Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Stephen Colbert

2010-02-23T19:09:53Z

Bobobo:

[[File:Stephencolbert2.jpg|thumb]]

'''Stephen Colbert''' is a writer, a comedian, and an actor. Colbert is a [[Catholic]] and an erstwhile Sunday school teacher<ref>http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/07/13/ask-tv-squad-stephen-colbert-teaches-sundayschool/</ref>, and a self-proclaimed [[liberal]] [[Democrat]]. <ref>http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/jon_stewart_stephen_colbert_americas_anchors/page/4 Rolling Stone Interview, Oct 31, 2006</ref>

Colbert began his career at [[Comedy Central]] in the year 2000 on the show ''Strangers with Candy''. He later left in order to become a correspondent on ''[[The Daily Show|The Daily Show with Jon Stewart]]'', where he began to build what would later be the character he would play on ''The Colbert Report''. He was well-regarded on the show, and was occasionally guest-hosting when Stewart had to be elsewhere.

Due to his work on ''The Daily Show'', he won three [[Emmy Awards]] and two [[Peabody Awards]] along with the other writers.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0170306/awards IMDB List of Stephen Colbert Awards </ref> <ref>http://128.192.29.189/news/pressrelease.asp?ID=151 List of 2007 Peabody Award Winners</ref>

==''The Colbert Report''==

In 2005, Colbert left ''The Daily Show'' in order to become the host of a spinoff, ''The Colbert Report''.

In the show, Colbert plays a satirical right-wing political talk show host. This personna was largely based on [[Bill O'Reilly]], who has a friendly rivalry with the show.

''The Colbert Report'' has a very loyal following which the Colbert character often uses for his various pranks. For example, in every public vote for naming something, Colbert urges his fans to vote for him.

In his recurring segment "The Word", which is a parody of O'Reilly's "Talking Points", Colbert coined the word "truthiness" in order to refer to the quality possessed by statements which, though factually false, are repeated by supporters who feel in their hearts that they ''ought'' to be true, and regard it as quibbling to object to their falsehood.

Colbert has poked fun at [[Wikipedia]] and its apparent democratization of truth. He has coined the word "Wikiality" (as opposed to "reality") and caused trouble for Wikipedia by suggesting that his listeners alter articles. In August of 2006, he encouraged users to state that the population of African [[elephants]] had tripled in the last decade. Colbert's point was that if enough people believe something, it becomes "the truth". Wikipedia responded by reverting and locking down the pages to prevent further vandalism.

Recently, Colbert had viewers write in his name to a public vote done by [[NASA]] to name a new room addition to the [[International Space Station]]. Colbert's cult-like followers won the contest for him with an astonishing 230,539 total votes, 40,000 more than NASA's choice of Serenity.

Stephen Colbert recently has gained attention in the media with his satirical mocking of [[Fox News]]'s [[Glenn Beck]]. Colbert has mocked Beck's claims that [[Barack Hussein Obama]] is a racist and that Obama is a socialist.

==Relationship with Conservapedia==
Conservapedia was mentioned on at least two episodes of ''The Colbert Report''. After learning about Conservapedia's [[Conservative Bible Project|initiative to remove "liberal bias" from the Bible]], Stephen Colbert urged his followers to insert him into the planned conservative rewrite as a Biblical figure.<ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Colbert Report (October 7, 2009 episode)
| series = The Colbert Report
| serieslink = The Colbert Report
| airdate = 2009-10-07
| url = http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/251994/october-07-2009/tip-wag---conservapedia--louvre---honda-unicycle}}</ref> This was followed by mass vandalism by Colbert fans.<ref>[http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Stephen_Colbert&diff=709438&oldid=709432 Example of vandalism on the Stephen Colbert article]</ref><ref>[http://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Genesis_1-8_%28Translated%29&diff=prev&oldid=709520 Example of vandalism on the Genesis 1-8 page of the Conservative Bible Project]</ref> A few months later, Colbert interviewed Conservapedia founder [[Andy Schlafly]].<ref>{{cite episode
| title = The Colbert Report (December 8, 2009 episode)
| series = The Colbert Report
| serieslink = The Colbert Report
| airdate = 2009-12-08
| url = http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258144/december-08-2009/andy-schlafly}}</ref>

==See also==

*''[[The Daily Show]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT: Colbert, Stephen}} 
[[Category:Actors]]
[[Category:Television Show Hosts]]
[[Category:Comedians]]
[[Category: Liberals]]
{{liberalism}}

Talk:Stephen Colbert

2010-02-23T19:08:53Z

Bobobo: /* "claims to be" Catholic */

Considering the obvious relevance it has to Conservapedia, a mentioning of the interview of Andrew Schafly on the Colbert Report should be included in this article.

Stephen Colbert's name has a French pronunciation -- that's not very American. I say this article should be removed.--[[User:Jesus_H_Christ|Jesus_H_Christ]] 23:18, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

:Jesus H. Christ, Les Francais sont tres bon![[User:Tmtoulouse|Tmtoulouse]] 23:20, 23 March 2007 (EDT)

Any reason why the part about the Correspondents' Dinner was removed? Also the statement about Colbert's intention with the Wikipedia vandalizing is speculative at best and should probably be removed.--[[User:ColinR|ColinR]] 18:59, 12 March 2007 (EDT)

Here's a link to the Correspondents' Dinner speech on Google Video: [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-869183917758574879&q=colbert+white+house Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner]

The Sunday school teacher remark needs a cite--I know it's true, but it really should be cited. Here's a good website, I'd edit if I could. (http://www.tvsquad.com/2006/07/13/ask-tv-squad-stephen-colbert-teaches-sundayschool/) Also, the Correspondent's dinner should be added. As much as I hate what he did, it is our duty to tell the truth on this site. --[[User:Splark|Splark]] 21:30, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

Why would you hate what he did? He's the greatest American ever! Stephen Colbert is a champion of truth and justice. Come on, he got Captain America's shield!!--[[User:Dialecticftw|Dialecticftw]] 06:24, 15 March 2007 (EDT)

== Truthiness ==

Instead of "The Trustworthy Encyclopedia," shouldn't Conservapedia's slogan be "The Encyclopedia of Trustiness"? It just feels right.

:hmm, Or maybe, ''Conservapedia: your daily recommended allowance of '''truthiness'''''?[[User:Rob Pommer| Cracker]][[User_talk:Rob_Pommer|talk]]

::'''''Conservapedia: The Truthy Encyclopedia''''' Notice that to make this, we remove the letters STWOR - an acronym for WORST [[User:Human|Human]] 02:42, 25 April 2007 (EDT)

== "right wing" removed? ==

Without explanation, his act was reduced to "extreme commentator". He plays an extreme ''right wing'' commentator, specifically. That's the whole point of the show. Can anyone explain, please? [[User:Human|Human]] 18:27, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
:He plays what in his view and others is a "right-wing" commentator; but that does not mean the so-called right-wing fits those stereotypes. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 21:04, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
::OK, I'll buy that. Can the article say that? It would sort of be a double-parody - explaining that he does not, in the view of those he think she is parodying, accurately portray their positions? How about "[he plays] an extreme left wing stereotype of an extreme right wing commentator"? Pretty fair and balanced, and accurate in that it mentions that his "extreme" parody or attempt at it is politically charged. It's up to you, I have no axe to grind here. [[User:Human|Human]] 22:25, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
:::Give it a try. Sounds like it couild be humourous. Nothing wrong with that to make the point. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 22:36, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
That sounds like a fair compromise, given that Colbert specifically refuses to share his personal political beliefs. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 22:46, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
:Personally, Colbert is a democrat; he's said it several times, at speeches at colleges and what not. --[[User:Hojimachong|'''Hojimachong''']][[User_Talk:Hojimachong|talk]] 22:57, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
::I don't care what he is, it just has to be disclaimed properly. We can't have any bigotry here. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 23:05, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

Hey RobS, I just realized I can't "give it a try" - the page is locked. Can we try this sentence:

"He plays the role of an extreme left wing stereotype of an extreme right wing commentator." I forget if you're a sysop, but obviously Hoji is. By the way Hoji, nice addition with the ursaphobia. I do think that articles on lighter subjects can have a lighter tone, even using the tone of their subjects, carefully (cf some [[Monty Python]] pages).

By the way, yes, he's a Democrat, Catholic, and Sunday School teacher. I don't know if you guys have ever seen him rip scripture (you gotta call it that if you've seen it) on people, but it's amazing. He's got that "Catholic School" recitation at full speed with full articulation thing deep in him.

And, to his minor credit (on this site), if a liberal screws up in an interview, he <s>rips them a new one</s> tears them apart like a hungry eagle, and leaves them gasping for air. [[User:Human|Human]] 23:13, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
:It's unlocked. [[User:RobS|RobS]] 23:19, 1 May 2007 (EDT)
::Thanks, I added that sentence above, and that he is a Catholic. If it stays unlocked I'll be on the eye for vandalism, but I don't check in until after noon most days. [[User:Human|Human]] 23:31, 1 May 2007 (EDT)

==Picture==

Maybe I have a bit of a dirty mind, but I really don't think this is the best picture. [[User:DanH|DanH]] 22:23, 1 June 2007 (EDT)

::There probably are better pictures. I know he has a lot of good ones with his arms folded across his chest giving a serious look. Perhaps one of those.--[[User:Elamdri|Elamdri]] 22:26, 1 June 2007 (EDT)

*Hey! I liked it! Back off! :p (most were copyrighted) --[[User:TK|Sysop-TK]] [[User_talk:TK|/MyTalk]] 22:57, 1 June 2007 (EDT)

Why are any pages locked at all?? How can i "lock" my contributions?

== Misspelling ==

In the last sentence ("Wikipedia responded by reverting and locking down the pages to pervent further editing"), the word ''prevent'' is spelled ''pervent'' and I cannot correct it.

Who wrote this?!

[[User:Fairn|Fairn]]
:See the page's history to see who wrote it, but I've fixed the spelling error, thanks. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 06:56, 7 July 2007 (EDT)

== Deceit? ==

So how exactly is Wikipedia locking articles to prevent vandalism an example of their deceit? Isn't that what you do here, including this article? --[[User:Colest|Colest]] 10:16, 20 July 2007 (EDT)

::Fair enough. --[[User:TK|Sysop-TK]] [[User_talk:TK|/MyTalk]] 13:35, 20 July 2007 (EDT)

==Stephen Colbert the character versus Stephen Colbert the person==

This article presents everything Colbert has said on his show, [[The Colbert Report]], as his actual views.

I know you folks aren't big on seperating fact from fiction, but he's a left-leaning guy off the set. Maybe the article should be changed to reflect that. [[User:Kazumaru|Kazumaru]] 20:44, 29 July 2007 (EDT)

: Isn't that clear that he's a liberal playing a liberal stereotype of a conservative? If you feel you want to make that clearer, then please suggest something with a citation to his real views. Thanks. In Christ--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:54, 29 July 2007 (EDT)

== Factual error ==

The "Wikiality" incident occurred in July 2006, not August 2006. --[[Special:Contributions/AutoFire|trans]][[User:AutoFire|Resident Transfan]][[User Talk:Autofire|form!]] 19:50, 24 October 2007 (EDT)

*Citation, please? --[[User:TK|şŷŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 19:59, 24 October 2007 (EDT)

::Actually, forget it. The word "wikiality" was introduced on July 31, and the corresponding wave of vandalism occurred in August. My mistake. --[[Special:Contributions/AutoFire|trans]][[User:AutoFire|Resident Transfan]][[User Talk:Autofire|form!]] 21:14, 24 October 2007 (EDT)
::*It is important to keep a record of when you do those things! :P --[[User:TK|şŷŝoρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|/Ṣρёаќǃ]] 22:46, 24 October 2007 (EDT)

== typo ==

There's a typo at the end of the first paragraph. It should say "and 'he is' a self-proclaimed democrat." or something along those lines. Small, but it probably should be fixed anyway. --[[User:BillOhannity|BillOhannity]] 19:20, 31 October 2007 (EDT)

== why is this article protected? ==
I have much to add to article, (not to mention I can find a better picture, if only I had upload rights.... Sysops get to work on that), It's a pretty tame subject, so why is it locked?

On that note: why is the "see also" a link to [[Conservative Links]], JM, Colbert plays a conservative on television! [[User:DLerner|The user formerly known as DLerner]] 08:20, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

:Unprotected. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 08:24, 19 March 2008 (EDT)

== Nixon ==

I don't think that source is reliable enough to say that Nixon is his hero There are 2 colberts, the character and the real guy. The character likes Nixon, but the person is a Democrat. His comment that Nixon was one of his heroes was meant to be taken as humorous. Im going to remove it [[User:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]] 10:52, 24 March 2008 (EDT)
:No, he was serious. Believe me, I know that there is the real Colbert and a character. Here in a rolling stone interview (out of character) he describes Nixon as [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/jon_stewart_stephen_colbert_americas_anchors/page/4 "the last liberal president".] I'm reverting it, but since part of the MTP interview was in character, I'm putting the RS interview as the ref. '''[[user:DLerner|D L e r n e r]]''' [http://www.conservapedia.com/User_talk:DLerner Articulate] 11:00, 24 March 2008 (EDT)

:OK thanks, I just wasn't convinced by the previous source [[User:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]] 11:09, 24 March 2008 (EDT)
::No prob -- '''[[user:DLerner|D L e r n e r]]''' [http://www.conservapedia.com/User_talk:DLerner Articulate] 11:15, 24 March 2008 (EDT)

== Time to re-protect? ==

I hate to say it, but given the recent and persistent vandalism, it may be time to re-protect this article, at least until the liberal vandals' limited attention spans are exhausted and they're distracted by something new and shiny.

Hmm. Should the article include a section on Colbert openly soliciting vandalism of Conservapedia? It certainly highlights the sort of tactics he favors, but might also be seen as rewarding bad behavior with acknowledgement. --[[User:Benp|Benp]] 00:13, 12 October 2009 (EDT)

:Better they mess with his page then the Bible pages. The page is officially a mouse trap. --[[User:Jpatt|Jpatt]] 00:16, 12 October 2009 (EDT)
::[[User:Benp|Benp]], I [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Stephen_Colbert&diff=709452&oldid=709444 added a "Relationship with Conservapedia" section]. I hope that there isn't anyone who minds. --[[User:Michaeldsuarez|Michaeldsuarez]] 14:37, 12 October 2009 (EDT)

== Cleanup ==

The page is currently locked (probably for good reason as it'll receive some attention after tonight), however, I'd really like to make some quality additions to the page and clean it up a bit, if it's OK with some administrators. Would it be alright if I update the article? [[User:DerekE|DerekE]] 14:08, 8 December 2009 (EST)
:It's nothing urgent, so I don't mind waiting until it becomes unlocked in the future. Just wanted to offer some help if needed! :-) [[User:DerekE|DerekE]] 14:15, 8 December 2009 (EST)

== "claims to be" Catholic ==

I think it should say ''is'' a Roman Catholic.
I mean, in [[Glenn Beck]]'s article it says "Beck is a Mormon," not "Beck ''claims to be'' a Mormon."

I think saying "claims to be" Catholic implies that he's lying, of which there is no evidence. [[User:Ololwut|Ololwut]] 16:08, 9 December 2009 (EST)

:: I'm with you on this. What reason would we have for doubting his religion?--[[User:Bobobo|Bobobo]] 14:08, 23 February 2010 (EST)

Bill O'Reilly

2010-02-23T19:06:19Z

Bobobo:

[[Image:Bll.png|thumb|right|Bill O' Reilly On The O' Reilly Report]]
'''Bill O'Reilly''' is a generally [[conservative]] commentator and host of the show ''The O'Reilly Factor'' on the [[Fox News Channel]], which he calls the "No Spin Zone." O'Reilly calls himself a "traditionalist" and an "independent."

O'Reilly's career was growing throughout the 1980s, but he received his "big break" when hired to anchor Inside Edition, a tabloid gossip and news program.<ref>http://www.starpulse.com/Notables/O%27Reilly,_Bill/Biography/</ref>

''The O'Reilly Factor'' is the highest-rated hour on any cable news channel. Over 2.5 million people watch the show each night and millions more listen to his own radio show.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/23/60minutes/main645202.shtml Bill O'Reilly: "No Spin"] Transcript 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace aired Sept. 26, 2004. </ref>

Politically, he has always claimed he is an independent on "The O'Reilly Factor" (1996). But, it was later revealed that O'Reilly was actually a registered Republican in Nassau County from 1994 to 2000. O'Reilly re-registered as an independent soon after.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0971123/bio</ref>

O'Reilly has condemned white [[racist]] prejudice against U.S. blacks.

