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Charles Schumer

2009-05-14T16:04:24Z

Lieberman90: /*Schumer's role in the Financial Crisis of 2008*/

{{Officeholder
|name=""""Chuck"""" Schumer
|image=Chuck Schumer.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Iris Weinshall
|religion=Jewish
|offices=
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=New York
|terms=January 3, 1999 - present
|preceded=Alfonse D'Amato
|former=n
}}
}}

'''Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer''' (b. 1950) is a [[liberal]] [[Democratic]] U.S. Senator from [[New York]]. He defeated incumbent Republican Senator [[Alfonse D'Amato]] in a nasty campaign in 1998 after serving in the House of Representatives for many terms. He is particularly vocal in supporting groups that perform [[abortions]], such as [[Planned Parenthood]], and in opposing judicial nominees who are [[strict constructionists]].

==United States Senate==
In 2005 Schumer became chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and in November 2006, he was elected to the new post of Vice Chairman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. Schumer has long been known in Washington for his hamming to television cameras. Majority Leader [[Bob Dole]] once quipped that "the most dangerous place in Washington is between Charles Schumer and a television camera." That criticism has not just been Republicans. David McReynolds, the Green Party candidate for senator, observed about Schumer, "People are saying he's a newshound, a camera hog, that he's someone who loses no opportunity to push into a picture."

==Criticisms of Chief Justice [[John Roberts]] and Justice [[Samuel Alito]] ==

In a speech to a [[liberal]] audience in July 2007, Schumer declared:<ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0707/5146.html</ref>

:"The Supreme Court is dangerously out of balance. We cannot afford to see Justice Stevens replaced by another Roberts, or Justice Ginsburg by another Alito."

Schumer also said that the Senate should not confirm another nomination by President [[George W. Bush]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] "except in extraordinary circumstances."<ref>''id.''</ref>

A spokeswoman for the White House, Dana Perino, responded:<ref>''id.''</ref>

:"This is the kind of blind obstruction that people have come to expect from Sen. Schumer. He has an alarming habit of attacking people whose character and position make them unwilling or unable to respond. That is the sign of a bully. If the past is any indication, I would bet that we would see a Democratic senatorial fundraising appeal in the next few days."

==DSCC Controversy==
During the 2006 Senate election's, Schumer's Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee illegally obtained a copy of the credit report of the Lieutenant Governor of Maryland, Michael S. Steele, a Republican senatorial candidate, posing as him and using his social security number.

==Walter Reed Medical Center Controversy==
Schumer blasted the Bush administration for sub-standard conditions of wounded military personnel at Walter Reed Medical Center. Schumer was called out by radio host [[Don Imus]] for not visiting with the wounded troops at the [[Washington D.C.]] facility. <ref>http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2007/3/9/124531.shtml?s=ic , NewsMax.com Imus Grills Schumer for Not Visiting Walter Reed, March 9, 2007</ref>

==Schumer's role in the [[Financial Crisis of 2008]]==

The New York Times has accused Schumer of "backing measures now blamed for the financial crisis.... Schumer took steps to protect (financial)industry players from Government oversight and tougher rules.... Over the years he has helped to save financial institutions billions of dollars in higher taxes."[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/business/14schumer.html?_r=1]

== See also ==
* [[Bernie Madoff]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.senate.gov/~schumer/ Official Website]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Charles_Schumer.htm Schumer On the Issues]

{{DEFAULTSORT: Schumer, Charles Ellis}}
[[Category:United States Senators]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category: 110th United States Congress]]

Freedom of Choice Act

2009-05-12T14:14:43Z

Lieberman90: minor clarification

The '''Freedom of Choice Act''' is a bill introduced into Congress in both the House and the Senate that would override state laws and make [[abortion]] legal and unrestricted in any way and at any time that an abortionist decides to perform one.

The bill was sponsored in the [[House of Representatives]] by Congressman [[Jerrold Nadler]], and in the [[Senate]], it was sponsored by [[Barbara Boxer]] and co-sponsored by [[Joe Lieberman]], [[Dianne Feinstein]], [[Frank Lautenberg]] and [[Hillary Clinton]], among others.

President Elect Obama has indicated that he would be willing to sign the bill into law once he takes office
[[Category:United States Law]]

Hillary Rodham Clinton

2009-05-10T13:40:05Z

Lieberman90: /*Freedom of Choice Act*/

[[Image:Hillary-6.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Hillary Rodham Clinton]]
'''Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton''' (b. 1947) is the [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State of the United States]]. From 2001 to 2008 she was [[United States Senate|Senator]] from [[New York]], and from 1993 to 2001 was [[First Lady]] of the United States of America during the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton Administration]]

In 2000, Clinton ran for the New York Senate seat vacated by the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] Senator [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]]. Backed by the White House, she obtained the Democratic nomination for this Senate seat, and then won easily against [[Republican Party|Republican]] Rick Lazio (who entered the race when [[Rudy Giuliani]] withdrew). She ran for the [[United States Presidential Election, 2008 - Primaries|2008 Democratic Presidential Candidacy]], winning more primaries than any female politician in American history. On June 7th, 2008 she conceded defeat to [[Barack Obama]] after a closely challenged campaign, although she did not release her delegates until the convention itself.

It was an exemplary show of her lack of Christian morals when she barely raised an eyebrow upon learning of her husband's affair with another woman.

==Presidential Campaign 1992==

===Raising taxes on foreign corporations===
In the final 72 hour election crunch of the [[1992 Presidential election]] at Hillary Clinton's behest, the issues were framed as "raising taxes on foreign corporations." Hillary Clinton alleged that the Bush/Quayle ticket, the [[Republican Party]], and the Reagan coalition wanted to grant foreign [[corporation]]s doing business in the [[United States]] massive tax cuts. The Clinton campaign promised to thwart these efforts and grant the American taxpayers a [[tax cut]].<ref>''The Agenda: Inside the Clinton White House'', Bob Woodward, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1994. [http://www.mediaresearch.org/mediawatch/1994/watch19940801.asp]</ref>

The result in the first 100 days after Clinton Administration won a plurality was a massive tax cut for foreign corporations through [[NAFTA]] and a [[tax increase]] on the American people.<ref>[http://www.clintonmemoriallibrary.com/clint_econ.html William Jefferson Clinton Memorial Library]. On Aug. 10, 1993, the largest tax increase in history was signed into law, raising taxes by almost $280 billion over five years. "Instead of middle-class tax relief, President Clinton chose to include in his $241 billion tax plan higher federal gasoline taxes, tax hikes on Social Security recipients, and steep income tax hikes on small business owners. The President even tried unsuccessfully to institute a brand new $71 billion [[BTU energy tax]] that would have cost the typical family nearly $500 per year." ''The President's Forgotten Middle Class,'' Joint Economic Committee, Majority Staff, 3/22/96.</ref>

