegram & Gazette, 02/27/03</ref>. In 2004, he established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, which rewarded the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with tuition-free scholarship to any Massachusetts public [[university]] or [[college]]. In August 2006, Governor Romney refused to allow former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, an outspoken opponent of the [[United States]] and [[Israel]], state police escorts during his speech at [[Harvard University]]. <ref>http://www.nysun.com/editorials/khatemi-at-harvard/38903/</ref>

In December 2006, Romney signed a memorandum of agreement with the federal government that would allow state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws <ref>http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=96543</ref>, however was revoked when Democrat Deval Patrict took office as Governor in January 2007.

== Political Views ==

===Abortion===
Currently, Romney claims to be pro-life, but his record is very spotty. At times he has claimed to be pro-infantacide.
"I am [[pro-life]]. I believe that [[abortion]] is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by [[judicial mandate]]." ([[Boston]] Globe, Mitt Romney Editorial, July 26, 2005)
<ref>[http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Values America's Culture and Values] mittromney.com</ref> 

Despite having a largely pro-life record as governor, in a 1994 debate with Senator [[Edward Kennedy]], Romney said that abortion should be legal, declaring that "regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal." "Many years ago, I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion", Romney said. "It is since that time my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter. And you will not see me wavering on that."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/03/clarity_sought_on_romneys_abortion_stance/?page=2</ref>

In his campaign literature for the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Romney expressed a willingness to defend that State's pro-choice status quo.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/4</ref> He stated in a live, televised debate:<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_w9pquznG4</ref>

{{cquote|"I've been very clear on that, I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose, and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard."}}

===Civil Unions===
Romney claims to be opposed to the idea of [[gay marriage]], however he has voiced explicit support for the [[homosexual agenda]]. He has advocated for domestic partnership benefits and equal rights for [[homosexuals]], which is gay marriage in everything but name and an easy stepping stone on the vile gay agenda path towards homosexual recruitment.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/3</ref>. He also supports adoption for gay couples<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57432292-503544/romney-says-hes-fine-with-gay-couples-adopting-children/</ref>.

===Economic Agenda===
As President, Romney promised to pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. His number one economic priority would be to grow the economy — helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He says he would work to rein in excessive government spending and reform entitlements. To ensure America's continued economic growth, he promises to cut taxes — such as the Death Tax, savings taxes, corporate taxes and marginal tax rates. Despite these claims, he has supported the [[socialist|socialism]] agenda. He claimed credit for the government bailout of the union controlled car companies.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/07/romney-taking-credit-for-auto-industry-success/</ref> Also his [[RomneyCare]] law started the process of [[socialism|socializing]] medical care in [[Massachusetts]]. He continues to defend this law up to this day, undermining his commitment to repel the similar and equally atrocious [[ObamaCare]].<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-defends-romneycare_560953.html</ref>

Romney says he would also promote trade, bring market forces to bear in health care, pursue national tort and liability reform, eliminate excessive regulations that put a burden on our economy and strengthen American families.

===Immigration===

<blockquote>Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.<ref>http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Immigration</ref></blockquote>

Romney supports a strong stance on illegal immigration.<ref>[http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=91722 IowaPolitics.com: Romney Touts Strong Stance On Illegal Immigration]</ref> On 5/24/07, Romney spoke about how he was tolerant about gays and then he discussed the current illegal immigration bill before Congress:
<blockquote>He expressed less tolerance for illegal immigrants, and said he and President Bush have a difference of opinions on a bill that would provide a path toward legalization for an estimated 12 million people unlawfully in the country.

"He has his view, and other people have their views and I have my own," Romney said. "This is for all intents and purposes a form of amnesty in that everyone who is here illegally today will be able to stay under this bill."

The bill is unfair to people who are trying to come to the country legally, he said. People here illegally should be able to apply to come to the United States, but under the same terms as everyone else and behind those who have already applied.

"I don't think that we're going to round up 11 or 12 or however many million people and bus them out of the country. That's not what I'm talking about," Romney said. "Those who committed felonies, of course, would be deported. Those who require government assistance to stay here would surely need to get off government assistance and ultimately could not remain here on government assistance."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May24/0,4670,RomneyGays,00.html</ref></blockquote>

===Stem Cell Research===
Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments. Critics consider this to be essentially infantacide.<ref>http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main Article: [[Mitt Romney 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

[[Image:Dude and mitt romney.jpg|right|180px]] As chairman of the [[Republican Governors Association]], Romney campaigned nationwide for GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2006, building up a network of allies and supporters. While he did not run for reelection as governor, in 2004 Romney set up a federal political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC, which raised $2.71 million during the 2006 election cycle. On January 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. He officially announced his candidacy for President a month later. Romney was the first candidate in either party to start running television and radio ads. The ads focused mainly on his record as governor, running the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, and his work as a very successful businessman. Romney's five sons had been actively campaigning for their father, traveling around in a campaign bus called the "Mitt Mobile, A Five Brothers Bus."

As a presidential candidate Romney sought the support of the business community and social conservatives. He reversed moderate positions on abortion and gay rights to take a hardline conservative position on them, and on opposition to illegal immigrants. Opponents charged he changed too often. Romney was a leader in fund-raising, augmented by over $35 million from his own fortune. However he was little known outside of Massachusetts, so his strategy was to play for early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, then "sling-shot" the momentum into national visibility. Romney won the Michigan primary on January 16th, 2008, with 39% of the vote, edging out McCain with 30% and Huckabee with 16%. Romney was favored to win in the state of his birth, where his father, [[George Romney]] was governor from 1963-1969. After losing both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary (to Huckabee and McCain, respectively), Romney won a low-publicized Wyoming caucus. On January 19, Romney easily won the [[Nevada]] caucuses by 37 percentage points when there were seven candidates on the ballot, however, on that same day he placed a distant fourth in the [[South Carolina]] primary. After a disappointing performance on Super Tuesday, Romney announced the suspension of his campaign on Thursday 7th February. He expressed his wishes not to divide the Republican party and later endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]. Commentators correctly speculated on his chances for a return effort in 2012.

===Fundraising===
Mitt Romney had done well in fund raising. During his first fund raiser as a presidential candidate, he raised $6.5 million dollars compared to an original goal of only $1 million. During the first quarter Romney raised more money then any other Republican presidential candidate with $23 million. However, a substantial portion of his funds ($17 million) came from his own personal wealth. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/16/top_spender_romney_could_soon_run_short/]

==2012 Presidential campaign==
In April 2011, Romney announced his candidacy for President of the United States for the 2012 election, running as a Republican <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/11/mitt-romney-president-candidate</ref>. Romney was criticized throughout the primary season for being a Republican In Name Only due to his liberal views on social issues as governor and his flip-flops, as well as a controversial business record. His main competitors during the primaries were former conservative Speaker of the House [[Newt Gingrich]], Pro-Life Senator [[Rick Santorum]], and libertarian Congressman [[Ron Paul]]. Romney ended up winning the vast majority of contests, though the race remained close in delegate count throughout. Romney together with Vice Presidential candidate [[Paul Ryan]] are running against President Barack Obama and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] in an election to be held on November 6, 2012. During the campaign, Romney was criticized for saying that the [[Romney's 47 percent comment|47% of Americans who do not pay income taxes consider themselves to be 'victims']].