He is deeply disliked by many on the [[leftist|far-left]].

==Trivia==
* O'Reilly and [[liberal]] talk-show host [[Stephen Colbert]] have appeared on each others' shows.<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16698834/</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Conservative Links]]

{{Conservatism}}

==References==
{{reflist}}<ref>
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0971123/bio</ref>
<ref>http://www.starpulse.com/Notables/O%27Reilly,_Bill/Biography/</ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Oreilly, Bill}} 
[[Category:Broadcasters|Oreilly, Bill]]
[[Category:Conservative Commentators]]

Sympathy for the Devil

2010-02-23T19:02:37Z

Bobobo:

'''"Sympathy for the Devil"''' is the first song on the [[Rolling Stones]]' album ''Beggars Banquet''. It appears before the song "No Expectations", and it is 6 minutes and 19 seconds in length, making it the longest song on the album. The song has been controversial in many conservative groups because of its title.

==Meaning of the Song==
The song garnered criticism over it's content and intended meaning. Not for the first time, the Stones were accused by some of being [[Satanist|devil worshipers]], due to the content of the song being sung from the viewpoint of [[Lucifer]].<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=33:fbfyxx9sldke Unterberger, Richie. "Let's Spend the Night Together"]. ''allmusic''. 2007 (accessed 26 June 2007).</ref> It has been interpreted as being a song showing that people allow [[Satan]] to control their world and that people allow Satan into their lives. The line "Please allow me to introduce myself / I'm a man of wealth and taste" refers to the devil's seemingly good promises. "Made damn sure that Pilate / Washed his hands and sealed his fate" refers to [[Pontius Pilate]]'s being the killer of [[Jesus]]. "I rode a tank / Held a general's rank / When the Blitzkrieg raged / And the bodies stank" refers to [[World War II]] and [[Nazism]], the bodies stinking in the concentration camps. "I watched with glee / While your kings and queens / Fought for ten decades / For the gods they made" refers to the [[Hundred Years War]], which was fought over religious intolerance in Europe. [[Mick Jagger]] himself describes it as ". . . it's a very long historical figure — the figures of evil and figures of good — so it is a tremendously long trail he's made as personified in this piece."<ref name="wenner95"/>

==Sympathy for the Devil Remix==
There was an album released containing all of the remixes of the song.

===Track Listing===
# Sympathy For The Devil ((The Neptunes Remix) (Radio Edit))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((The Neptunes Remix))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((Fatboy Slim Remix) (Radio Edit))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((Fatboy Slim Remix))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((Full Phatt Remix) (Radio Edit))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((Full Phatt Remix))
# Sympathy For The Devil ((Original Version))

Total Time-38:24

==Cover Versions==
There have been many remixes and covers of the song, the most popular of which was done by [[Guns N' Roses]].

==External Links==
[http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rolling+stones/sympathy+for+the+devil_20117881.html Song Lyrics]

[[Category:Popular songs]]

Rolling Stones

2010-02-23T18:51:21Z

Bobobo:

The '''Rolling Stones''' are an [[English]] [[rock band]] founded in [[London]] in 1962 by lead singer [[Mick Jagger]], guitarists [[Keith Richards]] and [[Brian Jones]] and pianist [[Ian Stewart]]. The Stones grew in popularity in the UK and led the way of the [[British Invasion]] of the US music scene in the 1960s alongside [[The Beatles]], [[The Who]] and many other pre-eminent bands of the era, where they found great success.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL1767761020080117 Rolling Stones sign Universal album deal]</ref>

Inspired initially by the [[Chicago]] school of [[electric blues]] (particularly the South-Side variation), they later took in influences from the [[country blues]] artists of the 1930s such as [[Skip James]] and [[Robert Johnson]]. Evangelical and Fundamentalist [[Christians]] have often taken issue with the band's many songs about drugs (e.g., "Sister Morphine", "Mother's Little Helper") and perceived references to [[Satanism]] such as the song "[[Sympathy for the Devil]]" and the album ''Their Satanic Majesties Request'', which members of the band have always denied.

The Stones' popularity has never died. A resurgence by the group in the 1990s has continued, and they continue to sell out stadiums almost half a century after first coming on the scene, and in 2008 [[Martin Scorsese]] directed "Shine a Light", a documentary of the band's 2006 tour of the same name.

[[Category:Rock Bands]]

Rolling Stones

2010-02-23T18:47:43Z

Bobobo:

The '''Rolling Stones''' are an [[English]] [[rock band]] founded in [[London]] in 1962 by lead singer [[Mick Jagger]], guitarists [[Keith Richards]] and [[Brian Jones]] and pianist [[Ian Stewart]]. The Stones grew in popularity in the UK and led the way of the [[British Invasion]] of the US music scene in the 1960s alongside [[The Beatles]], [[The Who]] and many other pre-eminent bands of the era, where they found great success.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSL1767761020080117 Rolling Stones sign Universal album deal]</ref>

Inspired initially by the [[Chicago]] school of [[electric blues]] (particularly the South-Side variation), they later took in influences from the [[country blues]] artists of the 1930s such as [[Skip James]] and [[Robert Johnson]]. Evangelical and Fundamentalist [[Christians]] have often taken issue with the band's many songs about drugs (e.g., "Sister Morphine", "Mother's Little Helper") and perceived references to [[Satanism]] such as the song "[[Sympathy for the Devil]]" and the album ''Their Satanic Majesties Request''.

The Stones' popularity has never died. A resurgence by the group in the 1990s has continued, and they continue to sell out stadiums almost half a century after first coming on the scene, and in 2008 [[Martin Scorsese]] directed "Shine a Light", a documentary of the band's 2006 tour of the same name.

[[Category:Rock Bands]]

Led Zeppelin

2010-02-23T18:38:37Z

Bobobo:

[[Image:LedZeppelin.jpg|thumb|right|Led Zeppelin: Left to right John Bonham, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones]]
'''Led Zeppelin''' were a British rock group formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page, along with other founding members Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass guitar and keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). They are one of the most well-known bands in the history of rock and roll and were instrumental in the creation of the heavy metal and hard-rock subgenres.<ref name="Rock Music History">Tim Grierson, "[http://rock.about.com/od/rockmusic101/a/RockHistory.htm What Is Rock Music? A Brief History of Rock Music]", ''[[About.com]]''</ref>

The band was formed by Page after his previous band, [[The Yardbirds]], split up with outstanding contractual obligations to play a number of concerts. They were notoriously private and spurned the publicity machine usually favored by groups. They refused to release singles to promote their albums in the UK and rarely made television appearances (which were curtailed after the release of the first album), preferring instead to tour extensively.

Led Zeppelin's eponymous [[Led Zeppelin (album)|first album]] (1969) drew heavily on their blues background and drew critical acclaim.

Their second album, simply called ''[[Led Zeppelin II]]'' (1969), placed the band firmly in the vanguard of the heavy rock movement and featured a track which became their first US Number 1, "[[Whole Lotta Love]]".

The third album, ''[[Led Zeppelin III]]'' (1970), featured a more acoustic sound and drew on folk influences, but still had room for hard rock in "Immigrant Song" and the blues in "Since I've Been Loving You".

Their [[Led Zeppelin IV|fourth album]] (1971) which was untitled and did not feature the band on the cover, became known as ''Led Zeppelin IV'' or ''Four Symbols'' (the "symbols" being four runic symbols on the inside cover, one associated with each member of the band). This album launched Led Zeppelin into a new level as the track "[[Stairway to Heaven]]" became the most requested track on US radio ever.

''Houses of the Holy'' (1973) broadened the scope of the band even further with the reggae-influenced "D'Yer Mak'er" and the mysterious , lingering "No Quarter".

After the release of ''Houses of the Holy'' the band's next project was the mostly live concert film, ''The Song remains the Same'', named after a track on that album and featuring footage of the Madison Square Garden concerts from their 1973 tour.

''Physical Graffiti'' (1975) was a double album that covered many themes and included "[[Kashmir (song)|Kashmir]]". It was followed by ''Presence'' (1976), their only album not to feature any keyboard. Their final album, ''In Through the Out Door'', was released in 1979.

In 1979 Led Zeppelin played their two largest concerts, in front of 400,000 people at the Knebworth Festival. Parts of the first Knebworth concert later featured on the Led Zeppelin DVD released in 2002, which also included footage from a show at the Royal Albert Hall in London from 1970 and shows at Madison Square Garden and Earls Court from 1973 and 1975 respectively.

After playing a short European tour in the summer of 1980, the band began preparing for a longer North American tour when John Bonham suddenly died due to overconsumption of alcohol. The band subsequently broke up, as Plant, Page, and Jones each pursued solo careers to varying degrees of success. The three surviving members would reunite in 1985 for the [[Live Aid]] concert, in 1988 for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, and in 1995 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Page and Plant also reunited (without Jones) to record an album covering Led Zeppelin songs, and an album of originals.

The band reformed (with Bonham's son Jason replacing his father on drums) in 2007 to perform at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at the O2 Arena in London. Tickets were priced at £125 ($250) and were alloted via a lottery system. Approximately 1 million people applied to see the band perform in the 20,000 capacity venue. There is currently speculation (fueled partly by comments made by Page and Jason Bonham) that the band may embark on a tour after Plant has completed his current touring schedule with American bluegrass musician Alison Krauss in support of their album ''Raising Sand'' (2007). Further speculation was fueled when Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones appeared on stage during the encore of a Foo Fighters gig at Wembley Stadium, London, to play Zeppelin classic ''Rock and Roll''.

===Live Albums===

*''[[The Song Remains the Same (Soundtrack)|The Song Remains the Same]]'' (1975)
*''[[BBC Sessions (Led Zeppelin)|BBC Sessions]]'' (1997, recorded 1969 and 1971)
*''[[How the West Was Won (album)|How the West Was Won]]'' (2003, recorded 1972)

===Compilations===

*''[[Coda (Led Zeppelin album)|Coda]]'' (1981)
*''[[Remasters (Compilation)]]'' (1990)

[[Category:Rock Bands]]

Led Zeppelin

2010-02-23T18:38:15Z

Bobobo:

[[Image:LedZeppelin.jpg|thumb|right|Led Zeppelin: Left to right John Bonham, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones]]
'''Led Zeppelin''' were a British rock group formed in 1968 by guitarist Jimmy Page, along with other founding members Robert Plant (vocals), John Paul Jones (bass guitar and keyboards) and John Bonham (drums). They are one of the most well-known bands in the history of rock and roll and were instrumental in the creation of the heavy metal and hard-rock subgenres.</ref><ref name="Rock Music History">Tim Grierson, "[http://rock.about.com/od/rockmusic101/a/RockHistory.htm What Is Rock Music? A Brief History of Rock Music]", ''[[About.com]]''</ref>

The band was formed by Page after his previous band, [[The Yardbirds]], split up with outstanding contractual obligations to play a number of concerts. They were notoriously private and spurned the publicity machine usually favored by groups. They refused to release singles to promote their albums in the UK and rarely made television appearances (which were curtailed after the release of the first album), preferring instead to tour extensively.

Led Zeppelin's eponymous [[Led Zeppelin (album)|first album]] (1969) drew heavily on their blues background and drew critical acclaim.

Their second album, simply called ''[[Led Zeppelin II]]'' (1969), placed the band firmly in the vanguard of the heavy rock movement and featured a track which became their first US Number 1, "[[Whole Lotta Love]]".

The third album, ''[[Led Zeppelin III]]'' (1970), featured a more acoustic sound and drew on folk influences, but still had room for hard rock in "Immigrant Song" and the blues in "Since I've Been Loving You".

Their [[Led Zeppelin IV|fourth album]] (1971) which was untitled and did not feature the band on the cover, became known as ''Led Zeppelin IV'' or ''Four Symbols'' (the "symbols" being four runic symbols on the inside cover, one associated with each member of the band). This album launched Led Zeppelin into a new level as the track "[[Stairway to Heaven]]" became the most requested track on US radio ever.

''Houses of the Holy'' (1973) broadened the scope of the band even further with the reggae-influenced "D'Yer Mak'er" and the mysterious , lingering "No Quarter".

After the release of ''Houses of the Holy'' the band's next project was the mostly live concert film, ''The Song remains the Same'', named after a track on that album and featuring footage of the Madison Square Garden concerts from their 1973 tour.

''Physical Graffiti'' (1975) was a double album that covered many themes and included "[[Kashmir (song)|Kashmir]]". It was followed by ''Presence'' (1976), their only album not to feature any keyboard. Their final album, ''In Through the Out Door'', was released in 1979.

In 1979 Led Zeppelin played their two largest concerts, in front of 400,000 people at the Knebworth Festival. Parts of the first Knebworth concert later featured on the Led Zeppelin DVD released in 2002, which also included footage from a show at the Royal Albert Hall in London from 1970 and shows at Madison Square Garden and Earls Court from 1973 and 1975 respectively.

After playing a short European tour in the summer of 1980, the band began preparing for a longer North American tour when John Bonham suddenly died due to overconsumption of alcohol. The band subsequently broke up, as Plant, Page, and Jones each pursued solo careers to varying degrees of success. The three surviving members would reunite in 1985 for the [[Live Aid]] concert, in 1988 for the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, and in 1995 for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Page and Plant also reunited (without Jones) to record an album covering Led Zeppelin songs, and an album of originals.

The band reformed (with Bonham's son Jason replacing his father on drums) in 2007 to perform at the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert at the O2 Arena in London. Tickets were priced at £125 ($250) and were alloted via a lottery system. Approximately 1 million people applied to see the band perform in the 20,000 capacity venue. There is currently speculation (fueled partly by comments made by Page and Jason Bonham) that the band may embark on a tour after Plant has completed his current touring schedule with American bluegrass musician Alison Krauss in support of their album ''Raising Sand'' (2007). Further speculation was fueled when Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones appeared on stage during the encore of a Foo Fighters gig at Wembley Stadium, London, to play Zeppelin classic ''Rock and Roll''.

===Live Albums===

*''[[The Song Remains the Same (Soundtrack)|The Song Remains the Same]]'' (1975)
*''[[BBC Sessions (Led Zeppelin)|BBC Sessions]]'' (1997, recorded 1969 and 1971)
*''[[How the West Was Won (album)|How the West Was Won]]'' (2003, recorded 1972)

===Compilations===

*''[[Coda (Led Zeppelin album)|Coda]]'' (1981)
*''[[Remasters (Compilation)]]'' (1990)

[[Category:Rock Bands]]

Aristotle

2010-02-23T18:26:58Z

Bobobo: This doesn't sound good; there's no such thing as a "Greatest Philosopher". Importance to Western culture and Western thinking is much more quantifiable.

[[Image:Aristotle.gif|thumb|150px|Aristotle]]

'''Aristotle''' (384BC - 322BC) was a [[Greek philosopher]] born in the city of Stageira in Chalcidice. He was a student of [[Plato]] and the tutor of [[Alexander the Great]]. Aristotle emphasized reason and observation of the natural world, and he is believed by many to be one of the most important [[philosopher]] of all [[time]] and the founder of [[empiricism]], the ontological grounding of [[science]]. Aristotle is considered one of the earliest [[political|politics]] thinkers and called politics "The master science"<ref>http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-politics-of-aristotle-by-peter-l-phillips-simpson.jsp</ref>.

Aristotle came to the [[Academy]] when he was seventeen and stayed there for twenty years until the death of [[Plato]]. Aristotle’s approach was in stark contrast to Plato's. Whereas Plato thought all true [[knowledge]] could be obtained [[a priori]]—a [[disembodied]] [[mind]] floating in a featureless void with no sense [[experience]] could work out everything there is to know—Aristotle thought that the natural world needed to be studied and observed for knowledge to be gained. He embarked on the massive task of observing and compiling as much information as possible on everything he could study at the time. In contrast to Plato’s interest in physics and maths, Aristotle was fascinated by biology, and classified over 500 animal species. He ultimately founded his own school, the Lyceum, and equipped it with specimens, libraries, maps and other objects found in modern [[university]].

