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Republican Party

2017-03-28T07:23:14Z

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{{AmericanPoliticalParty
| party_name = Republican Party
| party_articletitle = Republican Party (United States)
| party_logo = [[Image:Cjjfdjfty.png|200px|"Republican Party Elephant" logo]]
| website = [http://www.gop.com www.gop.com]
| headquarters = 310 K Street SE [[Washington, D.C.]] 20003
| chairman = [[Ronna Romney McDaniel]]
| housespeaker = [[Paul Ryan]]
| houseleader = [[Kevin McCarthy]]
| senateleader = [[Mitch McConnell]]
| foundation = March 20, 1854
| ideology = [[Conservative|Conservatism]] [[Classical Liberalism]] [[Neoconservatism]] [[Liberal conservatism]] [[Libertarianism]]
| fiscalpolicy = [[Free Market]]/[[Right-wing]]
| socialpolicy = [[Conservative]]/[[Right-wing]]
| international = [[International Democrat Union]]
| colors = [[Red states and blue states|Red]] (unofficial)
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Republican Party''' ('''R''') or informally the '''GOP''' (short for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the [[United States]].

The Republican Party is the only major U.S. political party that is [[pro-life]]. The Republican Party is also pro-[[free enterprise]], pro-religious liberty, pro-[[Second Amendment]], and pro-[[traditional marriage]]. At its first national convention, in 1856, the Republican Party platform stated, "It is the duty of Congress to prohibit in the territories those twin relics of barbarism, polygamy and slavery."<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/gop/convention_1856.htm</ref>

The Republican Party was created in 1854 by anti-slavery activists, although Democrats today, who are always determined to undermine Republicans by making them look "racist", claim the two parties have somehow "switched" since then.<ref>[http://www.blackandblondemedia.com/2010/03/19/the-dixiecrat-myth/ The Dixiecrat Myth]</ref> It soon swept to control of all the northern states, and in 1860 elected [[Abraham Lincoln]] president. The South seceded, and the Union side of the [[American Civil War]] was directed by Lincoln and the new party, with help from "War Democrats." The GOP (as it was also called from the 1880s) dominated the elections of the [[Third Party System]] (1854-1896) as well as the [[Fourth Party System]] or Progressive Era (1896-1932). However the Democrats built a liberal [[New Deal Coalition]] under President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], and dominated the [[Fifth Party System]] (1932-1968), with the GOP only electing [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in that era. The [[Sixth Party System]], since 1968, has been dominated by the GOP.

18 of the 28 US Presidents since 1861 have been Republicans and since that same year a Republican has won 23 of the last 37 presidential elections. The party's most recent candidate former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]], together with his running mate Wisconsin Congressman [[Paul Ryan]], lost the 2012 presidential election to Democrat incumbent [[Barack Obama]] and his Vice-President [[Joe Biden]].

It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican due to the fact some Republicans are less conservative than typical Republicans (see: [[RINO]]).
[[image:The_off_year_nast_1877.jpg|right|thumb|1877 Thomas Nast drawing of the Republican elephant.]]

== Symbol ==
The official symbol of the Republican Party is the elephant. Although the elephant had occasionally been associated with the party earlier, a political cartoon by [[Thomas Nast]], published in ''Harper's Weekly'' on November 7, 1874, is considered the first important use of the symbol.<ref>http://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Year=2003&Month=November&Date=7</ref> In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Republican party in some Midwestern states was the eagle, as opposed to the Democratic cock. The eagle still appears on Indiana ballots.

A political term referring to the party is "G.O.P.", which was originally an acronym of "Grand Old Party". The term was coined in 1875.

==Ideology==
Historically, the fundamental philosophy and political ideals of the Republican Party are founded on the idea that societal health is rooted in personal responsibility and actions. The Republican Party holds the belief that all material things are earned, not owed. This is seen most often in the party's push for lower taxes. This is fought for in an attempt to treat all citizens equally despite income, race, gender, or religion. They also see taxes as a drag on the economy, and believe private spending is usually more efficient than public spending.

Republicans also show concerns about having big government in charge of such vital issues as food, shelter, or health care, as they believe the private sector and/or the individual are better suited to control their own lives. President [[Ronald Reagan]] who became a Republican in the early 1960s after being a [[New Deal]]er at one time, has been quoted as saying "Government is not the solution, it is the problem."

The party tends to hold both [[conservative]] and [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] stances on social and economic issues respectively. Major policies that the party has recently supported include a conservative foreign policy, including [[War on Terror]], liberating of [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]], and strong support for democracy, especially in the [[Middle East]]. Many party members and politicians have shown a distrust of the [[United Nations]] due to the organization's incompetent bureaucracy, anti-capitalist undertone, corruption on the [[Security Council]] and in UN humanitarian programs. Along with demanding radical reforms in the UN, many Republican politicians also opposes the Kyoto Protocol due the protocol's unfair application to certain countries (especially the United States) and the fact that it prevents economic growth and slows the reduction of poverty.

The Republican Party generally supports free trade, especially [[NAFTA]] and [[CAFTA]]. It is responsible for a series of across-the-board tax cuts since 2001 that have bolstered the economy and reduced the punitive aspect of the income tax. It has sought business deregulation, reduction of environmental regulations that restrict fair use of land and property, and other policies that are pro-capitalism. It supports gun ownership rights, and enterprise zones (low taxes for investing in poverty areas). On social issues the majority of its national and state candidates usually favor the death penalty, call for stronger state-level control on access to [[abortion]], support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage at the federal level and by the states, favor faith-based charitable initiatives, support school choice and homeschooling, social welfare benefit reform, and oppose reverse racism, such as racial quotas.

In recent years the party has called for much stronger accountability in the public schools, especially through the "No Child Left behind Act" of 2001 (which also increased [[federal funding]] for schools). The party is split on the issue of federally funding embryonic stem cell research that involves the cloning and killing of human embryos. Many in the party think it unethical to force tax payers who believe this type of research is morally wrong to finance it. Historically Republicans have had a strong belief in [[individualism]], limited government, and business entrepreneurship.

In recent years, the Republican party has downplayed its emphasis on small government. Under the administration of [[George W. Bush]], the federal government has been expanded to record levels, surpassing even the Great Depression era.<ref>http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm</ref> Additionally, the Bush administration has acted to nationalize the country's banking institutions in an effort to stymie the decline of the U.S. economy<ref>http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12078933</ref>

'''''In 2016, the Republican Party adopted the most pro-life party platform in its entire history, with strong language recognizing the right to life of unborn human beings and condemning Planned Parenthood.<ref>Ertelt, Steven; Bilger, Micaiah (July 18, 2016). [http://www.lifenews.com/2016/07/18/republicans-adopt-most-pro-life-platform-ever-condemning-abortion-and-planned-parenthood/ Republicans Adopt Most Pro-Life Platform Ever Condemning Abortion and Planned Parenthood]. ''LifeNews.com''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref>'''''

== History ==
[[File:GOP-presidents.jpg|thumb|300px|GOP Presidents by Andy Thomas; clockwise from far right: Nixon, Ford, Lincoln, GHW Bush, Reagan, GW Bush, Eisenhower, Roosevelt]]
The party began in 1854, at the start of the [[Third Party System]]. The '''GOP''' (or "Grand Old Party" as it was nicknamed after 1880) dominated national politics, including most of the [[Fourth Party System]] until 1932. Then the [[Fifth Party System]] (or "New Deal Coalition") was dominant until the late 1960s. Since 1968 the GOP has won 7 of 11 presidential elections (losing in 1976, 1992, 1996 and 2008). Its great rival is the [[Democratic Party#History|Democrat Party]].

===Third Party System: 1854-1896===
The Republican party began as a spontaneous grass roots protest against the [[Kansas-Nebraska Act]] of 1854, which allowed slavery into western territories where it had been forbidden by earlier compromises. The creation of the new party, along with the death of the [[Whig Party]], realigned American politics. The central issues were new, as were the voter alignments, and the balance of power in Congress. The central issues became slavery, race, civil war and the reconstruction of the Union into a more powerful nation, with rules changed that gave the vote to former slaves.

====Issues: Slavery====
Republican activists denounced the Kansas-Nebraska act as proof of the power of the [[Slave Power]]—the powerful class of slaveholders who were conspiring to control the federal government and to spread slavery nationwide. The name "Republican" gained such favor in 1854 because "[[Republicanism, U.S.|republicanism]]" was the paramount political value the new party meant to uphold. The name also echoed the former Jeffersonian party of the [[First Party System]]. The party founders adopted the name "Republican" to indicate it was the carrier of "republican" beliefs about civic virtue, and opposition to aristocracy and corruption.<ref>Gould (2003) pp 14-15; republicanism is explored in depth by Foner (1970).</ref>
[[Image:Lincoln seated.jpg|thumb|220px|right|Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican president]]
Two small cities of the Yankee diaspora, Ripon, Wisconsin, and Jackson, Michigan, claim the birthplace honors.<ref>There is also a myth that the town of Exeter, New Hampshire was first by six months, but nothing came of the secret meeting there and scholars dismiss the claim.</ref> Ripon held the first county convention on March 20, 1854. Jackson held the first statewide convention where delegates on July 6, 1854 declared their new party opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories and selected a statewide slate of candidates. The Midwest took the lead in forming state party tickets, while the eastern states lagged a year or so. There were no efforts to organize the party in the South, apart from a few areas adjacent to free states. The new party was sectional, based in the northeast and northern Midwest—areas with a strong Yankee presence. It had only scattered support in slave states before the Civil War.<ref>There was some strength in border cities such as St. Louis, Louisville, Wheeling, and Baltimore.</ref>

The first presidential nomination in 1856 when to an obscure western explorer [[John C. Fremont]], as the party crusaded against the Slave Power with the slogan, "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free men, Fremont and victory!" Democrats warned darkly that disunion and Civil War would result. The remnants of the Know Nothing movement prevented the new party from sweeping the North, and the Democrats elected [[James Buchanan]]. By 1858 the Know Nothings were gone and the Republicans swept the North. The 1860 election seemed a certain victory, for the party had majorities in states with a majority of the electoral votes. In the event the opposition split three ways, and [[Abraham Lincoln]] coasted to an easy victory, carrying 18 states with 190 electoral votes, while the opposition carried 15 states (mostly in the South) with 123 electoral votes. Lincoln had 1.9 million popular votes.

====Modernization====
Besides opposition to slavery, the new party put forward a modernizing vision—emphasizing higher education, banking, railroads, industry and cities, while promising free homesteads to farmers. It vigorously argued that free-market labor was superior to slavery and the very foundation of civic virtue and true American values - this is the "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men" ideology explored by historian Eric Foner.<ref>Foner, Eric. ''Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men''. 1993.</ref> The Republicans absorbed the previous traditions of its members, most of whom had been [[Whig Party|Whigs]], and some of whom had been Democrats or members of third parties (especially the [[Free Soil Party]] and Know-Nothings (American Party). Many [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democrats]] who joined up were rewarded with governorships.<ref>They included [[Nathaniel P. Banks]] of Massachusetts, [[Kinsley Bingham]] of Michigan, [[William H. Bissell]] of Illinois, [[Salmon P. Chase]] of Ohio, [[Hannibal Hamlin]] of Maine, [[Samuel J. Kirkwood]] of Iowa, [[Ralph Metcalf]] of New Hampshire, [[Lot Morrill]] of Maine, and [[Alexander Randall]] of Wisconsin).</ref> or seats in the U.S. Senate.<ref>The senators included Bingham and Hamlin, as well as [[James R. Doolittle]] of Wisconsin, [[John P. Hale]] of New Hampshire, [[Preston King]] of New York, [[Lyman Trumbull]] of Illinois, and [[David Wilmot]] of Pennsylvania.</ref> Since its inception, its chief opposition has been the Democratic Party, but the amount of flow back and forth of prominent politicians between the two parties was quite high from 1854 to 1896.

====Ethnocultural voting====
Historians have explored the ethnocultural foundations of the party, along the line that ethnic and religious groups set the moral standards for their members, who then carried those standards into politics. The churches also provided social networks that politicians used to sign up voters. The pietistic churches, heavily influenced by the revivals of the [[Second Great Awakening]], emphasized the duty of the Christian to purge sin from society. Sin took many forms—alcoholism, polygamy and slavery became special targets for the Republicans. The Yankees, who dominated New England, much of upstate New York, and much of the upper Midwest were the strongest supporters of the new party. This was especially true for the pietistic Congregationalists and Presbyterians among them and (during the war), the Methodists, along with Scandinavian Lutherans. The Quakers were a small tight-knit group that was heavily Republican. The liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Episcopal, German Lutheran), by contrast, largely rejected the moralism of the GOP; most of their adherents voted Democratic.<ref>Kleppner (1979) has extensive detail on the voting behavior of groups.</ref>

====Politics 1854-1860====
[[John C. Frémont]] ran as the first Republican nominee for [[President of the United States|President]] in 1856, using the [[political slogan]]: "[[United States Free Soil Party#Positions|Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men]], Frémont." Although Frémont's bid was unsuccessful, the party showed a strong base. It dominated in New England, New York and the northern Midwest, and had a strong presence in the rest of the North. It had almost no support in the South, where it was roundly denounced in 1856-60 as a divisive force that threatened civil war. The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 ended the domination of the fragile coalition of pro-slavery southern Democrats and conciliatory northern Democrats which had existed since the days of [[Andrew Jackson]]. Instead, a new era of Republican dominance based in the industrial and agricultural north ensued. Republicans still often refer to their party as the "party of Lincoln" in honor of the first Republican President.
{{See also|Third Party System}}

====Civil War: 1861-1865====
Lincoln proved brilliantly successful in uniting the factions of his party to fight for the Union.<ref>Goodwyn 2005</ref> However he usually fought the [[Radical Republicans]] who demanded harsher measures. Most Democrats at first were [[War Democrats]], and supportive until the fall of 1862. When Lincoln added the abolition of slavery as a war goal, many war Democrats became "peace Democrats." All the state Republican parties accepted the antislavery goal except Kentucky. In Congress, the party passed major legislation to promote rapid modernization, including a national banking system, high tariffs, an income tax, many excise taxes, paper money issued without backing ("greenbacks"), a huge national debt, homestead laws, and aid to education and agriculture. The Republicans denounced the peace-oriented Democrats as [[Copperheads]] and won enough [[War Democrats]] to maintain their majority in 1862; in 1864, they formed a coalition with many War Democrats as the "National Union Party" which reelected Lincoln easily, then folded back into the Republican party. During the war, upper middle-class men in major cities formed [[Union League]]s, to promote and help finance the war effort.