Prior to his campaign for president in 2012, Romney had been criticized for flip-flopping on key social issues:

*Mitt Romney once changed his positions on gun control. He was originally for it, but recently joined the National Rifle Association, an organization opposed to it.

*Romney changed his position on immigration shortly before the [[2012 Presidential Election]]. He originally supported amnesty for certain illegals and moratoriums on criminal prosecution for drug dealing by illegal immigrants. It is possible that Romney is trying to erode President Obama's support in the Latin community in places like [[Nevada]], where immigration is a hot-button issue and Obama's victory in 2008 was by only a few percentage points.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mittromney.com Mitt Romney for President 2008]
*[http://www.ldslivingonline.com/article.php?articleId=17633 Mitt Romney: proudly, quietly Mormon]
*[http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/ Evangelicals for Mitt]
*[http://sparklepony.blogspot.com/2007/03/fresh-mitt-romney-juvenalia-hot-off.html Fresh Mitt Romney Juvenalia] Pics - Comments.
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjE4MmMyMzVkZjlhZGQzNzlhZjdmMDEzNjI3MzM4ZTA= Mitt Romney: “I Changed My View. Is that So Difficult to Understand?”] The candidate talks about his efforts to convince voters that his pro-life conversion is real. Byron York, National Review Online, November 20, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Y2ZkMWNkZDkzOTk1YTM0NTNkNmJlZThmYjJmM2ZmOGE= Did Mitt Romney Push Poll Himself?] Mark Hemingway, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2EzODZjY2UxZTRhMWE2ZDk1ZWE5MGI0ZmRjMDViZTI= Team Romney on Push-Poll Connections] After reading the Hemingway piece, Kevin Madden, Romney for President campaign spokesman replies. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzliMDgzOWVlOGEwYThlMzc5ZDVlNzM2YjA4M2ZkYTg= Romney Stands for Faith] The candidate pushes back against push-poll attacks. Larry Kudlow, National Review Online, November 16, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQ4YmM4Y2U3Yjc3MzYzNDQwYzk3YTVjMTI5YTkwNzg= Romney’s Religion], The Editors, National Review Online, November 16, 2007

==Blogs==
*[http://www.mymanmitt.com/mitt-romney/ My Man Mitt]
*[http://libertariansformitt.wordpress.com/ Libertarians for Romney]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Mitt}}
[[Category:Massachusetts Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Mormons]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Rino backers]]
[[Category: Candidates for United States President]]

Mitt Romney

2012-11-01T00:28:24Z

PaulDiFoglio: mentioning Obama's incumbency for the debate he lost

{{Officeholder
|name=Willard Mitt Romney
|image=MittPortrait.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=[[Ann Romney]]
|religion=[[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Massachusetts
|terms=January 2, 2003 – January 4, 2007
|preceded=[[Jane Swift]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Deval Patrick]]
}}
}}

'''Willard Mitt Romney''', most popularly known as '''Mitt Romney''', (born March 12, 1947) is the former governor of [[Massachusetts]], and a successful U.S. businessman, and the [[2012 Republican Primary|Republican nominee]] for the [[Presidential Election 2012]]. Romney is favored by most voters on economic issues.

According to [[CNN]], Romney won by a margin of 67-25% the first presidential debate against [[liberal]] incumbent [[Barack Obama]]. This debate had the largest television audience for a presidential debate since [[Ronald Reagan]]'s 1980 classic against [[Jimmy Carter]].<ref>http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/presidential-debate-drew-more-than-70-million-viewers/</ref>

He was first runner-up for the nomination in 2008. In 1994, Mitt Romney proved to be the most difficult challenger that incumbent Senator [[Ted Kennedy]] of Massachusetts ever faced for reelection, causing Kennedy to pour far more money into the race than he expected.<ref>[http://archive.newsmax.com/romney/ Romney to the Rescue: Mitt Romney's Got the Right Stuff for 2008] Kessler, Ronald, newsmax.com archives, retrieved April 27, 2012</ref>

Romney leads Obama among many key segments of the electorate: "Romney leads [[Barack Obama|Obama]] 58%-34% among [[veteran]]s, who make up about 13% of the [[electorate]]" and influence many other voters.<ref>http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/05/gallup-romney-tops-obama-with-veterans/1</ref> One national poll showed Romney with a 7-point lead over [[Obama]], 50-43%, in early May.<ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/polls/226943-poll-romney-opens-up-big-lead-nationally</ref> Other polls show different results,<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/us/general_election_romney_vs_obama-1171.html</ref> in swing states like Ohio,<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/oh/ohio_romney_vs_obama-1860.html </ref> Virginia<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/va/virginia_romney_vs_obama-1774.html </ref> and Wisconsin.<ref> http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/president/wi/wisconsin_romney_vs_obama-1871.html </ref>

Before entering politics Romney was a businessman in Boston, having served as CEO of Bain Capital, a management consulting firm known for saving American companies. <ref>Staples, Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Clear Channel Radio, Dunkin Donuts, Domino's Pizza, The Weather Channel, Burger King, Sealy Mattress, Baskin Robbins, Outback Steakhouse, Guitar Center, Gymboree, Bonefish Grill, Burlington Coat Factory, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Michael's, to name a few</ref> His political start began during the financially unsteady 2002 Winter Olympics. He gained popularity in Massachusetts, a state known for being extremely liberal, and was elected governor in 2002. As governor he raised taxes several times. He unashamedly admits creating [[RomneyCare]], which is a complete disaster and forces everyone to buy health insurance and has resulted in long delays for obtaining medical services, such as an ordinary physical, in that state. [[Ted Kennedy]] and other [[liberals]] supported the bill and probably wrote key parts of it. Romney declined to run for reelection and announced his candidacy for President.

During his campaign for the Republican nomination in 2008, Romney was widely but incorrectly supported as a staunch conservative and ran on his business experience in the private sector. Romney fought a rough battle against Senator [[John McCain]] in Florida, Michigan, and other key states, but large losses on the Super Tuesday primaries ended his campaign. Romney dropped out of the race and endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] on February 14, 2008. His name was circulated as a potential running mate for McCain as their relationship improved, though [[Sarah Palin]] eventually became the vice-president nominee.

Romney had supported many far left positions: Romney had a pro-abortion record but is firmly pro-life today; Romney also continues to believe in liberal propaganda claiming global warming; Romney has been criticized for standing behind his 2005 [[RomneyCare|health care plan in Massachusetts]], which featured an 'individual mandate' requiring everyone to purchase health insurance. This plan is very similar to the 2010 ObamaCare bill that was adopted on a national level, and Obama claims Romney's people helped craft it.