[[Charles Murray]] said, "He more or less invented [[logic]], which was of pivotal importance in human history (and no other civilization ever came up with it independently)." <ref>http://www.isteve.com/2003_QA_with_Charles_Murray_on_Human_Accomplishment.htm</ref>

Aristotle also formulated [[Virtue Ethics]], a code of living which emphasizes what sort of person we want to be when making a decision, rather than, as tends to be the focus in modern ethical thinking, the motives or the consequences of actions (see ''[[Nicomachean Ethics]]''). When Aristotle's teachings were brought back to Europe at the end of the [[Dark Ages]] by [[Arab]] [[merchant]]s, [[Aquinas]], eager to reconcile Catholicism with Aristotle's secular empiricism, developed [[Natural Law Theory]].

Aristotle was not a [[theist]] and rejected the existence of the [[Greek mythology|old gods]] many Athenians worshiped. However, he recognized the impossibility of an [[infinite regress]] of cause and effect in the natural world, and so postulated the [[Unmoved Mover]] as a [[first cause]] of the natural world. Some argue this makes Aristotle the first recorded [[deism|deist]], though he did not predate certain movements in Egypt and the near East, and his Unmoved Mover can very effectively be understood as part of man's journey towards the God of Christ.

Aristotle was mistaken about many things. He felt that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects which, though intuitive, is false. Like many other Greek philosophers, Aristotle felt there were four basic elements of nature: fire, water, air and earth, and a fifth suggested by Aristotle, ether. Actually there are over 90 natural basic elements as set forth in the [[periodic table]], as well as a possibly infinite number of synthesisable elements and more fundamental particles comprising each element. Some modern philosophers have pointed out that by not testing many of his more intuitive propositions (e.g. the speed at which objects fall relative to their mass) Aristotle failed to exercise his empirical doctrine. Though accurate, most scholars agree that such examples are eclipsed by his opus of biological observations and categorization.

His extant writings span a wide range of disciplines, from logic, metaphysics and philosophy of mind, through ethics, political theory, aesthetics and rhetoric, and into such primarily non-philosophical fields as empirical biology, where he excelled at detailed plant and animal observation and taxonomy. In all these areas, Aristotle's theories have provided illumination, met with resistance, sparked debate, and generally stimulated the sustained interest of an abiding readership. Because of its wide range and its remoteness in time, Aristotle's philosophy defies easy encapsulation. The long history of interpretation and appropriation of Aristotelian texts and themes—spanning over two millennia and comprising philosophers working within a variety of religious and secular traditions—has rendered even basic points of interpretation controversial. <ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/</ref> <ref>http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/aris.htm</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==See also==
*[[Socrates]]
*[[Greek Philosophy]]

==External links==
*[http://www.4literature.net/Aristotle/ Works by Aristotle]

[[Category:Deists]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek Philosophers]]

Aristotle

2010-02-23T18:25:07Z

Bobobo:

[[Image:Aristotle.gif|thumb|150px|Aristotle]]

'''Aristotle''' (384BC - 322BC) was a [[Greek philosopher]] born in the city of Stageira in Chalcidice. He was a student of [[Plato]] and the tutor of [[Alexander the Great]]. Aristotle emphasized reason and observation of the natural world, and he is believed by many to be the greatest [[philosopher]] of all [[time]] and the founder of [[empiricism]], the ontological grounding of [[science]]. Aristotle is considered one of the earliest [[political|politics]] thinkers and called politics "The master science"<ref>http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-politics-of-aristotle-by-peter-l-phillips-simpson.jsp</ref>.

Aristotle came to the [[Academy]] when he was seventeen and stayed there for twenty years until the death of [[Plato]]. Aristotle’s approach was in stark contrast to Plato's. Whereas Plato thought all true [[knowledge]] could be obtained [[a priori]]—a [[disembodied]] [[mind]] floating in a featureless void with no sense [[experience]] could work out everything there is to know—Aristotle thought that the natural world needed to be studied and observed for knowledge to be gained. He embarked on the massive task of observing and compiling as much information as possible on everything he could study at the time. In contrast to Plato’s interest in physics and maths, Aristotle was fascinated by biology, and classified over 500 animal species. He ultimately founded his own school, the Lyceum, and equipped it with specimens, libraries, maps and other objects found in modern [[university]].

[[Charles Murray]] said, "He more or less invented [[logic]], which was of pivotal importance in human history (and no other civilization ever came up with it independently)." <ref>http://www.isteve.com/2003_QA_with_Charles_Murray_on_Human_Accomplishment.htm</ref>

Aristotle also formulated [[Virtue Ethics]], a code of living which emphasizes what sort of person we want to be when making a decision, rather than, as tends to be the focus in modern ethical thinking, the motives or the consequences of actions (see ''[[Nicomachean Ethics]]''). When Aristotle's teachings were brought back to Europe at the end of the [[Dark Ages]] by [[Arab]] [[merchant]]s, [[Aquinas]], eager to reconcile Catholicism with Aristotle's secular empiricism, developed [[Natural Law Theory]].

Aristotle was not a [[theist]] and rejected the existence of the [[Greek mythology|old gods]] many Athenians worshiped. However, he recognized the impossibility of an [[infinite regress]] of cause and effect in the natural world, and so postulated the [[Unmoved Mover]] as a [[first cause]] of the natural world. Some argue this makes Aristotle the first recorded [[deism|deist]], though he did not predate certain movements in Egypt and the near East, and his Unmoved Mover can very effectively be understood as part of man's journey towards the God of Christ.

Aristotle was mistaken about many things. He felt that heavier objects fall faster than lighter objects which, though intuitive, is false. Like many other Greek philosophers, Aristotle felt there were four basic elements of nature: fire, water, air and earth, and a fifth suggested by Aristotle, ether. Actually there are over 90 natural basic elements as set forth in the [[periodic table]], as well as a possibly infinite number of synthesisable elements and more fundamental particles comprising each element. Some modern philosophers have pointed out that by not testing many of his more intuitive propositions (e.g. the speed at which objects fall relative to their mass) Aristotle failed to exercise his empirical doctrine. Though accurate, most scholars agree that such examples are eclipsed by his opus of biological observations and categorization.

His extant writings span a wide range of disciplines, from logic, metaphysics and philosophy of mind, through ethics, political theory, aesthetics and rhetoric, and into such primarily non-philosophical fields as empirical biology, where he excelled at detailed plant and animal observation and taxonomy. In all these areas, Aristotle's theories have provided illumination, met with resistance, sparked debate, and generally stimulated the sustained interest of an abiding readership. Because of its wide range and its remoteness in time, Aristotle's philosophy defies easy encapsulation. The long history of interpretation and appropriation of Aristotelian texts and themes—spanning over two millennia and comprising philosophers working within a variety of religious and secular traditions—has rendered even basic points of interpretation controversial. <ref>http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle/</ref> <ref>http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/aris.htm</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==See also==
*[[Socrates]]
*[[Greek Philosophy]]

==External links==
*[http://www.4literature.net/Aristotle/ Works by Aristotle]

[[Category:Deists]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek Philosophers]]

Talk:Liberal tricks

2010-02-16T17:47:55Z

Bobobo: /* On the article itself */ new section

It doesn't hurt to try? I assume this is in reference to drugs, alcohol, etc.? [[User:DanH|DanH]] 23:37, 23 February 2008 (EST)

==Paranoid personality disorder: Descriptive diagnosis per '''American''' DSM-IV-TR==

DSM-IV-TR 301.00 Paranoid Personality Disorder.

According to the DSM-IV-TR, this disorder is characterized by a pervasive distrust and suspicion of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

:* Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
:* Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
:* Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
:* Reads benign remarks or events as threatening or demeaning.
:* Persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights
:* Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
:* Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner.

The traits, behaviors and characteristics

:* Do not occur exclusively during the course of a mood disorder accompanied by psychotic features nor other psychotic disorders.
:* Are not due to the direct physiological effects of a general medical condition.

Does this American definition sound familiar to ''anyone''?[[User:SiggyF|SiggyF]] 14:04, 24 February 2008 (EST)

Or was I too subtle? The profusion of Liberal (fill in the blank) articles is bordering on ridiculous to outright delusional. These overlapping articles on one man's opinion of a large albeit imaginary group of people seems rather---paranoid. [[User:SiggyF|SiggyF]] 16:12, 24 February 2008 (EST)
: I don't know of anyone here who fits those criteria. I suspect, however, that you have different ''opinions'' about some of the subjective parts of those criteria. For example, is the suspicion of the first point "without sufficient basis", or does it have sufficient basis? Is any preoccupation (second point) unjustified or justified? And so on. The way that ''I'' judge it, I can't see that list fitting anyone here. Does that answer your question, or was it more of a criticism than a question? [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 20:47, 24 February 2008 (EST)

== Confusing ==

Some of these are a bit confusing to me. I think if they are worded differently they would be more clear. (I'm taking specifically about the current numbers 1, 7, 9, and 15). [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:40, 24 February 2008 (EST)

== This page has issues too. ==

This page seems to be just an attempt to make liberals look bad. I would say that most liberals do not act like this page suggests.
A lot of these points are very questionable at best.
Others, while it is true that liberals use them, are used by others just as much as liberals.
--[[User:CPAdmin1|Tim]] (CPAdmin1)[[User talk:CPAdmin1|talk]] [[User:CPAdmin1/Polls|Vote in my NEW polls]] 22:26, 26 February 2008 (EST)

: There are liberal tricks, and this entry helps identify the more popular ones. Review how much the [[liberals]] here protested our entry [[Hollywood Values]], and watch how often the [[liberals]] on television and in magazines push [[Hollywood]]. That isn't coming from [[God]], and we know deceitful His opposite is. To be forewarned is to be prepared.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 23:27, 26 February 2008 (EST)

: So liberals (say folks like, Jimmy Carter, LBJ,Pierre Trudeau, Nelson Mandela and Barak Obama) are inspired by Satan, then? Or are devils themselves? what exactly are you getting at by linking liberalism to "God's opposite?" [[User:Aboganza|Aboganza]] 00:17, 27 February 2008 (EST)
:: Although I added a couple of points to this list, points that seem to fit the theme of the other items in the list, I later wondered if they where really ''tricks''. In many if not most cases, I would think that there is nothing deliberate about the use of these "tricks". I'm inclined to think that "tricks" is not the best name for the article. "Liberal fallacies", perhaps? And of course, these fallacies are not used exclusively by liberals, and not by all liberals. But I would be inclined to believe that they are used more by liberals than by non-liberals.
:: Regarding Aboganza's question, as Christians we believe that ''all'' the evil and error in the world is ultimately influenced by Satan. No, Andy's not saying that those people are devils themselves, but that they have been influenced by ideas that find their origin with Satan.
:: That leads on to whether or not liberalism can be equated with Satan. And that raises the question as to what is meant by "liberal". The word, of course, has different meanings in different contexts. To take one extreme, in Australia the more conservative of the two main political parties is the Liberal Party! I guess that Andy uses it (and I'm not suggesting that he's the only one) to mean someone who holds ideas that are contrary to biblical views, the latter being held to more so by conservatives. So if they are contrary to biblical views, they are, by definition, ultimately of Satan. We do need to be careful, however to distinguish whether particular views typically held by "liberals" ''are'' contrary to biblical views, or not. For example, although gun control is apparently promoted mainly by liberals in the U.S. and opposed mainly by conservatives, I know of nothing in the Bible that supports or opposes gun control (as distinct from the right to self defence, by the way).
:: [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 06:36, 27 February 2008 (EST)
::So from your reply to my post, you are arguing that Nelson Mandela was "influenced by ideas that find their origin with Satan ?" Remarkable. What does that say about P.W. Botha, then? [[User:Aboganza|Aboganza]] 16:02, 27 February 2008 (EST)
::: I wasn't trying to be specific; just explaining general principles. And although liberals hold to some views that are opposed to the Bible, this doesn't mean that every view held by non-liberals is consistent with the Bible; conservatives can also hold views opposed to the Bible. Take evolution for example. Many people who would otherwise be considered conservative believe in evolution, but I would think that almost all liberals believe in evolution, whilst most (not all) believers in creation would be conservatives. So people on both sides of a political fence can hold anti-biblical views. [[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 21:19, 27 February 2008 (EST)

==Liberal friendship==
"liberals befriend you so you should become liberal (why don't they become conservative?)" You ''can't'' be serious. You're honestly saying someone like me befriends people solely because I want to convert them to the EEEEEEEEVIL of liberalism? Furthermore, what's with the stuff in quotes? [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 10:18, 12 March 2008 (EDT)
:Brackets. I meant brackets. Also, the first instance of liberal should be capitalized. [[User:Barikada|Barikada]] 17:48, 12 March 2008 (EDT)

== Category ==

This article is great (like all the articles about liberals). But it should be in Category:Liberals.

[[User:Maupiti|Maupiti]] 10:23, 12 March 2008 (EDT)

== My Apathetic-liberal-christian viewpoint ==
# Win an argument through luck
# Say that everyone's political view is just as biased, but doesn't affect you
# atheism = ignorance = not so blissful
# (me not learnded enough)
# ...I am now pro-Life ('nuff said)
# death comes to everyone, live today as it is with no worries about tomorrow
# it doesn't hurt to be lazy, unless it's your grades/performance we're talking about
# no one ever collectively agrees on one subject, so it must be false (exceptions: faith)
# Your own parents aren't cool, but 70% of the other parents (ie. your friend's parents) are cool
# No material thing is truly cool
# there is a shortage in piety
# disproving Christianity is for dummies
# kids are just being more smart-"butts" than old folks
# (see #1)
# call someone a [[racist]] when they are a [[nepotist]]
# some conservatives are jerks, as are liberals
# vandalism is alright, as long as it doesn't hurt anyone... which is never
# if you like it, don't use it (wikipedia and teaching people about sexual impurity)
# justice never really works, eye for eye... everyone's dead/blind

+_+ [[User:Kektklik|Fuzzy|AFD]] 20:08, 8 April 2008 (EDT)

==Claiming expertise==

Alright, falsely claiming (or implying) to have expertise is in a particular area is a trick, but not an exclusively liberal one. Creationists often do exactly the same thing. For example, Philip E. Johnson, who is trained as a lawyer, not a scientist. Or William Dembski, who is a mathematician, not a biologist. Or Henry Morris, who is trained as an engineer. Or Kent Hovind, who very prominently referred to himself as a doctor, even though he got his degree through an unaccredited degree mill. Are they all liberals too? [[User:Eoinc|Eoinc]] 09:24, 12 April 2008 (EDT)

you are very correct! I recommend the article to be amended to reflect this. Hare Krishna!--[[User:Krishnapooja|Krishnapooja]] 09:27, 12 April 2008 (EDT)

: Your examples are deficient because they do not represent ''claiming'' expertise beyond one's specialty. Philip Johnson does not claim special expertise, for example, beyond his legal profession. Rather, he provides compelling arguments for people to accept or reject based on the validity of his arguments, not his expertise.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 09:41, 12 April 2008 (EDT)
::How about Andy Schlafly, who claims to know more about medicine than MDs do? (Soooo getting banned for this one. NOBODY sasses the Schlafinator on how own blog and lives to tell about it.) --[[User:Gulik5|Gulik5]] 14:19, 12 April 2008 (EDT)

==Adding to the list==
Hey! I've got number 20! "Uses logic instead of relying on what the Bible/Ann Coulter/Tucker Carlson told them to do."
Does that sound like a fair addition, you know, considering the fact that this article already makes your work with this encyclopedia look ridiculous and childish? Grow up, guys. No one's going to take the conservative viewpoint seriously if you keep cranking out this drivel. [[User:Jparenti|Jparenti]] 16:06, 27 June 2008 (EDT)

::As mean-spirited as that is, jparenti, I agree. This "list" should be removed for making conservatives look bad. But watch yourself because language like that will get you blocked in a hurry.[[User:Bender2982|Bender2982]] 17:50, 27 June 2008 (EDT)

==essay==

this is an opinion piece, and should therefore be labelled an essay.

==some points==

here are some flaws in some of these arguements.

1. "when did you stop beating your wife?" is conservapedia now pro-domestic violence? or do we just think its an ok thing to joke about.
2."pretend that atheism equals intelligence" does one automatically become unintelligent if they deny the existance of a deity?
3."live and let live-prayor in school" no liberal wants to stop people from praying freely. if you want to pray at home, at church/temple/mosque, or if you want to pray at school on your own time (i.e. not in a special block of time where everyone must pray) that is fine. the issue liberals have with school prayor is when it becomes a state-sanctioned activity.
4."it doesnt hurt to try" Abortion. no one treats abortion like it is something you try out, or that you dabble in. it's a medical procedure, sometimes traumatizing, like all medical procedures have the ability to be.
5."if you dont like it, dont watch it-whale killing" can someone please tell me how something inappropriate on tv amounts to the slaughter of a vital and extremely endangered species? i don't know if folks grasp this concept, but as fafr removed from nature as our society is, it still relies heavily on it. if species continue to go extinct at the rate they are, there is a potential for complete ecological collapse. forget global warming.

i dont really expect an honest reply, but let's see is someone can give a good answer to all of those points.