====Reconstruction: Blacks, Carpetbaggers and Scalawags====
In [[Reconstruction]], how to deal with the ex-Confederates and the freed slaves, or [[Freedmen]], were the major issues. By 1864, [[Radical Republicans]] controlled Congress and demanded more aggressive action against slavery, and more vengeance toward the Confederates. Lincoln held them off, but just barely. Republicans at first welcomed President [[Andrew Johnson]]; the Radicals thought he was one of them and would take a hard line in punishing the South. Johnson however broke with them and formed a loose alliance with moderate Republicans and Democrats. The showdown came in the Congressional elections of 1866, in which the Radicals won a sweeping victory and took full control of Reconstruction, passing key laws over the veto. Johnson was impeached by the House, but acquitted by the Senate. With the election of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] in 1868, the Radicals had control of Congress, the party and the Army, and attempted to build a solid Republican base in the South using the votes of [[Freedmen]], [[Scalawags]] and [[Carpetbaggers]], supported directly by U.S. Army detachments. Republicans all across the South formed local clubs called [[Union League]]s that effectively mobilized the voters, discussed issues, and when necessary fought off [[Ku Klux Klan]] attacks. Thousands died on both sides.

Grant supported radical reconstruction programs in the South, the 14th Amendment, and equal civil and voting rights for the freedmen. Most of all he was the hero of the war veterans, who marched to his tune. The party had become so large that factionalism was inevitable; it was hastened by Grant's tolerance of high levels of corruption typified by the [[Whiskey Ring]]. The "[[Liberal Republican]]s" split off in 1872 on the grounds that it was time to declare the war finished and bring the troops home. Many of the founders of the GOP joined the movement, as did many powerful newspaper editors. They nominated [[Horace Greeley]], who gained unofficial Democratic support, but was defeated in a landslide. The depression of 1873 energized the Democrats. They won control of the House and formed "[[Redeemers|Redeemer]]" coalitions which recaptured control of each southern state, in some cases using threats and violence.

Reconstruction came to an end when the contested election of 1876 was awarded by a special [[Electoral Commission (United States)|electoral commission]] to Republican [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] who promised, through the unofficial [[Compromise of 1877]], to withdraw federal troops from control of the last three southern states. The region then became the [[Solid South]], giving overwhelming majorities of its electoral votes and Congressional seats to the Democrats until 1964.

In terms of racial issues, "White Republicans as well as Democrats solicited black votes but reluctantly rewarded blacks with nominations for office only when necessary, even then reserving the more choice positions for whites. The results were predictable: these half-a-loaf gestures satisfied neither black nor white Republicans. The fatal weakness of the Republican party in Alabama, as elsewhere in the South, was its inability to create a biracial political party. And while in power even briefly, they failed to protect their members from Democratic terror. Alabama Republicans were forever on the defensive, verbally and physically." [Woolfolk p 134]

Social pressure eventually forced most [[Scalawags]] to join the conservative/Democratic Redeemer coalition. A minority persisted and formed the "tan" half of the "Black and Tan" Republican party, a minority in every southern state after 1877. (DeSantis 1998)

====Gilded Age: 1877-1894====
The "GOP" (as it was now nicknamed) split into factions in the late 1870s. The Stalwarts, followers of Senator Conkling, defended the spoils system. The Half-Breeds, who followed Senator [[James G. Blaine]] of Maine, pushed for [[Civil service reform]]. Independents who opposed the spoils system altogether were called "[[Mugwumps]]". In 1884 they rejected [[James G. Blaine]] as corrupt and helped elect Democrat [[Grover Cleveland]]; most returned to the party by 1888.

As the Northern post-bellum economy boomed with heavy and light industry, railroads, mines, and fast-growing cities, as well as prosperous agriculture, the Republicans took credit and promoted policies to keep the fast growth going. They supported big business generally, hard money (i.e. the [[gold standard]]), high [[tariff]]s, and high pensions for Union veterans. By 1890, however, the Republicans had agreed to the [[Sherman Anti-Trust Act]] and the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]] in response to complaints from owners of small businesses and farmers. The high [[McKinley Tariff]] of 1890 hurt the party and the Democrats swept to a landslide in the off-year elections, even defeating McKinley himself.

====Ethnocultural Voters: pietistic Republicans versus liturgical Democrats====
From 1860 to 1912, the Republicans took advantage of the association of the Democrats with "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion". Rum stood for the liquor interests and the tavern keepers, in contrast to the GOP, which had a strong dry element. "Romanism" meant Catholics, especially Irish Americans, who ran the Democrat Party in every big city, and whom the Republicans denounced for political corruption. "Rebellion" stood for the Confederates who tried to break the Union in 1861, and the [[Copperheads]] in the North who sympathized with them.

Demographic trends aided the Democrats, as the German and Irish Catholic immigrants were Democrats, and outnumbered the English and Scandinavian Republicans. During the 1880s and 1890s, the Republicans struggled against the Democrats' efforts, winning several close elections and losing two to Grover Cleveland (in [[U.S. presidential election, 1884|1884]] and [[U.S. presidential election, 1892|1892]]). Religious lines were sharply drawn [Kleppner 1979]. Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Scandinavian Lutherans and other pietists in the North were tightly linked to the GOP. In sharp contrast, liturgical groups, especially the Catholics, Episcopalians, and German Lutherans, looked to the Democratic party for protection from pietistic moralism, especially prohibition. Both parties cut across the class structure, with the Democrats more bottom-heavy.

Cultural issues, especially prohibition and foreign language schools became important because of the sharp religious divisions in the electorate. In the North, about 50% of the voters were pietistic Protestants (Methodists, Scandinavian Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Disciples of Christ) who believed the government should be used to reduce social sins, such as drinking. Liturgical churches (Roman Catholics, German Lutherans, Episcopalians) comprised over a quarter of the vote and wanted the government to stay out of the morality business. Prohibition debates and referenda heated up politics in most states over a period of decade, as national prohibition was finally passed in 1918 (and repealed in 1932), serving as a major issue between the wet Democrats and the dry GOP.<ref>See Kleppner (1979)</ref>

===Fourth Party System: 1896-1932: The Progressive Era ===
The election of [[William McKinley]] in 1896 was a [[realigning election]] that changed the balance of power, and introduced new rules, new issues and new leaders. It did not, however, see the emergence of a new major party. The Republican sweep of the 1894 Congressional elections presaged the McKinley landslide of 1896, which was repeated in 1900, thus locking the GOP in full control of the national government and most northern state governments. The GOP made major gains as well in the border states. The [[Fourth Party System]] was dominated by Republican presidents, with the exception of the two terms of Democrat [[Woodrow Wilson]], 1912-1920.

====McKinley and realignment====
McKinley promised that high tariffs would end the severe hardship caused by the [[Panic of 1893]], and that the GOP would guarantee a sort of pluralism in which all groups would benefit. He denounced [[William Jennings Bryan]], the Democratic nominee, as a dangerous radical whose plans for "Free Silver" at 16-1 (or [[Bimetallism]]) would bankrupt the economy.

McKinley relied heavily on industry and the middle classes for his support and cemented the Republicans as the party of business; his [[campaign manager]], Ohio's [[Mark Hanna]], developed a detailed plan for getting contributions from the business world, and McKinley outspent his rival [[William Jennings Bryan]] by a large margin. McKinley was the first president to promote [[pluralism]], arguing that prosperity would be shared by all ethnic and religious groups.

====Teddy Roosevelt and Progressivism====
At the dawn of the 20th century, the Republican Party was more representative of [[Big Government]](than the democrats), with progressivism finding a home within the GOP.

[[Theodore Roosevelt]], who became president in 1901, had the most dynamic personality in the nation. Roosevelt had to contend with men like Senator [[Mark Hanna]], whom he outmaneuvered to gain control of the convention in 1904 that renominated him. More difficult to handle was conservative House Speaker [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]].

Roosevelt achieved modest legislative gains in terms of railroad legislation and pure food laws. He was more successful in Court, bringing antitrust suits that broke up the [[Northern Securities]] trust and [[Standard Oil]]. Roosevelt moved left in his last two years in office but was unable to pass major Square Deal proposals.

Roosevelt did succeed in naming his successor Secretary of War [[William Howard Taft]] who easily defeated Bryan again in 1908.

====Progressive insurgents vs. Conservatives====
The GOP was divided between insurgents and stand-patters (liberals and conservatives, to use 21st century terms). [[Theodore Roosevelt]] was an enormously popular president (1901-1909), and he transferred the office to [[William Howard Taft]]. Taft, however, did not have TR's enormous popularity nor his ability to bring rival factions together. When Taft sided with the standpatters under Speaker [[Joe Cannon]] and Senate leader [[Nelson Aldrich]], the insurgents revolted. Led by [[George Norris]] the insurgents took control of the House away from Cannon and imposed a new system whereby committee chairmanships depended on seniority (years of membership on the committee), rather than party loyalty.

The tariff issue was pulling the GOP apart. Roosevelt tried to postpone the issue but Taft had to meet it head on in 1909 with the [[Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act]]. Eastern conservatives led by [[Nelson A. Aldrich]] wanted high tariffs on manufactured goods (especially woolens), while Midwesterners called for low tariffs. Aldrich tricked them by lowering the tariff on farm products, which outraged the farmers. In a stunning comeback the Democrats won control of the House in 1910, as the GOP rift between insurgents and conservatives widened.

Roosevelt sided with the insurgents and, after long indecision, decided to run against Taft for the 1912 nomination. Roosevelt had to steamroll over insurgent Senator [[Robert LaFollette]] of Wisconsin, turning an ally into an enemy. Taft outmaneuvered Roosevelt and controlled the convention. Roosevelt walked out and formed a third party, the "Progressive" or "Bull Moose" party. Very few officeholders supported him, and the new party collapsed by 1914. With the GOP vote divided in half, Democrat [[Woodrow Wilson]] easily won the 1912 election, and was narrowly reelected in 1916.

With the defeat of Theodore Roosevelt and the Progressive Bull Moose party, along with the election of Woodrow Wilson, the parties switched progressive leadership, and the Democrat Party has been the party of big government ever since.

====State and local politics====
The Republicans welcomed the [[Progressive Era]] at the state and local level. The first important reform mayor was [[Hazen S. Pingree]] of Detroit (1890–97) who was elected governor of Michigan in 1896. In New York City the Republicans joined nonpartisan reformers to battle [[Tammany Hall]], and elected Seth Low (1902–03). Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones was first elected mayor of Toledo as a Republican in 1897, but was reelected as an independent when his party refused to renominate him. In Iowa Senator Albert Cummins came up with the "Iowa Idea" that blamed the trust or monopoly problem on the high tariff, angering the eastern industrialists and factory workers. Many Republican civic leaders, following the example of Mark Hanna, were active in the [[National Civic Federation]], which promoted urban reforms and sought to avoid wasteful strikes.

====Harding-Coolidge-Hoover, 1920-1932====
The party controlled the presidency throughout the 1920s, running on a limited government platform, opposition to the League of Nations, high tariffs, and promotion of business interests. [[Warren G. Harding]], [[Calvin Coolidge]] and [[Herbert Hoover]] were resoundingly elected in the elections of 1920, 1924 and 1928 as the Democrats were deeply split on prohibition and religion. Running on a campaign of ''returning to normalcy'', Harding and Coolidge led a repudiation election of both the war as well as the big government progressivism of Woodrow Wilson.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8iSeCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA94 Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover: Meet the Presidents]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=LziMzAR4eD0C&pg=PA162 The Great American History Fact-finder: The Who, What, Where, When, and why of American History]</ref>
[[Image:Coolidge close.jpg|thumb|100px|left|Calvin Coolidge]]
The breakaway efforts of Senator [[Robert LaFollette]] in 1924 failed to stop a landslide for Coolidge, and his movement fell apart. The [[Teapot Dome Scandal]] threatened to hurt the party but Harding died and Coolidge blamed everything on him, as the opposition splintered in 1924. The pro-business policies of the decade seemed to produce an unprecedented prosperity—until the Wall Street Crash of 1929 heralded the [[Great Depression]]. Although the party did very well in large cities and among ethnic Catholics in presidential elections of 1920-24, it was unable to hold those gains in 1928. By 1932 the cities—for the first time ever—had become Democratic strongholds.

The African American vote held for Hoover in 1932, but started moving toward Roosevelt. By 1940 the majority of northern blacks were voting Democrat. Southern blacks who could vote (in border states) were split; disenfranchised blacks in the South probably preferred the Republicans.