===Domestic Spying===

''The Hill'' magazine reported Hillary Clinton may have been involved in [[civil right]]s violations by monitoring [[illegal wiretap]]s and [[domestic spying]] on political opponents during the 1992 camapaign.<ref>[http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-targeting-clinton-on-phone-call-snooping-2007-10-16.html GOP targeting Clinton on phone-call snooping], By Alexander Bolton, ''The Hill'', October 16, 2007.</ref> After the revelations came to light in a book entitled, ''Her Way'' [http://www.amazon.com/Her-Way-Ambitions-Hillary-Clinton/dp/0316017426] by Don Van Natta Jr., an investigative reporter at the ''[[New York Times]]'', and Jeff Gerth, who spent 30 years as an investigative reporter at the paper, a [[Republican]] official remarked,
{{Cquote|it is rather unbelievable that [Hillary] Clinton would listen in to conversations being conducted by political opponents, but refuse to allow our intelligence agencies to listen in to conversations being conducted by [[terrorist]]s as they plot and plan to kill us.<ref>[http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-targeting-clinton-on-phone-call-snooping-2007-10-16.html GOP targeting Clinton on phone-call snooping], By Alexander Bolton, ''The Hill'', October 16, 2007.</ref> }}

== Record as First Lady ==

During [[Bill Clinton]]'s presidency Hillary Clinton initially played an important role. Immediately after his [[inauguration]] in 1993, Hillary Clinton embarked on a [[radical]] program to create a national health care system. She headed a Health Care Task Force which submitted controversial and [[extremism|extreme]] proposals to revamp this health care, which constitutes about one sixth of the U.S. economy. She was sued by the [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]] for violations of the [[Federal Advisory Committee Act]], and the trial judge ruled against her and the Clinton Administration. An appellate court reversed this ruling but remanded it for further proceedings, which ultimately resulted in disclosures to comply with the law.

Hillary Clinton's friend [[Vincent Foster]] supervised the defense of the litigation, but died under mysterious circumstances at the height of the controversy; the death was officially ruled a suicide. The extreme proposals were overwhelmingly rejected by [[United States Congress|Congress]]. Subsequently, the Republicans won a landslide victory in 1994, taking over both Houses of Congress.

The remainder of Hillary Clinton's tenure as First Lady was largely devoted to combating what she perceived as conspiracies. The Clinton [[White House]], wracked by multiple scandals, abruptly fired longtime members of the White House Travel Office, leading [[Congress]] to vote for a restoration of their benefits. At one point confidential tax records of Republican opponents were discovered in the White House, and no legitimate explanation was ever provided.

===Accusations of improper recruiting for Health Care Task Force ===
:''Main article: [[Clinton health care plan]]''
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) requires every panel that includes non-government employees to have open meetings.
In January 1993, the ''[[Washington Times]]'' reported the problems with Hillary Clinton's closed door [[Healthcare Task Force]] meeting and the former Watergate crusader ignoring a post-Watergate reform. Rep. Bill Clinger (R-Pa.) demanded that the closed meetings stop. In February the [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]] (AAPS) sued. In March, U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ruled the task force violated the FACA. The ''Washington Times'' revealed that many task-force members Clinton claimed as federal employees were not. When a list of 511 names was released, the Times noted the list "did not meet the [GAO] request for dates of employment, salaries and detailed backgrounds." <ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_8_18/ai_83699629 ''Enron vs. Hillary care: media double standard is at work''], Brent L. Bozell III, Insight on the News, March 4, 2002.</ref>

===Conspiracy Theories and Enemies List===
:''Main article: [[Vast right wing conspiracy theory]]
In 1995 there were approximately 1 million computers connected to the Internet. By the end of 1998, there were 50 million. In perspective, after the invention of television, it took more than 10 years before there were 50 million sets in the world. The same rise on the Internet took less than three years.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=14676 Hillary Clinton, conspiracy theorist], Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily.com, February 11, 1999.</ref> This [[economic growth]] of the Internet Hillary Clinton branded as "a [[vast right-wing conspiracy]]." White House staffers were directed to write a report, at taxpayer expense, which included an enemies list of persons and organizations who subsequently endured IRS audits and harassment.<ref>Larry Klayman, WorldNetDaily 7/9/99. [http://www.alamo-girl.com/0311.htm]</ref>

In 2005, Clinton revived her campaign of Internet censorship under the guise of a vast right-wing conspiracy theory.{{fact}}

===Saddam Hussein and weapons of mass destruction===

[[Hillary Clinton]] speaking on [[Saddam Hussein]]'s possession of [[Weapons of mass destruction]] said,
{{Cquote|I have to say that this is something that I have followed for a decade. If he [Saddam] were serious about disarming, he would have been much more forthcoming. There may be progress, we may be destroying his missiles, there is no accounting for the [[Weapons of mass destruction|chemical and biological stocks]].<ref>[http://www.archive.org/details/HillaryClintonsviewsongoingtowarSaddamandWMDs Hillary Clinton's views on going to war, Saddam, and WMD]</ref>}}

Hillary Clinton further described the situation after weapons inspectors we're expelled during the time when America had two in the position of presidential leadership, "for the price of one."<ref>[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/CharlesKrauthammer/2007/11/02/two_for_the_price_of_one Two For the Price of One], By Charles Krauthammer, November 2, 2007.</ref>
{{Cquote|In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his [[nuclear]] program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to [[terrorist]]s, including [[al Qaeda]] members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons.<ref>[http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?ItemID=6390 Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), October 10, 2002]. Retrieved from Zmag.org December 4, 2007.</ref>}}

===Reaction to Monica Lewinsky scandal===

[[Dick Morris]] and [[Eileen McGann]]
said that Clinton "loudly defended Bill and arranged for attacks on [[Monica Lewinsky]] when she knew the complete and sordid truth." <ref>http://www.newsmax.com/morris/Hillary_Unmasked_morris/2008/02/29/76871.html</ref> As the full extent of the scandal became known, however, Clinton forgave her husband, and the two appear to once again have a trusting, love-filled relationship. <ref>[http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2003/06/09/tem_monlede09.html]</ref>

== Record as U.S. Senator ==

In 2001, one of Hillary Clinton's first acts as U.S. Senator was to introduce a bill to abolish the [[Electoral College]]. This received insufficient support. No major legislation has been credited to Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton was reported to be the biggest spender of any freshman senator in history.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_7_54/ai_84454903 Hillary Clinton's spending of taxpayer money], ''[[National Review]], April 22, 2002.</ref>
[[Image:070917graveconcern-x.gif|right|thumb|400px]]
Her current plans are reintroduce an [[extremism|extreme]] proposal again to [[socialism|socialize]] the health care system, this time by converting medical records into electronic form that can be easily monitored. She also pushes for universal health coverage, considered to be a step towards a [[Single Payer]], government-controlled system.

Since joining the Senate, Clinton has belonged to a conservative prayer group with the expressed purpose of "bringing Jesus back to Capitol Hill."<ref>http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/09/hillarys-prayer.html</ref> A few of her collaborators in the group include Senator Sam Brownback (R-Kan) and Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa).