{{unsigned|michaeljw}}

:''i dont really expect an honest reply'' is a splendid example of the 'when did you stop beating your wife?' tactic, and anyone who suggests that using that well-worn phrase is an apologist for domestic violence is an imbecile. [[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 10:40, 28 September 2008 (EDT)

sorry for not knowing that phrase. but you refused to answer the rest of my arguments and just blocked me. do you have a response to anything else i said?
-[[user:michaeljw]]

: Your account has been blocked for 3 days now. We're building an encyclopedia here, not sitting around in idle chatter. Add value, or go elsewhere. Thanks.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 14:57, 29 September 2008 (EDT)

A response to his points:

2.''pretend that atheism equals intelligence" does one automatically become unintelligent if they deny the existance of a deity?'' One doesn't 'become' unintelligent; espousing atheism is one sign of a low level of intelligence and understanding to begin with.

3. ''no liberal wants to stop people from praying freely. if you want to pray at home, at church/temple/mosque, or if you want to pray at school on your own time'' Classroom prayer is proven to have benefiots in terms of the application, conduct and achievement of the students. We do not advocate that all students have to pray. If they wish, they can use the short time allocated at the start of class to meditate, to think about their lunch, or even to have reveries about 'Professor' Dawkins: each to his or her own. But they have no right to deny the opportunity of prayer to others. +

4. ''no one treats abortion like it is something you try out, or that you dabble in. it's a medical procedure, sometimes traumatizing, like all medical procedures have the ability to be.'' But that is precisely what proselytising Liberals do, through their sponsorship of 'pro choice' and publicicing abortion clinics. The answer is pre-marital chastity. +

5. Environmentalists have a profoundly ahistoric and blinkered viewpoint. Climate has always changed; some species die out. That is the way of things.

[[User:Bugler|Bugler]] 15:00, 29 September 2008 (EDT)

Michaeljw, allow me to also add my comments. I tend to stay away from pages such as this, as I don't consider them encyclopaedic, but on this one I did add a couple of points including one that you have queried. I also think that some of the points on the page may not be well expressed, but have some basis for being there.
# "When did you stop beating your wife", as Bugler pointed out, is a well known example of the logical fallacy known as a ''loaded question''. "i dont really expect an honest reply" is not the same thing; for one thing it's not even a question. It may be an example of ''poisoning the well'', though.
# Contrary to Bugler, atheism does not equal low intelligence, at least as we normally understand and measure intelligence. This is obvious from the fact that some very intelligent people have been atheists. But then that is not what the page says. Rather, it appears to be (this is one that's not well written) rejecting the ''opposite'' idea, that anybody who is ''not'' an atheist has low intelligence. Atheism and theism depend on ''beliefs'', not intelligence. Having said that, I will agree that atheism is at the very least logically dubious.
# If you put restrictions on praying, such as in school, then you have indeed stopped people praying ''freely''.
# I'm inclined to agree with you on this one, although perhaps it just gets back to that poor wording I mentioned. I don't ever recall anyone saying "it doesn't hurt to try" in connection with abortion.
# This is the one that I contributed, and I don't agree with Bugler's answer. As Christians, we should look after the creation that God has given us, being good stewards of it. So I support the preservation of endangered species. However, much of the opposition to whaling is from an ideological point of view, and is not based just on preserving endangered species. The minke whale, for example, is only "endangered" by drawing a long bow. But do environmentalists say that we should not kill whales that are really endangered, but other whales are okay to kill (even if in limited numbers so that they don't become endangered)? No, they are against killing whales ''at all''. Your argument is that there is no real comparison between (a) an unimportant thing like something "inappropriate" on television, and (b) a very important thing like the "slaughter of a vital and extremely endangered species". Part of my answer is that (b) is not as important as you make it out to be. The other part of my answer is that (a) is more important that you make it out to be. The stuff on TV that many object to is stuff that helps lower the moral standards of our society, standards which forbid robbery, murder, rape, and so on. So keeping that stuff off TV would do a lot of good for society. But liberals have the dismissive attitude that if we don't like it, the solution is to simply not watch it. The point is that they don't apply this standard to killing whales because ''they'' consider that important, but dismiss our concerns that ''we'' consider important.
[[User:Philip J. Rayment|Philip J. Rayment]] 23:03, 29 September 2008 (EDT)

== Help! ==

I just went through and did some capitalizing and changed a bit of the grammar. Nothing ''major'' but it was a pretty extensive edit. However, there were a few I just didn't know what to do with. Numbers 13-16, as well as 20 just don't seem to...fit. They seem like they'll be good points if someone can reword them so they fit with their surroundings. I can't think of how this should be done, so hopefully someone else can.

I think the main problem is that, although they may sound ok when spoken, they're just too colloquial to be in an encyclopedia. [[User:JParker|JParker]] 17:26, 10 February 2009 (EST)

== Honorary Degree ==
I'm curious about the inclusion of 'Pretending an honorary degree does not give someone the right to be called "Doctor".' in the list. I work in academia and I realize that my sample size is not huge, and that, assuming the institution is accredited, anybody with an honorary doctoral degree can elect to use the title doctor - and figures such as Ben Franklin have. Nevertheless, rolling your eyes at someone who just has an honorary degree but who insists on "doctor" is usually considered the conservative position, rather than the liberal one, and in most cases the honorary degree system at most universities is a bunch of lib hooey anyway, tossing out degrees based on celebrity. While I'm sure that libs love to jump all over the rare conservative honorary degree recipient, discouraging the use of "doctor" by people that haven't really completed a normal course of study is really the conservative take. (I suspect that libs love using "doctor" for honorary degree recipients because they give someone a way to look way more qualified than they really are.) [[User:DaveB7|DaveB7]] 16:42, 4 July 2009 (EDT)

:I agree. The liberal position would seem to be the reverse of what's in the list - I feel it would be more along the lines of "Though this person has not completed the course of study to 'earn' the degree, this person has shown him/herself to be competent in this field, and is honorarily awarded the title in lieu of this." Of course, it's usually a popularity contest, as you mentioned. [[User:Marlowe|Marlowe]] 15:33, 4 July 2009 (EDT)

::I think the history behind that comment is that liberals first stridently objected to my mother receiving an honorary degree (from Washington University), and then stridently objected to a few references to her as "Dr." shortly afterward. They protesteth too much. Meanwhile, there are numerous examples of liberals who never earned the rank of full professor, yet called themselves that, and liberals defended it. See, e.g., [[Obama]].--[[User:Aschlafly|Andy Schlafly]] 15:49, 4 July 2009 (EDT)

:::Cool cool. I've edited the line to make it a bit stronger and to avoid giving the impression that not calling honorary recipients "doctor" is the default liberal position, since they're more than willing to use it for their own. [[User:DaveB7|DaveB7]] 16:42, 4 July 2009 (EDT)

::::No, not cool at all, DaveB7. Your edit comment says fixing periods and caps, yet you were using [[deceit]], and removed the word [[liberal]] as well, altering the meaning of the entry. Now I will be looking over all of your edits....and if I find that is your pattern, and I suspect I will....well, you know (or should know) what I will do. The default liberal position, BTW, is to always keep a double standard, applying one to conservatives, another for their own. --[[User:TK|'''ṬK''']]/Admin[[User_Talk:TK|/Talk]] 17:09, 5 July 2009 (EDT)

::::: :( I removed the word "liberal" because as written, it possibly suggests that the classic "when did you stop beating your wife?" question contains a liberal assumption, rather than just an assumption. The ''name of the page'' is "liberal tricks". It's not necessary for every entry that describes a trick to include the word liberal. My edit reason wasn't intentionally deceitful. I went in to standardize periods and caps, and noticed that the sentence has a bit of an awkward construction. It doesn't alter the meaning of the entry at all, it just avoids the question "what's the liberal assumption buried in 'when did you stop beating your wife?'" A little good faith, please? --[[User:DaveB7|DaveB7]] 17:45, 5 July 2009 (EDT)

::: I agree with the rhetoric used in accepting and promoting honorary degrees on a case by case basis varies based on the ideology of the person being awarded and the people who are not, but I meant that the idea behind the degrees is liberal. [[User:Marlowe|Marlowe]] 17:32, 5 July 2009 (EDT)

== On the article itself ==

Is this strictly necessary? I honestly don't understand the point of including this list, it seems schoolyardish in it's list of flaws. Surely this isn't an encyclopedic entry?

Brian Boru

2010-02-11T18:59:48Z

Bobobo: He was famous for being the "Emperor of the Irish", not the High King, though in effect they are the same thing.

'''Brian Boru''' (941 - April 23rd, 1014) was the first, and only, Emperor of [[Ireland]]. A clan prince, he first subjugated Munster and then extended his power over all of southern Ireland. By 1002 AD he had subjugated most of the kingdoms of Ireland.

Ruling from 1002 to 1014, he came into conflict with the Norse inhabitants who formed a coalition against him. Brian defeated them at the [[Battle of Clontarf]], but he was murdered in his tent shortly thereafter. Brian's victory had broke the Norse power in Ireland forever, but his untimely death plunged Ireland into anarchy.

== Sources ==

* http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Brian+Boru

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boru, Brian}}

[[Category:Monarchs]]
[[Category:Irish People]]

Liverpool F.C.

2010-02-11T16:14:02Z

Bobobo: /* Roster */ Updates.

'''Liverpool F.C.''' is a [[British]] [[soccer]] team currently playing in the [[English Premier League]]. It is based in Anfield stadium, although is expected to relocate to Stanley Park in 2011. It is considered one of the Big Four of British football, along with [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]], [[Chelsea F.C.|Chelsea]], and [[Manchester United]], however, the club has become the most successful club in English league history, winning eighteen League titles as well as five European cups. The current manager is Rafael Benitez and is sponsored by Carlsberg. The Club's most bitter rivalries are with Everton, Manchester United and Chelsea.

==History==
The club was founded in 1892 after a dispute between the owner of the Anfield Road ground, John Houlding, and the team that was the tenant, [[Everton F.C.]]. Everton built and occupied their own ground, Goodison Park, leaving Houlding with an unproductive and vacant Anfield. Houlding began Liverpool F.C. to utilise his asset. The Club's first ever manager was an Irishman, John McKenna. McKenna brought in a lot of players to the club, many of them from Scotland. Under his supervision it was promoted twice: first from the Lancaster League to the Second Division, and then to First Divisions. He also worked with Houlding to develop Anfield and expand its capacity. The club won its first League title in 1900-01.

==Roster==
{| align="center" class="toccolours" style="background:white;border:2px solid rgb(193,193,193); text-align: left;font-size:95%;" cellpadding="10px"
|-
!colspan="7" style="font-size:100%; background-color: rgb(204,0,0); text-align:center; border: 2px solid rgb(0,0,204)" | Liverpool F.C. Roster

|-
| valign="top" | '''Goalkeepers'''
*1 Diego Cavalieri
*25 Pepe Reina
*30 Charles Itandje
*41 Martin Hansen
*42 Peter Gulacsi
*43 Dean Bouzanis

'''Defenders'''
*2 Glen Johnson
*5 Daniel Agger
*12 Fabio Aurelio
*22 Emiliano Insua
*23 Jamie Carragher
*27 Philipp Degen
*32 Stephen Darby
*34 Martin Kelly
*36 Steven Irwin
*37 Martin Skrtel
*38 Andrea Dossena
*40 Daniel Sanchez Ayala
*45 Mikel San Jose Dominguez

| valign="top" |'''Midfielders'''
*4 Alberto Aquilani
*8 [[Steven Gerrard]]
*11 Albert Riera
*15 [[Yossi Benayoun]]
*17 [[Maxi Rodriguez]]
*19 Ryan Babel
*20 Javier Mascherano
*21 Lucas Leiva
*26 Jay Spearing
*28 Damien Plessis
*31 Nabil El Zhar

| valign="top" | '''Strikers'''
*9 [[Fernando Torres]]
*18 Dirk Kuyt
*24 David Ngog
*29 Krisztian Nemeth
*38 Craig Lindfield
*39 Nathan Eccleston

|-
| colspan="2" |'''Staff'''
* Rafael Benitez - Manager
* Sammy Lee - Assistant Manager
* John McMahon - Reserve Team Manager
* Mauricio Pellegrino - First-team Coach
* Dave McDonough - Technical Analyst
* Eduardo Parra Garcia - Fitness Coach
* Paco De Miguel - Fitness Coach
* Gonzalo Rodriguez - Reserve Team Fitness Coach
* Xavi Valero - Goalkeeping Coach
* Antonio Gomez Perez - Reserve Team Coach
* John Achterberg - Reserve Team Goalkeeping Coach
* Eduardo Macia - Chief Scout
* Mike McGlynn - Assistant Chief Scout
* Mark Waller - Club Doctor
* Rob Price - Senior Physiotherapist
* Chris Morgan - Physiotherapist
* Matt Konopinski - Physiotherapist
* Ivan Ortega - Sports Therapist
* Felix Fernandez Ledesma - Sports Therapist
* Paul Small - Masseur
* Graham Carter - Kit Manager
|}

==Notable Former Players==
*GK Ray Clemence
*GK Bruce Grobbelaar
*DF Alan Hansen
*DF Mark Lawrenson
*MF John Barnes
*MF Peter Beardsley
*ST Kenny Dalglish
*ST [[Michael Owen]]
*ST Ian Rush

==Honors==
'''League Champions - 18''' : 1900-01 1905-06 1921-22 1922-23 1946-47 1963-64 1965-66 1972-73 1975-76 1976-77 1978-79 1979-80 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1985-86 1987-88 1989-90

'''Football Association Cup Winners - 7''' : 1964-65 1973-74 1985-86 1988-89 1991-92 2000-01 2005-06

'''League Cup Winners - 7''' : 1980-81 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1994-95 2000-01 2002-03

'''Football Association Charity Shield Winners - 15''' : 1964* 1965* 1966 1974 1976 1977* 1979 1980 1982 1986* 1988 1989 1990* 2001 2006 
(* shared)

'''European Cup Winners - 5''' : 1976-77 1977-78 1980-81 1983-84 2004-05

'''UEFA Cup Winners - 3''' : 1972-73 1975-76 2000-01

'''European Super Cup Winners - 3 ''' : 1977 2001 2005

'''Super Cup Winners - 1''' : 1985-86'

{{Nb sl english premier}}
[[Category:UK soccer]]
[[Category:Premier League Teams]]

Talk:Soccer teams in England

2010-02-11T16:10:08Z

Bobobo:

Great start! Keep up the good work, old chap. ^_^ --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 11:22, 16 May 2008 (EDT)
:Thanks - I may not be able to do more than shift stuff today; it will need a bit of work to make the info supplied up to date and reasonably comparable in terms of the information provided. But all in good time. [[User:Bradlaugh|Bradlaugh]] 11:31, 16 May 2008 (EDT)

Can we not rename this "Football teams in England"? It's a sore point over here with many that only our friends across the pond use the term soccer.

Belfast

2010-02-11T16:08:01Z

Bobobo: Some of these details are very antiquated.

'''Belfast''' is the capital of [[Northern Ireland]]. Its name, from the [[Gaelic]] ''Beal Feirste'' means, "the sandy ford at the mouth of the river", reflecting its position on the estuary of the River Lagan. Belfast is the largest city in Northern Ireland, and after [[Dublin]] the second largest city on the island of [[Ireland]].

Despite being an occupied settlement since the [[Bronze Age]], Belfast did not rise to prominence until the early seventeenth century when King [[James I]] of [[England]] granted land in the vicinity and the right to create a borough to Sir Arthur Chichester in 1611. As the small port developed its population grew from 2,500 in 1700 to 20,000 in 1800. The 19th century saw rapid industrialisation of the city. Industries included shipbuilding (most famously after 1862 by the yard of Harland & Wolff, builders of the RMS [[Titanic]]), linen weaving (which had begun in the previous century on a household basis but was organised in large factories and mills in the nineteenth century), engineering and distilling of [[whiskey]] and [[gin]]. Belfast was [[Ireland]]'s main industrial centre in part because it could import coal cheaply from the coalfields of the west of [[Scotland]]. By 1901 the population had risen to 349,000.