== Personal Life ==
[[Image:MittRomneyYouth05.jpg|thumb|Ann Lois Davies and Willard Mitt Romney]]
Romney is the scion of an old Mormon family. His grandparents were polygamists who fled the United States in the early 20th century when the Mormon Church repudiated polygamy; his father was born in Mexico. The Romneys returned to the U.S. in 1911 when a violent civil war broke out in Mexico.

Mitt Romney is a devout member of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints]], and spent time as a missionary during his youth converting Catholics and agnostics to Mormonism in France. In fact, his time as a student and missionary helped him defer from military service during the Vietnam draft,<ref>Michael Kranish, "The Making of Mitt Romney: Mormon church obtained Vietnam draft deferrals for Romney, other missionaries" June 24, 2007. The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/politics/2008/specials/romney/articles/part1_side_2/?page=1 </ref> but he stated during interviews that "he had longed to join the soldiers in Vietnam and support the war effort." His father had stated in 1967 that he felt "brainwashed" by U.S. officials over the justification of the prolonged Vietnam war. This statement had been very costly in George Romney's 1968 campaign for president against Richard Nixon.

Romney maintains a stable marriage with his wife Ann, with whom he has five children.

Romney is the son of former [[Michigan]] governor and presidential candidate [[George Romney]], a "Rockefeller Republican,"<ref>Lisa McGirr, ''Suburban Warriors''(2001) pp. 141, 222.</ref> who amassed a large fortune as an automobile industry magnate during World War II.  George Romney was popular among moderates during his presidential run and was well-equipped for victory; many of his political advisors had come from [[Nelson Rockefeller]]'s 1964 campaign.

==Business Career==
From 1978 to 1984, Romney was a vice president of Bain & Company, Inc. a worldwide management consulting firm, and in 1984, Romney co-founded a spin-off called Bain Capital. He invested in or bought many well-known companies such as Staples, Brookstone, Domino's, Sealy Corporation and Sports Authority. Critics say he advised corporations to cut their U.S. taxes by reincorporating in Caribbean tax havens such as the Caymen Islands, while maintaining their operations in the U.S.

==Record as Governor==
Romney served as governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007), with a generally [[conservative]] record that included economic expansion. He balanced the budget every year of his administration with out increasing taxes or increasing state dept. Romney turned a $3 billion budget deficit into a $500 million surplus by reducing government spending and added 80,000 new jobs by the end of his term. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Governor Romney proposed cutting the state income tax from 5.3% to 5.0% <ref>http://www.clubforgrowth.org/2007/08/mitt_romneys_record_on_economi.php</ref>. Although the Democratic super majority in the state legislator refused to budge. Romney vetoed 844 pieces of legislation, with over 700 overridden. <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Mitt_Romney_Government_Reform.htm</ref> He vetoed an increase in the minimum wage, saying "there's no question raising the minimum wage excessively causes a loss of jobs." <ref>Telegram & Gazette, 08/01/06</ref> Under Governor Romney the state abolished a retroactive capital gains tax that would have forced nearly 50,000 taxpayers to pay additional taxes and fees. <ref>http://www.americansformitt.com/</ref> Massachusetts Citizens For Limited Taxation Executive Director Barbara Anderson praised Romney, saying "There was no one else out on the horizon and with the legislature almost entirely Democratic, we felt it was necessary to have a grown-up in the corner office. … And we were right to back him. He's been a really good friend to the taxpayers."

However, some of the actions Governor Romney took received criticisms from conservatives, such as supporting moderate fee increases and creating and the nation's first universal [[health care]] program. During his 2002 gubernatorial campaign Romney supported [[abortion]], his views evolved and would later take [[pro-life]] positions such as vetoing emergency contraception and vetoing [[stem-cell research]] that would allow cloning of human embryos. In 2006, Governor Romney testified before the [[United States]] [[Senate]] to support the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would limit marriage to one man and one woman. Additionally, Romney filed legislation to reinstate [[capital punishment]], but was defeated in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on a 99-53 vote.

Mitt Romney made no pardons as governor, "My conclusion was, if somebody has been convicted by a jury of their peers, and they’ve been prosecuted and the police were able to get the evidence necessary to put them behind bars, why in the world would I step in and reverse that sentence?" <ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2009/12/04/romney-on-huckabee-unlike-some-people-i-never-pardoned-anyone/</ref>

On [[Education]] Romney called for the privatization of the University of Massachusetts medical school<ref>Telegram & Gazette, 02/27/03</ref>. In 2004, he established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program, which rewarded the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with tuition-free scholarship to any Massachusetts public [[university]] or [[college]]. In August 2006, Governor Romney refused to allow former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, an outspoken opponent of the [[United States]] and [[Israel]], state police escorts during his speech at [[Harvard University]]. <ref>http://www.nysun.com/editorials/khatemi-at-harvard/38903/</ref>

In December 2006, Romney signed a memorandum of agreement with the federal government that would allow state troopers to enforce federal immigration laws <ref>http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=96543</ref>, however was revoked when Democrat Deval Patrict took office as Governor in January 2007.

== Political Views ==

===Abortion===
Currently, Romney claims to be pro-life, but his record is very spotty. At times he has claimed to be pro-infantacide.
"I am [[pro-life]]. I believe that [[abortion]] is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view. But while the nation remains so divided over abortion, I believe that the states, through the democratic process, should determine their own abortion laws and not have them dictated by [[judicial mandate]]." ([[Boston]] Globe, Mitt Romney Editorial, July 26, 2005)
<ref>[http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Values America's Culture and Values] mittromney.com</ref> 

Despite having a largely pro-life record as governor, in a 1994 debate with Senator [[Edward Kennedy]], Romney said that abortion should be legal, declaring that "regardless of one's beliefs about choice, you would hope it would be safe and legal." "Many years ago, I had a dear, close family relative that was very close to me who passed away from an illegal abortion", Romney said. "It is since that time my mother and my family have been committed to the belief that we can believe as we want, but we will not force our beliefs on others on that matter. And you will not see me wavering on that."<ref>http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/03/clarity_sought_on_romneys_abortion_stance/?page=2</ref>

In his campaign literature for the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial election, Romney expressed a willingness to defend that State's pro-choice status quo.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/4</ref> He stated in a live, televised debate:<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_w9pquznG4</ref>

{{cquote|"I've been very clear on that, I will preserve and protect a woman's right to choose, and am devoted and dedicated to honoring my word in that regard."}}

===Civil Unions===
Romney claims to be opposed to the idea of [[gay marriage]], however he has voiced explicit support for the [[homosexual agenda]]. He has advocated for domestic partnership benefits and equal rights for [[homosexuals]], which is gay marriage in everything but name and an easy stepping stone on the vile gay agenda path towards homosexual recruitment.<ref>http://web.archive.org/web/20021218005104/www.romneyhealey.com/issues/3</ref>. He also supports adoption for gay couples<ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57432292-503544/romney-says-hes-fine-with-gay-couples-adopting-children/</ref>.