===FEC fined campaign for failing to accurately report $721,895 in contributions===

In January 2006 Hillary Clinton's New York Senate 2000 campaign was fined $35,000 for failing to accurately report $721,895 in contributions. <ref>[http://www.fec.gov/press/press2006/20060126mur.html Federal Elections Commission] Press Release, January 26, 2006. </ref>

===Smoking gun videotape===

WorldNetDaily reports Hillary Clinton may face a felony conviction that carries with it a five year sentence for violations of Title 2 section 437 of the U.S. federal code, which states: "Any person who knowingly and willfully commits a violation of any provision of this act which involves the making, receiving, or reporting of any contribution, donation, or expenditure aggregating $25,000 or more during a calendar year shall be fined under Title 18, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both." Peter Paul, a former friend and contributor to the Clintons, claims he donated $1.9 million to her Senate Campaign, which Hillary Clinton knew of and accepted, in violation of a $2000 limit on individual donations.<ref>[http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55320 'Smoking gun' tape indicts Hillary] Art Moore, WorldNetDaily.com, April 21, 2007.</ref> Mr. Paul will present a "smoking gun" videotape <ref>[http://www.hillcap.org/default.php?page_id=2]</ref> of the event as evidence in an ongoing lawsuit involving the Hillary Clinton's fundraising activities in California.<ref>[http://www.hillcap.org/060817_second_amended_complaint.swf]</ref>

===Failure to reform earmark process===

The noted newspaper which covers legislative affairs, ''The Hill'', reported Hillary Clinton received more [[earmark]]s for Congressional [[pork barrel]] projects than only one other United States Senator. Reforming the earmark process had been among the Democrats top priorities in the [[110th Congress]], up until the time Democrats voted to rescind the rules aimed at reform that were passed in the first 100 hours of the new Congress in January. Ethics reform and the earmark process is widely attributed as the cause why Republicans lost control of both Houses of Congress after several members had been caught up in ethical scandals. ''The Hill'' reported Sen. Clinton received 26 earmarks worth about $148.4 million total, much going to [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]] contractors. <ref>[http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/clinton-can-boast-wealth-of-earmarks-2007-06-13.html Clinton can boast wealth of earmarks], By Roxana Tiron and Ilan Wurman, ''The Hill'', June 13, 2007.</ref>

===Voted against raising the minimum wage===

After voting to send troops to Iraq Hillary Clinton voted against funding the troops in Iraq. In May of 2007 Clinton voted against raising the minimum wage. <ref>[http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_detail.php?cs_id=12952&can_id=55463 Senate Concurrence on HR 2206] Title 8 Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007, Record Vote Number 181, 05/24/2007. [http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_keyvote_member.php?cs_id=12952]</ref>

== Presidential campaign 2008 ==

===Alleged embellishment of career events===

{{quotebox|What is Mrs. Clinton doing? She is having the worst case of [[cognitive dissonance]] in the history of modern politics. She cannot come up with a credible, realistic path to the nomination. ... But she is a scrapper, a fighter, and she's doing what she knows how to do: scrap and fight. Only harder. So that she ups the ante every day. She helped Ireland achieve peace. She tried to stop NAFTA. She's been a leader for 35 years. She landed in Bosnia under siege and bravely dodged bullets. It was as if she'd watched the movie "[[Wag the Dog]]," with its fake footage of a terrified refugee woman running frantically from mortar fire, and found it not a cautionary tale about manipulation and politics, but an inspiration. - [[Peggy Noonan]] <ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html</ref>}}

=== Hillary and Nixon ===

Hillary Clinton has often been compared to [[Richard Nixon]].<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/11/nixon_1968_clinton_2008.html
Nixon 1968, Clinton 2008], By John Ellis, RealClearpolitics.com, November 21, 2007.</ref> Columnist Robert Novak reported in November 2007 that a Clinton agent was spreading the word that the Clinton campaign had [[scandal]]ous information about Senator [[Barack Obama]] but was not using it for purposes of party harmony. The nature of the alleged scandal was not revealed to the source of the item, a well known Democrat, who said he thought Clinton wanted to avoid a Clinton-Obama clash that would benefit a third candidate, presumably former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee and Senator [[John Edwards]].<ref>Hillary's Nixonian TacticsAgainst Obama], by Robert Novak and Timothy P. Carney, ''Human Event'', 11/21/2007.</ref>

===Failure to condemn smear campaign===
Hillary Clinton failed to vote to condemn an unpopular smear campaign conducted by the [[radical]] [[leftist]] group [[MoveOn.org]].<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-09-20-senate-condemn_N.htm</ref> The [[U.S. Senate]] voted 72-25 to condemn<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297498,00.html Senate Votes to Condemn MoveOn for Ad Attacking General Petraeus], [[FOX News]], September 20, 2007.</ref> the unmitigated attack upon a respected career soldier. The [[U.S. House of Representatives]] one week later by an overwhelming [[bipartisan]] consensus of 341-79 expressed popular discontent with the groups tactics.<ref>http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/09/26/national/w095848D93.DTL</ref> A poll showed 58% of the American people expressed disapproval, with only 23% supporting<ref>http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/23_approve_of_moveon_org_petraeus_ad_58_disapprove</ref> debasement of the political dialog over a vitally important issue of national concern. Hillary Clinton was criticized by President [[George W. Bush]] for failing to take a stand against radical extremism in civic debate.

===No criminal background checks on donors or advisers===

On September 12, 2007, the ''[[L.A. Times]]'' reported Hillary Clinton's decision to begin [[criminal]] background checks on major donors in wake of the [[Norman Hsu]] scandal. Hsu contributed more than $1 million for Hillary Clinton’s New York Senatorial race and faces charges dating back 15 years that he fleeced investors out of $1 million. <ref>[http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-hsu12sep12,1,2928455.story?coll=la-politics-campaign&ctrack=1&cset=true Campaigns feel the effects of Hsu case], By Dan Morain and Tom Hamburger, ''Los Angeles Times'', September 12, 2007.</ref> Less than one week earlier it was reported by [[MSNBC]], that Hillary Clinton was being advised by convicted criminal [[Sandy Berger]]<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2005/April/05_crm_155.htm Former National Security Advisor Samuel Berger Pleads Guilty to Knowingly Removing Classified Information from the National Archives], United States Department of Justice Press Release, April 1, 2005.</ref> who plead guilty to [[theft]] of [[classified information]] from the [[National Archives]] in connection with requests for documents made by the National Commission investigating the [[September 11 terrorist attacks]] upon the [[United States]] (the [[9/11 Commission]]).
[[Image:Melting-Md.jpg‎|right|thumb|250px|Image depicting Clinton's concerns about her electability in the Presidential race.<ref>http://www.iowapresidentialwatch.com/cartoonarc/Melting.htm</ref>]]

===Electability===
A big concern in the Hillary Clinton camp was whether or not she was electable. An Electability Poll undertaken in June of 2007, in which the participants are asked in no certain order, a list of candidates from both parties, whether they would vote for candidate X or prefer someone else. Recent polling has revealed, of all major presidential candidates from both parties, Hillary Clinton is the only candidate to whom a majority of 52% would not vote for, or would prefer someone else. <ref>[http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/06/28/248165.aspx Poll: Is Hillary Electable?], by Mark Murray, ''NBC News'', June 28, 2007. Retrieved from MSNBC.com June 29, 2007.</ref> The poll results show majorities would consider voting for all other major presidential candidates, or possible candidates, to avoid voting for her.