The [[Great Depression]] cost Hoover the presidency with the [[U.S. presidential election, 1932|1932 landslide election]] of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. Roosevelt's [[New Deal coalition]] controlled American politics for most of the next three decades, excepting the two-term presidency of Republican [[Dwight Eisenhower]].

===Fifth Party System: 1932-1980===
Minority parties tend to factionalize and after 1936 the GOP split into a conservative faction (dominant in the West and Southeast) and a liberal faction (dominant in the Northeast) – combined with a residual base of inherited progressive Republicanism active throughout the century. [[U.S. presidential election, 1936|In 1936]] Kansas governor [[Alf Landon]] and his young followers defeated the [[Herbert Hoover]] faction. Landon generally supported most New Deal programs, but carried only two states in the Roosevelt landslide.

Senator [[Robert Taft]] of Ohio represented the Midwestern wing of the party that continued to oppose [[New Deal]] reforms and continued to champion [[isolationism]]. [[Thomas Dewey]], governor of New York, represented the Northeastern wing of the party. Dewey did not reject the New Deal programs, but demanded more efficiency, more support for economic growth, and less corruption. He was more willing than Taft to support Britain in 1939-40. After the war the isolationists wing strenuously opposed the [[United Nations]], and was half-hearted in opposition to world Communism. Senator [[William F. Knowland]] of California, sobriquet ''Senator from Formosa'' (Taiwan).

[[Dwight Eisenhower]], an internationalist allied with the Dewey wing, challenged Taft in 1952 on foreign policy issues. The two men were not far apart on domestic issues. Eisenhower's victory broke a 20-year Democrat lock on the White House. Eisenhower did not try to roll back the New Deal, but he did expand the Social Security system and built the Interstate Highway system.

The conservatives in 1964 made a comeback under the leadership of [[Barry Goldwater]] who defeated [[Nelson Rockefeller]] as the Republican candidate in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964 presidential convention]]. Goldwater was strongly opposed to the New Deal and the United Nations, but he rejected isolationism and containment, calling for an aggressive anti-Communist foreign policy.

Any long-term movement toward the GOP was interrupted by the [[Watergate Scandal]], which forced Nixon to resign in 1974 under threat of impeachment. [[Gerald Ford]] succeeded Nixon and gave him a full pardon—thereby giving the Democrats a powerful issue they used to sweep the 1974 off-year elections. Ford never fully recovered, and in 1976 he barely defeated [[Ronald Reagan]] for the nomination. The taint of Watergate and the nation's economic difficulties contributed to the election of Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]] in [[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]], running as a Washington outsider.

====Strength of Parties 1977====
How the Two Parties Stood after the 1976 Election:

{| class=wikitable
! Party
! Republican
! Democrat
! Independent
|-
! Party ID (Gallup)
| 22%
| 47%
| 31%
|-
! House
| 143
| 292
|
|-
! Senate
| 38
| 62
|
|-
! % House popular vote nationally
| 42%
| 56%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the East
| 41%
| 57%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the South
| 37%
| 62%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the Midwest
| 47%
| 52%
| 1%
|-
| align=right | in the West
| 43%
| 55%
| 2%
|-
! Governors
| 12
| 37
| 1
|-
! rowspan=2 | State Legislators
| 2,370
| 5,128
| 55
|-
| 31%
| 68%
| 1%
|-
! State legislature control
| 18
| 80
| 1 *
|-
| align=right | in the East
| 5
| 13
| 0
|-
| align=right | in the South
| 0
| 32
| 0
|-
| align=right | in the Midwest
| 5
| 17
| 1 *
|-
| align=right | in the West
| 8
| 18
| 0
|-
! States' one party control of legislature and governorship
| 1
| 29
| 0
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The unicameral Nebraska legislature, in fact controlled by the Republicans, is technically nonpartisan.

Source: Everett Carll Ladd Jr. ''Where Have All the Voters Gone? The Fracturing of America's Political Parties'' (1978) p. 6

====Moderate Republicans of 1940-80====
[[Image:Nelson Rockefeller.jpg|thumb|100px|right|Nelson Rockefeller]]
The term ''Rockefeller Republican'' was used 1960-80 to designate a faction of the party holding "moderate" views similar to those of the late [[Nelson Rockefeller]], [[governor of New York]] from 1959 to 1974 and vice president under President [[Gerald Ford]] in 1974-77. Before Rockefeller, [[Tom Dewey]], governor of New York 1942-54 and GOP presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948 was the leader. Dwight Eisenhower reflected many of their views. An important leader in the 1950s was Connecticut Republican Senator [[Prescott Bush]], father and grandfather of presidents of [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[George W. Bush]]. After Rockefeller left the national stage in 1976, this faction of the party was more often called "moderate Republicans," in contrast to the conservatives who rallied to [[Ronald Reagan]].

Historically, Rockefeller Republicans were moderate or liberal on domestic and social policies. They favored New Deal programs, including regulation and welfare. They were very strong supporters of civil rights. They were strongly supported by big business on Wall Street (New York City). In fiscal policy they favored balanced budgets and relatively high tax levels to keep the budget balanced. They sought long-term economic growth through entrepreneurships, not tax cuts. In state politics, they were strong supporters of state colleges and universities, low tuition, and large research budgets. They favored infrastructure improvements, such as highway projects. In foreign policy they were internationalists, and anti-Communists. They felt the best way to counter Communism was sponsoring economic growth (through foreign aid), maintaining a strong military, and keeping close ties to [[NATO]]. Geographically their base was the Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine.

====Suburbia====
The suburban electorate passed the city electorate in the 1950s, as Eisenhower showed unusually strength there. The history of suburban politics is encapsulated in Nassau County (New York), just east of New York City, where a moderate Republican party machine operated. Despite predictions that the New Deal spelled the demise of the political machine, Nassau provided fertile ground for a party organization that rivaled its big city Democrat counterparts. The traditionally GOP county underwent a booming expansion during 1945-60, with an influx of new residents, many with previous Democrat Party affiliations. In established villages and new housing developments such as [[Levittown]], under the canny leadership of J. Russel Sprague, the party used patronage and community organizing techniques to build its base among ethnic voters, young people, and new homeowners. The party expanded beyond its white Protestant base, with Italian Americans becoming particularly prominent in party leadership. Sprague was both party leader and county executive. That post was created in 1936 under a new charter engineered by Sprague to update a municipal apparatus unable to meet the infrastructure and development needs of a county that by 1960 had 1.3 million residents. Democrats and reformers had promoted charter revision for decades, and some consolidation of government services did take place. As county "boss," Sprague ruled with an iron hand. Nassau's pluralities for such candidates as Governor Thomas E. Dewey and President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Sprague's fundraising prowess made him a force in national party politics. He advocated a moderate, middle-of-the-road position that recognized expectations created by the New Deal while criticizing what were claimed to be Democrat excesses. After leaving elective office and party leadership, Sprague became a major campaign issue when the Democrats, in a 1961 historic upset, won the county executive post by both lambasting Sprague, tainted by a racetrack-stock scandal, and criticizing the developer-friendly "Spragueland" regime that had governed Nassau for decades. Soon after Sprague died in 1969, the Nassau GOP regained its control of the county government and reestablished virtual one-party rule until the 1990s.<ref>Marjorie Freeman Harrison, "Machine Politics Suburban Style: J. Russel Sprague and the Nassau County (New York) Republican Party at Midcentury." PhD dissertation Columbia U. 2005. 388 pp.
DAI 2005 66(5): 1925-A. DA3174807</ref>

An even longer reign of power characterized GOP machine control of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a rural and suburban area south of Philadelphia. William McClure controlled the GOP from 1875 until his death in 1907; his son John J. McClure, was in control from 1907 until his death in 1965. McLarnon (1998) has four main findings. First, political machines were not confined to big cities; the demographic and political peculiarities of suburban counties lent themselves to continued domination by political machines long after the heyday of the city machine had passed. Secondly, neither the New Deal, immigration restriction, nor the rise of organized labor destroyed all the old Republican machines. Delaware was one of several similar counties in southeastern Pennsylvania where the GOP continued to hold sway throughout the 20th century. Thirdly, not all blacks switched their electoral loyalties to the Democrat Party in 1936. The black population of Chester, Delaware County's industrial city, generally voted Republican for offices below the presidential level. Finally, the citizens of Delaware County supported and continues to support the Republican machine because the machine delivered and continues to deliver those things that the citizens want most. At the beginning of the century, the machine provided food, work, and police protection to Chester's European and black immigrants. During Prohibition, it supplied the county with liquor. Through the Depression, patronage and close alliances with local industrialists kept a significant portion of machine loyalists employed. In the 1950s and 1960s the machine kept taxes low, initiated a war on organized vice, successfully defeated all threats to home rule, and discouraged blacks from settling in historically white communities. The trash was collected, the snow plowed, the streets repaired. The buses ran on time, the playgrounds and parks were clean, and the schools acceptably average. These were the most important concerns of a majority of county's citizens. While the citizens and their concerns changed over time, two things seem to have remained constant: the McClures', and their successors' ability to read and react to the needs of the electorate; and the fact that rarely, if ever, has a desire for honest, democratic government been high on Delaware County voters' list of priorities.<ref>John Morrison McLarnon, "Ruling Suburbia: A Biography of the McClure Machine of Delaware County, Pennsylvania." PhD dissertation U. of Delaware 1998. 616 pp. DAI 1998 58(12): 4780-A. DA9819160</ref>

====Rise of the right====
[[Image:BarryGoldwater.jpg|right|thumb|220px|Barry Goldwater]]
[[Barry Goldwater]] crusaded against the Rockefeller Republicans, beating Rockefeller narrowly in the California primary of 1964. That set the stage for a conservative resurgence, based in the South and West, in opposition to the Northeast. Brennan (1995) stresses that conservatives in the late 1950s and early 1960s had many internal problems to overcome before they could mount an effective challenge to the hegemony of the distrusted Eastern Establishment, typified by [[Nelson A. Rockefeller]]. The conservative movement had some newspapers and magazines (especially [[William F. Buckley]]'s ''National Review'') and one charismatic national leader, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. The movement gained momentum once they had established a unity out of diverse elements on the Right with a common commitment to a militant anti-Communism, and once they had succeeded in mobilizing a grassroots base inside a number of state and local organizations in the Sun Belt on behalf of a draft Goldwater campaign in 1960. Although Nixon was acceptable to the conservatives, they worried that he compromised with Rockefeller in 1960. His defeat in 1960 removed a major obstacle and also gave ammunition to those who wanted "a choice, not an echo" (to echo a Goldwater slogan). After 1960 liberals and moderates in the Republican party failed to appreciate the magnitude of the challenge they faced on the grass-roots level. They too readily equated their conservative opponents in the party with the "lunatic fringe" and did not take them seriously until they found themselves deposed by a grass roots insurgency of the sort unknown in the party since 1912.<ref>Brennan (1995) p, 59</ref> Goldwater's landslide defeat opened the way to a liberal Democrat resurgence, but did little to help the liberal wing of the GOP. The failures of the Great Society, especially a wave of major urban riots and a surge in violent crime, led to major gains in 1966, and to Nixon's election in the chaotic 1968 election. The Democrats became deeply divided on the Vietnam war (which did not divide the GOP), and on issues of race, when Alabamian [[George C. Wallace]] set up a third party that carried much of the deep South.

As Goldwater faded to a lesser role after 1964, a new conservative hero emerged: in the largest and most trendy state film star [[Ronald Reagan]] was elected governor of California in 1966 and reelected in 1970.

With the rise of conservatism the national Republican Party became more ideologically homogeneous. This change occurred as conservative politicians and voters joined the party and their liberal counterparts abandoned the GOP. Events in New York State during the 1960s and 1970s facilitated this transformation. Here, ideological conservatives formed a third party for the express purpose of changing a state GOP that both symbolized and contributed to the national GOP's liberal viewpoint. The [[Conservative Party, New York|Conservative Party]] relied on the state's unique election law to crash the New York GOP, either by forcing its way in or by imposing a lethal electoral price. The GOP-Conservative Party relationship began in 1962 at sword's point but achieved a high degree of harmony in 1980. Initially, New York Republicans, led by Governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]], successfully marginalized the new party. As the conservative movement matured, however, the balance of power began to shift. When Nixon was elected president in 1968, the Conservative Party gained an external ally who proved invaluable. The third party achieved partial acceptance in 1970 with the election of [[James Buckley]] to the Senate. For much of the ensuing decade, however, Conservatives struggled with success suffering a series of damaging setbacks. Only in the late 1970s, did the party recover when it embraced a more modest agenda. Finally, the 1980 election settled the overall contours of the relationship between the two parties. Conservatives formed their party to force the state GOP to the right, to drive liberal Republicans from office, and allow ideologically conservative national Republicans to succeed in the state. By 1980, it had achieved these goals changing the nature of politics in the state. This resolution affected politics beyond the state by diminishing the importance of ideological liberals in the national GOP, thus freeing a more ideologically consistent national Republican Party to promote the rise of conservatism.<ref>Timothy J. Sullivan, "Crashing the Party: The New York State Conservative and Republican Parties, 1962-1980." PhD dissertation U. of Maryland, College Park 2003. 458 pp. DAI 2004 64(11): 4181-A. DA3112508</ref>

===Sixth Party System===
====Realignment: Republican inroads in the Solid South====
:''See also: [[The South#Politics]]
In the century after Reconstruction ended in 1877, the white South identified with the [[Democrat Party]]. The Democrats' lock on power was so strong, the region was called the "Solid South." The Republicans controlled certain parts of the Appalachian mountains, but they sometimes did compete for statewide office in the border states. Before 1964, the southern Democrats saw their party as the defender of the southern way of life, which included a respect for states' rights and an appreciation for traditional southern values. They repeatedly warned against the aggressive designs of Northern liberals and Republicans, as well as the civil rights activists they denounced as "outside agitators." Thus there was a serious barrier to becoming a Republican.