Belfast, a vital industrial city, played a major role in [[World War II]] providing soldiers, ships, weapons, ammunition, army clothes, parachutes and a host of other equipment to the war effort. While Unionists in Northern Ireland were deeply and personally involved in the war effort, the Catholic communities were luke-warm at best.<ref>Philip Ollerenshaw, "War, Industrial Mobilisation and Society in Northern Ireland, 1939-1945." ''Contemporary European History'' 2007 16(2): 169-197. Issn: 0960-7773 </ref>

In the late twentieth century Belfast suffered from a decline in its staple industries. It was also badly affected by two major bouts of civil disturbance. The first of these occurred in the early 1920s, as the Irish War of Independence was taking place. The second were the [[Troubles]] that took place from 1968 to 1997 all across the country. Since 1997 Belfast has thrived as a 'city break' destination as part of a so-called 'peace dividend', and there has been much development along the Lagan waterfront.

Belfast is served by two airports: Belfast International, 20 miles west on the shore of [[Lough Neagh]], and George Best Airport, in the eastern suburbs of the city. It is linked by rail to [[Dublin]] and [[Londonderry]], and ferry services connect Belfast to [[Stranraer]] and [[Cairnryan]] in south-west Scotland and to [[Liverpool]] in north-west England.

== External Link ==
http://www.localhistories.org/belfast.html
==Further reading==
* Bardon, Jonathan, and David Burnett. ''Belfast: A Pocket History'' (1997)
* Sheehan, Sean, and Pat Levy. ''Belfast & North of Ireland'' (Footprint - Pocket Guides) (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Belfast-North-Ireland-Footprint-Pocket/dp/1904777392/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230334758&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

====notes====
<references/>
[[Category:Irish Cities and Towns]]
[[Category:Northern Ireland]]
[[Category:Ireland]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:Irish History]]

European Union

2010-02-11T16:00:35Z

Bobobo: /* Candidates for membership */ I'm not sure what in-European means but I am adding some more info to Turkey's case.

{{Country
|name =''European Union''
|map =European_Union.jpg
|flag =567rugyhj.png
|arms =
|capital =
|capital-raw = [[Brussels]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Strasbourg]]
|government =
|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
|language = 23 official languages
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw = José Manuel Barroso (Commission) Hans-Gert Pöttering (Parliament)
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$16,574 billion (2007 IMF)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$33,482 (2007 IMF)
|currency =euro
|idd =
|tld =.eu
}}
The '''European Union (EU)''' is a democratically organised legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gainst by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since th 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the Treaty of Westphalia, nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many western member states has been slow compared to those in the east; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new central- and eastern-European member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. The term "eurosceptic" has risen in popularity in Britan to describe these people, and among them are such members as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure). They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western Balkan states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

==Candidates for membership==
There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Croatia]] and [[The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It has repeatedly applied to join the EU but has been rejected each time on numerous grounds. Despite being one of the first countries to join the post-war Council of Europe and being a key regional power with a strong military Turkey has a long list of obstacles to overcome before accession. Many nations have cited it's poor relations with other countries such as Cyprus, as well as it's views on the rights of women and the Turkish Penal Code which includes the notorious Article 301. Article 301 is a recent piece of legislation that provides that "a person who publicly insults the Turkish nation, the State of the Republic of Turkey, or the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, shall be punishable by imprisonment of between six months and two years". Turkey's population of 70 million would make it one of the largest states in the EU with the second-highest amount of MEPs, and would be the first Muslim-majority state in Europe. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

European Union

2010-02-11T15:48:01Z

Bobobo: /* Criticism */ I'm just removing the reference to UKIP among the "well-respected" section. They are viewed extremely negatively here in Britain, and are seen as slightly above the very racist BNP.

{{Country
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|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
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|president =
|president-raw = José Manuel Barroso (Commission) Hans-Gert Pöttering (Parliament)
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|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
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The '''European Union (EU)''' is a democratically organised legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gainst by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since th 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the Treaty of Westphalia, nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many western member states has been slow compared to those in the east; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new central- and eastern-European member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. The term "eurosceptic" has risen in popularity in Britan to describe these people, and among them are such members as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure). They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western Balkan states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

==Candidates for membership==
There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Croatia]] and [[The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It wants to join (and the US strongly supports it), but traditionalists fear it is too in-European and its applications have been repeatedly rejected. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

European Union

2010-02-11T15:42:21Z

Bobobo: That's a weird way to word a sentence.

{{Country
|name =''European Union''
|map =European_Union.jpg
|flag =567rugyhj.png
|arms =
|capital =
|capital-raw = [[Brussels]], [[Luxembourg]], [[Strasbourg]]
|government =
|government-raw = Sui generis [[supranationalism]]
|language = 23 official languages
|king =
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw = José Manuel Barroso (Commission) Hans-Gert Pöttering (Parliament)
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =
|pm-raw =
|area =4,324,782 km² (1,669,807 sq mi)
|pop =497,198,740 (2007)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =$16,574 billion (2007 IMF)
|gdp-year =
|gdp-pc =$33,482 (2007 IMF)
|currency =euro
|idd =
|tld =.eu
}}
The '''European Union (EU)''' is a democratically organised legal, political and economic union of 27 [[European]] countries. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the [[Maastricht Treaty]], though its predecessor, the [[European Economic Community]], was founded in 1957.

As a set of institutions, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than other international bodies; many of its competencies are supranational (above the member states) rather than intergovernmental (between them). Despite having a legal personality and sovereignty in agreed areas, it is not regarded as a federation or state in its own right: rather, it stands somewhere between these two points. Fifteen member states use a common currency, the '''[[euro]]'''<ref>Five other states formally agree to use it, and four others use it without formal agreement.</ref>.

There is no EU military. Each nation has its own forces, but nearly all are members of [[NATO]], in which the U.S. has a preponderant voice.

The EU is a driving force of global economic and political integration, but Hix (2008) sees three problems with the EU: policy gridlock, lack of popular legitimacy and the democratic deficit. He notes, "In substantive terms ... the EU is closer to a form of enlightened despotism than a genuine democracy."<ref> Hix (2008) </ref>
==Politics==
Each nation elects members to the Parliament in proportion to population. The June 2009 elections saw sweeping gainst by conservative and anti-immigration parties, as labor and socialist parties lost heavily. Since th 2004 elections the largest grouping has for the last five years been the centre-right European People's Party '''EPP''' (288 seats out of a current 785), followed by the centre-left '''PES''' (216) and the liberal '''ALDE''' (100). With the 2009 election EPP made gains and retains power in the parliament.

Conservative Jose Manuel Barroso, who will have a second term as European Commission president, thanked voters and assured them their voices would be heard.

In 2009 The British [[Labour Party]], Germany's [[SPD]] (Social Democrats) and France's Socialist Party suffered historic defeats--the worst defeat for Labour in Britain in a century..

Turnout was at an all-time low in some countries, including France (41%) and Germany (42%).

==Structure==

===The European Commission===
In September 2009 Jose Manuel Barroso, was re-elected as president of the European Commission after the European Parliament voted to give him a second term. This ended weeks of uncertainty during which Socialist, Green and Liberal critics tried to block Mr Barroso's candidacy on the grounds that he had yielded too much power to national governments and promoted the kind of free-market liberalism that led to the financial crisis.

The role and responsibilities of the European Commission place it at the centre of the EU's decision-making process. Acting as the EU's policy and executive engine, the Commission is composed of 27 Commissioners, one from each state, and is supported by a substantial staff located primarily in [[Brussels]], [[Belgium]]. In matters relating to economic integration ("First or 'Community' Pillar"), only the Commission has the right to propose legislation for approval by the EU Council and European Parliament. As "guardian of the Treaties," the Commission ensures that EU laws are applied and upheld throughout the EU, prosecuting member states and other institutions for failing to follow treaty precepts or otherwise apply Community law. The Commission has full authority to enforce Community competition policy, and its policing of implementation of Community legislation preserves the integrity of the EU single market. The Commission likewise manages and develops the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), implements the budget, and represents the European Community in its areas of competence, notably including international trade negotiations.

The Commission President is appointed by agreement of the EU heads of government and is subject to approval by the European Parliament. Commissioners serve for a renewable five-year term. New Commissioners are identified by member state governments in consultation with the President-designate of the Commission and are normally put in place at the beginning of the term of the Commission President. The entire Commission must be confirmed as a collective whole by the European Parliament before its formal appointment by common accord of EU governments.

===The European Council===
The European Council brings together EU heads of government and the President of the European Commission; foreign ministers of member states also participate. Finance ministers are normally included when the leaders discuss questions related to the euro and the economy. The European Council meets at least twice a year, usually quarterly, at the end of each Presidency, to review major EU projects, set guidelines for policies and provide necessary guidance. The Presidency of the Council rotates every six months among EU member states (January–June; July–December). Its role has become increasingly important with the expansion of EU responsibilities and competencies. The Presidency organises and presides over the meetings of the European Council and EU Council (ministerial) meetings, drafts compromises, and seeks solutions to problems submitted to the European Council.

===Council of Ministers===
The Council of Ministers of the European Union (the "EU Council") is the body in which representatives of the individual member state governments, usually ministers, legislate for the EU, set its political objectives, coordinate national policies and resolve differences among their governments and with other EU bodies. Legally speaking, there is only one Council, but it meets in nine different formations, depending on the matters on its agenda. Foreign ministers usually meet at least once a month in the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC), which deals with major foreign policy issues and plays a coordinating role. Ministers for the Economy and Finance (ECOFIN) and ministers responsible for agriculture also hold monthly meetings. Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) hold regular meetings to coordinate policies within their competence.

The Council holds formal sessions in its Brussels headquarters, except in April, June and October, when all sessions take place in Luxembourg. Most formations of the Council also meet informally (tasking no legally binding decisions) in the country holding the EU Presidency, usually once in the course of the Presidency's six-month term. The most prominent of these informal meetings is the so-called "Gymnich" meeting of foreign ministers, named for a town in Germany where the first such meeting took place.

The Council takes most decisions under the Community Pillar by qualified majority voting (QMV) but endeavours to reach the broadest possible consensus before approving legislation. Unanimity is required for a number of specific areas related to economic integration (e.g. taxation), constitutional matters such as amendments to the treaties, the launching of a new common policy, the accession of a new member state, and matters falling within the EU's Common Foreign and Security Policy, European Security and Defence Policy, and aspects of law enforcement and judicial cooperation. The number of votes cast by each member state when the EU Council votes by qualified majority voting was determined by the Nice Treaty and roughly correlates to the size of its population.

===The [[European Parliament]]===
The European Parliament is the largest trans-national parliament in the world, and the second-largest overall (behind [[India]]), with an electorate of almost half a billion. Members of the Parliament are directly elected by all EU citizens for five-year terms; elections follow national election procedures, except they have to be a form of proportional representation. Members do not sit in national delegations; rather, they sit in groups according to political affiliation (including Socialists, Christian Democrats/Conservatives, Liberals, Greens, et cetera).

Parliament's powers have gradually grown with the entry into force of the Single European Act (1986), the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1999). Parliament shares decision-making power on an equal footing with the Council in many areas under the Community Pillar to which the "co-decision procedure" applies. The European Parliament is one of the two branches with budgetary authority – the Council is the other. The signature of the EP president brings the overall EU budget into effect.

The European Parliament also plays a role in the process of selecting the President and other members of the Commission. The European Council's nomination of the President is subject to approval by the Parliament. The EP holds U.S.-style public hearings of Commission nominees before taking a formal vote to approve the nomination of the Commission as a body. Parliament has the power to censure the entire Commission, but not to dismiss individual Commissioners.

===The European Court of Justice===
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures uniform interpretation and application of both the Treaties establishing the European Communities and the secondary legislation and other law adopted under their authority. To enable it to carry out that task, the Court has wide jurisdiction to hear various types of cases. For example, the Court has the authority to hear and issue binding judgements in lawsuits that seek to annul a law adopted by the EU, to compel an EU institution to act, or to require that a member state comply with EU law. The ECJ may issue clarifications of EU law (in response to a request for a preliminary ruling from any member state court) and hears appeals on legal questions arising out of cases at the Court of First Instance. The ECJ currently has 27 justices and eight advocates-general, who are appointed by common accord of the governments of the member states and who hold office for six-year renewable terms.

==Sovereignty==
The member states of the European Union fall under the jurisdiction of the Union's legislative and judicial institutions (the Court of Justice, the Commission, the Council and the Parliament) in those competences that they have conferred to the Union (the principle of subsidiarity). Similar to Federal Law trumping State Law in United States politics, EU member states are obliged to follow the laws set forth by the European Court of Justice, even if their national laws are contradictory. This system of government pools sovereignty in those agreed areas from the nation, and rests it in the EU institutions. Some political theorists argue that the EU is thus the death of the nation, as by the Treaty of Westphalia, nations are defined by their right of self-sovereignty; however, each member state has a legal right to cede from the EU, which non-sovereign components of states do not.

==Economy==
The institutions of the European Union were originally created to oversee the operation of the several economic communities that later became the Single European Market. Even as the EU's political integration has continued, the area of greatest integration has always been in the economic sphere: goods, capital, and labour move freely between member states (with exceptions for goods which pose a public health risk), businesses in all member states are increasingly subject to common basic rules, and fifteen of the 27 member states use a common currency, the euro. The rest of the states are legally obliged to adopt the euro when their economies meet strict ''Convergence Criteria''. The fifteen euro-area countries share a common monetary policy administered by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, Germany. The EU strives to eliminate internal barriers to the free flow of goods, services, labour, and capital, and to promote the overall convergence of living standards. Internationally, the EU aims to strengthen Europe's trade position and capitalise on the political and economic leverage that a large, unified market brings.

===Growth===
The EU is the world's largest economic area (the U.S. is second) with a 2007 GDP of $16.6 trillion. Growth in many western member states has been slow compared to those in the east; between 2001 and 2003, the overall growth rate dropped from 1.8 percent to 1.0 percent, then recovered in 2004 to 2.4%, fell to 1.8 percent in 2005, then rose to 2.8% in 2006 and 2.4% in 2007. Within the euro area, growth varies as much as 4.5 percentage points between the fastest and slowest-growing economies: in 2005, the economies of Germany, France and Italy, grew by less than two percent. Growth remains strong in the new central- and eastern-European member states with rapidly industrialising economies.

In spring 2000, the EU committed to a ten-year strategic goal of transforming the EU into a more competitive, knowledge-based economy capable of sustaining higher levels of growth. Focusing on labour market reform, macroeconomic and fiscal policy, and promotion of e-commerce and entrepreneurship, the EU's "Lisbon Agenda" was an attempt to stimulate growth while remaining committed to the EU social model. Some suggest that it has so far failed to achieve its goals in large part because national governments (which retain authority over employment policy, immigration, large public sector workforces, entitlement programs and pensions) have not completed the necessary reforms, with unemployment at 6.9 percent in 2007. The European Commission re-launched the Lisbon Agenda in March 2005, promising three percent growth and six million new jobs by 2010. The revamped strategy focuses on developing political consensus within member states to make the changes necessary to complete elimination of barriers in the internal market, reduce the regulatory burden on business, improve labour market flexibility, provide incentives to work and increase investment in human capital.

===Fiscal and Monetary Policy===
Introduced in 1999, the euro is currently the official currency of fifteen of the 27 EU member states. The United Kingdom, Denmark and Sweden chose to retain their national currencies, and some of the newer EU members have yet to meet the strict economic conditions required to adopt the euro. Prior to the euro's launch in 1999, national currency exchange rates of countries intending to join the euro were fixed within an Exchange Rate Mechanism. Following the January 2002 introduction of euro notes and coins into general circulation, national currencies were removed from circulation. Each of the euro area countries agreed to abide by a shared fiscal policy rule book known as the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). This agreement generally obliges national governments to limit government budget deficits to 3 percent of GDP and established a target debt-to-GDP ratio of below sixty percent. Although enforcement actions have been forgiving – France and Germany, for example, avoided sanctions despite missing SGP targets – countries violating the SGP are technically subject to sanctions by the European Commission. As of March 2005, national governments have been granted budget leeway to achieve structural reforms and to combat prolonged stagnation, negative growth or other factors, such as the cost of German reunification or state pensions. The revised standards still require deficits to remain close to the targets; they may only temporarily exceed the three percent limit.