===Promises Made, Promises Broken===

In late August 2007 Senator [[Bill Nelson]] and other members of Florida's Congressional delegation protested the Democratic National Committee's scheme<ref>[http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_DEMOCRATIC_PRIMARY_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME Fla. Democrats warn of voting rights probe if state sanctioned], By Rasha Madkour, Associated Press, Aug 23, 2007. Retrieved from ''St. Petersburg Times'' August 24, 2007.</ref> to deprive Floridians of equal voting rights protection<ref>[http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_DEMOCRATIC_PRIMARY_FLOL-?SITE=FLPET&SECTION=HOME Fla. Democrats warn of voting rights probe if state sanctioned], By Rasha Madkour, Associated Press, Aug 23, 2007. Retrieved from ''St. Petersburg Times'' August 24, 2007.</ref> in selection of delegates to the 2008 DNC Presidential nominating convention. A letter sent to DNC Chairman [[Howard Dean]], threatened legal action "to determine whether this could violate any state or [[federal law]]s governing and protecting individual [[Voting Rights Act|voting rights]].... It always has been a priority of our party to protect the rights of every eligible American to vote...We would hope the DNC will continue to honor this right."<ref>[http://www.nelsonforsenate.com/feature/dean/ Letter from Florida Congressional Democrats to DNC Chairman Howard Dean], August 22, 2007. Retrieved from nelsonforsenate.com/feature/dean/ September 13, 2007.</ref> The move prompted Hillary Clinton to pledge not to campaign in Florida.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/us/politics/02dems.html?ex=1346472000&en=d7f7216c6188da2e&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink Clinton, Obama and Edwards Join Pledge to Avoid Defiant States], By Jeff Zeeleny, ''New York Times'', September 2, 2007.</ref> A week later she was campaigning in Florida.<ref>[http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/09/11/news/iowa/c07662f8adc84f9a8625735300091c7f.txt Candidates have events in Florida despite pledge], By Charlotte Eby, ''Sioux City Journal'', September 11, 2007.</ref>

===The Nuclear Option===
[[Barbara Olson]] in her 1990 book ''Hell to Pay'' <ref>[http://www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0895262746/102-6782111-3076127?SubscriptionId=11NRD61HE570TCSR99R2]</ref> made a convincing case that the former Goldwater girl, raised in a Republican home, while working for the staff of the House Judiciary Committee preparing impeachment Articles against [[President Nixon]], studied Nixon very closely. Olson and others have now commented how Hillary Clinton built her political career by learning to think and act as Nixon did, and modeling herself after him. These writers cite instance after instance of such behavior. <ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=45138 Hillary's Secret War], The plan to silence Internet journalists, Joseph Farah, ''WorldNetDaily.com'', July 6, 2005.</ref> When Democratic competitor [[Barack Obama]] made a public statement vowing not to use [[nuclear weapons]], Hillary Clinton shot back,
{{Cquote|I don't believe that any president should make any blanket statements with respect to the use or nonuse of nuclear weapons}}reflecting Nixon's thoughts in ''The Real War'' :
{{Cquote|[[Eisenhower]] said... "You should never let the enemy know what you will do, but it's more important that you never let the enemy know what you will not do." }}
Nixon referred to it as "the [[Madman theory]],"
{{Cquote|... statements that appear to rule out the use of force, while perhaps meant to be unprovocative, will in fact provoke an antagonist to push for more. ...we should not make statements that we will never launch a preemptive strike. Whether or not we would ever exercise that option, we should always leave open the possibility that in extreme circumstances we might. <ref>[http://nobsnews.blogspot.com/1996/10/real-war.html#hole_card ''The Real War''], Richard Nixon, Warner Books, May 1980, pgs. 253 - 260.</ref>}}

===Health Concerns===
Analyst [[Bay Buchanan]] suggests that
Hillary Clinton may suffer from a psychological condition and
that this should raise questions about her fitness for office. <ref>[http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20699 Analysis of Hillary Reveals 'Clinical Narcissism',] by Ericka Andersen, ''Human Events'', 05/14/2007.</ref> A recent book entitled ''The Extreme Makeover of Hillary Rodham Clinton'' <ref>[http://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Makeover-Hillary-Rodham-Clinton/dp/1596985070]</ref> examines the Senator's instability, incoherent speeches as both student and First Lady, casual disregard for the law, and ever-changing opinion on the [[Iraq war]]. <ref>[http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=20699 Analysis of Hillary Reveals 'Clinical Narcissism',] by Ericka Andersen, ''Human Events'', 05/14/2007.</ref>

These [[character flaw]]s, Buchanan writes, make Hillary overly dependent on [[guru]]s and outside experts, with no internal compass to guide her, displaying all the classic symptoms of “clinical narcissism.” The American Psychiatric Association describes this condition to include feelings of superiority, self-importance and “fantasies of unlimited success, fame or power.” The author further states, “We are not talking about self-infatuation, we are talking about a clinical condition that could make her dangerously ill-suited to become President and Commander in Chief.”

===Abuse of Mother Teresa===

Hillary Clinton was chastised by a [[Catholic]] Advocacy group for using an image of [[Mother Teresa]] in a campaign ad. Clinton continues to support abortion. <ref>[http://www.fidelis.org/gw3/articles-news/articles.php?CMSArticleID=1456&CMSCategoryID=10 Fidelis Covered by Catholic News Agency on Mother Teresa Video Controversy], ''Catholic News Agency,'' 05-18-2007.</ref> The U.S. Catholic-based advocacy group Fidelis, an organization working with people of faith to defend the [[sanctity of life]], [[traditional marriage]], and [[religious liberty]] rights, called for Hillary Clinton to remove the image of Mother Teresa from their campaign video. In a press release the group declared the video, narrated by her Bill Clinton,
{{Cquote|is wholly inappropriate, disrespectful and disturbing ...using an image of blessed Mother Teresa as a political tool, especially given their radically different views on abortion...Mother Teresa tirelessly fought to protect unborn children, while Hillary Clinton staunchly supports [[abortion]] on demand in all nine months of pregnancy, including [[partial birth abortion]] and [[taxpayer funding of abortion]]}}

When the image of Hillary and Mother Teresa appears in the video the former president is heard saying “Hillary, in effect, was the face of America … in India;” the video then cuts to a clip of the former first lady addressing the 1995 Beijing Conference where an effort was made to declare abortion a fundamental “human right.”