However, since 1964, the Democrat lock on the South has been broken. The long-term cause was that the region was becoming more like the rest of the nation and could not long stand apart in terms of racial segregation. Modernization that brought factories, businesses, and cities, and millions of migrants from the North; far more people graduated from high school and college. Meanwhile, the cotton and tobacco basis of the traditional South faded away, as former farmers moved to town or commuted to factory jobs. While the majority of political scientists believe that the shift of the South to the Republican Party began in the 1960's, there is evidence that it really began in the 1920s and the 1950s.<ref>Trande, Sean (April 30, 2013). [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/04/30/southern_whites_shift_to_the_gop_predates_the_60s_118172.html Southern Whites' Shift to the GOP Predates the '60s]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref>

The immediate cause of the political transition involved civil rights. The [[civil rights movement]] caused enormous controversy in the white South with many attacking it as a violation of states' rights. When segregation was outlawed by court order and by the Civil Rights acts of 1964 and 1965, a die-hard element resisted integration, led by Democrat governors [[Orval Faubus]] of Arkansas, [[Lester Maddox]] of Georgia, and, especially [[George Wallace]] of Alabama. These populist governors appealed to a less-educated, blue-collar electorate that on economic grounds favored the Democrat Party, but opposed segregation. After passage of the Civil Rights Act most Southerners accepted the integration of most institutions (except public schools). With the old barrier to becoming a Republican removed, traditional Southerners joined the new middle class and the Northern transplants in moving toward the Republican party. Integration thus liberated Southern politics, just as [[Martin Luther King]] had promised. Meanwhile, the newly enfranchised black voters supported Democrat candidates at the 85-90% level.

The South's transition to a Republican stronghold took decades. First the states started voting Republican in presidential elections—the Democrats countered that by nominating Southerners who could carry some states in the region, such as [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 and 1980, and [[Bill Clinton]] in 1992 and 1996; the strategy did not work with [[Al Gore]] in 2000, or [[John Edwards]] in 2004. Barack Obama held Florida, North Carolina and Virginia and a sweep of House and Senate seats.

Since the 1970s some states elected Republican senators. Republicans made some inroads into legislatures and governorships and gerrymandering protected the African American and Hispanic vote (as required by the Civil Rights laws), but split up the remaining white Democrats so that Republicans mostly would win. In 2006 the Supreme Court endorsed nearly all of the redistricting engineered by [[Tom DeLay]] that swung the Texas Congressional delegation to the GOP in 2004.

In addition to its white middle class base, Republicans attracted strong majorities from the evangelical Christian vote, which had been nonpolitical before 1980. The national Democrat Party's support for liberal social stances such as [[abortion]] drove many former Democrats into a Republican party that was embracing the conservative views on these issues. Conversely, liberal Republicans in the northeast began to join the Democrat Party. In 1969 in ''The Emerging Republican Majority'', [[Kevin Phillips]], argued that support from Southern whites and growth in the [[Sun Belt]], among other factors, was driving an enduring Republican electoral [[realigning election|realignment]]. Today, the South is again solid, but the reliable support is for Republican presidential candidates. Exit polls in 2004 showed that Bush led Kerry by 70-30% among whites, who comprised 71% of the Southern voters. Kerry had a 90-9% lead among the 18% of the voters who were black. One third of the Southerners said they were white evangelicals; they voted for Bush by 80-20%.<ref>See [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.3.html exit polls]</ref>

Despite the shift towards the Republican Party on the presidential level, the South remained solidly Democratic on the state level through the 1980s, 1990s, and even into the 2000s in several states.<ref>Trande, Sean (September 9, 2010). [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/09/09/misunderstanding_the_southern_realignment_107084.html Misunderstanding the Southern Realignment]. ''Real Clear Politics''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party only became dominant in the state-level in the 2010 elections, when it captured several state legislatures, among many other victories.<ref name="Hamby">Hamby, Peter (December 9, 2014). [http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/03/politics/southern-democrats/ The plight of the Southern Democrat]. ''CNN''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> After the 2014 elections, the GOP controlled every state legislature in the South with the sole exception of the Kentucky State House, in which the Democrats maintained a slim majority.<ref name="Hamby"/> Additionally by 2015, the GOP was dominant in every level of government across the South.<ref name="Hamby"/><ref>Cohn, Nate (December 4, 2014). [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/05/upshot/demise-of-the-southern-democrat-is-now-nearly-compete.html?_r=0 Demise of the Southern Democrat Is Now Nearly Complete]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> In 2016, the GOP took the Kentucky State House in a landslide, making every legislature in the South GOP-controlled.<ref>Loftus, Tom (November 9, 2016). [http://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/elections/kentucky/2016/11/08/control-kentucky-house-up-grabs/93344114/ GOP takes Ky House in historic shift]. ''Courier-Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Brammer, Jack & Blackford, Linda (November 8, 2016). [http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article113464563.html Republicans take the Kentucky House after 95 years of Democratic control]. ''Lexington Herald-Leader''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref>

====Reagan Era====
:''Main article: [[Reagan Era]]''
In 1980, [[Ronald Reagan]] won the Republican nomination and easily beat Carter and a breakaway Republican with his strong communication skills and message of economic freedom and strength against the [[Soviet Union]]. Reagan produced a major realignment with his 1980 and 1984 landslides. In 1980 the Reagan coalition was possible because of Democrat losses in most social-economic groups. In 1984 Reagan won nearly 60% of the popular vote and carried every state except his Democrat opponent Walter Mondale's home state of [[Minnesota]] and the District of Columbia, creating a record 525 electoral vote total (of 538 possible). Even in Minnesota, Mondale won by a mere 3,761 votes,<ref>http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1984&fips=27&f=1&off=0&elect=0</ref> meaning Reagan came within less than 3,800 votes of winning in all fifty states.
[[Image:Reagan and Buckley.jpg|left|thumb|220px|Reagan opened his presidency proclaiming "Government is the problem".]]
Running on a "Peace Through Strength" platform to combat the Communist threat and massive tax cuts to revitalize the economy, Reagan's strong but genial persona proved too much for the ineffective and sour Carter in 1980. Reagan's election also gave Republicans control of the Senate for the first time in decades. Dubbed the "Reagan Revolution" he fundamentally altered several long standing debates in Washington, namely dealing with the Soviet threat and reviving the economy. His election saw the conservative wing of the party gain control. While reviled by liberal opponents in his day, his proponents contend his programs provided unprecedented economic growth, and spurred the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Currently regarded as one of the most popular and successful presidents in the modern era (1960–present), he inspired Conservatives to greater electoral victories by being re-elected in a landslide against Walter Mondale in 1984 but oversaw the loss of the Senate in 1986.

The so-called "Reagan Democrats" were Democrats before the Reagan years, and afterwards, but who voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984 (and for George H.W. Bush in 1988), producing their landslide victories. They were primarily Southern Democrats and ethnic Catholics in the Northeast and were frustrated by their seeing abandonment on cultural issues by the Democrat Party's national leaders.

Reagan's Vice-President, [[George H.W. Bush]], a [[World War II]] war hero, was elected in 1988 but was defeated in 1992 as domestic issues took prominence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and end of the [[Cold War]]. Democrat challenger [[Bill Clinton]] strategically repositioned the Democrats to the right. [[Ross Perot]]'s candidacy was instrumental in Clinton's victory as he took Republican votes with his criticism of deficits and the free trade movement. Perot won 19% of the popular vote, and Clinton, still a largely unknown quantity in American politics with 41% of! the popular vote took office. Despite his loss, Bush left office in 1993 with a 56 percent job approval rating.

====The Gingrich revolution====
:''Main articles: [[Republican Revolution (1994)]] and [[Contract with America]]''
House Republican Minority Whip [[Newt Gingrich]]-led the [[Republican Revolution (1994)|"Republican Revolution" of 1994]] and its famous ''[[Contract with America]]''. It was the first time since the 1952 elections that the Republicans secured control of both houses of Congress, which, with the brief exception of the Senate during 2001-2002, lasted until the 2006 mid-term elections. Democrats had controlled both houses of Congress for the forty years preceding 1994, with the exception of the 1981-1987 Congresses (in which Republicans controlled the Senate).

In the 1994 mid-term election, Republican congressional candidates ran on a platform of promising floor votes to force members of Congress to go on record on a series of popular reforms—something the Democrats had stifled for decades. These measures and others formed the Contract with America, which represented the first effort to have a party platform in a mid-term election. Seven of the ten Contract items actually became Law. The budget reforms, coupled with reduced defense spending after the Cold War, and the earlier Reagan Tax Cuts for Business Research and Development in the 1980s, led to a high tech consumer boom, rising incomes for all groups, and unprecedented, sustained economic growth in the late 1990s. Democratic President Bill Clinton opposed some of the social agenda initiatives but he co-opted the proposals for welfare reform and a balanced federal budget. The result was a major change in the welfare system, which conservatives hailed and liberals bemoaned. One Contract item, which required Democrats in a two-thirds majority to pass a Constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress, failed.

In 1995, a budget battle with [[President Clinton]] led to the brief shutdown of the federal government, an event which contributed to Clinton's victory in the 1996 election. That year the Republicans nominated [[Bob Dole]], who was unable to transfer his success in Senate leadership to a viable presidential campaign. [[Ross Perot]] ran again (this time on [[Reform Party]] ticket), once again draining away a large percentage of Dole's support and insuring Clinton another term after the majority of Americans voters voted against him.

====War on Terror====
:Main article: [[War on Terror]]''
With the election of George W. Bush (son of former president George H. W. Bush) in an extremely close 2000 election, the Republican party controlled both the presidency and both houses of Congress for the first time since 1952. However, after [[Vermont]] senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an independent aligned with the Democrats in June 2001, Republicans lost control of the Senate by a single seat.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 Islamic terrorist attacks on the United States, however, Bush pursued a "War on Terrorism" that included the liberation of Afghanistan from the radical Islamic Taliban regime and the [[Patriot act|USA PATRIOT act]]. By early 2002, the Taliban was removed from power in Afghanistan. On March 20, 2003, U.S. and allied nations initiated "Operation Iraqi Freedom" to liberate the Iraqi people from the brutal regime of [[Saddam Hussein]]. By May 1, 2003, the regime of Saddam was declared officially over. Once US and allied military forces entered Iraq, they discovered that various international terrorists had been given sanctuary and ran their terrorist operations from Iraq. Notable terrorists found included Muhammad Zaidan aka Abu Abbas and Sabri Khalil al-Banna aka Abu Nidal.

The Republican Party fared well in the 2002 midterm elections, solidifying its hold on the House and regaining control of the Senate, in the run-up to the liberation of Iraq. This marked just the third time since the Civil War that the party in control of the White House gained seats in both houses of Congress in a midterm election (others were 1902 and 1934).

Bush was renominated without opposition for the [[United States presidential election, 2004]] and titled his political platform "A Safer World and a More Hopeful America". It expressed Bush's commitment to winning the War on Terror, ushering in an Ownership Era, and building an innovative economy to compete in the world.

On November 2, 2004, Bush was re-elected, while Republicans gained seats in both houses of Congress, leaving Democrats in disarray. Bush carried 31 of 50 states for 286 Electoral College votes. In that election, he also received more popular votes than any previous presidential candidate, 62.0 million votes. Democrat challenger, Senator [[John Kerry]], won 251 Electoral votes and 48% of the popular vote to Bush's 51%. It was the first time anyone won a popular majority since 1988. 2004 marked the seventh consecutive election in which the Democrat nominee failed to reach that threshold.

====The wilderness years 2009-2010====
After smashing defeats in 2006 and 2008, the GOP lost control of Congress, the White House, and many states. They confront president who still retains some popularity, but have been able to chip away at support for his domestic policies, as the [[recession of 2008]] continues to drag on. In June 2009 public opinion was favorable toward Obama personally, but increasingly dubious about his plans to overhaul health care, rescue the auto industry and close the prison at Guantánamo Bay. But with a positive job approval rating of 51% , Obama has the backing of most Democrats, even as Republicans turn negative, with only 23% supporting him. Support for Obama's foreign policies and terrorism policies remains high at 57-59%. Meanwhile, the GOP weaknesses were glaring: the June poll found that the Republican Party is viewed favorably by only 28% of Americans, the lowest rating ever in a New York Times/CBS News poll. In contrast, 57% said that they had a favorable view of the Democrat Party.<ref>Jeff Zeleny and Dalia Sussman, "Obama Poll Sees Doubt on Budget and Health Care [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/us/politics/18poll.html?th&emc=th ''New York Times'' June 17, 2009]</ref> However, it should be noted that this poll was conducted by the [[mainstream media]] and thus is a clear example of [[liberal bias]].