The euro area's monetary policy is set by the European Central Bank (ECB), which must devise a monetary policy to accommodate a wide range of domestic policies and economic conditions within the euro area. The Treaties require that the ECB's primary objective be to maintain price stability (i.e., to keep inflation low). Euro area national governments have sometimes criticised the ECB for guarding against inflation at the expense of interest rate flexibility that could enable struggling economies to gain traction. The ECB's consistent overnight interest rate of two percent has been credited with creating favourable conditions for growth in Spain and Ireland, but has been blamed for hindering growth in France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal. Non-EU countries have also adopted the euro, including Andorra, United Kingdom base areas, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, and the Vatican City. Additionally, several countries have currencies pegged to the euro, including French African states and those in the Exchange Rate Mechanism.

===Trade===
The EU is the world's largest exporter of goods and services. In 2003, the then fifteen EU members exported $987 billion worth of goods to non-EU countries. The EU's exports grew rapidly between 1996 and 2000 but have grown more slowly since. Except for 2002, the EU as a whole has posted a trade deficit every year since 1999; it was $62 billion in 2004. The EU is a major exporter of chemicals, transport equipment, and industrial machinery. The EU has large trade deficits in raw materials and energy, and a small deficit in food and drink.

The U.S. is the EU's main trading partner by a wide margin. U.S. goods and services exports to the EU reached $283 billion in 2004, while U.S. goods and services imports from the EU totalled $388 billion. Asian economies such as Japan and China, however, account for an increasingly important share of EU trade. The EU's two-way merchandise trade with China grew to $223 million in 2004, while merchandise trade with Japan was $149 million. Internal trade between euro area and non-euro area countries was down one percent in the first quarter of 2005, but the EU's external trade was up four percent, particularly with Russia and Norway.

Member states have given almost exclusive authority to the EU to negotiate binding international trade treaties. The European Community (EC) is a full member of the World Trade Organisation and plays an active role in the Doha Development Round to foster international trade in services and agricultural products. Bilaterally, the EC maintains framework agreements to facilitate trade flows with thirty-five countries worldwide, mostly elsewhere in Europe, in North Africa, and in the Middle East.

===Foreign Direct Investment===
The EU is both a major destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and a major source of FDI. U.S. foreign direct investment in the EU totalled $83.3 billion in 2004; EU FDI into the U.S. totalled $46.6 billion. Following strong year-upon-year growth in the late 1990s, however, inward and outward flows of FDI have contracted since 2001. The EU is a net recipient of FDI from Japan, receiving $81 billion in 2003. Conversely, the EU is a net investor in Canada ($86 billion in outward investment in 2003), and China ($29 billion in outward investment in 2003). Growth of intra-EU FDI has increased rapidly in recent years and has increased much faster than FDI in non-EU countries.

The pattern of foreign investment by European firms reflects deep commercial ties with the United States. U.S. and EU businesses invest heavily and operate profitably on both sides of the Atlantic. U.S. affiliates in Europe accounted for 56 percent of the aggregate output of U.S. affiliates worldwide. European firms were the largest foreign investors in 44 U.S. states and the second largest foreign investor in the remaining six. Sales by U.S. affiliates in Europe totalled $1.5 trillion in 2002, more than double those of U.S. affiliates in the Asia/Pacific region. European affiliate sales in the U.S. were $1.2 trillion in 2002, more than three times the value of U.S. imports from Europe.

Intra-firm trade involving foreign affiliates is particularly important to the transatlantic trade and investment relationship. Approximately 58 percent of U.S. imports from the EU in 2004 involved trade between related parties, as did 30 percent of U.S. exports to Europe in 2003. This high level of intra-firm trade has contributed to the persistence of the U.S. trade deficit with Europe even as the dollar has lost value against the euro since 2002.

===Budget===
The EU's budget is composed of member state contributions. Equivalent to roughly one percent of the member states' combined gross national income (GNI), it was $123 billion in 2005. The UK receives a rebate for some of its contribution, as the CAP benefits the UK less than other states. In June 2005, the EU failed to agree on a budget plan for 2007 through 2013, due in part to a disagreement between the UK and France over the persistence of the UK budget rebate and the funding of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Costs attributable to the CAP constitute the EU's largest annual budget item, benefiting farmers across the EU, especially in France. Payments to net-recipient member states, designed to reduce economic and social disparities among EU countries and regions, are another budget item which has become more contentious with the accession of ten new states poorer than the EU average.

==Criticism==
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. Such people are known in British English as "eurosceptics", and they include such people as the former British Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 [[Single European Act]], a major integrationist measure) and the members of the [[UK Independence Party]]. They also, however, include less well-respected politicians belonging to far right or [[nationalism|nationalist]] parties, such as France's [[Jean-Marie Le Pen]]. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as ''Die Linke'' in Germany, who regard it as constituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.

==History==
Following World War II, traditional European rivals sought to solidify peace by bringing their nations together under a common institutional structure. Influenced by his compatriot [[Jean Monnet]], French Foreign Minister [[Robert Schuman]] officially tabled a plan on May 9, 1950 to pool French and German coal and steel production under an organisation that would be open to other European countries. German Chancellor [[Konrad Adenauer]] supported this proposal, and six founding countries – Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands – took an early step toward European integration by establishing the '''European Coal and Steel Community''' (ECSC) in 1951.

After failing to establish a European Defence Community in the 1950s, the six countries then decided to set up a common market. With the entry into force of the ''''Treaty of Rome''' in 1957, they created the '''European Economic Community''' (EEC), with an objective of liberating the movement of goods, capital, workers and services. (The European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) was also established at this time.) The Treaty of Rome established the basic institutions and decision-making mechanisms still in place in today's European Union. in 1968, the EEC abolished customs duties between member states on manufactured goods. New policies, including a common agricultural policy (CAP) and a common trade policy, were in place by the end of the 1960s.

The success of the European integration project during a period of steady economic growth in the 1960s set the stage for a first enlargement – the accession of Britain, Ireland and Denmark – in 1973. Further "deepening" of European integration followed: the Community acquired executive authority in social, regional, and environment policies. The benefits of economic convergence became more evident in the context of the 1970s energy crisis and financial turmoil, which led to the launch of the European Monetary System in 1979. In the same year, the first direct elections to the European Parliament (EP) took place. Previously, delegates from national parliaments had represented their country's legislative bodies at the EP in Strasbourg, France.

The Community further expanded southward with the accession of Greece (1981, the second enlargement), followed by Spain and Portugal (1986, the third enlargement). These accessions led the EEC to adopt "structural programs" in order to reduce economic and social disparities among its regions.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Community began to assert itself on the international scene with the conclusion of agreements with southern Mediterranean countries. Starting in 1963, the EEC signed four successive Lome Conventions, which guaranteed trading advantages and development aid for member states' former colonies in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP).

World recession and internal disputes over member states' financial burdens gave way, from 1985 onward, to renewed efforts for economic integration, enshrined in the 1985 "Single European Act" (SEA) and marked by the 1992 "Single Market Project." The SEA set January 1, 1993 as the date by which an internal single market was to be established and, by extending the practice of majority voting rather than unanimity in the EU Council, gave Community institutions the means of adopting the 300 Community-wide Directives required to abolish the remaining barriers and obstacles to intra-Community trade. In 1995, the Community entered into the "Barcelona" partnership with twelve southern Mediterranean countries. The partnership, reinforced by agreements on social, cultural, and human cooperation, was intended to lead to a free-trade area.

The collapse of the Berlin Wall and German unification prompted member states to negotiate the 1992 Treaty on European Union (the "Maastricht Treaty"). In addition to establishing the European Union, the Maastricht Treaty set an ambitious program of further integration: establishment of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) by 1999 (part of the "First or 'Community' Pillar"), setting up of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) ("Second Pillar"); and cooperation on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) ("Third Pillar"). Shortly thereafter, in 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU – the fourth enlargement.

Signed in 1997 and entering into force on May 1, 1999, the '''Amsterdam Treaty''' partially streamlined the EU institutional structure. Its most significant effects were: (1) to transfer aspects of Justice and Home Affairs policy to the Community Pillar, enabling the Commission to propose decisions to be taken by the EU Council by qualified majority voting instead of by consensus, and (2) to establish a High Representative for the CFSP (who also serves as Secretary-General of the Council Secretariat). Ten countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Cyprus began accession procedures in 1997, followed by Malta. The prospect of eastward enlargement raised significant resource concerns and prompted the adoption in March 1999 of the "Agenda 2000" package, which covered amendments to the CAP and EU structural policies, as well as a budgetary framework through 2006.

In May 1998, EU heads of government officially designated eleven member states eligible to adopt a single currency. Britain and Denmark "opted out." On January 1, 1999, the euro became the official currency of the EU, and the '''European Central Bank''' (ECB) put euro notes and coins into circulation in 2002. Today, fifteen countries use the euro: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.

Streamlining the size and procedures of EU institutions to make the expanded EU more efficient was also an aim of the 2003 Treaty of Nice.

===Expansion===
In 2004, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia joined the EU, and in 2007 Bulgaria and Romania acceded, bringing total membership to 27. Candidate countries currently include Turkey, FYR Macedonia and Croatia, and potential candidates include the rest of the Western Balkan states.

In October 2004, member states signed an EU Constitutional Treaty designed to replace all previous treaties. French and Dutch voters rejected the treaty through referendums in 2005, thereby suspending the ratification process. In 2007, a modified '''Treaty of Lisbon''' was agreed upon, which retains most of the reforms of the Constitution, but amends rather than replaces previous treaties.

==Candidates for membership==
There are three official candidates being considered for membership, [[Turkey]], [[Croatia]] and [[The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]]. The western Balkan states of Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Albania are officially ''potential candidates''. A country that is expected to accede is required to make some economic, social and governmental changes to bring it in line with other member states.

The status of Turkey is highly controversial. It wants to join (and the US strongly supports it), but traditionalists fear it is too in-European and its applications have been repeatedly rejected. Britain supports admission while France is strongly against Turkey's membership.

Gateway to the European Union (EU official website) <ref>http://europa.eu/</ref>

==Member states==
*[[Austria]]
*[[Belgium]]
*[[Bulgaria]]
*[[Cyprus]]
*[[Czech Republic]]
*[[Denmark]]
*[[Estonia]]
*[[Finland]]
*[[France]]
*[[Germany]]
*[[Greece]]
*[[Hungary]]
*[[Ireland]]
*[[Italy]]
*[[Latvia]]
*[[Lithuania]]
*[[Luxembourg]]
*[[Malta]]
*[[Netherlands]]
*[[Poland]]
*[[Portugal]]
*[[Romania]]
*[[Slovakia]]
*[[Slovenia]]
*[[Spain]]
*[[Sweden]]
*[[United Kingdom]]

==References==
<References/>

{{License|license = This work is in the [[public domain]] in the United States because it is a work of the United States Federal Government under the terms of Title 17, Chapter 1, Section 105 of the US Code.| source = [http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/fs/54126.htm]}}
==Further reading==
* Cini, Michelle, and Nieves Perez-Solorzano Borragan, eds. ''European Union Politics'' (2009)
* Craig, Paul and Gráinne de Búrca. ''EU Law, Text, Cases and Materials'' (4th ed. 2007)
* Dinan, Desmond. '' Europe Recast: A History of European Union' '(2004).
* Hix, Simon. ''What's Wrong with the Europe Union and How to Fix It'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Wrong-Europe-Union-How/dp/0745642055/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1263576617&sr=1-10-spell excerpt and text search]
* Kaiser, Wolfram. ''Christian Democracy and the Origins of European Union'' (2007)
* Peterson, John, and Michael Shackleton eds. ''The Institutions of the European Union'' (2nd ed. 2006)
* McCormick, John. ''The European Union: Politics and Policies'' (2007)
* Pinder, John, and Simon Usherwood. ''The European Union: A Very Short Introduction'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Short-Introduction-Introductions/dp/0199233977/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
*Podmore, Will & Nicholls, Doug (2006), The EU: bad for Britain - a [[trade union]] view. Bread Books, ISBN 0-942112-5-1.
* Staab, Andreas. ''The European Union Explained: Institutions, Actors, Global Impact'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/European-Union-Explained-Institutions-Actors/dp/0253220181/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263575844&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Yesilada, Birol A. and David M. Wood. ''The Emerging European Union'' (5th ed. 2009)
[[Category:European Politics]]
[[Category:European History]]

Canada

2010-02-11T15:28:47Z

Bobobo: Undo revision 753022 by Jpatt (Talk) There's no need for a comparison with the US here, is there?

{{Country
|name =''Canada''
|map =Canada pol99.jpg
|map2 =Loc of Canada.png
|flag =Flag of Canada.svg
|arms =Canada arms.png
|capital =Ottawa
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|government =Parliamentary Democracy/Federal Constitutional monarchy
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|language =English, French
|king =
|queen =Elizabeth II
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Stephen Harper
|pm-raw =
|chairman =
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|pop =32,907,500
|pop-basis =2007
|gdp =$1.105 trillion
|gdp-year =2007
|gdp-pc =$35,133
|currency =Canadian dollar
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}}
'''Canada''' is a [[country]] in [[North America]] which extends from the [[Pacific Ocean]] in the west to the [[Atlantic Ocean]] in the east and northward to the [[Arctic Ocean]]. Canada is the largest country by total area in [[North America]] and the second largest in the world behind [[Russia]]. It also has the longest coastline of any nation, as well as the longest border with the [[United States]] to the south and northwest.

Canada's motto, ''A Mari usque ad Mare'' (From sea to sea), is based on biblical scripture: "He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth (Psalm 72:8)".<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/arm2_e.cfm The Arms of Canada- Description]</ref>

==Etymology==
The name Canada originated in 1535 by [[Jacques Cartier]] is based on the Iroquoian word "kanata", meaning "village." <ref name="Canadian_Encylopedia">[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&ArticleId=A0001216 The Canadian Encyclopedia]</ref> By 1545, Europeans began referring to this region as Canada.

The name ''Dominion of Canada'' was adopted during [[British North America Act|confederation]] in 1867; the term "dominion" was new, and it seemed a better choice than "kingdom" (which might annoy the Americans). The name continued until the [[Constitution Act]] of 1982, when "Canada" became the legal name.

==Flag and anthem==
The Canadian national flag was officially adopted February 15, 1965; prior to that time and subsequent to Confederation in 1867, Canada used a variant of the Red Ensign, a British merchant flag, as its national flag. The Liberal government refused to hold a referendum on the subject; instead the public was invited to submit designs.<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/df3_e.cfm Birth of the Canadian Flag]</ref> The introduction of the new flag was not without controversy.

In a memo from Diefenbaker’s personal files he wrote:
<blockquote>The Pearson flag is a meaningless Flag. There is no recognition of history; no indication of the existence of French and English Canada; the partnership of the races; no acknowledgment of history. It is a flag without a past, without history, without honour and without pride.” (Source – I Stand for Canada: The Story of the Maple Leaf Flag ).<ref>[http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/cultural/flag/national-flag-canada.html The Debate Over the Maple Leaf Flag]</ref></blockquote>

While the debate has been largely forgotten today, the Red Ensign can still be seen flying on some private homes and the debate does reemerge into the public domain occasionally. <ref>[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070321.wxflag21/BNStory/National/ PM wants Red Ensign to fly at Vimy, sources say]</ref>

The Canadian national anthem, '[[O Canada]]', was written by Sir Adolphe-Basile Routhier as a poem, to which music, composed by Calixa Lavallée, was later added, in 1880. The original was composed in French, and was first translated into English by Dr. Thomas Bedford Richardson of Toronto, Ontario, in 1906. However, it was not officially adopted as the national anthem until 1980.<ref>[http://www.pch.gc.ca/progs/cpsc-ccsp/sc-cs/anthem_e.cfm National Anthem: O Canada]</ref> It is important to distinguish between 'O Canada', the national anthem, and 'God Save The Queen', which is the Royal anthem, played as a salute to Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]] as Queen of Canada.

==Geography==
[[File:E-canada.jpg|thumb|450px|political map of Canada]]
At the time of Confederation, Canada was comprised of four provinces: Upper Canada (now Ontario), Lower Canada (now Québec), Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. Since that time, six additional provinces have joined Canada or have been created. From west to east, the provinces are [[British Columbia]], [[Alberta]], [[Saskatchewan]], [[Manitoba]], [[Ontario]], [[Québec]], [[New Brunswick]], [[Prince Edward Island]], [[Nova Scotia]], and [[Newfoundland|Newfoundland and Labrador]]. Newfoundland was the last province to join Canada, in 1949. The provinces all elect a single (unicameral) legislature, headed by Premier, who is selected the same way as the Prime Minister. A Lieutenant-Governor represents the Queen, similar to the Governor General.
Canada has three territories: the [[Yukon Territory]], the [[Northwest Territories]], and [[Nunavut]]. Territories have only have those powers delegated to them by the federal government.