===Skipping "Flyover Country"===

Hillary's strategists felt they could win the nomination by skipping Iowa as flyover country. <ref>[http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070524/NEWS09/705240387/1001&lead=1 Aide advises Clinton: Skip Iowa,] Thomas Beaumont, ''Des Moines Register'', May 24, 2007. </ref> Hillary Clinton's once close friend, political pundit Dick Morris, declared that she will campaign on the "Mom Strategy." Morris says this "gives her a credible way to tack to the left on the war." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,238117,00.html Hillary's New Strategy]: Dick Morris and Eileen McGann.</ref> Hillary Clinton did exactly that on the ABC television show ''The View'' in early 2007. She was asked if being a mom gives "a would-be President kind of an edge up on, say, a male rival?" Hillary replied, "Well, you know, nobody's ever been in a position to ask that question, 'cause we've never had a mother who ever ran for or held that position." Hillary's claim was false. Ellen McCormack, mother of three daughters and one son, and also a grandmother, ran for President in 1976 on a platform that included opposition to abortion.<ref>http://www.constitutioncenter.org/timeline/html/cw12_12310.html</ref>

===PolitiFact Awards===
Hillary received a "Pants on Fire" award from [[PolitiFact]] for saying Obama "basically threatened to bomb Pakistan."<ref> http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/375/ Et tu, Clinton?</ref>

Hillary received a second "Pants on Fire" award from [[PolitiFact]] for this false statement to a Washington, D.C. crowd on March 17th, 2008. <ref> http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/411/ Video shows tarmac welcome, no snipers</ref> {{cquote| I remember landing under sniper fire.}}

==Arkansas==
During the 1970s and '80s, the Clintons invested in the [[Whitewater Development Corporation]] which later became the subject of a federal investigation, [[prosecution]]s and [[conviction]]s. Jim and Susan McDougal, and then-Arkansas Governor Jim Guy Tucker were convicted of multiple counts of financial [[fraud]], even though President Clinton testified for four hours for the defense.<ref>Once upon a Time in Arkansas, [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/arkansas/docs/clintondepo.html Transcript of Clinton's Sworn Deposition], PBS.</ref>

On the evening Bill Clinton lost his bid for a Congressional seat in 1974, Hillary is reported to have shouted in a rage at Clinton's campaign manager Paul Fray, calling him a "Jew bastard". The incident was reported in a book published by Harper Collins in 2000 entitled, ''State of a Union: Inside the Complex Marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton''. <ref>[http://www.amazon.com/State-Union-Complex-Marriage-Hillary/dp/0060193921]</ref> The author, Jerry Oppenheimer, cites three witnesses to the incident. <ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200007/ai_n8910772 Did Hillary commit a hate crime?], Human Events, July 28, 2000. </ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/US_election_race/Story/0,,344475,00.html Hillary faces voters' wrath for alleged ethnic slur], Michael Ellison, London Guardian, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.sobran.com/columns/1999-2001/000718.shtml Hillary’s Manners], Joseph Sobran, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15015 I agree with Clinton!], Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily, July 20, 2000.</ref>

==Legal Services Corporation==
Hillary Clinton was appointed by President [[Jimmy Carter]] to head the controversial [[Legal Services Corporation]] (LSC) in 1978 and remained on the Board til 1983. <ref>[http://www.nlpc.org/view.asp?action=viewArticle&aid=225 Thwarting the Will of Congress: How the Legal Services Corporation Evaded, Diluted, and Ignored Reform], Testimony of Kenneth F. Boehm before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, House Judiciary Committee, February 28, 2002. </ref>
Under Hillary Clinton's leadership, the LSC began moving away from its legislated task of providing poor people with free lawyers and began an [[activist]] agenda to influence [[public policy]] through [[class action lawsuit]]s. One case involved bringing lawsuits to force New York's Transit Authority to hire [[heroin]] addicts. The LSC also violated its own rules by organizing political campaigns against a state referendum and against Ronald Reagan. <ref>Michael Barone , [http://www.jewishworldreview.com/michael/barone070899.asp ''Taking Hillary seriously], ''Jewish World Review'', July 8, 1999. </ref>

Hillary Clinton failed the District of Columbia [[Bar Exam]] in the 1970s.<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/items/200706010006 On Today, Bernstein omitted key fact in purported disclosure of Clinton's D.C. bar exam failure: It's not news], ''[[MediaMatters]]'' June 1, 2007. Retrieved from MediaMatters.org October 4, 2007.</ref>

==Accusations of Stolen Gifts==
When the Clintons left the White House, they were accused of taking furniture that belonged not to them, but to the White House. It was explained that the movers "inadvertently' packed the wrong items. Most of the articles were quietly returned. <ref>"Clinton Shipped Furniture Year Ago," Washington Post, February 10, 2001.</ref>

==Goldwater Girl==

Speaking at [[Selma]], Alabama's First Baptist Church on the 42nd anniversary of the "bloody Sunday" freedom march Hillary Clinton declared: "As a young girl I had the great privilege of hearing [[Martin Luther King|Dr. King]] speak in Chicago. The year was 1963....[Dr. King] called on us, he challenged us that evening to stay awake during the great revolution that the [[civil rights]] pioneers were waging on behalf of a more perfect union." In her memoirs Hillary Clinton described herself in 1964 as "an active Young Republican" and "a [[Barry Goldwater|Goldwater]] girl, right down to my cowgirl outfit." Columnist [[Robert Novak]] observed, "As a politically attuned honor student, she must have known that Goldwater was one of only six Republican senators who joined [[Solid South|Southern Democratic]] [[segregation]]ists opposing the historic [[Voting Rights Act|voting rights act of 1964]] inspired by King."<ref>[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/RobertDNovak/2007/03/12/hillary,_king_and_goldwater Hillary, King and Goldwater], by Robert D. Novak, [[Townhall.com]], March 12, 2007.</ref>

==After the 2008 Election==
After [[Barack Obama]] won the election, Hillary was widely speculated to be offered a role in the upcoming Obama Administration. On 1 December 2008 Obama announced that he was nominating Hilary to become his [[Secretary of State]], succeeding [[Condoleezza Rice]] in January 2009.

==See Also==
*[[Freedom of Choice Act]]
*[[Hillary Clinton for President Exploratory Committee]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/Hillary Clinton|Articles about '''Hillary Clinton''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.thenation.com/doc/19990809/kaminer Hillary's No Liberal], Wendy Kaminer, ''The Nation'', July 22, 1999 (August 9, 1999 issue).

==References==

{{reflist|2}}

{{Liberalism}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, Hillary Rodham}}

[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category: United States Appointed Officials]]
[[Category:Former United States Senators]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category:First Ladies]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Obama Administration]]

Freedom of Choice Act

2009-05-05T13:05:46Z

Lieberman90: more information

The '''Freedom of Choice Act''' is a bill introduced into Congress in both the House and the Senate that would override state laws and make [[abortion]] legal and unrestricted in any way and at any time that an abortionist decides to perform one.

The bill was sponsored in the [[House of Representatives]] by Congressman [[Jerrold Nadler]], and in the [[Senate]] by [[Barbara Boxer]], [[Joe Lieberman]], [[Dianne Feinstein]], [[Frank Lautenberg]] and [[Hillary Clinton]], among others.

President Elect Obama has indicated that he would be willing to sign the bill into law once he takes office
[[Category:United States Law]]

Freedom of Choice Act

2009-05-03T14:01:05Z

Lieberman90: added name

The '''Freedom of Choice Act''' is a bill introduced into Congress in both the House and the Senate that would override state laws and make [[abortion]] legal and unrestricted in any way and at any time that an abortionist decides to perform one.