===Economic Agenda===
As President, Romney promised to pursue a conservative, pro-growth economic agenda. His number one economic priority would be to grow the economy — helping to create good jobs, raise incomes and preserve American strength. He says he would work to rein in excessive government spending and reform entitlements. To ensure America's continued economic growth, he promises to cut taxes — such as the Death Tax, savings taxes, corporate taxes and marginal tax rates. Despite these claims, he has supported the [[socialist|socialism]] agenda. He claimed credit for the government bailout of the union controlled car companies<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/05/07/romney-taking-credit-for-auto-industry-success/</ref>. Also his [[RomneyCare]] law started the process of [[socialism|socializing]] medical care in [[Massachusetts]]. He continues to defend this law up to this day, undermining his commitment to repel the similar and equally atrocious [[ObamaCare]]<ref>http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/romney-defends-romneycare_560953.html</ref>.

Romney says he would also promote trade, bring market forces to bear in health care, pursue national tort and liability reform, eliminate excessive regulations that put a burden on our economy and strengthen American families.

===Immigration===

<blockquote>Immigration has been an important part of our nation's success. The current system, however, puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically enabled, tamper proof documentation and employment verification system, and increase legal immigration into America.<ref>http://www.mittromney.com/Issue-Watch/Immigration</ref></blockquote>

Romney supports a strong stance on illegal immigration.<ref>[http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=91722 IowaPolitics.com: Romney Touts Strong Stance On Illegal Immigration]</ref> On 5/24/07, Romney spoke about how he was tolerant about gays and then he discussed the current illegal immigration bill before Congress:
<blockquote>He expressed less tolerance for illegal immigrants, and said he and President Bush have a difference of opinions on a bill that would provide a path toward legalization for an estimated 12 million people unlawfully in the country.

"He has his view, and other people have their views and I have my own," Romney said. "This is for all intents and purposes a form of amnesty in that everyone who is here illegally today will be able to stay under this bill."

The bill is unfair to people who are trying to come to the country legally, he said. People here illegally should be able to apply to come to the United States, but under the same terms as everyone else and behind those who have already applied.

"I don't think that we're going to round up 11 or 12 or however many million people and bus them out of the country. That's not what I'm talking about," Romney said. "Those who committed felonies, of course, would be deported. Those who require government assistance to stay here would surely need to get off government assistance and ultimately could not remain here on government assistance."<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007May24/0,4670,RomneyGays,00.html</ref></blockquote>

===Stem Cell Research===
Mitt Romney supports the right of scientists to research on embryos created during fertility treatments. Critics consider this to be essentially infantacide.<ref>http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/diseases/articles/2007/02/11/romneys_stem_cell_view_may_upset_the_right/</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main Article: [[Mitt Romney 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

[[Image:Dude and mitt romney.jpg|right|180px]] As chairman of the [[Republican Governors Association]], Romney campaigned nationwide for GOP gubernatorial candidates in 2006, building up a network of allies and supporters. While he did not run for reelection as governor, in 2004 Romney set up a federal political action committee (PAC) called the Commonwealth PAC, which raised $2.71 million during the 2006 election cycle. On January 3, 2007, his next-to-last day in office as governor of Massachusetts, Romney filed to form a presidential exploratory committee with the Federal Election Commission. He officially announced his candidacy for President a month later. Romney was the first candidate in either party to start running television and radio ads. The ads focused mainly on his record as governor, running the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, and his work as a very successful businessman. Romney's five sons had been actively campaigning for their father, traveling around in a campaign bus called the "Mitt Mobile, A Five Brothers Bus."

As a presidential candidate Romney sought the support of the business community and social conservatives. He reversed moderate positions on abortion and gay rights to take a hardline conservative position on them, and on opposition to illegal immigrants. Opponents charged he changed too often. Romney was a leader in fund-raising, augmented by over $35 million from his own fortune. However he was little known outside of Massachusetts, so his strategy was to play for early wins in Iowa and New Hampshire, then "sling-shot" the momentum into national visibility. Romney won the Michigan primary on January 16th, 2008, with 39% of the vote, edging out McCain with 30% and Huckabee with 16%. Romney was favored to win in the state of his birth, where his father, [[George Romney]] was governor from 1963-1969. After losing both the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary (to Huckabee and McCain, respectively), Romney won a low-publicized Wyoming caucus. On January 19, Romney easily won the [[Nevada]] caucuses by 37 percentage points when there were seven candidates on the ballot, however, on that same day he placed a distant fourth in the [[South Carolina]] primary. After a disappointing performance on Super Tuesday, Romney announced the suspension of his campaign on Thursday 7th February. He expressed his wishes not to divide the Republican party and later endorsed Senator [[John McCain]] of [[Arizona]]. Commentators correctly speculated on his chances for a return effort in 2012.

===Fundraising===
Mitt Romney had done well in fund raising. During his first fund raiser as a presidential candidate, he raised $6.5 million dollars compared to an original goal of only $1 million. During the first quarter Romney raised more money then any other Republican presidential candidate with $23 million. However, a substantial portion of his funds ($17 million) came from his own personal wealth. [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/10/16/top_spender_romney_could_soon_run_short/]

==2012 Presidential campaign==
In April 2011, Romney announced his candidacy for President of the United States for the 2012 election, running as a Republican <ref>http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/11/mitt-romney-president-candidate</ref>. Romney was criticized throughout the primary season for being a Republican In Name Only due to his liberal views on social issues as governor and his flip-flops, as well as a controversial business record. His main competitors during the primaries were former conservative Speaker of the House [[Newt Gingrich]], Pro-Life Senator [[Rick Santorum]], and libertarian Congressman [[Ron Paul]]. Romney ended up winning the vast majority of contests, though the race remained close in delegate count throughout. Romney together with Vice Presidential candidate [[Paul Ryan]] are running against President Barack Obama and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] in an election to be held on November 6, 2012. During the campaign, Romney was criticized for saying that the [[Romney's 47 percent comment|47% of Americans who do not pay income taxes consider themselves to be 'victims']].

Prior to his campaign for president in 2012, Romney had been criticized for flip-flopping on key social issues:

*Mitt Romney once changed his positions on gun control. He was originally for it, but recently joined the National Rifle Association, an organization opposed to it.

*Romney changed his position on immigration shortly before the [[2012 Presidential Election]]. He originally supported amnesty for certain illegals and moratoriums on criminal prosecution for drug dealing by illegal immigrants. It is possible that Romney is trying to erode President Obama's support in the Latin community in places like [[Nevada]], where immigration is a hot-button issue and Obama's victory in 2008 was by only a few percentage points.