*Area: 9.9 million sq. km. (3.8 million sq. mi.); second-largest country in the world.
*Cities: Capital--Ottawa (pop. 1.1 million). Other major cities--Toronto (5.1 million), Montreal (3.6 million), Vancouver (2.1 million), Calgary (1.1 million), Edmonton (1.0 million), Quebec City (0.7 million), Winnipeg (0.7 million), Hamilton (0.7 million).
*Terrain: Mostly plains with mountains in the west and lowlands in the southeast.
*Climate: Temperate to arctic.

==People==
*Population (2008 est.): 33.1 million.
*Ethnic groups: British/Irish 28%, French 23%, other European 15%, Asian/Arab/African 6%, indigenous Amerindian 2%, mixed background 26%.
*Religions: Roman Catholic 43.6%, Protestant 29.2%, other Christian 4.3%, Muslim 2.0%, Jewish 1.1%, Buddhist 1.0%, Hindu 1.0% other 1.3%, none 16.5%.
*Languages: English (official) 57.8%, French (official) 22.1%, other 20.1% (including Chinese and aboriginal languages).
*Education: Literacy--99% of population aged 15 and over has at least a ninth-grade education.
*Health: Infant mortality rate--5.4/1,000. Life expectancy--77.7 yrs. male, 82.5 yrs. female.
*Work force (2008, 18.2 million): Goods-producing sector--25%, of which: manufacturing 15%; construction 6%; agriculture 2%; natural resources 2%; utilities 1%. Service-producing sector--75%, of which: trade 16%; health care and social assistance 11%; educational services 7%, accommodation and food services 7%; professional, scientific, and technical services 7%; finance 6%; public administration 5%; transportation and warehousing 5%; information, culture, and recreation 5%; other services 4%.

In 2005 the city of [[Vancouver]], [[British Columbia]] was voted "the world's best place to live".<ref> [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4306936.stm Vancouver is "best place to live"]</ref>
Canada's population is increasingly urban, with 6 cities recording a population over 1 million ([[Toronto]], [[Montreal]], [[Vancouver]], [[Ottawa]]-Gatineau, [[Calgary]], [[Edmonton]]); these 6 cities represent over 45% of Canada's population. Canada is becoming an increasingly multicultural country, with most new immigrants settling in [[Toronto]], [[Montreal]] and [[Vancouver]]. [[Toronto]] is the world's most multicultural city, with 43% a member of a visible minority.<ref>http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=bb0fee45-b305-490a-b161-a21bcb1d7329&k=34160</ref>
[[Image:800px-Canada-satellite.jpg|right|thumb|200px|A satellite image of Canada.]]

====Culture====
Due to its colonial past, Canadian culture has historically been heavily influenced by British culture. Quebec maintains a French culture but has been largely cut off from Parisian trends for 250 years. Sine 1800 Canadian culture has been greatly influenced by American culture, due to the proximity and the migration of people, ideas, and capital. Amidst this, Canadian culture has developed some unique characteristics, and many Canadian movies, authors, television shows, and musicians are equally popular in United States. Canadian culture has also been influenced by indigenous cultures, and by immigrant groups from around the world. It has the highest per capita immigration rate of any country in the world <ref>.http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080402/d080402a.htm </ref>

Canada has two federal official languages, French and English. The province of Quebec has French as an official language, New Brunswick both French and English, and all other provinces English (although in some parts of Ontario French has special status). The territory of Nunavut has Inuktitu and Innuinaqtun as official languages in addition to French and English, the North West territories has eleven official languages, and the Yukon recognises French and English.

Canada tends to reflect slightly more liberal social policies than the neighboring states of the northern U.S. Two such examples are the legalizing of [[gay marriage]] in June, 2005<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2005/06/28/samesex050628.html CBC news article on passing of gay marriage law]</ref> and, in some regions, the decriminalization of medicinal [[marijuana]] and small amounts of other psychoactive substances.

===Sports===
see [[Canadian sports]]

Notable sports which are enjoyed throughout Canada include [[hockey]], [[curling]], [[lacrosse]], and [[football]]. Canada collected 18 medals in the Summer Olympics, more per capita than the United States but less than Australia. The country finished third overall in the Torino Winter Olympics, with a total of 24 medals, one less than the United States and 10 more than next-place [[Sweden]]. The next winter Olympics, to be held in 2010 will be held in Vancouver and Whistler.

====Cultural Style====
Canadian culture puts stress on open-mindedness and tolerance of multiple viewpoints.<ref>See [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/features/cucanada.xml&source=EMC-exp_01102008 National Cultural Profiles, a guide from the London ''Telegraph'' to the thinking patterns of all the world's major cultures]</ref> Canadian opinion shows a strong sense of wanting to be independent of the U.S., although their economy, society, and culture closely resembles the U.S., and most Canadians live a short drive from the border. Canada is usually contrasted as a "cultural mosaic" to the United States' "melting pot". Canadian and U.S. polls habitually confirm citizens of both countries view the relationship with each other in a highly positive light, and consider each other with a special respect afforded to common allies. <ref>http://www.freeonlineresearchpapers.com/canadian-cultural-mosaic-american-melting-pot</ref>

====Education====
Education in Canada is the responsibility of provincial and territorial governments; curriculum and marking schemes are completely removed from the control of the federal government. Each province uses a different method of administering education, with variation in the number of years and the curriculum. Quebec, for example has five years of secondary school finishing at the equivalent of grade 11 followed by two years of CEGEP, while Ontario has two years of kindergarten. Most provinces have kindergarten beginning at age 5 through grade 12 (age 17) as part of the public system. Some provinces have standardised provincial exams at the end of secondary school and/or at other designated grades.

Several provinces have two publicly funded school systems: public and separate (e.g. Catholic). The constitution also guarantees education in one's first official language and, as such, all provinces and territories have both English and French language schooling. Additionally, private schools both religious and secular exist throughout the country. Alberta has an additional category, known as charter schools. Charter schools are schools that have been created in the community to surround a particular theme. They could be artistic, vocational, etc.

A source of comparison is the Human Development Index, a measurement of literacy, education, life expectancy and standard of living. Using this scale, Canada scores +.967.

====Religion====
For the total population, in 2001, 12.9 million (44%) were Roman Catholic, with 8.7 million Protestants (29%). 4.9 million (16% ) report no religious affiliation (including atheists and agnostics). Other religions of significance in Canada include 580,000 Muslims; 330,000 Jews; 300,000 Buddhists; 297,000 Hindus; and 278,000 Sikhs.<ref> See [http://www40.statcan.gc.ca/l01/cst01/demo30a-eng.htm "Population by religion, by province and territory (2001 Census)"]</ref>

Catholicism formerly dominated Quebec until the "[[Quiet Revolution]]" of the 1960s, which has greatly reduced the power of the Catholic Church in Quebec, and its participation rates.

The proportion attending religious services on a regular basis has declined over the past 20 years. According to the General Social Survey (GSS), 21% of Canadians aged 15 and over reported they attended a religious service at least once a week in 2005, down from 30% in 1985.<ref> Colin Lindsay, "Canadians attend weekly religious services less than 20 years ago," [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-630-x/2008001/article/10650-eng.htm ''Statistics Canada'' (2008)]</ref> Between 1985 and 2004, the share of Canadians aged 15 and older reporting no religious affiliation increased by seven percentage points from 12% to 19%. 37% of Canadians who rarely attend formal services nevertheless regularly engage in personal religious practices. Of of those who had not attended any religious services over the previous year, 27% engaged in weekly religious practices on their own. Overall this group of adults who regularly engage in private religious practices, but infrequently or never attend religious services, represent, 21% of the adult population. This pattern was most prevalent among older Canadians.<ref> Warren Clark and Grant Schellenberg, "Who's religious?" [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2006001/9181-eng.htm '"Statistics Canada'' (2008)]</ref>

Civil liberties organizations, the media, and some members of Parliament occasionally criticized federal and provincial human rights commissions and tribunals for their application of hate speech restrictions included in federal and provincial human rights acts, claiming that the commissions and tribunals at times limited free speech and expression, and religious rights. The commissions are required by law to process all complaints they receive.

A complaint against the editor of ''Catholic Insight'', alleging the magazine promoted hatred against homosexuals,remained before the Canadian Human Rights Commission at the end of 2008. The complainant alleged that he was upholding Catholic teaching on homosexuality in the magazine.

In June 2008 members of the Ontario legislature voted unanimously to maintain the tradition of reading the Lord's Prayer in the provincial legislature and to add a rotation of prayers from other major religious traditions and a moment of silent reflection for atheists. The vote was prompted by a proposal by Ontario's premier in February 2008 to discontinue the religious observance.

==Government==
The government of Canada is split into two orders, federal and provincial, as outlined by the BNA Act. Each has very specific responsibilities, with some overlap. For instance, universal health care is mandated by the Federal Government, but it is administered by the Provincial Governments. Neither level has supremacy over the other. The Federal Government is run out of [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]]; the provincial governments are run out the ten provincial capitals.

The federal parliament is bicameral, including both a lower house - the [[Canadian House of Commons]] - and an upper house - the [[Canadian Senate]]. The parliamentary system is based on the British parliament. Members of Parliament represent specific geographical areas, generally chosen to have approximately equal population. A single member is elected from each on a [[first past the post]] system. The [[prime minister]] is usually the leader of the party with the most seats, though two or more parties may form a [[coalition]] to form a government.

The Senate is made up of senators appointed for life by the prime minister (acting on behalf of the Governor General).

In almost all cases, Acts of Parliament are created in the House of Commons. After passing three readings in the House of Commons, the bill is passed to the Senate. The job of the Senate is to further debate the proposed legislation, before passing it to the Governor General for Royal Assent. The Governor General is the official representative of Her Majesty [[Queen Elizabeth II]], Queen of Canada. The senators and the governor general are appointed positions by the sitting government. Senators are "lifetime" appointments and the Governor General will sit for, approximately, five yerars. The Prime Minister of Canada is the head of Government of Canada, acting as the Minister of the Crown, a practise inherited from the British system.

All provincial legislatures are unicameral. The legislative process for provincial legislation is the same as for federal legislation, except that there is no Senate and the legislation is given royal assent by the provincial Lieutenants Governor, who represent the monarch at the provincial level.

From 1841 to 1844, the capital city of what would become Canada was located in [[Kingston|Kingston, Ontario]]. Subsequently the capital alternated between [[Toronto]] and [[Montreal]] until 1857, when the capital moved to [[Ottawa|Ottawa, Ontario]].
[[Image:Supreme Court of Canada.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Supreme Court of Canada.]]
The 40th Canadian Federal General Election occurred on October 14, 2008.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/09/07/election-call.html "Vote set for Oct. 14"]</ref> Currently, the Prime Minister is The Right Honourable [[Stephen Harper]], a member of the [[Conservative Party of Canada]], while Her Excellency [[Michaëlle Jean]] is the Governor General. At present Canada is governed by a [[minority government]].

===Principal Government Officials===
*Head of State--Queen Elizabeth II
*Governor General--Michaëlle Jean
*Prime Minister--Stephen Harper
*Minister of Foreign Affairs--Lawrence Cannon
*Ambassador to the United Nations--John McNee

===Politics===
On February 6, 2006, '''Stephen Harper,''' leader of the Conservative Party, became Canada's twenty-second prime minister, succeeding Liberal Paul Martin. A policy wonk from Alberta, Harper rose from the ranks of conservative political party staffers. In Parliament, he became Leader of the Opposition (2002-6). In 2003 he became head of the western-based Canadian Alliance. He was elected the first leader of the Conservative Party of Canada when it was created in 2003 through the merger of Harper's Canadian Alliance and Peter MacKay's Progressive Conservative Party. The January 23, 2006 election victory by the Conservative Party ended twelve years of Liberal Party rule that, in the end, was tainted by accusations of corruption and ethical missteps. In the federal election on October 14, 2008, the Conservatives won 38% of the vote and formed a second minority government with 143 seats in the House of Commons. The Liberals won 26% of the vote and 77 seats in the House of Commons. As the party with the second-largest number of seats, the Liberals form the "official opposition."

The Conservatives made unexpected gains in Quebec by winning ten seats in the January 2006 election, but failed to increase their number of seats in the province in the 2008 election. The separatist Bloc Quebecois (BQ) has a majority (49) of Quebec's 75 seats (the BQ runs candidates only in Quebec). The left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP) now has 37 seats, and two independents also sit in Parliament. Harpewr beat off a threatened no-confidence vote in late 2008 by warning that a government that included the BQ separatists --who want Quebec to break away from Canada--was hostile to Canada' national unity.
===Policy===
Policy priorities of the Conservatives under Harper have remained fairly consistent since 2006: fighting the [[Recession of 2008]]; aiding the ailing [[Automobile]] industry; improving accountability and ethics in government; lowering taxes; fighting crime; reinvesting in defense; bolstering Canada's Arctic sovereignty; promoting national unity; and raising the profile of Canada's role abroad, through its combat mission in Afghanistan, contributions to stabilization in Haiti, and renewed partnership with Latin America. Harper has been friendly with the U.S., despite growing Canadian annoyance with restrictions on border crossings. Harper has been a strong supporter of [[NAFTA]], and works to increase Canada's oil exports to the U.S. He remains strong in the polls as Canada has suffered less from the worldwide [[Recession of 2008]] than the EU or the U.S.

[[Quebec]], with 23% of the national population, its distinctive French-language ("francophone") culture, angered the western provinces by wielding undue influence on the Federal Government and its repeated threats to national unity. Until Harper of Alberta became prime minister in 2006, the western provinces had denounced Ottawa's failure to appreciate the oil interests, Canada's major industry. Ontario complains that it pays out far more to the Federal Government than it gets back in revenues, while the Atlantic Provinces seek to assert greater control over fishing and mineral rights off their shores. The Federal Government ceded some power in a few areas of provincial jurisdiction, while seeking to strengthen the federal role in many other areas such as inter-provincial trade and the regulation of securities.

====National Unity====
Popular support for Quebec sovereignty appears to be on the wane, although Francophone pride in that province's unique cultural and linguistic identity remains very strong. Most Quebec voters seem to appreciate the economic benefits of remaining in the Canadian confederation and aim to advance their separate Francophone identity within the confederation. In a provincial election held on December 8, 2008, provincial Liberal Leader Jean Charest won a majority government. The separatist Parti Quebecois placed second.

====Quebec Secession Movement and the October Crisis====
There are trivial separatist movements lobbying for independence from Canada in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. The only movement of real significance is in Quebec, where the province has twice voted on whether or not to separate from Canada, once in 1980 and again in 1995; the vote in 1995 failed by just 1 percent. On November 27, 2006, the Federal Government passed a motion declaring Québec a nation "within a united Canada". <ref> http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=hansard&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=1&DocId=2544166&File=0#OOB-1799206</ref>

This movement did reach a violent level however when the [[FLQ]] (Front de liberation du Quebec) undertook a series of letterbombings from 1963-1970[http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0005880.com] The terror campaign reached a fever pitch when Pierre Laport and James Cross were kidnapped in their own homes by gun wielding FLQ members. [http://archives.cbc.ca/politics/civil_unrest/topics/101/] The government initiated a crackdown in which the War Measures Act was put in place. The only time where the measure has been enacted in peace time [http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/terrorists_spies/terrorists/flq/11.html]. The measure was widely supported by Canadians at the time. The action was short lived however as the members of the FLQ were tracked down and arrested. The body of Pierre Laport was discovered in the trunk of a car outside a Canadian military base. James Cross was released after intense negotiations with the government. The remaining members of the FLQ were either jailed or as a result of negotiations deported to Cuba.

===Taxation===
The average tax rate in Canada is higher than in the United States. In 2003, Canada's tax burden equals about 33.8% of GDP placing it in the middle of the G7 countries, with Japan lowest at 25.3% and France highest at 43.4% <ref>[http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/faq1e.html#Taxation Department of Finance Canada: FAQs]</ref>. The US rate is roughly 25.6%; this discrepancy is consistent with the differing levels of social services which the governments funds. Canada also has managed to run without a budget deficit for a number of years.