The bill was sponsored in the Senate by [[Barbara Boxer]], [[Joe Lieberman]], [[Dianne Feinstein]], [[Frank Lautenberg]] and [[Hillary Clinton]], among others.

President Elect Obama has indicated that he would be willing to sign the bill into law once he takes office
[[Category:United States Law]]

Freedom of Choice Act

2009-05-03T13:51:44Z

Lieberman90: more info

The '''Freedom of Choice Act''' is a bill introduced into Congress in both the House and the Senate that would override state laws and make [[abortion]] legal and unrestricted in any way and at any time that an abortionist decides to perform one.

The bill was sponsored in the Senate by [[Joe Lieberman]], [[Dianne Feinstein]], [[Frank Lautenberg]] and [[Hillary Clinton]], among others.

President Elect Obama has indicated that he would be willing to sign the bill into law once he takes office
[[Category:United States Law]]

Barbara Boxer

2009-05-03T12:57:50Z

Lieberman90: /*Political Career*/

{{Officeholder
|name=Barbara Boxer
|image=BarbaraBoxer.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Stewart Boxer
|religion=Judaism
|offices=
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=California
|terms=January 5, 1993-present
|preceded=[[Alan Cranston]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Barbara Levy Boxer''', born November 11, 1940 (age {{age|1940|11|11}}), is the junior [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from [[California]] and a member of the [[Democratic Party]]. Boxer is generally considered to be more [[liberal]] than the average Democrat. She has taken liberal positions on a number of controversial issues, including [[abortion]] and [[gun control]]. At present she is Chair of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee and Chief Deputy Whip in Majority.

==Early Life==
Boxer (nee Barbara Levy) was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She received a bachelor's degree in economics from Brooklyn College in 1962. Levy married Stewart Boxer later in 1962, and for the next three years worked as a stockbroker. The Boxers later moved to Greenbrae, California, where Barbara worked as a congressional aide and journalist.

==Political Career==
Boxer's political career began in 1976 with her election to the Marin County Board of Supervisors. In 1982 she was elected to the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] from California's District 6. She served in the House until 1992, winning four re-election campaigns. During her time in the House Boxer was a member of the House Armed Services Committee. She was involved in seeking to provide protection for government whisteblowers, and in working to increase federal budgets for medical research and health care. When [[Alan Cranston]] retired from the Senate in 1992, Boxer was elected to the vacant seat. She was re-elected to the Senate seat in 1998 and 2004. She supports [[abortion]] and [[Gay Rights]] and has voted in favor of both in Congress.
==Controversy==
In January 2007, Senator Boxer was the subject of controversy after criticizing U.S. [[Secretary of State]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] for not having children. "Who pays the price?" Boxer asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "I'm not going to pay a personal price. My kids are too old and my grandchild is too young. You're not going to pay a personal price, as I understand it, with an immediate family." The [[New York Post]] and [[White House]] Press Secretary [[Tony Snow]] considered this an attack on Rice's status as a single, childless female and referred to Boxer's comments as "a great leap backward for [[feminism]]."

==Criticism==
Boxer was involved in the House banking scandal, in which a number of Representatives bounced checks written on their accounts in the House Bank. Boxer wrote 143 overdraft checks over a period of three years that totalled $41,417.

==External Links==
*[http://boxer.senate.gov/ Official Website]
*[http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/300011_barbara_boxer OpenCongress]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Boxer, Barbara}}

[[Category:United States Senators]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]

Madonna Ciccone

2009-04-28T13:43:32Z

Lieberman90: /*See Also*/

'''Madonna Louise Ciccone''' (known simply as '''"Madonna"'''), born in Bay City, [[Michigan]] on August 16, 1958 (age {{age|1958|8|16}}), is an [[American]] singer known for her immodest style of dress, songs, music videos and books. She has also been associated with extremely [[sacrilegious]] material such as videos featuring her simulating immoral acts with statues.

She has had starring roles in a number of films including ''Desparately Seeking Susan'', ''[[Evita]]'', ''Dick Tracy'' and ''Shanghai Surprise'', in the last with her then husband [[Sean Penn]]. Overall her movie success did not live up to the success of her singing career and was dropped after her last films were poorly viewed. She was married for seven years to British film director Guy Ritchie and together they had six houses in [[London]]<ref>London Daily Mail[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/showbiz/showbiznews.html?in_article_id=464166&in_page_id=1773]</ref> and a stately country home at [[Ashcombe]]. They are currently separated, with unclear possibilities for divorce.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1021678/Divorce-No--Madonna-Guy-Ritchies-civilised-separation.html London Daily Mail - Madonna Ritchie Separation]</ref>

==Controversy==

Madonna is an extremely controversial figure for her "risqué" attitudes towards religion and sexuality. This is perhaps best exemplified in the music videos for her songs "Erotica," featuring implied [[homosexuality]] and other abhorrent sexual practices, and "Like a Prayer" which implies a sexual relationship between Madonna and a sculpture of a black Jesus Christ which comes to life during the course of the video. Her ''Truth or Dare'' "documentary" and an accompanying book provocatively titled "Sex" both were flagrant displays of her deviant sexual exploits and were harshly criticized by pro-family groups.

[[Pope John Paul II]] was especially critical of Madonna, urging [[Catholic]]s to boycott her music and concerts.

==See Also==

*[[Sandra Bernhard]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT: Ciccone, Madonna Louise}}

[[Category:Women Singers]]
[[Category:Actresses]]

Sandra Bernhard

2009-04-28T13:41:18Z

Lieberman90: made link

'''Sandra Bernhard''' (born 1955) is an American [[lesbian]] [[feminist]] comedian and actress. She was born in Flint, [[Michigan]] and went to live on a [[kibbutz]] in [[Israel]] for a time after leaving high school. She returned to America and developed an acting and comedy career in the late 1970s. In the 1980s she became famous for her close friendship with [[Madonna Ciccone]].

Bernhard is controversial because of her [[liberal]] views. She strongly supports access to [[abortion]]. In September 2008, she made deeply offensive remarks concerning [[Sarah Palin]]. During the same comedy performance, Bernhard denigrated the [[New Testament]]. Her comments were regarded as deeply offensive to [[African American]]s also.<ref>http://media.newsbusters.org/stories/sandra-bernhard-palin-would-be-gang-raped-blacks-manhattan.html</ref> Bernhard has not apologized for her remarks.

==References==
<References/>

{{liberalism}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernhard, Sandra}}
[[Category:Homosexuality]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:Actresses]]
[[Category:Feminists]]
[[Category:Liberals]]

Michael Murphy

2009-04-27T13:44:03Z

Lieberman90: added categories

'''Michael Patrick Murphy''' was a [[United States Navy]] SEAL posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]], for his actions during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]]. He was the first person to be awarded the medal for actions in [[Afghanistan]]; and the first member of the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]].

On June 28, 2005, Murphy led a four-man special reconnaissance team on a mission to locate a top [[Taliban]] leader. Operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, the team was discovered by pro-Taliban sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban [[Terrorism|terrorists]]. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged the Navy SEAL team. Lieutenant Murphy valiantly led his men in engaging the large enemy force.