====Rise of the Tea Party movement====
[[Image:TeaPartyByFreedomFan.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Tea Party movement March on DC, 2009.]]
:{{main|Tea Party Movement}}
The Tea Party movement, which began around 2009 and supports small government, fiscal conservatism, American independence, and border security, made huge gains in the 2010 election, defeating establishment Republicans and RINOs. They continued to make gains in later elections, including the 2014 elections in [[Texas]] and the 2015 [[Kentucky]] elections, and some commentators, including liberals<ref>{{cite web | last1=Chait | first1=Jonathan | title=Donald Trump Hasn’t Killed the Tea Party. He Is the Tea Party | url=http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/05/donald-trump-is-the-tea-party.html | date=May 19, 2016 | publisher=''New York'' | accessdate=December 7, 2016}}</ref> and conservatives,<ref>{{cite web | last1=Martin | first1=Jenny Beth | title=How the Tea Party Helped Trump Win the Election | url=http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2016/11/12/how-tea-party-helped-trump-win-election.html | date=November 12, 2016 | publisher=[[Fox News]] | accessdate=December 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Martin | first1=Jenny Beth | title=The Tea Party Movement Is Alive and Well—And We Saw Trump Coming | url=http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/11/the-tea-party-movement-is-alive-and-well-and-we-saw-trump-coming-214469 | date=November 19, 2016 | publisher=[[Politico|Politico Magazine]] | accessdate=December 7, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Hayward | first1=John | title=Sarah Palin: Trump Movement Began with the GOP Establishment’s ‘Shocking Betrayals’ of Tea Party Voters | url=http://www.breitbart.com/radio/2016/11/25/sarah-palin-trump-movement-began-with-the-gop-establishments-shocking-betrayals-of-tea-party-voters/ | date=November 25, 2016 | publisher=[[Breitbart News]] | accessdate=December 7, 2016}}</ref> even believe it was responsible for Donald Trump's 2016 victory.

====Trump Era====
:''For further information, see [[2016 U.S. presidential election#General election results]]''
Republican businessman [[Donald Trump]] won the [[United States presidential election, 2016|2016 presidential election]] in a major and historic upset that took the [[establishment]], pollsters and analysts completely by surprise, even winning states such as [[Wisconsin]], [[Michigan]], and [[Pennsylvania]], which Republicans had not won for years.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/11/08/first-polls-close-in-2016-race-trump-projected-to-win-ind-ky-clinton-wins-vt.html Trump wins presidency, defeats Clinton in historic election upset]. ''Fox News''. November 8, 2016. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Blake, Aaron (November 9, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/11/08/donald-trumps-path-to-victory-is-suddenly-looking-much-much-wider/ Donald Trump just blew up the electoral map]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The Republican Party kept control of the House and Senate, outperforming expectations.<ref>Bresnahan, John (November 9, 2016). [http://www.politico.eu/article/republicans-on-cusp-of-keeping-the-senate/ Republicans hold the Senate in a stunner]. ''Politico''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Hughes, Siobhan (November 9, 2016). [http://www.wsj.com/articles/republicans-are-confident-about-retaining-control-of-the-house-1478634160 Democrats Gain Seats in House, But GOP Retains Majority]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref>
[[Image:Donald Trump official photo.jpg|left|thumb|120px|Donald Trump]]
In addition, the Republican Party performed well—much better than expected—in state races, winning trifectas in [[Kentucky]], [[Iowa]], [[Missouri]], and [[New Hampshire]], and Democrats only had six trifectas and total control in five states, a record low.<ref>Greenblatt, Alan (November 9, 2016). [http://www.governing.com/topics/elections/gov-republicans-add-dominance-state-legislatures.html Republicans Add to Their Dominance of State Legislatures]. ''Governing''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref><ref>Siegel, Josh (November 9, 2016). [http://dailysignal.com/2016/11/09/republicans-maintain-strong-control-of-state-capitols-what-that-means/ Republicans Maintain Strong Control of State Capitols. Here’s What That Means.] ''The Daily Signal''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> The GOP won 25 trifectas, the largest since 1952.<ref name="ReshapeLaws">Lieb, David A. (December 29, 2016). [https://www.pressreader.com/usa/chicago-tribune/20161229/281822873464433 GOP-Controlled States Aim to Reshape Laws]. ''Chicago Tribune'' (from the Associated Press). Retrieved December 30, 2016.</ref> After the election, the GOP controlled the highest amount of governorships since 1922,<ref>Lieb, David A. (November 9, 2016). [http://www.usnews.com/news/us/articles/2016-11-09/republicans-expand-control-of-governorships-legislatures Republicans governorships rise to highest mark since 1922]. ''U.S. News & World Report''. Retrieved November 9, 2016.</ref> and it controlled the most state legislative chambers in history.<ref>Bosman, Julie & Davey, Monica (November 11, 2016). [http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/12/us/republicans-expand-control-in-a-deeply-divided-nation.html Republicans Expand Control in a Deeply Divided Nation]. ''The New York Times''. Retrieved November 14, 2016.</ref>

While the GOP increased its vote share across the entire nation, Trump made the largest gains in the rural [[Midwest]] and [[Rust Belt]], traditionally a Democrat blue collar stronghold..<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/08/us/elections/how-trump-pushed-the-election-map-to-the-right.html How Trump Reshaped the Election Map]. ''The New York Times''. November 9, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2016.</ref>

Because of the large gains, the GOP had a massive opportunity to pass [[Conservative|common sense conservative]] legislation and repeal leftist social and economic quagmires.<ref name="ReshapeLaws"/>

== Contemporary Party ==
The contemporary Republican Party represents a wide array of interests such as the conservative evangelicals, economic libertarians, and anti-globalists. The party has had some internal conflict over attitudes about how governments should run and how large they should be, what the party stands for, and what the party's attitude towards [[neo-conservatism]] should be especially in regard to foreign policy. The party is also divided over immigration issues with some members (such as George W. Bush) favoring workers visas and permits and some other members favoring strict control of immigration and strong action against illegal immigration. Unlike the Democrat Party, the Republican Party routinely allows dissenting factions such as the [[Log Cabin Republicans]] to speak at National Conventions.

In the past, the Republican voter coalitions have generally comprised businessmen, military veterans and evangelical Protestants. Some groups have realigned: blacks went from the GOP to the Democrats beginning in the 1930s, while some white Southerners became Republicans in the 1980s. Catholics switched from 80% Democratic in 1960 to 50-50 in recent years, primarily due to the embrace of [[abortion]] by the Democrats. In recent years youth (influenced by [[Hollywood values]]) and better educated professionals (influenced by [[professor values]]) have moved to the Democrats, while blue collar workers have become more Republican, due to the abortion, economic self-interest, and the Democrat support for the [[nanny state]].

==Republican Presidents==
# [[Abraham Lincoln]] (1861-1865)
# [[Ulysses S. Grant]] (1869-1877)
# [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] (1877-1881)
# [[James Garfield]] (1881)
# [[Chester A. Arthur]] (1881-1885)
# [[Benjamin Harrison]] (1889-1893)
# [[William McKinley]] (1897-1901)
# [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (1901-1909)
# [[William Howard Taft]] (1909-1913)
# [[Warren G. Harding]] (1921-1923)
# [[Calvin Coolidge]] (1923-1929)
# [[Herbert Hoover]] (1929-1933)
# [[Dwight Eisenhower]] (1953-1961)
# [[Richard Nixon]] (1969-1974)
# [[Gerald Ford]] (1974-1977)
# [[Ronald Reagan]] (1981-1989)
# [[George H. W. Bush]] (1989-1993)
# [[George W. Bush]] (2001-2009)
# [[Donald Trump]] (2017-)

==Notable Republicans (Non-presidential)==
An incomplete list of notable Republican leaders and politicians who were not elected president:

*[[James G. Blaine]] (1830-1893): Senator from [[Maine]], presidential nominee
*[[Joseph Gurney Cannon]] (1836-1926): [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]]
*[[Charles Curtis]] (1860-1936): United States [[Vice President]], a Native American
*[[Charles G. Dawes]] (1865-1951): United States Vice President
*[[Tom Dewey]] (1902-1971): Governor of [[New York]]; presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948
*[[John C. Frémont]] (1813-1890): First Republican candidate for president
*Mark Hanna (1837-1904): Senator from [[Ohio]], manager of 1896 campaign
*[[Jesse Helms]] (1921-2008): Senator from [[North Carolina]]
*[[George Frisbie Hoar]] (1826-1904): Senator from [[Massachusetts]]
*[[Charles Evans Hughes]]: Governor of New York; presidential nominee in 1916, United States Secretary of State, [[Chief Justice of the United States]]
*[[William Fife Knowland]] (1908-1974), Senator from [[California]], Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, Senate Minority Leader from 1955-1959
*[[Henry Cabot Lodge]] (1850-1924): Senator from [[Massachusetts]], foreign policy spokesman
*[[Joseph McCarthy]] (1908-1957): Senator from [[Wisconsin]] and noted anti-communist
*[[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1839-1902): Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
*[[Nelson Rockefeller]] (1908-1979): Vice President, Governor of New York, leader of liberal Republicans
*[[Thaddeus Stevens]] (1792-1868): Senator from [[Pennsylvania]], leader of Radicals in Civil War and Reconstruction
*[[Charles Sumner]] (1811-1874): Senator from Massachusetts, leader of Radicals in Civil War and Reconstruction
*[[Henry Stimson]]: Secretary of War for Taft and FDR, Secretary of State for Hoover
*[[Robert Taft]] (1889-1953): Senator from Ohio and presidential hopeful, leader of conservatives
*[[Strom Thurmond]] (1902-2003): the oldest serving senator in history (from [[South Carolina]])
*[[Arthur H. Vandenberg]] (1884-1951): Senator from Michigan, leader of internationalism in 1940s
*[[Scott Walker]]: Governor of [[Wisconsin]], presidential candidate in 2016
*[[Earl Warren]] (1891-1974): Vice presidential nominee, [[Governor of California]], and [[Chief Justice of the United States]]
*[[John McCain]]: Senator from [[Arizona]], presidential nominee in 2008
*[[Sarah Palin]]: Governor of [[Alaska]], vice-presidential nominee in 2008
*[[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]: Governor of [[California]]
*[[Mitt Romney]]: Governor of [[Massachusetts]], presidential nominee in 2012

==See also==
*[[RINO]] - '''R'''epublicans '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly
*[[Previous Breaking News/Republicans|Articles about '''Republicans''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