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mittromney.com Mitt Romney for President 2008]
*[http://www.ldslivingonline.com/article.php?articleId=17633 Mitt Romney: proudly, quietly Mormon]
*[http://www.evangelicalsformitt.org/ Evangelicals for Mitt]
*[http://sparklepony.blogspot.com/2007/03/fresh-mitt-romney-juvenalia-hot-off.html Fresh Mitt Romney Juvenalia] Pics - Comments.
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YjE4MmMyMzVkZjlhZGQzNzlhZjdmMDEzNjI3MzM4ZTA= Mitt Romney: “I Changed My View. Is that So Difficult to Understand?”] The candidate talks about his efforts to convince voters that his pro-life conversion is real. Byron York, National Review Online, November 20, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=Y2ZkMWNkZDkzOTk1YTM0NTNkNmJlZThmYjJmM2ZmOGE= Did Mitt Romney Push Poll Himself?] Mark Hemingway, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Y2EzODZjY2UxZTRhMWE2ZDk1ZWE5MGI0ZmRjMDViZTI= Team Romney on Push-Poll Connections] After reading the Hemingway piece, Kevin Madden, Romney for President campaign spokesman replies. Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review Online, November 19, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MzliMDgzOWVlOGEwYThlMzc5ZDVlNzM2YjA4M2ZkYTg= Romney Stands for Faith] The candidate pushes back against push-poll attacks. Larry Kudlow, National Review Online, November 16, 2007
*[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGQ4YmM4Y2U3Yjc3MzYzNDQwYzk3YTVjMTI5YTkwNzg= Romney’s Religion], The Editors, National Review Online, November 16, 2007

==Blogs==
*[http://www.mymanmitt.com/mitt-romney/ My Man Mitt]
*[http://libertariansformitt.wordpress.com/ Libertarians for Romney]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Mitt}}
[[Category:Massachusetts Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Business People]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Mormons]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Rino backers]]
[[Category: Candidates for United States President]]

Kenneth Grahame

2012-11-01T00:26:59Z

PaulDiFoglio: redirect to The Wing in the Willows

#REDIRECT [[The Wind in the Willows]]

Winnie the Pooh

2012-11-01T00:26:07Z

PaulDiFoglio: book titles get italicized -- not that hard

'''''Winnie the Pooh''''' is a book by [[A.A. Milne]] about a bear "of very little brain", called Winnie the Pooh, and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Among his friends are Piglet, Rabbit, Eeyore, Owl, and Christopher Robin. <ref> [[Winnie the Pooh]], by A.A. Milne, E.P. Dutton, 1926. </ref> Milne wrote a second book about the characters, called ''The House at Pooh Corner''.

The setting for the stories is based on [[Ashdown Forest]] in the [[England|English]] county of [[Sussex]]. <ref>Ashdown Forest [http://www.ashdownforest.org/pooh/winnie_the_pooh.php] </ref>

Disney made several popular short films (and recently many other less popular feature-length ones). [[Walt Disney]] personally took part in creating ''Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree'' and ''Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day''. Sterling Holloway was the original voice for Pooh.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category: Literature]]
[[Category:Children's Literature]]

Electrical resistance

2012-11-01T00:24:33Z

PaulDiFoglio: better like this

'''Electrical resistance''' is a measure of how much a substance impedes the flow of [[electrons]].<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/electrical-resistance-1</ref> Resistance is represented with the symbol ''R'', and its [[SI]] unit is the [[Ohm]] (Ω).

Resistance is caused when the free current carrying electrons in a material are scattered due to collisions in the ion lattice. These collisions are caused by defects and imperfections in the lattice, and by the lattice vibrations. The resistance of an object is therefore given by

<math>R=\frac{L\rho}{A}</math>

where L is the length of the object, and A is its cross sectional area. <math>\rho</math> is the resistivity of the material the object, a measure of how much the free electrons in a material are scattered by the ion lattice.

Resistance in a circuit made of purely resistive elements (i.e no [[inductor]]s or [[capacitor]]s) can be calculated by the [[voltage]] divided by the [[current]] (R = V / I).

==See Also==
*[[Ohm's Law]]
*[[Resistor]]
*[[Potentiometer]]

==External links==
*[http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_1/chpt_2/1.html How voltage, current, and resistance relate]

==References==
<references/>

[[category:electronics]]

User talk:PaulDiFoglio

2012-11-01T00:23:33Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* An article you might want to write */ re:

{{welcome}}
==Hello==
Have fun here[[User:Brenden|brenden]] 01:27, 9 June 2012 (EDT)
:Thank you! [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 00:37, 16 June 2012 (EDT)

== An article you might want to write ==

Here is an article you might want to write: [[Atheism and pride]]. You might want to take a look at this article [[Atheism and satanic deception]]. [[User:Conservative|Conservative]] 17:20, 25 June 2012 (EDT)
:I'd really rather not. [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 20:23, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

User talk:RayfordCry

2012-11-01T00:23:07Z

PaulDiFoglio: welcoming new user

'''''Welcome to Conservapedia, Rayford! Enjoy your stay at The Trustworthy Encyclopedia and please make sure to sign your posts with four tildes (<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>)''''' [[User:PaulDiFoglio|PaulDiFoglio]] 20:23, 31 October 2012 (EDT)

User:PaulDiFoglio

2012-10-31T22:11:56Z

PaulDiFoglio:

{{cquote|'Tis hard to write parody articles when the serious ones are already so preposterous.|||God}}

{{cquote|'Tis hard to know whether to laugh or cry when such preposterous assertions are known to be held sincerely.|||Jesus}}

Andrew Schlafly

2012-10-31T22:09:55Z

PaulDiFoglio: I believe "Conservapedia" is supposed to be italicized. People, this is your encyclopedia, at least learn to write its name properly

[[Image:ASchlafly.JPG|thumb|175px|right|Andrew Schlafly]]
'''Andrew Schlafly''' is a [[conservative]] lawyer and former [[engineer]]. Mr. Schlafly is also the founder of ''Conservapedia''.

Andrew Schlafly is the fifth child of attorney John Fred Schlafly, Jr. and noted political activist [[Phyllis Schlafly]]. His great-grandfather, August Schlafly, was founder of the Union Trust and Savings Bank of East St. Louis, Ill., the First National Bank of Edwardsville, Ill., and other banks in Western states. <ref> [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DB1638F936A15752C1A962948260 Catherine Kosarek] Wedding news. November 25, 1984.
</ref>

He graduated from [[Princeton University]] with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. A magna cum laude graduate from [[Harvard University|Harvard Law School]], he was an editor of the ''[[Harvard Law Review]]''. <ref> [http://www.blogsforterri.com/archives/2005/03/medical_attorne.php Medical Attorney Andrew Schlafly] Posted on March 23, 2005. </ref>

He teaches one of the largest homeschool classes in the country, including one class in fall 2006 with 58 students in [[World_History_Lectures|World History]]. In spring 2007 he taught [[Economics_Lectures|Economics]].

Conservapedia developed as a result of his World History course. Andrew Schlafly and several of his top students continue to lead the project, and most of his students have contributed entries to it.