The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his headquarters, Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team.

In his final act of bravery, Murphy continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded. Two other members of the team were, Petty Officer 2nd Class Danny Dietz and Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Axelson, were also killed in the action; the survivor, Marcus Luttrell, was eventually rescued. All three of Murphy's men were awarded the Navy's second-highest honor, the Navy Cross, for their part in the battle.

Murphy is buried in Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, [[New York]].
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murphy, Michael}}

[[Category:American war heroes]]
[[Category:Irish-Americans]]
[[Category:Medal of Honor winners]]
[[Category:United States Navy]]

User:Lieberman90

2009-04-24T13:24:53Z

Lieberman90: signed in

Looking forward to contributing [[User:Lieberman90|Lieberman90]] 09:24, 24 April 2009 (EDT)

Operation Barbarossa

2009-04-24T13:22:05Z

Lieberman90: making links

'''Operation Barbarossa''', the largest military operation of all time, was [[Nazi Germany]]'s invasion of the [[Soviet Union]] which began in summer 1941. It was planned for earlier in the year, but was delayed due to Germany's need to conquer [[Greece]] first after [[Italy]]'s disastrous effort to attack that country had met with failure.

The operation against the Soviet Union was a 'Blitzkrieg' ('lightning war') that saw the German Wehrmacht and its allies advance cover greater distances in less time than any of their other campaigns. Of course it would also need to, due to the vast land area that made up the Soviet Union and Russia in particular. The [[Luftwaffe]] worked in co-ordination with the [[Panzer]] Divisions to ensure as rapid an advance as possible. The attack aimed to reach the capital of the [[USSR]], [[Moscow]], before the dreaded Russian winter set in, but failed to do so. The Russians threw back the German armies at that time; their first military success.

The Germans began their offensive anew in 1942 after the winter had passed and again met with success, but the Russians were bolstered by supplies from the Allies including some from the [United States]] and their continued mobilization of their own great manpower reserves. Also, the addition of the [[T-34 tank]] gave them a weapon that was in many ways superior to any other tank that had been seen in the war. The [[Battle of Stalingrad]] in late 1942/early '43 was the turning point in the War on the Eastern Front, and a Nazi victory became practically impossible after that as the size of the Soviet forces and their fighting ability continued to grow.

[[Category:Russian History]]
[[Category:World War II]]

Glasnost

2009-04-23T14:30:30Z

Lieberman90: Fixing wikilink

During the late 1980's, the leader of the [[Soviet Union]] ("U.S.S.R."), General Secratary [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], introduced a social, and cultural policy called '''Glasnost''' ([[Russian]]: Глаcность, pronounced GLAHZ-nohst), which means "openness". Specifically, glasnost was a new Soviet policy allowing public discussion of political issues and a more free circulation of information.

Gorbachev began to promote this "openness" in public discussions about current and historical problems in the U.S.S.R. He acknowledged the brutality of the [[Stalin]] era, such as the [[Great Purge]]s and the [[Katyn Massacre]]. Soviet leaders became more receptive of foriegn leaders and the media, as a new period opened between the East and the West.

This opening of Soviet society to the [[Western world|West]] was one of the key events that eventually led to the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and its empire.

[[category:Cold War]]
[[category:Soviet Union]]

Glasnost

2009-04-23T14:24:23Z

Lieberman90: Fixing wikilink

During the late 1980's, the leader of the [[Soviet Union]] ("U.S.S.R."), General Secratary [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], introduced a social, and cultural policy called '''Glasnost''' ([[Russian]]: Глаcность, pronounced GLAHZ-nohst), which means "openness". Specifically, glasnost was a new Soviet policy allowing public discussion of political issues and a more free circulation of information.

Gorbachev began to promote this "openness" in public discussions about current and historical problems in the U.S.S.R. He acknowledged the brutality of the [[Stalin]] era, such as the great purges and the [[Katyn Massacre]]. Soviet leaders became more receptive of foriegn leaders and the media, as a new period opened between the East and the West.

This opening of Soviet society to the [[Western world|West]] was one of the key events that eventually led to the collapse of the U.S.S.R. and its empire.

[[category:Cold War]]
[[category:Soviet Union]]

Ottoman Empire

2009-04-22T14:03:34Z

Lieberman90: /*Threat to Europe*/

The '''Ottoman Empire''' was a [[Muslim]] state which ruled much of the [[Middle East]] as well as parts of North Africa and the Balkans in Europe from 1299 A.D. until 1922 A.D. Its government, based in [[Istanbul]], was called "The Porte" or "The Sublime Porte". [[Image:Otexpand.jpg|thumb|590px]]

==Growth==
The [[Ottoman Turks|Ottomans]] gained power by overthrowing the [[Byzantine Empire]], a process that took a century and finished in 1453. That year they captured the Byzantine capital of [[Constantinople]] and renamed it [[Istanbul]].

[[File:Suleiman1.jpg|thumb|250px|right]]
===Tolerance===
When the empire was growing it adopted a policy toward Christians and Jews, and towrad various ethnic groups. They would all be tolerated and have a degree of self government, provided they acknowledged the empire and non-Moslems paid a tax. This was the "millet" system and created a segregated second-class status for minorities. Because of the increased activities of Protestant missionaries, a Protestant millet was set up in 1850, which allowed for the creation of schools and colleges aimed at non-Moslems.
===Janissaries===
A special military cadre of '''Janissaries''' was created as an imperial force. They were a highly trained, disciplined, military force founded in the 1360s as a select bodyguard drawn from the fittest Christian prisoners, youthful soldiers, and slaves from throughout the Ottoman Empire. By 1600 all new recruits were Moslem volunteers.

===Threat to Europe===
[[Suleiman the Magnificent]] reigned 1520–1566 and expanded into Europe, capturing Belgrade and Buda (Budapest) and threatening--but failing--to capture Vienna. His reign marked the high point of Ottoman prowess.

The Ottoman Empire continued to militarily force their way into south eastern Europe. Its failure in the [[The Great Siege of Malta]] (1565) and defeat at the [[Battle of Lepanto]] (1572) were the turning points in its expansion in the Mediterranean. During this period, a strengthening Muscovy ([[Russia]]) was winning Muslim territory and pushing at Ottoman borders. As Europe continued to make heavy military strides in the following centuries, the Ottoman Empire began to lag and lose status as a major power. Wars with Russia became frequent in the later part of its existence, with the Russians often getting the better of the engagements.
[[File:Ottoman2.jpg|thumb|250px]]

==Wars with Russia==
The peace treaty of Constantinople (1700) confirmed the victory of Russia in the Russo-Turkish war of 1686-1700. As a result, Russia annexed an important section of the steppe north of the Black Sea (including the fortresses and ports of Azov and Taganrog). However, even though a Russian naval fleet was present in the Sea of Azov, the strategic Kerch Strait remained under Ottoman control, blocking Russian access to the Black Sea, which remained an Ottoman domain. Under the circumstances, the entire period of Russian-Ottoman peace between 1700 and 1710 was tense. Turning to good advantage the involvement of Russia in the Northern War of 1700-21, the Porte launched and won the Russian-Ottoman war of 1710-11. Defeated, Russia was obliged to restore to the Porte the territories annexed in 1700. Russia finally gained its much-coveted access to the Black Sea only in 1774, by the Russian-Ottoman peace treaty of Kuchuk Kainarji.
=="Sick Man of Europe"==
After 1800 the steady decline of the Empire was in sharp contrast to the growth in wealth and military power in western Europe. The Empire was called "the sick man of Europe" and steadily lost influence and territory. In the 19th century the Empire was actually aided in its survival by Britain and France, who feared its collapse or loss of large amounts of land to Russia would destabilize the balance of power.