==Bibliography==
===Historical===
*''American National Biography'' (20 volumes, 1999) covers all politicians no longer alive; online at many academic libraries.
* Abramson, Paul R. et al. ''Change and Continuity in the 2004 and 2006 Elections'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Change-Continuity-2004-2006-Elections/dp/0872894150/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221785751&sr=8-10 excerpt and text search]
* Batchelor, John Calvin. ''"Ain't You Glad You Joined the Republicans?" A Short History of the GOP.'' 1996. 399 pp. well-written popular history, well illustrated
* Chace, James. ''1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft, and Debs - The Election That Changed the Country.'' (2004). 323 pp.
* ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'' (4th ed 2003) 1600pp, vast compilation of data, esp., since 1945
* Foner, Eric. ''Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party Before the Civil War (1970), influential history of ideas and ideology; [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=90104191 online edition]
*Gienapp, William E. ''The Origins of the Republican Party, 1852-1856'' (1987), quantitative voting studies, by state
* Goldberg, Robert Alan. ''Barry Goldwater'' (1995),
*Gould, Lewis. ''Grand Old Party: A History of the Republicans'' (2003), the best scholarly overview.
* Hodgson, Godfrey. ''The World Turned Right Side Up: A History of the Conservative Ascendancy in America'' (1996). by British journalist
*Jensen, Richard. ''Grass Roots Politics: Parties, Issues, and Voters, 1854-1983'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15326916 online edition]
*Jensen, Richard. ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896'' (1971)
*Kleppner, Paul, et al. ''The Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' (1983), applies party systems model
*Kleppner, Paul. ''The Third Electoral System 1853-1892: Parties, Voters, and Political Cultures'' (1979), analysis of voting behavior, with emphasis on region, ethnicity, religion and class. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=24451028 online edition]
*Marcus, Robert. ''Grand Old Party: Political Structure in the Gilded Age, 1880-1896'' 1971.
*Morgan, H. Wayne. ''From Hayes to McKinley; National Party Politics, 1877-1896'' (1969) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=94446383 online edition], good survey of era
*Mayer, George H. ''The Republican Party, 1854-1966.'' 2nd ed. (1967), narrative.
*Parmet, Herbert S. ''Eisenhower and the American Crusades'' (1972) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14967951 online edition]
* Patterson, James T. ''Mr. Republican: A Biography of Robert A. Taft'' (1972)
*Perlstein, Rick. ''Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus'' (2002) well written, broad account of 1964
*Perlstein, Rick. ''Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America'' (2008), 896pp; covers 1965 to 1972
* Reinhard, David W. ''The Republican Right since 1945'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91954887 online edition]
*Rutland, Robert Allen. ''The Republicans: From Lincoln to Bush'' (1996) popular narrative
*Shafer, Byron E. and Anthony J. Badger, eds. ''Contesting Democracy: Substance and Structure in American Political History, 1775-2000'' (2001), long essays by specialists on each time period: [http://www.amazon.com/Contesting-Democracy-Substance-Structure-Political/dp/0700611398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221785707&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
**includes: "'To One or Another of These Parties Every Man Belongs;": 1820–1865 by Joel H. Silbey; "Change and Continuity in the Party Period: 1835–1885" by Michael F. Holt; "The Transformation of American Politics: 1865–1910" by Peter H. Argersinger; "Democracy, Republicanism, and Efficiency: 1885–1930" by Richard Jensen; "The Limits of Federal Power and Social Policy: 1910–1955" by Anthony J. Badger; "The Rise of Rights and Rights Consciousness: 1930–1980" by James T. Patterson; and "Economic Growth, Issue Evolution, and Divided Government: 1955–2000" by Byron E. Shafer
*Schlesinger, Arthur Meier, Jr. ed. ''History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2000'' (various multivolume editions, latest is 2001). For each election includes good scholarly history and selection of primary document. Essays on the most important election are reprinted in Schlesinger, ''The Coming to Power: Critical presidential elections in American history'' (1972)
* Smith, Richard Norton. An Uncommon Man: The Triumph of Herbert Hoover, (1987) full-length scholarly biography.
*Summers, Mark Wahlgren. ''Rum, Romanism & Rebellion: The Making of a President, 1884'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104865169 online edition]
* Sundquist, James L. ''Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=29223022 online edition]
* Thelen, David. ''Robert M. La Follette and the Insurgent Spirit'' 1976. short interpretive biography
===Since 1980===
*Barone, Michael, and Grant Ujifusa, ''The Almanac of American Politics 2008: The Senators, the Representatives and the Governors: Their Records and Election Results, Their States and Districts'' (2007) covers all incumbent Congressmen and governors with amazing detail. New edition published every two years since 1975.
* Aistrup, Joseph A. ''The Southern Strategy Revisited: Republican Top-Down Advancement in the South'' (1996)
* Black, Earl and Black, Merle. ''The Rise of Southern Republicans.'' (2002). 442 pp.
* Cannon, Lou. ''President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime'' (2000), [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=88989671 online edition]
* Critchlow, Donald T. ''The Conservative Ascendancy: How the GOP Right Made Political History'' (2007), by a leading conservative historian
* Edwards, Lee. ''The Conservative Revolution: The Movement That Remade America.'' (1999). 391 pp. by a conservative
*Ehrman, John, ''The Eighties: America in the Age of Reagan'' (2005) by a conservative historian
* Frank, Thomas. ''What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America'' (2005), a liberal attack [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-America/dp/B000FTWB3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072365&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Green, John Robert. ''The Presidency of George Bush.'' (2000). 1989-1993
* Lamis, Alexander P. ed. ''Southern Politics in the 1990s'' (1999)
* Layman, Geoffrey. ''The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics.'' (2001). 435pp.
* Levy, Peter B. ''Encyclopedia of the Reagan-Bush Years'' Greenwood Press, 1996 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=77341841 online edition]
* Lublin, David. ''The Republican South: Democratization and Partisan Change.'' Princeton U. Press, 2004. 272 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Republican-South-Democratization-Partisan-Change/dp/0691130477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072384&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Patterson, James T. ''Restless Giant: The United States from Watergate to Bush vs. Gore.'' (2005), standard scholarly synthesis.
* Pemberton, William E. ''Exit with Honor: The Life and Presidency of Ronald Reagan'' (1998) favorable biography by historian; [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=49534236 online edition]
* Reeves, Richard. ''President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination'' (2005) detailed analysis by conservative historian
* Rymph, Catherine. ''Republican Women: Feminism and Conservatism from Suffrage through the Rise of the New Right.'' U. of North Carolina Press, 2006. 338 pp.
* Sabato, Larry J. ed. ''The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency'' (2007), in-depth essays by scholars
*Sabato, Larry J. ''Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election'' (2005).
* Sabato, Larry J. and Bruce Larson. ''The Party's Just Begun: Shaping Political Parties for America's Future'' (2001).
* Schaller, Michael and Rising, George. ''The Republican Ascendancy: American Politics, 1968-2001.'' Harlan Davidson, 2002. 210 pp. Short survey by liberal scholars
* Steely, Mel. ''The Gentleman from Georgia: The Biography of Newt Gingrich.'' Mercer U. Press, 2000. 431 pp.
* Taylor, Andrew J. ''Elephant's Edge: The Republicans as a Ruling Party.'' 2005. 336 pp. academic study of how GOP turned small advantages into power [http://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Edge-Republicans-Ruling-Party/dp/0275985369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072452&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Wilentz, Sean. ''The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008'' (2008) by a liberal historian. [http://www.amazon.com/Age-Reagan-History-1974-2008/dp/0060744804/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221786281&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
*Wooldridge, Adrian and John Micklethwait. ''The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America'' sophisticated study by two British journalists (2004). [http://www.amazon.com/Right-Nation-Conservative-Power-America/dp/B000F71124/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072420&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]

====Notes====
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.gop.com/ Official GOP Site]
*[http://platform.gop.com/2008Platform.pdf 2008 Republican Platform (pdf download)]
*[http://nyyrcrecord.blogspot.com/ New York Young Republican Record]
*[http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/rsc_action_plan.pdf The RSC’s Action Plan for House Republicans], Republican Study Committee, May 20, 2008
*[http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/rsc_action_plan_(broad).pdf A Detailed Action Plan For House Republicans: Bold, Simple, and Different than the Democrats], Republican Study Committee, May 20, 2008
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/republicans/ What Liberals Say - Category: Republicans], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[Category:Republican Party|!]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:United States Political Parties]]
[[Category:United States Political Organizations]]
[[Category:Featured articles]]
[[Category:Modernization]]
[[Category:Conservatism]]
[[Category:Member of the International Democrat Union]]
[[Category:Liberal Conservatism]]

Barack Hussein Obama

2017-03-28T07:20:38Z

Lincolnrep: Change to correct page.

{{Officeholder
|name=Barack Hussein Obama
|image=President Barack Obama.jpg
|party=[[Democratic Party]]
|spouse=[[Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama]]; may have had a prior marriage.<ref>Corsi, Jerome R. (July 19, 2012). [http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/was-barack-obama-married-in-college/ "Was Barack Obama married in college?"]. WorldNetDaily website. See [[WND]]</ref>
|religion=Islamic heritage, said to have converted to Protestantism
|offices={{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=44th
|terms=January 20, 2009 – January 20, 2017
|vp=[[Joe Biden]]
|preceded=[[George W. Bush]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Donald Trump]]
}}
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Illinois
|terms=January 3, 2005 – November 16, 2008
|preceded=Peter Fitzgerald
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Roland Burris]]
}}
}}

'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' (reportedly born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961) was the 44th President of the [[United States]]. Elected to serve as America first "post-racial" president, race relations largely deteriorated under President Obama's leadership.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/05/politics/obama-race-relations-poll/</ref> With the complete disengagement of American troops from [[Iraq]] and the assassination of [[Osama bin Laden]], the [[Islamic State]] arose and recruitment of global [[jihad]]is multiplied exponentially. His economic [[stimulus]] package in response to the [[Crash of 2008]] took seven years to return [[unemployment]] to historically acceptable levels. Economic growth remained below 2.0% throughout his two terms as poverty and income inequality increased. Illegal spying and harassment of domestic opponents marked his eight years in office.

Obama made an ungraceful departure from office claiming on October 18, 2016 Donald Trump's complaints of lies spread about Trump were corrosive to American democracy and an invented conspiracy theory.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/18/politics/obama-trumps-rigged-election-claim-whining-before-the-games-even-over/</ref> Less than two months later after Trump had won, Obama claimed he himself had been derelict in his duty and had fallen asleep at the switch allowing Russian hackers to steal the election for Donald Trump.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/15/us/politics/russia-hack-election-trump-obama.html</ref>

The [[liberal claptrap]] that elected Obama seems silly today. It was claimed, for example, that Obama had millions of followers on Twitter, when allegedly some 70% of them were fake.<ref>Jackson, David (August 24, 2012). [http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/08/obama-has-millions-of-fake-twitter-followers/1#.UDfQVqA2et_ "Obama has millions of fake Twitter followers"]. USA Today website/The Oval blog. See [[USA Today]].</ref> And although the [[lamestream media]] promoted Obama as a great orator, in fact he relied almost entirely on teleprompters for his speeches and press conferences, and at one point even had teleprompters set up for him in a middle school classroom in order to speak to the media.

Obama is [[pro-abortion]]. In fact, he was the most pro-abortion president to date.<ref>[http://www.sba-list.org/suzy-b-blog/obama-most-pro-abortion-president-ever "Obama: The most pro-abortion president ever"] (July 12, 2011). The Susan B. Anthony List website/The Suzy B Blog.</ref> Obama dedicated himself to promoting abortion—rather than reduce them as he promised. Just to name a few of the administrative actions by which he has done this would include expanding abortions through [[Obamacare]], appointing many pro-abortion judges and officials, moving to strip medical professionals of rights of conscience, and forcing taxpayers to support the pro-abortion movement around the globe. During his campaigns Obama said that he intended to "[[Redistribution of wealth|spread the wealth around]]" and was portrayed as saying that entrepreneurs and employers deserve no credit for building their businesses.<ref>Multiple references:
*Zuckerman, Mortimer B. (July 16, 2010). [http://www.usnews.com/opinion/mzuckerman/articles/2010/07/16/obamas-anti-business-policies-are-our-economic-katrina "Obama's anti-business policies are our economic Katrina"]. ''U.S. News and World Report'' website.
*Barnes, Fred (July 22, 2009). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/016/619dvjlm.asp "An anti-business president"]. ''The Weekly Standard''. Vol. 14, No. 38. Retrieved at the The Weekly Standard website. See [[The Weekly Standard]].
*Shedlock, Mike (August 20, 2010). [http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2010/08/small-businesses-are-not-hiring-why.html "Small businesses are not hiring—Why should they?"] Blogspot website/Mish's global economic trend analysis.
*Wright, C. Edmund (February 12, 2012). [http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/02/dear_mr_president_why_we_are_n.html "Dear Mr. President: Why we are not hiring"]. American Thinker website. See [[American Thinker]].</ref> On March 1, 2013 Obama issued [[Executive Order|executive orders]] to implement his [[Budget sequester|sequester]] of budget cuts which<ref>Bedard, Paul (February 27, 2013). [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dnc-boosts-obama-job-cut-threat-of-750000-to-2-million/article/2522664?custom_click=rss "Sequester hype: DNC adds 1.25 million job cuts to Obama's 750,000"]. ''Washington Examiner'' website. Article located by Weasel Zippers website.</ref> has been widely criticized for destroying jobs in what was an anemic and fragile recovery.<ref>Foys, Bob (February 26, 2013). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-02-26/news/chi-20130226-foys_briefs_1_sequester-president-obama-press-secretary-jay-carney "President Obama's sequester"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See [[Chicago Tribune]].</ref>

Warren L. Dean Jr., an adjunct professor of law at [[Georgetown University]] Law Center, wrote:
*{{obama income inequality}}

The number of jihadis worldwide has grown by a factor of 4 or 5 at least, since Obama took the reins of power as Commander-in-Chief.<ref>The number of Islamic extremists susceptible to jihadist recruitment during the George W. Bush administration worldwide was estimated at 12,000; the Islamic State alone by 2015 had estimates of a standing army of jihadis as high as 70,000 to 200,000.</ref> Remarkably, the ''[[New York Times]]'' was critical of Obama's incessant boasting about the killing of [[Osama bin Laden|bin Laden]].<ref>Baker, Peter and Shear, Michael D. (April 27, 2012). [http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/28/us/politics/critics-pounce-on-obamas-trumpeting-of-bin-laden-death.html?_r=0 "Obama trumpets killing of Bin Laden, and critics pounce"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See [[The New York Times]].</ref>

According to a [[NBC News]] poll, from August 2014, Obama's approval rating was a dismal 40%,<ref>Murray, Mark (August 5, 2014). [http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/poll-americans-dissatisfied-economy "Poll: Obama’s approval rating hits all-time low"]. MSNBC website. See [[MSNBC]]</ref> showing that six in ten Americans disapproved of his [[liberal]] policies. Given that liberals frequently engage in [[Liberal lies|deceit]], the actual approval ratings could be much lower. When Obama left office, the same pollsters who prognosticated a blowout win for Hillary Clinton maintained Obama's approval rating was above 50%.

==Biography==
===Birth===
{{TOC right}}
:''Main article : [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama]]''
Obama claims to have been born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961 to Stanley Ann Dunham and [[Barack Obama Sr.]]—who had married just six months prior.<ref name=msnbc>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008). MSNBC. Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries. See [[MSNBC]].</ref> Some contend that this story is a complete fabrication. After many leading conservatives—including the leadership of this site and [[Donald Trump]]—called for Obama to release his birth certificate, he produced a document that he claimed was his birth certificate on April 27, 2011. Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]] of Maricopa County in Arizona conducted an investigation of Obama's eligibility and questioned whether the alleged "birth certificate" was a fake; however, no charges were filed. [[Obama]] was reportedly assigned a social security number whose first three digits was assigned at that time to applications coming from zip codes in Connecticut.<ref>Beginning in 1972, all [[Social Security]] numbers were issued from a central office in Baltimore, Maryland. [http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html "The SSN numbering scheme"] (March 2001 or bef.) Social Security: Official Social Security website/History/Social Security Numbers.</ref>

As an interesting side note, the Hawaii official (Loretta Fuddy, State Health Department Director) who verified Barack Obama’s birth certificate died in a plane crash.<ref>[http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20131211_Small_aircraft_crashes_off_Kalaupapa.html?id=235500801 "State Health Director killed in plane crash, 8 others survive"] (December 11, 2013). Honolulu Star-Advertiser website/News/Breaking.</ref> Besides Fuddy, Health Department Deputy Director Keith Yamamoto was also on board. The plane's engine had failed right after take off and crashed about a half-mile off Molokai's north shore on Dec 11, 2013 at about 4:00 p.m. Interestingly enough, Health Director Loretta Fuddy was the only death of the nine people on board; she died of "cardiac arrhythmia".