Andrew Schlafly has taught homeschoolers online since the late 1990s, and in person since fall 2002. Several of Andrew Schlafly's prior course materials are available on [http://www.eagleforumu.org Eagle Forum University].

== External links ==
[[Image:Img524 Andy.jpg|thumb|Andy Schlafly at Columbia University]]
*[http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html About CLEP] The College-Level Examination Program.
*[http://hbutler0.tripod.com/semmelweissocietytv/id52.html Andrew Schlafly], Esq.

{{Clear}}

== References ==

<references/>

[[Category:Lawyers]]
[[Category: Academics]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schlafly, Andrew}}

Senate Conservatives Fund

2012-10-31T22:07:26Z

PaulDiFoglio: internal link for Jim DeMint in the article's first mention of him, not a later one

It was announced in July 2012 that the '''Senate Conservatives Fund''' will be dissolved and converted into a Super PAC. [[Jim DeMint]] will step down according to PAC rules. The Super PAC will be called Senate Conservatives Action. <ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/jim-demint-launch-super-pac/story?id=16698684, Jim DeMint to launch super PAC, ABC News, July 2, 2012]</ref> The Senate Conservatives Fund is a political action committee dedicated to electing true conservative leaders to the [[U.S. Senate]]. They are not affiliated with the [[Republican]] party and do not support [[RINO]]s. The SCF supports only the most principled candidates nationwide, the ones that believe in [[conservative]] principles of limited government, strong national defense, and traditional family values. They have over 250,000 members and their chairman is Senator Jim DeMint. Every candidate endorsed by the Senate Conservatives Fund is also endorsed by the [[Tea Party Movement]].

==Policy Goals==
*Strengthen national security
*Oppose appeasement
*Eliminate wasteful spending and keep taxes low
*Promote energy security
*Secure our borders
*Expand private health insurance
*Give parents more school choices
*Reform Social Security and Medicare
*Confirm good judges
*Support and defend the Constitution of the United States

==2012 Candidates==
*[[Jeff Flake]]
*[[Richard Mourdock]]
*[[Don Stenberg]]
*[[Josh Mandel]]
*[[Ted Cruz]]
*[[Mark Nuemann]]

==2010 Candidates==
*[[Christine O'Donnell]]
*[[Joe Miller]]
*[[Ken Buck]]
*[[Sharron Angle]]
*[[Dino Rossi]]
*[[Ron Johnson]]
*[[Mike Lee]]
*[[Rand Paul]]
*[[Marco Rubio]]
*[[Pat Toomey]]

==External Links==
* [http://senateconservatives.com/site/ Official website]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Tea Party Movement]]
{{conservatism}}

Senate Elections 2012

2012-10-31T22:06:30Z

PaulDiFoglio: yeah they're evil, but as an encyclopedia we should at least make the effort to capitalize their name

The '''2012 United States Senate elections''', to be held November 6, 2012, include [[Republican]], Democrat and Independent candidates vying for six-year terms and a seat in the 113th Congress. [[Democrat]]s need to defend 21 seats and Republicans need only to defend 10 seats. Two seats held by Independents are up for election and lean Democrat: Bernie Sanders seeks re-election and Joe Lieberman is retiring.

Democrats' majority status and [[Harry Reid]]'s Senate leadership are at stake. Some Democrats are growing uncomfortable as they decline to endorse [[Obama]]'s shift on [[gay marriage]]. Of the 33 Democrats who have won their primaries, only 20 have clearly stated their support for gay marriage while 8 have stated their opposition. "Senate Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] predicted Thursday the Democratic Party would adopt a pro-gay marriage plank in its platform." [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/227007-vulnerable-democratic-senators-balk-at-obamas-endorsement-of-gay-marriage]

As of October 29, the [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/senate/2012_elections_senate_map.html RealClearPolitics website] forecasts a 46-44 split favoring Democrats with 10 toss-up seats:

*Arizona
*Connecticut
*Indiana
*Massachusetts
*Missouri
*Montana (Rehberg-R v. Tester-D)
*Nevada
*Ohio
*Virginia
*Wisconsin

==Senate Contests==

Ratings originally based on [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/senate/2012_elections_senate_map.html RealClearPolitics website] forecast; forecasts revised here on September 9, 2012.

===Safe Republican===

'''* Mississippi'''

Republican [[Roger Wicker]] is the incumbent. He will face Democrat Albert N. Gore.

'''* Tennessee'''

Republican [[Bob Corker]] is the incumbent. He will face conservative Democrat Mark Clayton. Clayton will not have any help from his party.

'''* Texas'''

Republican [[Kay Bailey Hutchison]] is retiring. Tea party backed [[Ted Cruz]] will face Paul Sadler, who won his primary runoff for the Democrat nomination. Sadler is a backer of [[Obamacare]] and [[Planned Parenthood]].

'''* Utah'''

Republican [[Orrin Hatch]] is the incumbent. Pete Ashdown is the Democrat challenger.

'''* Wyoming'''

Republican [[John Barrasso]] is the incumbent. He will face Democrat Tim Chestnut.

===Likely Republican===

'''* Nebraska'''

Democrat [[Ben Nelson]] is retiring. [[Pro-life]] [[Deb Fischer]] defeated [[RINO]] Jon Bruning for the Republican nomination; and will face Democrat Bob Kerrey.

===Leans Republican===

'''* Arizona'''

Republican [[Jon Kyl]] is retiring. Democrat [[Richard Carmona]], who served as [[Surgeon General of the United States]] under [[George W. Bush]], will face Republican [[Jeff Flake]]. Flake is endorsed by the [[Senate Conservatives Fund]]. The latest Rasmussen poll from September 25 has Flake up by 6 points at 47% to 41%.

'''* Indiana'''

Tea Party-backed Republican [[Richard Mourdock]] will face Democrat Joe Donnelly after defeating 35-year incumbent Republican [[Richard Lugar]] in the Republican primary. The latest Rasmussen poll from August 1 has Mourdock up by 2 points at 42% to 40%.

'''* Nevada'''

Republican [[Dean Heller]] was appointed in 2011 to replace [[John Ensign]] and is considered the incumbent. He faces Rep. Shelley Berkley who cruised to victory in the Democratic primary. The latest Rasmussen poll from September 18 has Heller up by 1 point at 42% to 41%.