For many years the prevailing interpretation of the decline and collapse of the empire focused on internal failures. The Ottoman Empire originally had benefited from a series of energetic sultans to reach an apogee by 1600, but subsequent leadership failed and a combination of decadent sultans, manipulative harem women, and corrupt bureaucrats and military officials set in motion a long and steady decline that dragged on over the next 320 years until the final collapse in the aftermath of World War I. Efforts to ged rid of old power centers (such as the Jansinaries) and instead adopt modern European methods and technology bought a little time, but could not prevent the seizure of Egypt by the British. The rise of ethnic or language-based nationalism after 1800 meant that one group after another wanted out, starting with the Slavs and the Greeks. Finally the Arabs and the Turks themselves wanted out, and after the poor performance in the World War, no one wanted to stay in. Instead of its historic tolerance the Empire became a killing machine, most notioriosly with the massacres of the Bulgarians in the 1870s and the genocide of the Armenians 1890-1915.

More recently many historians have emphasized the tolerance and flexibility of the Empire as explanations of why it lasted so long. They acknowledge the weaknesses but blame the final collapse on external faactors.
===Destruction of the Janissaries===
By 1800, the Janissaries, over 100,000 strong, had become politically powerful but were ill-disciplined and badly outmatched by European armies. Many had become local businessmen and had lost their military skills. In 1807 Sultan Selim III angered the Janissaries by attempting to modernize the army along European lines; they revolted and overthrew him and were now a negative force. The solution was to dissolve the units and kill the leaders, which was done by a massacre organized by the sultan in 1826 and performed by artillery units loyal to the sultan.

===Holy Places===
In 1852 the Christian holy places in Jerusalem were subjected to a regulatory status known as the "status quo" by Ottoman authorities. The imposition of the status quo regulations were an attempt to put an end to ongoing strife between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic factions engaged in a nasty dispute over control of the holy places. The status quo reaffirmed the precedence of the Greek Orthodox Church. The 1878 [[Treaty of Berlin]] confirmed the decision of the Ottoman rulers of Jerusalem, and this arrangement was passed on to the successive British and Israeli governors of Jerusalem.

In 1860 fighting between Christians and Druze in central Mount Lebanon led to intervention by the European powers to establish the Beirut Committee, under the chairmanship of Ottoman foreign minister Fuad Pasha and comprised of representatives from Britain, France, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, to resolve the conflict. Britain identified the weaknesses of the administration of the Porte in Lebanon to be corruption, strategic isolation, and lack of communication between the Ottoman bureaucracy and the local Arab population, but no serious reforms were undertaken.
===Bulgarian massacres===
The "Bulgarian Horrors" were systematic massacres of thousands of Bulgarian Christians by Ottoman forces in 1876-77. In Britain Liberal leader [[William Ewart Gladstone]] exploited the horror to embarrass the Conservative government of [[Benjamin Disraeli]], who tried to prop up the Ottoman regime as a counter-weight to Russia. Meanwhile in 1882 the British seized effective control over Egypt and the Suez Canal; Egypt nominally still belonged to the Ottoman Empire but the reality was that the Empire was crumbling.

===Armenians===
see [[Armenian genocide]]

In the 1870s from the point of view of both the Ottoman administrators and the Muslim population, the Christian Armenians were considered 'tebaa-i sadika' (loyal subjects), loyal to the state and on good terms with their Muslim neighbors. Nevertheless, the rise of nationalist ideologies in Europe and, in particular, the success of the Greek and Serbian independence movements made a deep impression on Armenian intellectuals. With the support of Britain, this impression quickly turned into a widespread and organized revolt against the Ottoman state and evolved into a movement for independence. After the 1877-78 Russo-Turkish War, Britain, which supported this revolt, began a campaign against the Ottomans based on several arguments: the Ottoman state and Turks in general were not civilized, the citizens of the empire were not allowed basic freedoms, and the government subjected its citizens to immense cruelty and massacres. Full scale genocide against the Armenians came during World War I when 600,000 were deliberately killed.

===Arabia===
The decline of Ottoman influence in Arabia, 1750-1914, was paralleled by the rise of the Saudi state, which was helped by the British and the Russians, who wanted to increase their colonial influence in the Muslim world by undermining the influence of the Ottoman Empire as the leader of Islam.

==20th century==
see [[Turkey]]
The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), known collectively as the Young Turks, came to power in 1908.
===World War I===
The Ottoman Empire fought alongside the [[Central Powers]] during [[World War I]] and collapsed after its defeat. It was during this time when the [[Armenia#genocide|Armenian genocide]] occurred.
[[File:Ottoman3.jpg|thumb|left|220px]]
The British expected easy victories, and sent armies into Mesopotamia (Iraq), which were badly defeated, and landed at Gallipoli in order to capture Istanbul, but failed badly in 1915. However, the British were successful in moving from Egypt to conquer Palestine, using the aid of Arab nationalists stirred up by British officer Lawrence of Arabia ([[T.E. Lawrence]]).

[[Winston Churchill]] and other top British leaders envisioned an operation in which they placed their strength against Ottoman weakness. Instead of engaging a feeble opponent, however, the British faced the best-trained and best-led divisions in the Ottoman army and were up against the most heavily fortified and well-prepared positions in the Ottoman Empire. In command and control the Ottoman army performed well at all levels, and Ottoman soldiers proved to be effective fighters on the defensive. The Germans, furthermore, provided very talented generals and senior staff members to aid and help direct the Ottoman effort. As a result the Ottoman army fought the British to a stalemate, leading the British to abandon the campaign.<ref> Edward J. Erickson, "Strength Against Weakness: Ottoman Military Effectiveness At Gallipoli, 1915." ''Journal Of Military History'' 2001 65(4): 981-1011</ref>

The secret wartime Sykes-Picot Agreement in 1916 was a plan for Russian, British, and French administration of dismembered Ottoman lands in the Middle East and Central Asia. Russia dropped out but at the 1919 [[Paris Peace Conference]] much of the territory of the Ottoman Empire was placed under British and French control, while [[Mustafa Kemal Ataturk]] led a revolution and established the secular nation of [[Turkey]].
[[Image:Otto1920.jpg|thumb|320px|Many countries were formed and out of the Ottoman Empire between 1880 and 1923]]

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====Notes====
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[[Category:Former Countries]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:World War I]]
[[Category:Medieval History]]
[[Category:European History]]