Claims that Obama was born in [[Kenya]] can be traced back to sources close to Obama. In 1991, Obama's literary agent, Acton & Dystel, published a promotional booklet that stated that Obama was born in Kenya.<ref>Multiple references:
*Pollak, Joel B. (May 17, 2012). [http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/The-Vetting-Barack-Obama-Literary-Agent-1991-Born-in-Kenya-Raised-Indonesia-Hawaii "The vetting—exclusive—Obama's literary agent in 1991 booklet: 'Born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii'"]. Breitbart website/Big government. See [[Breitbart.com]].
*Newby, John (May 17, 2012). [http://www.examiner.com/article/publisher-s-1991-booklet-says-barack-obama-was-born-kenya "Publisher's 1991 booklet says Barack Obama 'was born in Kenya'"]. Examiner.com website/News/Politics/Republican.</ref> The claim that Obama was born in Kenya remained on the agent's web site until 2007.<ref>Shapiro, Ben (May 17, 2012). [http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/Obama-pamphlet-in-use-2007 "Obama's lit agency used 'born in Kenya' bio until 2007"]. Breitbart website/Big government. See [[Breitbart.com]].</ref> Internet archives confirm this information.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070403190001/http://www.dystel.com/clientlist.html "Client list"]. Dystel and Goderic Literary Management website. Retrieved from April 3, 2007 archive at Internet Archive.</ref> In addition to the information from literary agents, Michelle Obama stated in a speech that Kenya is Obama's "homeland".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLzJz2A2N1c "Michelle Obama: Kenya is Barack Obama's homeland!"] (Michelle Obama speaking at the 2008 LGBT Democratic Convention delegate luncheon hosted by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and the Human Rights Campaign: "The world as it should be", August 26, 2008) (April 7, 2010). YouTube video, 0:30, posted by Rubystars0000. See [[Human Rights Campaign]].</ref>

Barack Obama Sr. was not a [[Natural born citizen|citizen of the United States]]. At the time of Obama's birth, Kenya was a British colony, meaning that not only was Obama Sr. a British subject, but he passed that status on to his son. When Kenya gained independence, Obama and his father both ceased to be British subjects and became Kenyan citizens. Barack Obama was a dual citizen of the United States and Kenya until his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired in 1984, as he had failed to renounce US nationality and swear loyalty to Kenya. Even if he had been born with US citizenship through his mother, it has been argued that as he was born with dual nationality, he is not a natural-born citizen of the United States and thus constitutionally ineligible to become President. Despite this, when courts considered such arguments, they found that Obama is a natural-born citizen.<ref>See [http://www.scribd.com/doc/88910250/Purpura-Moran-Initial-Decision-of-ALJ-Masin Initial Decision by Jeff S. Masin] in ''Purpura and Moran v. Obama'' at 7 ("Thus, accepting for the point of this issue that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii, he is a “natural born Citizen” regardless of the status of his father."), Tisdale v. Obama (E.D.Va 2012) Order at 2 ("It is well settled that those born in the United States are considered natural born citizens." (citing ''United States v. Wong Kim Ark'', 169 U.S. 649)), ''aff'd per curiam'' by 4th Cir., ''Ankeny v. Governor of the State of Indiana'', 916 N.E.2d 678, 685 (Ind. Ct. App. 2009) ("With regard to President Barack Obama, the Plaintiffs posit that because his father was a citizen of the United Kingdom, President Obama is constitutionally ineligible to assume the Office of the President....we hold that the Plaintiffs' arguments fail to state a claim upon which relief can be granted")</ref>

===Early life===
Obama's birth parents divorced in 1963 when his mother discovered Barack Obama Sr. was already married to a woman living in Kenya.<ref>Birrell, Ian (August 12, 2011). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2024819/Barack-Obamas-father-Bigamist-drunk-wife-beater.html "Barack Obama's father: Bigamist, drunk and wife-beater, [review of] ''The Other Barack'' by Sally H. Jacobs (Pubic Affairs £20)"]. MailOnline/U.K./Books [U.K.] This is one of the first misleading statements about Barack Obama when he was introduced to America as Keynote Speaker at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Advance publicity billed him as the "son of Kenyan economist" when infact Obama Sr. was forced out of the graduate program at Harvard because of his bigamy. He returned to Kenya. Obama at the age 9 once briefly met his father who served in the corrupt Kenyan socialist regime's Department of [[Economic Planning]]. Obama Sr. killed himself in a drunken car accident.</ref> When Obama was 2 years old his mother married Lolo Soetoro, an [[Indonesian]] geologist. At age 6 his mother and adoptive father took him to Jakarta, Indonesia for 4 years while his mother pursued a Ph.D. in Anthropology requiring fieldwork there.<ref name="db mother">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-03/a-singular-woman-by-janny-scott-review-by-stacy-schiff/#|publisher=The Daily Beast website|date=May 3, 2011|title="Dreams of his mother": Review of ''A Singular Woman'' by Janny Scott|author=Stacy Schiff}} See [[The Daily Beast]].</ref> His mother then abandoned him in Hawaii with his grandparents (Stanley and Madelyn Dunham, who had moved to Hawaii in 1959) <ref name=revealed>Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See CNN</ref> so she could return to Indonesia after her divorce. Obama's grandfather arranged for his friend, the noted Communist writer [[Frank Marshall Davis]], to serve as a mentor and role model for an impressionable African-American youth.

Other siblings of Obama's include his half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and 7 other children born to his father by 4 different women.<ref name=raisingobama>Purdum, Todd (March 2008). [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/03/obama200803 "Raising Obama"]. ''Vanity Fair''.</ref> For much of his early life, prior to his transfer to [[Columbia University]], he went by his nickname, "Barry." In the summer of 1988, before attending [[Harvard Law School]] (he'd just been accepted), he visited Kogelo, Kenya, to learn more about his father's family. When his mother died in 1995, he and his sister Maya scattered her ashes over Hawaii's south shore.<ref name=revealed />

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

===Education===
At age 6, Obama attended schools in Indonesia, the first a Catholic School while he was in Kindergarten, and later a public school. The school had mostly Muslim students (since most Indonesians are Muslim). In ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams from My Father]]'', Obama writes, "In the Muslim school, the teacher wrote to my mother that I had made faces during [[Koran]]ic studies."<ref>Obama, Barack (1995). ''Dreams from My Father'' (New York: Times Books), p. 14. Quoted at [http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Dreams_From_My_Father_Principles_+_Values.htm "Dreams from my father: On principles & values"]. OnTheIssues website. See [[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|''Dreams from my Father'']]</ref> ''Insight'' magazine first reported [[Hillary Clinton]]'s organization had "questions about Obama’s Muslim background: ''Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a [[Madrassa]] as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?"''<ref>Schlussel, Debbie (January 19, 2007). [http://www.debbieschlussel.com/2899/hillary-clinton-agrees-with-schlussel-obama-suspicious-deceptive-on-muslim-background/ "Hillary Clinton agrees with Schlussel: Obama suspicious, deceptive on Muslim background"]. Debbie Schlussel website. See [[Debbie Schlussel]].</ref>

In 1971, at age 10, Barack Obama moved to Hawaii, and his grandparents helped him gain entrance to the prestigious Punahou Academy in Honolulu where he began substance abuse and illegal drugs.<ref>Johnson, Luke (May 25, 2012). [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/25/obama-pot-smoking-details_n_1545904.html "Obama pot-smoking details revealed in David Maraniss book"]. The Huffington Post website. See [[Huffington Post]].</ref> He was accepted through a scholarship for disadvantaged minorities while he was in 5th grade.<ref name=revealed /> At this elite high school with 1,200 students he was just 1 of 3 black students. Obama failed to make the starting lineup of the school's state champion basketball team his senior year. He wrote a poem for the school's literary magazine, ''Ka Wai Ola''.<ref name=raisingobama />

In 1979, he began a 2-year stint at Occidental College college in Los Angeles,<ref name=msnbc /> and then transferred to Columbia University in New York, which he graduated from in 1983.<ref name=pragmatic>Scott, Janny (July 30, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref> During this time he published an anti-military tirade embracing Soviet General Secretary [[Leonid Brezhnev]]'s <ref>Obama supported [[Communist Party of the Soviet Union]] General Secretary Brezhnev's foreign policy over both Presidents [[Jimmy Carter]] and Ronald Reagan's decision to deploy the MX Missile in Europe.
* See Pond, Elizabeth (November 24, 1981). [http://www.csmonitor.com/1981/1124/112439.html "Brezhnev offers Schmidt moratorium on nuclear missiles"]. ''Christian Science Monitor''. See also ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]''.
* See also Obama, Barack (March 10, 1983). [http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/images/nytint/docs/obama-s-1983-college-magazine-article/original.pdf "Breaking the war mentality"]. Columbia [University] ''Sundial''. Retrieved from archive at ''The New York Times'' website. See also ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> proposal for a nuclear freeze in the campus newspaper and allegedly spoke at an Anti-Apartheid rally,<ref name=revealed /> although several prominent student leaders said they did not remember him there. Professor Michael L. Baron was impressed by Obama and wrote him a recommendation for Harvard Law School.<ref name=differs>Scott, Janny. (October 30, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "Obama's account of New York years often differs from what others say"]. ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> From 1983 to 1988, Obama took time off from his education to work as a financial analyst and later a community organizer in Chicago. In the winter of 1988 Barack Obama decided to attend Harvard Law School, and left Chicago for Cambridge, Massachusetts. In his 2nd year a power struggle broke out among the dominant white liberals over control of the ''[[Harvard]] Law Review''. Obama was elected its first black president as a compromise candidate largely with help of conservatives following a "marathon voting session" in which he finally won on the 19th ballot.<ref name=raisingobama /> This led to national attention and numerous job offers, which Obama passed up, at age 30, to pursue his political career in Chicago.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008). MSNBC. Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries. See MSNBC.
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See [[CNN]]</ref>

===Personal life===
[[Image:Michelle Obama.jpg|frame|right|Michelle (Robinson) Obama, Barack Obama's life partner.]]
Barack Obama met his spouse Michelle Robinson, while he was an intern and she was on staff at Sidley Austin LLP, a very large corporate law firm.<ref name=msnbc /> Despite company policy prohibiting relations between staff and interns, the two became involved. The two continued a long-distance relationship while he finished law school, and on October 18, 1992,<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/obama-anniversary-20-years-married_n_1935840.html "Obama anniversary: Barack & Michelle celebrate 20 years of marriage (photos)"] (October 3, 2012). Huffington Post website. Huffington Post says it was October 3, 1992. See [[Huffington Post]].</ref> were married by Reverend [[Jeremiah Wright]] at Trinity United Church,<ref>http://hillbuzz.org/time-to-tell-everyone-you-know-about-jeremiah-wrights-down-low-club-barackobama-presobama-26407</ref> a church which has supported gay marriage since the 1970s.<ref name=revealed /> Michelle has not practiced law since 1994 when she failed to renew her law license, allegedly to start a family. Malia, the couple's oldest daughter, was born in 1999, and Natasha (often called Sasha) in 2001.<ref name=msnbc />

===Early employment===
====1983-1984, financial analyst and writer====
In 1984 Obama worked as a writer and financial analyst for Business International Corporation to help pay off some of his student loans. Business International Corporation was a small newsletter-publishing and research firm which aided multinational companies in understanding overseas markets. Obama served as a writer/researcher for a company reference service, Financing Foreign Operations, and wrote for their newsletter, ''Business International Money Report''. His supervisor was Cathy Lazere.<ref>Multiple references:
*Scott, Janny (October 30, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "Obama's account of New York years often differs from what others say"]. ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.
*Henig, Jess (June 21, 2008). [http://www.factcheck.org/2008/06/obama-polishes-his-resume-2/ "Obama polishes his resume"]. FactCheck.org website.
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20091003011550/http://www.analyzethis.net/2005/07/09/barack-obama-embellishes-his-resume/ "Barack Obama embellishes his resume"] (July 9, 2005). Analyze This website. Retrieved from October 3, 2009 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>

====1984-1988, community organizer====
In 1984, Obama was hired by the New York Public Interest Research Group, a non-profit organization promoting environmental, consumer, and government reforms. He also was paid just under $10,000 annually as a full-time organizer for Harlem's City College to mobilize student volunteers.<ref name=differs />

From 1985-88, Obama worked as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago <ref>The Developing Communities Project (DCP) of the Calumet Community Religious Conference (CCRC)</ref> funded with a $25,000 grant by [[Bill Ayers]]' Woods Fund. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported he was paid $1,000 a year, with $2,000 extra for a car<ref>Multiple references:
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts. See [[CNN]].
*Scott, Janny (September 9, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all "In 2000, a streetwise veteran schooled a bold young Obama]." ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> however stories vary wildly. Jerry Kellman, who hired him, says it was "$10,000 a year and a $2,000 car allowance". Obama himself gave different numbers; his memoir says $10,000 (as well as the car), in his Wesleyan speech he gave it as "$12,000 a year plus $2,000 for an old, beat-up car", and when he announced his candidacy for president, it was "a group of churches had offered me a job as a community organizer for $13,000 a year".