===Toss Up===

'''* Florida'''

Democrat [[Bill Nelson]] is the incumbent. He will face Republican Representative Connie Mack. Polls show Nelson below the 50 percent mark, which is bad news for an incumbent and Nelson cannot win if Romney takes Florida, a must-win state for him. As of September 2012, Nelson leads Mack by about 8 percentage points, depending on the poll.<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2012/senate/fl/florida_senate_mack_vs_nelson-1847.html Florida Senate - Mack vs. Nelson] realclearpolitics.com, retrieved September 14, 2012</ref>

'''* Missouri'''

Democrat [[Claire McCaskill]] is the incumbent and faces [[movement conservative]] [[Todd Akin]], the [[Republican]] nominee. Since Akin's comments regarding pregnancy and "legitimate rape," Akin went from leading McCaskill by 6 points in prior polls to trailing her by 10 points in a Rasmussen Poll from August 22. The gap had lessened for Akin to 6 points in a September 12th poll, but grew again to an 8 point difference favoring McCaskill by an October 17th Rasmussen poll.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_senate_elections/missouri/election_2012_missouri_senate Election 2012: Missouri Senate] rasmussenreports.com, retrieved September 21, 2012</ref> Now that Missouri has become what is likely to be a necessary win for Republicans to gain control of the Senate, and now that Akin can no longer drop from the race and be replaced by a different Republican on the ballot, he has received the support of a number of influential Republicans including [[Jim DeMint]], [[Rick Santorum]], and [[Roy Blunt]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/09/27/return-todd-akin-republicans-offer-support-to-embattled-candidate/?test=latestnews</ref> This may give Akin the boost he needs to win.

'''* Massachusetts'''

Republican [[Scott Brown]] is the incumbent, and will face Democrat [[Elizabeth Warren]], who served as Assistant to the President and Special Advisor to the Secretary of the Treasury for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau under President Barack Obama. Polling has this race in a tie. In a televised debate, Brown was asked if he would support [[Mitch McConnell]] for re-election as Senate leader, and Brown said that he was his own man and would not commit to supporting him. Brown said,
<blockquote>"I already let it be very clearly known to Mitch McConnell that I'm completely disgusted as to what's going on down there. He has a lot of work to do to earn my vote because I don't work for him or Harry Reid. That's the beauty of being independent."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nj.com/us-politics/index.ssf/2012/10/in_debate_brown_veers_away_fro.html|title=In debate, Brown veers away from GOP|work=New Jersey Star Ledger|date=October 2, 2012|accessdate=October 2, 2012}}</ref></blockquote>
The most recent Rasmussen poll from October 25 gives Warren a lead of 52% to 47%,

'''* Michigan'''

Democrat [[Debbie Stabenow]] is the incumbent and will face Republican [[Pete Hoekstra]].

'''* Montana'''

Democrat [[Jon Tester]] is the incumbent. He will face Republican [[Denny Rehberg]]. As of October 22, Rehberg and Tester are tied at 48% each according to a Rasmussen poll.<ref>[http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_senate_elections/montana/election_2012_montana_senate Election 2012: Montana Senate] rasmussenreports.com, retrieved October 22, 2012</ref>

'''* North Dakota'''

Democrat [[Kent Conrad]] is retiring. July polling has Republican Rick Berg leading Democrat Heidi Heitkamp by +5.

'''* Ohio'''

Democrat [[Sherrod Brown]] is the incumbent. He will face Republican [[Josh Mandel]]. Mandel has the backing of Senator [[Jim Demint]]. Brown has the backing of [[George Soros]], the [[SEIU]] and the former [[ACORN]].

'''* Virginia'''

Democrat [[Jim Webb]] is retiring. Democrat [[Tim Kaine]] will face Republican [[George Allen]]. Both candidates have previously served as Virginia governors and Allen served in the Senate until he was defeated by Webb. Polling has this race tied and may come down to which presidential candidate carries Virginia in November.

'''* Wisconsin'''

Democrat [[Herb Kohl]] is retiring. Democratic Congresswoman [[Tammy Baldwin]] will face Republican former Governor [[Tommy Thompson]]. The latest Rasmussen poll from September 17 has Baldwin up by 3 points, 49% to 46%.

===Leans Democrat===

'''* Connecticut'''

Independent [[Joe Lieberman]] is retiring. Democrat Chris Murphy will face Republican challenger [[Linda McMahon]].

'''* Hawaii'''

Democrat [[Daniel Akaka]] is retiring. Democrat Mazie Hirono will face former Republican Governor [[Linda Lingle]].

'''* New Mexico'''

Democrat [[Jeff Bingaman]] is retiring. Republican Heather Wilson will face Democrat Martin Heinrich.

===Likely Democrat===

'''* New Jersey'''

Democrat [[Bob Menendez]] is the incumbent. He will face Republican Joe Kyrillos .

'''* Pennsylvania'''

Democrat [[Bob Casey, Jr.]] is the incumbent. 7 Republicans declared. [[Pro-choice | Fake Pro-life]] Casey Jr. is a strong defender of Obama and [[Harry Reid]].

'''* Washington'''

Democrat [[Maria Cantwell]] is the incumbent. [[Michael Baumgartner]] is the Republican challenger.

'''* West Virginia'''

Democrat [[Joe Manchin]] is the incumbent. He will face Republican John Raese. Barack Obama polls so poorly in this state that Manchin refuses to say who he'll vote for President. [http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/manchin-won-t-endorse-obama-charleston-paper-won-t-endorse-manchin-20120425]

===Safe Democrat===

'''* California'''

Democrat [[Dianne Feinstein]] is the incumbent. She will face Republican Elizabeth Emken

'''* Delaware'''

Democrat [[Tom Carper]] is the incumbent. Businessman Kevin Wade is the Republican candidate.

'''* Maryland'''

Democrat [[Ben Cardin]] is the incumbent. He will face former Secret Service agent and Republican [[Dan Bongino]].

'''* Minnesota'''

Democrat [[Amy Klobuchar]] is the incumbent. She will face Republican [[Kurt Bills]].

'''* New York'''

Democrat [[Kirsten Gillibrand]] is the incumbent. She will face Republican Wendy Long.

'''* Rhode Island'''

Democrat [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] is the incumbent. Republican Barry Hinckley the challenger.

'''* Vermont'''

Independent [[Bernie Sanders]] who caucuses with the Democrats is the incumbent. John MacGovern [R] is the Republican challenger.

===Likely Independent===

'''* Maine'''

Republican [[Olympia Snowe]] is retiring. Democrat Cynthia Dill and Republican Charlie Summers will face Independent former Gov. [[Angus King]]. Polling predicts King will be the victor. King's positions are viewed as generally liberal leaning, and he is being treated as the ''de facto'' Democrat by the Republican campaign. It is unclear with which party he would caucus, however.

==States without a Senate race in 2012==
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Vermont.

==See also==
* [[Presidential Election 2012]]

==References==
<references/>

[[category:Politics]]
[[category:Obama Presidency]]
[[category:Republican Party]]
[[category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category:United States Presidential Election, 2012]]

Burger Court

2012-10-31T22:05:18Z

PaulDiFoglio: its *infamous* for Roe v. Wade, not just "famous"

The '''Burger Court''' consists of the decisions of the United States Supreme Court between 1969, when [[Warren Burger]] began serving as the Chief Justice, and October 1986, when he was replaced by Associate Justice [[William Rehnquist]] after his death.