Equalization payments, worth 11.7 billion Canadian dollars are made by the federal government to the provinces from richer provinces (currently Alberta, Newfoundland<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2008/11/03/have-not.html]</ref>, and British Columbia) and the poorer provinces (Ontario, <ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/11/03/flaherty-ministers.html]</ref>, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan) . This is to ensure that reasonably uniform standards of services and taxation are kept between the richer and poorer provinces.<ref>Budget 2007 [http://www.budget.gc.ca/2007/bp/bpc4e.html]</ref> These payments have not been without controversy as provinces begin to make more revenues from natural resources they do not want to give up the Equalization payments.

British Columbia has the lowest corporate tax rate in North America <ref>http://www.investbc.com/businessclimate.htm</ref>.

Canada also has a national sales tax, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 5% on all purchases. Some provinces add an additional percentage in the form of a Provincial Sales Tax (PST), or a combined Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) combining GST and the Provincial Sales Tax. Based on actual income, and a number of other factors, the government will refund GST/HST to eligible tax payers in quarterly installments on the fifth of the month in July, October, January, and April.

====Public Health Care====
In 1984, the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Liberals and The Right Honourable [[Pierre Trudeau|Pierre Elliot Trudeau]], enacted the Canada Health Act. This act was based on the five principles of "universality, accessibility, portability, comprehensiveness, and public administration"<ref>[http://www.fin.gc.ca/FEDPROV/hise.html History of Canada Health and Social Transfer]</ref>. This public health care system is run in partnership by Health Canada and provincial Ministries of Health, who both contribute tax revenues. The federal government sets policy, while the provinces are responsible for actual administration. In 1995, the Canada Health and Social Transfer was created to replace existing systems for the transferal of tax funding to the provinces to administer social programs. The rationale behind the system is to allow all Canadians equal access to equal treatment, regardless of socio-economic status.

In Canada health care is frequently listed as top issue in election campaigns and is both a topic of frequent debate and a point of pride for many Canadians, Tommy Douglas the founder of medicare was, for example, voted the "Greatest Canadian" on a CBC television programme in 2004 <ref>
http://www.cbc.ca/greatest/</ref>.

The current state of Canada's public health care system is gathering increasing media attention due to rising wait times. [[David Gratzer]] wrote:
<blockquote>... government researchers have provided the best data on the doctor shortage, noting, for example, that more than 1.5 million Ontarians (or 12 percent of that province’s population) can’t find family physicians. <ref>[http://city-journal.org/html/17_3_canadian_healthcare.html The Ugly Truth about Canadian Healthcare] </ref></blockquote>
Most of the blame for the current state of affairs has been placed on successive government mismanagement. This represents a failure of the federal government to properly regulate the level of service being offered in the provinces. People regularly have to wait between four and eight months for surgeries. The median wait time for an MRI across Canada is 10.3 weeks in 2006.<ref>http://www.fraserinstitute.ca/shared/readmore.asp?sNav=nr&id=753</ref> In fact, former Prime Minister [[Jean Chretien|Jean Chrétien]] campaigned on a promise to shut down private MRI clinics because it creates a two tier system, regardless of the demand for more facilities.

In recent years, there has been suggestion from some lobby groups that Canada should adopt a two-tier health care system, while others have expressed strong opposition to this idea, including the federal government under the Liberal Party. Some argue that Canada already does have a two-tier health care system as the very wealthy can go to the United States for treatment. The argument for allowing private health care is twofold. The first reason is that competition may improve the quality of products and services, while the increase in options will allow those with the means to access private health care and may relieve some of the burden off the public system. Critics argue that health is a right, and that everyone should have access to the same standard of care.

Recently, in [[Québec]], a provincial judge has ruled that private health care providers must be allowed to compete with the government-run health care system.

==Defense==
As of the most recent cabinet shuffle, Conservative MP Peter MacKay has assumed the role of Minister of National Defence.

The [[Canadian Forces]] is comprised of the Regular Force and the Reserve Force. The Regular and Reserve Forces employ over 62,000 and 25,000 members respectively. While the various branches wear distinctive elemental uniforms (DEU), the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army and the Royal Canadian Air Force were amalgamated in 1968 into one common command structure <ref>http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/about/index_e.asp</ref>.
The Canadian Forces are <ref>http://www.canadianally.com/ca/forces-cf-en.asp</ref>equipped with modern vehicles such as the Canadian-built LAV III, the German-built Leopard CII tanks and both the American-built CF-18 Hornet and CC-177 Globemaster III. The Canadian government spends about 17 billion Canadian dollars annually on defence<ref>[http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20072008/me-bd/part1/ME-030_e.asp http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/est-pre/20072008/me-bd/part1/ME-030_e.asp]</ref>.

The Conservative government has continued the trend of increased defence spending initiated by the Liberals, and have also taken steps to decrease red-tape preventing the troops from having the necessary equipment to keep them safe and effective. They have also taken steps to estalish Canada's sovereignty over its arctic regions.

Over 3000 Canadian troops are currently deployed around the world, with over 2500 in [[Afghanistan]] where they are assisting in anti-terrorism and reconstruction operations. Another 500 are deployed to the Middle East where they are attached to a US-led coalition fleet and the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). These are prime examples of Canada's capability for interoperability with foreign military forces.

==Economy==
*GDP (2007): $1.266 trillion.
*Real GDP growth rate (2007): 2.7%.
*Per capita GDP (2007): $38,435.
*Natural resources: Petroleum and natural gas, hydroelectric power, metals and minerals, fish, forests, wildlife, abundant fresh water.
*Agriculture: Products--wheat, livestock and meat, feed grains, oil seeds, dairy products, tobacco, fruits, vegetables.
*Industry: Types--motor vehicles and parts, machinery and equipment, aircraft and components, other diversified manufacturing, fish and forest products, processed and unprocessed minerals.
*Trade: U.S. merchandise exports to Canada (2007)--$248.9 billion: motor vehicles and spare parts, industrial and electrical machinery, plastics, computers, chemicals, petroleum products and natural gas, and agricultural products. In 2007, 65% of Canada's imports came from the United States. U.S. merchandise imports from Canada (2007)--$313.1 billion: motor vehicles and spare parts, crude petroleum and natural gas, forest products, agricultural products, metals, industrial machinery, and aircraft. In 2007, 76% of Canada's exports went to the U.S.
===Business===
Canada has invested heavily in high-tech, export-oriented businesses, achieving major success in:
* Aerospace: Canada’s global share of aerospace activity has tripled in the last 20 years, making Canada the world’s 5th largest aerospace producer.
* Ag-biotech: Canadian firms’ revenues exceed those of US agro-based companies and are more than double those of Japan and the UK.
* Agri-food: Canada is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of agricultural products.
* Automotive: Canada is among the Top 10 automotive countries and the 3rd largest exporter of automotive products after Japan and the U.S. Most of the output goes to the U.S. market.
* Biotechnology: Canada is a leader in biotechnology—one of the top five countries in the world.
* Plastics: Canada is the world’s fourth largest exporter of moulds and eighth largest exporter of plastics processing machinery.
* see also [[Canadian railways]]
[[File:O-bad-for-canada.jpg|thumb|300px|Leading Canadian newsmagazine evaluates Obama's threat to Canada, June 29, 2009]]

Maclean's, a Canadian current affairs magazine, has expressed concern that Obama's economic policies will damage Canada's economy, especially [[cap and trade]], the Buy America rule in the 2009 stimulus, and environmental hostility to Canadian oil produced from oil sands.

===Energy===
Canada has vast natural resources and is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of energy. In 2005, Canada produced 19.1 quadrillion British Thermal Units (Btu) of total energy, the fifth-largest amount in the world. Since 1980, Canada’s total energy production has increased by 86%, while its total energy consumption has increased by only 48% during that period. Almost all of Canada’s energy exports go to the United States, making it the largest foreign source of U.S. energy imports: Canada is consistently among the top sources for U.S. oil imports, and it is the largest source of U.S. natural gas and electricity imports.<ref> See Energy Information Administration, [http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Canada/Background.html "Canada" (2009 report)] </ref>

In 2005, the largest source of energy consumption in Canada was oil (31%), followed by hydroelectricity (25%) and natural gas (24%). Both coal (12%) and nuclear (7%) constitute a smaller share of the country’s overall energy mix. From 1985-2005, Canada’s overall energy mix has remained relatively stable, though hydroelectricity has decreased from 31%to 25%, as oil drilling is more popular than dam building.

==History==
* see [[History of Canada]]

==Further Reading==
* '''see [[History of Canada]] for a more detailed bibliography.'''

* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCESubjects&Params=A1 ''Canadian Encyclopedia'' (2008)] reliable detailed encyclopedia, on-line free
* Artibise, Alan F. J., ed. ''Interdisciplinary Approaches to Canadian Society: A Guide to the Literature.'' McGill-Queen's U. Press, 1990. 156 pp.
* Bickerton, James, and Alain Gagnon. ''Canadian Politics'' (2004) 584 pages, textbook
* Blore, Shawn. ''Frommer's Canada'' (2004) 828 pages travel guide
* Campbell, Robert Malcolm et al. ''The Real Worlds of Canadian Politics: Cases in Process and Policy,'' (2004) 342 pages
* Conrad, Margaret, and Alvin Finkel. ''Canada: A National History.'' (2003), college textbook.
* DK Publishing. ''Canada'' (Eyewitness Travel Guides) by Hugh Thompson (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Canada-Eyewitness-Travel-Guides-Publishing/dp/0789495619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1249580319&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Hallowell, Gerald, ed. ''The Oxford Companion to Canadian History'' (2004) 1650 very good entries
* Johnson, William. ''Stephen Harper and the Future of Canada'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Harper-Future-William-Johnson/dp/0771095546/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239348955&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Morton, Desmond. ''A Short History of Canada'' 5th ed (2001)
* ''National Atlas of Canada'' (1st ed. 1906; 2nd ed. 1915; 3rd ed. 1957; 4th ed. 1974; 6th ed. 1999 is electronic)
* Pammett, Jon H., and Christopher Dornan. ''The Canadian Federal Election of 2006'' (2006)
* Pryke, Kenneth G. and Walter C. Soderlund, eds. ''Profiles of Canada.'' (2003). 3rd edition of textbook
* Toye, William, ed. ''The Oxford Companion to Canadian Literature.'' (1983). 843 pp.
* Wells, Paul. ''Right Side Up: the Fall of Paul Martin and the Rise of Stephen Harper's New Conservatism'' (2006)
* Westhues, Anne. '' Canadian Social Policy: Issues and Perspectives,'' 2003

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External Links ==
* [http://www.gc.ca/ Government of Canada]
* [http://www.parl.gc.ca/ Parliament of Canada]
* [http://www.pch.gc.ca/ Department of Canadian Heritage]
* [http://cansim2.statcan.gc.ca/cgi-win/cnsmcgi.pgm?Lang=Eng&SP_Action=Main-Principal&SP_Mode=2 Statistics Canada current data]
* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ca.html CIA World Factbook:Canada]
* [http://www.forces.ca The Canadian Forces], military
* [http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-516-x/3000140-eng.htm ''Historical Statistics of Canada'' (1983)] the major historical data source
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwDvF0NtgdU Canadian National Anthem]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNlTwaPQQH4&feature=related Canadian National Anthem (French)]
=== Political Party Websites (Major) ===
* [http://www.conservative.ca Conservative Party of Canada]
* [http://www.liberal.ca Liberal Party of Canada]
* [http://www.ndp.ca New Democratic Party of Canada]
* [http://www.blocquebecois.org Bloc Québécois]
* [http://www.greenparty.ca Green Party of Canada]

=== Political Party Websites (Minor) ===
* [http://http://www.fpnpoc.ca/ First Peoples National Party of Canada]
* [http://www.partyofalberta.org/ Party of Alberta]
* [http://www.progressivecanadian.org/ Progressive Canadian Party]
* [http://www.mlpc.ca/ Marxist-Leninist Party]
* [http://www.canadianactionparty.ca/ Canadian Action Party]
* [http://www.peoplespoliticalpower.ca/ People's Political Power Party]
* [http://www.animalalliance.ca/ Animal Alliance Environment Voters Party]
* [http://www.westernblockparty.com/ Western Bloc Party]
* [http://www.chp.ca/en/index.html Christian Heritage Party of Canada]

[[Category:Canada| ]]
[[Category:North American Countries]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:Christian-Majority Countries]]
[[Category:Canadian History]]

Heaven

2010-02-10T13:07:03Z

Bobobo:

'''Heaven''' (literally 'the sky') is the place where [[God]] dwells. It is a location (either physical or spiritual) reserved as the afterlife in many religions, especially the [[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic faiths]].
[[Image:Gustave Dore Heaven.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Gustave Doré's illustration to the Divine Comedy, Paradiso Canto 1.]]

==Christianity==
In [[Christianity]] heaven is being in the presence of God with places prepared for the faithful by [[Jesus]] and is viewed as eternal bliss beyond that which can currently be known. Those who are allowed into heaven are said to be given new bodies that do not decay and death will be gone. [[Marriage]] is not a part of heaven. It is also possible there are different 'levels' of heaven. The conditions to enter heaven in Christianity, (the state of "[[salvation]]"), often revolve around some standard of piety achieved through knowing [[Jesus]].

===The essence of heaven===

Though there is much conjecture about what Heaven is like, its central core is that we will be with Jesus Himself. He has entered back into the presence of the [[God the Father|Father]] and has conveyed to us that the redeemed of the Lord will likewise be with Him where He is. Paradise may be to Heaven as the foyer may be to the inner room of a great Mansion. Without a doubt, Jesus responded to the penitent thief on the cross who turning to Him and said "Remember me Lord, when you come in Your Kingdom", saying, "I tell you most definitly, today, you will be with me in Paradise". He also said, "Where I am, there you will be also." And speaking of the time that we will be in the presence of Jesus, [[John the Apostle]] says, "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is."

With regard to what Heaven actually looks like, little information is given, and it is likely that the reality is beyond earthly comprehension. Artistic depictions of Heaven are usually characterized by bright, shining light; [[Dante's Paradiso]] is an example, although the overwhelming light there is at least partly a metaphor for divine [[love]].

===Entering Heaven===
Different Christian [[denomination]]s tend differ on the matter of what a person must do to be admitted to Heaven (see [[salvation]]).
==== Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity ====
In [[Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox]] and [[Catholic|Catholic Christianity]], belief in Jesus and proper works are often considered necessary and go hand in hand. [[Sin]]s of earth must first be cleansed through [[Purgatory]] before one can enter heaven. In some versions sufficient good deeds can lead to entering heaven even without belief in Jesus if one never had the chance to know about Jesus, such as pious Jews who died prior to the coming of Jesus.

==== Protestant Christianity ====
In [[Protestantism|Protestant]] Christianity there is no one standard, but most denominations were started with the understanding that salvation comes from belief in [[Jesus]] and acceptance of Him as a "personal Lord and Savior". This doctrine is know as [[Sola fide]]. [[Luther]] summed it up as salvation by faith alone. Much of Protestant and Catholic views can overlap with Catholics emphasizing good works and Protestants emphasizing a relationship with Jesus - which then shows its 'fruits' through good works, although purgatory is usually not a concept that Protestant churches follow. [[Anglican Communion|Anglicans]], who have a theology and church practice similar to Catholics, take a view very close to the view taken by Catholicism. Some Protestants, such as [[Calvinists]], believe that salvation is [[predestination|pre-destined]] by God. Those He has chosen will follow Him. Still others are universalist and hope that eventually everyone will enter heaven (although some of purging of sins may be necessary).

== Judaism ==
[[Judaism]] focuses much less on the nature and method of entering heaven, for which the [[Old Testament]] says little, but emphasize good deeds (''mitzvot'') on this earth and generally follows univeralist tendencies. Even [[Orthodox Jews]] rarely discuss the afterlife which is seen as unimportant, instead putting more emphasis on Philosophy, Mysticism, and especially Ethics.

== Islam ==
[[Islam]] emphasizes belief in God and acceptance of [[Muhammed]] as God's Prophet. There is also a physical component not found in Christianity and Judaism. Amongst certain fringe, fundamentalist sects of contemporary Islam, if one dies in [[Jihad]], no matter how bad he had been during his life, he is immediately lifted to heaven and given 72 virgins. This view is emphasized among terrorists, who believe it applies to them when they kill "infidels" who they believe stand in the way of Islam.

==See Also==
* [[Paradise]]
* [[Hell]]

[[Category:Abrahamic Religions]]