Members on the court include:

* Chief Justice [[Warren Burger]] (since 1969)
* Associate Justice [[William O. Douglas]]
* Associate Justice [[William Brennan]]
* Associate Justice [[Byron White]]
* Associate Justice [[Thurgood Marshall]]
* Associate Justice [[Harry Blackmun]] (since 1970)
* Associate Justice [[William Rehnquist]] (since 1972)
* Associate Justice [[Lewis Powell]] (since 1972)
* Associate Justice [[John Paul Stevens]] (since 1973)
* Associate Justice [[Sandra Day O'Connor]] (since 1981)

The Burger Court is probably most infamous for its decision on [[Roe v. Wade]]

[[Category: United States Supreme Court]]

Supreme Court of the United States

2012-10-31T22:04:16Z

PaulDiFoglio: /* Decisions by Term */ presumably we're going to add to this small list -- this is an encyclopedia after all

[[Image:Supreme Court.jpg|thumb|200px|US Supreme Court Building]]
The '''Supreme Court of the United States''' (SCOTUS) is the highest court of the judiciary of the [[United States of America]]. Between 1800 and 1935, it met primarily in the basement of the United States [[Capitol]] building, then in the Old Senate Chamber, until it moved into its present location at One First Street NE, [[Washington, D.C.]]. [[Alexander Hamilton]] originally described the federal judiciary as the "least dangerous branch" due to the fact that it does not have the power to enforce or controls the country's [[finance]]s.<ref>http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa78.htm Federalist #78</ref> However, the Supreme Court does have significant power and has grown to now rivals or even exceed that of the other branches of government.

== Decisions by Term ==

*[[Supreme Court 2011 Term]] ''(more to come)''

==Structure==
The Court is currently composed of eight [[Associate Justice]]s and one [[Chief Justice of the United States of America|Chief Justice]]. To assist them there are many clerks, guards, and staff. Cases are heard ''[[en banc]]'' whenever the Court is in session. Historians generally divide Court history into eras named after the Chief Justice then presiding (e.g., the [[Rehnquist Court]] and the [[Warren Court]]).
[[Image:SCOTUS.jpg|300px|left|thumb|The Supreme Court of the United States, 2007 Back Row (l-r):Breyer, Thomas, Bader-Ginsburg, Alito Front Row(l-r):Kennedy, Stevens, Roberts, Scalia, Souter]]
Justices are appointed by the U.S. [[President]] with the advice and approval of the [[U.S. Senate]], which means that confirmation by a vote of a simple majority of the Senate is required before one can be sworn in as a Justice of the Supreme Court.

A list of pending cases to be heard on their merits by the Supreme Court, also known as petitions for which [[certiorari]] has been granted, is available on its website.<ref>[http://www.supremecourtus.gov/orders/07grantednotedlist.pdf Cases pending for the 2007 term]</ref>

==Opinions==
Prior to the [[Marshall Court]], the Court issued [[opinion|opinions]] in ''seriatim''. This means that each Justice wrote his own opinion and delivered it from the bench. Currently, the Court issues one opinion, said to be "the opinion of the Court". Opinions tend to have the history of the case, followed by the Court's reasoning and action. Generally the opinion will be written by a member of the majority, chosen by either the Chief Justice or the most senior Justice in the majority.

When a majority of Justices agrees to the opinion, it is called the [[Majority Opinion|majority opinion]]. Occasionally, a majority of Justices agrees to the [[remedy]], yet a minority of Justices agrees with the main opinion. This is called a [[plurality opinion]].

Justices that disagree with the Court's action can and frequently do write [[dissenting opinion]]s, which state their objections to the ruling. When a Justice agrees with an action, but not the reasoning behind it, he may write a concurring opinion, which states the reasoning he would have used. Such opinions have no bearing on the case at bar, but are often used later in time as justification for legal rulings.

==Conservative and liberal votes==
[[File:Judges-over-time.jpg|thumb|200px|How judges became more conservative (moving up) or liberal (moving down) over time. Click to enlarge.]]

Four of the five most conservative justices to serve on the court since 1937, out of a total of 43 justices, are on the court right now: Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] and Justices [[Antonin Scalia]], [[Clarence Thomas]] and [[Samuel Alito]] The fifth was Chief Justice [[William Rehnquist]], whom Chief Justice Roberts replaced in 2005.<ref> see Adam Liptak, "To Nudge, Shift or Shove the Supreme Court Left," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/01/weekinreview/01liptak.html?_r=1&hp ''New York Times'' Jan. 31, 2009] Data from a 2008 study by William M. Landes, who teaches law and economics at the University of Chicago, and conservative Judge Richard A. Posner of the federal appeals court. </ref> Looking at votes in divided cases on ideologically charged issues like criminal procedure, civil rights and the First Amendment shows Justice Thomas, the most conservative justice. He voted for the conservative position in those cases 82% of the time. Justice Marshall, the only other African-American to serve on the court, was by this measure the most liberal, voting for the conservative side 21% of the time.

In ten of the last eleven appointments, the new justice was more conservative than the one replaced.

==Current Members==
{|class="wikitable"
!Name!!Date of Accession!!Appointed by!!Title!!General ideology
|-
|[[Antonin Scalia]]||September 26, 1986|||[[Ronald Reagan]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Anthony Kennedy]]||February 18, 1988|||[[Ronald Reagan]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[moderate]]/swing
|-
|[[Clarence Thomas]]||October 23, 1991|||[[George H. W. Bush]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]]||August 10, 1993|||[[Bill Clinton]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[Stephen Breyer]]||August 3, 1994|||[[Bill Clinton]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[John Roberts]]||September 29, 2005|||[[George W. Bush]]|||[[Chief Justice of the United States of America|Chief Justice]]|||[[moderate]]/swing
|-
|[[Samuel Alito]]||January 31, 2006|||[[George W. Bush]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[conservative]]
|-
|[[Sonia Sotomayor]]||August 6, 2009|||[[Barack Obama]]|||[[Associate Justice]]|||[[liberal]]
|-
|[[Elena Kagan]]||August 7, 2010||[[Barack Obama]]||[[Associate Justice]]||[[liberal]]
|}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==See Also==
*[[State supreme court]], usually the corresponding court in a [[state court]] system
*[[Supreme Court]] for supreme courts generally

==Further Reading==
* Hall, Kermit L., ed. ''The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Companion-Supreme-United-States/dp/0195176618/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525239&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], complete text online at many academic libraries.
** Patrick, John J. ed. ''The Young Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States'' (1994)
* Hall, Kermit L., and James W Ely Jr., eds. ''The Oxford Guide to United State Supreme Court Decisions'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-Guide-United-Supreme-Decisions/dp/019537939X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525239&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search], complete text online at many academic libraries.
* Rehnquist, William H. ''The Supreme Court'' (2002), a popular introduction [http://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Court-William-H-Rehnquist/dp/0375708618/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525459&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Savage, David G. ''Turning Right: The Making of the Rehnquist Supreme Court'' (1993) [http://www.amazon.com/Turning-Right-Making-Rehnquist-Supreme/dp/0471595535/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233525459&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

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