Ryan Lizza at ''[[The New Republic]]'' reported that "Jean Rudd of the Woods Fund...had provided Kellman with his original $25,000 to hire Obama". Ari Berman reported in ''[[The Nation]]'' that the "[Woods Fund] gave a $25,000 grant to the Developing Communities Project, which hired Obama". CBS Channel 2 in Chicago ran a story with a document showing that Obama's proposed salary in 1987 was $25,000, a number that the Obama campaign confirmed while insisting at the same time his original salary was $13,000.<ref>Beckwith (April 23, 2008 or bef.). [http://theobamafile.com/obamaworks.htm "Community organizing"]. The Obama File website/Politics.</ref>

During this time Obama joined Reverend Wright's Trinity United Church because in the words of Suzanne Malveaux of ''[[CNN]]'', "It was the church to join if you wanted to be one of Chicago's black movers and shakers." At the time, community organizing involved close affiliation with churches, which was how Obama met Wright. Obama abandoned the fight against asbestos contamination in the Altgeld Gardens housing project to pursue personal interests and a career by enrollment at Harvard Law School in the winter of 1988.<ref name=revealed />

====1988-1996, law practice====
In 1988 Obama gained work as a Summer Associate at one of the most prestigious corporate law firms in the world, Sidley Austin LLP,<ref>Multiple references:
*Lattman, Peter (May 11, 2007). [http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/11/sidley-austin-when-barack-met-michelle/ "When Barack met Michelle"]. Wall Street Journal website/Business/Law Blog/Lawyers and Law Firms. See ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''.
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html Transcript of "Barack Obama Revealed"]. CNN website/Transcripts.</ref> whose partners included [[Newton Minow]], thanks to the recommendation of Minow's daughter Martha, a professor at Harvard Law School. It was at the Sidley Austin firm that Obama would meet Michelle Robinson, his future wife.<ref name=raisingobama /> From 1993-96 he practiced civil rights law including suing Citibank to force them into making [[Subprime loan|subprime mortgage]]s to minority borrowers.<ref>Schweizer, Peter (October 5, 2009). [http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/03/community-reinvestment-act-mortgages-housing-opinions-contributors-peter-schweizer.html "A poisonous cocktail: Expanding the Community Reinvestment Act"]. ''Forbes'' website. See [[Forbes]]. In ''Selma S. Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank'', lead attorney Obama alleged that although his clients had been denied mortgages "because of delinquent credit obligations and adverse credit," they were really victims of institutional racism. The suit was brought about by the Community Reinvestment Act, so called affirmative action mortgage lending. The plaintiffs won $60,000, and the court awarded Sidley Austin $950,000 for the work of Obama and two other attorneys.</ref> After graduating from Harvard he was hired by Miner, Barnhill, & Galland, a small politically-connected law firm.<ref>Lattman, Peter (May 11, 2007). [http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/11/sidley-austin-when-barack-met-michelle/ "When Barack met Michelle"]. Wall Street Journal website/Business/Law Blog/Lawyers and Law Firms. See ''[[Wall Street Journal]]''.</ref> It was at Miner, Barnhill, & Galland that he would meet influential real estate developer [[Tony Rezko]].<ref name=revealed />

====1991-1992, Project Vote====
In 1991 Obama was recruited by Sandy Newman to head the Chicago chapter of Project Vote!,<ref name=revealed /> and in 1992 was the Executive Director, overseeing a voter registration drive which registered 125,000 black voters and was credited with defeating popular incumbent Democrat Senator Alan Dixon in the primary and electing [[Carol Moseley-Braun]] as a reprisal for Dixon's support for Supreme Court Justice [[Clarence Thomas]].<ref name=PurdumandScott>Multiple references:
*Purdum, Todd (March 2008). [http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/03/obama200803 "Raising Obama"]. ''Vanity Fair''.
*Scott, Janny (July 30, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html?pagewanted=all "In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd"]. ''The New York Times'' website. See ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref>

====1995, Nation of Islam====
According to the ''Encyclopedia Britannica'', prior to the information being scrubbed from its website in mid-April 2008 during the Democratic Presidential Primaries, Obama was one of three prominent organizers of black supremacist group the [[Nation of Islam]]'s [[Million Man March]] on Washington, D.C.<ref>Hoft, Jim (April 2, 2008). [http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2008/04/wright-obama-helped-organize-march-with-louis-farrakhan/ "Wright & Obama helped organize march with Louis Farrakhan"]. Gateway Pundit website. See [[Gateway Pundit]]</ref>

====1992-2004, lecturer at University of Chicago====
Obama taught part-time at the [[University of Chicago]] Law School<ref name=raisingobama /> from 1992-2004. Though Obama erroneously describes himself as a "constitutional law professor",<ref>Whiteman, Timothy (April 5, 2013). [http://www.examiner.com/article/obama-complains-of-being-constrained-by-a-system-founding-father-put-place "Obama complains of being 'constrained by a system' Founding Fathers put in place"]. Examiner.com/News/Politics/Republican.</ref> he was actually only a senior lecturer and the class he taught the most times was called "Current Issues in Racism and the Law".<ref>Holt, Mytheos (September 20, 2012). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2012/09/20/obamas-favorite-course-to-teach-at-the-university-of-chicago-revealed/ "Obama’s favorite course to teach at the University of Chicago revealed"]. The Blaze/Stories/Media. See [[The Blaze]].</ref> He was a Lecturer from 1992–96, teaching 3 courses per year<cite>, and a senior lecturer from 1996-2004. After Obama was criticized for lying about his job title, the University of Chicago released a statement stating that senior lecturers are considered Law School faculty and regarded as professors but not full-time or tenured. Obama was invited to join the faculty in a full-time, tenured track position several times during this period but declined each time.<ref>[http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media "Media inquiries: Statement regarding Barack Obama"] (March 2008 or bef.). University of Chicago Law School website. See [[University of Chicago]]</ref>

====1995, author====
In 1995 Obama published ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams From My Father]]'' about his life and family background.<ref name=msnbc />

===Personal awards===
====2009 Nobel Peace Prize====
On October 9, 2009 Barack H. Obama became the third sitting U.S. President<ref name=wilsons>Wilson, Scott (October 10, 2009). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/09/AR2009100900914.html "President Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize"]. ''Washington Post'' website. See [[Washington Post]].</ref> to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "''for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples''".<ref>[http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2009/press.html "The Nobel Prize for 2009: Press release"] (October 9, 2009). Nobel Prize website [Oslo, Norway]/Nobel Prizes/Peace/Laureates/2009. Accessed May 13, 2012.</ref> Obama stated that he was "surprised and deeply humbled" to receive the unexpected award,<ref>CNN (October 9, 2009). [http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/10/09/nobel.peace.prize/index.html?eref=ib_us "Obama: Nobel Peace Prize is 'Call to Action'"]. CNN website/World/Europe.</ref> and also said, "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize—men and women who have inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace".<ref name=wilsons /> The award was widely criticized given Obama's then lack of accomplishments.<ref>Multiple references:
*Chazan, Guy and MacDonald, Alistair (October 11, 2009) [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125509603349176083.html "Nobel Committee's decision courts controversy"]. ''The Wall Street Journal'' website/World.
*Associated Press (October 9, 2009). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/09/obamas-peace-prize-draws-criticism-liberals/ "Obama's Peace Prize draws criticism, even from some liberals"]. Fox News website/Politics. See [[Associated Press]].</ref>

==1996-2003, Illinois State Senate==
===1996 election===
{{main article|Radical roots of Barack Hussein Obama}}
In 1995 a cadre of like minded individuals gathered for a fundraising event in the early career of Barack Obama hosted by [[Weather Underground]] (WUO) [[terrorist]] [[William Ayers|William "Bill" Ayers]]. Besides Obama, those in attendance were Ayers wife [[Bernardine Dohrn]],<ref>Geyer, Georgie Anne and Beech, Keyes (October 1970). "Cuba: School for U.S. Radicals [five part series]". ''Chicago Daily News''/''Chicago Sun-Times''. Excerpted in
[http://vault.fbi.gov/Weather%20Underground%20(Weathermen) ''Foreign Influence: Weather Underground Organization (WUO)''] (August 20, 1976), pp. 113-115. FBI. Retrieved from "Weather Underground (Weathermen)" webpage PDF rendering, part 3 of 6, pp. 5-7 at FBI website/FBI Records: The Vault. Located by The Real Barack Obama blog. See ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''.</ref> and Carl Davidson, veterans of [[guerrilla warfare]] training in [[Cuba]] just prior to the 1968 Democrat National Convention riots. Ayers and Dohrn have taken credit for, and never denied, bombing the [[U.S. Capitol]], the [[Pentagon]] and the [[State Department]].

Ayers and Dohrn used their celebrity status among [[leftist]]s to launch Obama's career. Ayers, Dohrn and [[Jeff Jones]]<ref>Klein, Aaron (August 13, 2009). [http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=106653 "Obama's 'green jobs czar' worked with terror founder"]. WorldNetDaily website. "[[Van Jones]]...served on board of..." "activist group where ex-Weatherman serves as top director"'. See [[WorldNetDaily]].</ref> are authors of ''[[Bill Ayers#Prairie Fire Organizing Committee and Maoist thought|Prairie Fire: The Politics of Revolutionary Anti-imperialism]]'', the title taken from [[Quotations from Chairman Mao|''The Sayings of Mao Zedong'']].<ref>[http://archive.org/details/QuotationsFromChairmanMaoTse-tung/ ''Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung''] (1966), 2nd ed. Retrieved from Internet Archive.</ref> The book declares "we are [[communist]] men and women."<ref>Klehr, Harvey (1988). ''Far Left of Center: The American Radical Left Today'' (New Brunswick: Transaction Books), p. 109.</ref> Ayers later jokingly, publicly admitted to ghostwriting Obama's book, ''[[Dreams From My Father (autobiography)|Dreams From My Father]]''<ref>Cashill, Jack (March 28, 2011). [http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/03/ayers_affirms_he_wrote_dreams.html "Ayers affirms he wrote ''Dreams from my Father''"]. American Thinker website/Blog. See [[American Thinker]].</ref> and Obama was to appoint several openly avowed Maoists to prominent White House and Executive Branch positions.<ref>Fund, John (October 21, 2009). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704597704574487431322664964.html "From Mao to Obama"]. ''Wall Street Journal'' website.</ref>

====A Charter of Negative Liberties====
In a 2001 interview on WBEZ FM Chicago Public Radio, Senator Obama said some critically disparaging things about the [[United States Constitution]]. He said:

<blockquote>If you look at the victories and failures of the civil rights movement and its litigation strategy in the court, I think where it succeeded was to vest formal rights in previously dispossessed peoples. So that I would now have the right to vote, I would now be able to sit at the lunch counter and order and as long as I could pay for it I’d be okay. 
But the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth and sort of more basic issues of political and economic justice in this society. And to that extent as radical as people tried to characterize the Warren court, it wasn’t that radical. It didn’t break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the founding fathers in the Constitution, at least as it’s been interpreted, and the Warren court interpreted it in the same way that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can’t do to you, it says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn’t shifted. One of the I think tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributed change and in some ways we still suffer from that.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2008/11/03/barack-obamas-poor-understanding-of-the-constitution Barack Obama's Poor Understanding of the Constitution]</ref><ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jr9mLB3yKs Obama Constitution Negative Liberties.flv]</ref><ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2008/10/79225/ Obama rips U.S. Constitution]</ref></blockquote>

====Backstabbing fellow Democrats====
Barack Obama ran for the Illinois state senate in 1996. He was initially supported by incumbent [[Alice Palmer]], who declared she would run for the U.S. Congress. However, when her bid for Congress failed on November 28, 1995, she tried to run for her old seat in the March 1996 election. Her supporters asked Obama to step aside, although whether this was with her permission remains uncertain.<ref name=pragmatic /> Not only did Obama not step down, he gathered a team of high-priced lawyers, including fellow Harvard Law School graduate Thomas Johnson, to challenge his opponent's petition signatures on technicalities after the filing deadline had passed. Such tactics are legal and frequently used in Chicago; in 2006 they eliminated 67 of the 245 aldermanic candidates;<ref name=bareknuckle>Jackson, David and Long, Ray (April 4, 2007). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2007-04-04/news/0704030881_1_petitions-voter-rights-candidates "Barack Obama: Showing his bare knuckles"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.</ref> yet nevertheless led to the term "hardball" by ''The New York Times''<ref name=pragmatic /> and "cutthroat" by David Mendel as reported by both CNN<ref name=revealed /> and MSNBC.<ref name=msnbc /> The ''Chicago Tribune'' declared Obama had mastered "the bare-knuckle arts of Chicago electoral politics", noting "The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it."<ref name=bareknuckle /> As one of Obama's four opponents, eliminated through his ballot challenges, would put it: {{cquote|"Why say you're for a new tomorrow, then do old-style Chicago politics to remove legitimate candidates? He talks about honor and democracy, but what honor is there in getting rid of every other candidate so you can run scot-free? Why not let the people decide?"
—Gha-is Askia, 1996 Illinois Senate candidate<ref>Jackson, David & Long, Ray (April 3, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20130123154440/http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/obama/chi-070403obama-ballot-archive,0,5297304,full.story "Obama knows his way around a ballot"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. Retrieved from January 23, 2013 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>}} Mark Ewell, another candidate, filed 1,286 signatures, and Obama's challenges left him 86 short of the minimum requirement (757).<ref name=spivak>Spivak, Todd (February 28, 2008). [http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/ "Barack Obama and me"]. ''Houston Press'' website.</ref> Ewell filed a federal lawsuit contesting the election board's decision but Tom Johnson intervened, and Ewell's case was dismissed just a few days later. Ewell and other Obama opponents were using early 1995 polling sheets to verify signatures of registered voters, but city authorities had just purged 15,871 unqualified people from the 13th district list, and Obama's challenges used the more recent, updated list. Askia was left 69 signatures short of the requirement. If names were printed instead of signed in cursive, they were declared invalid. If they were good but the person registering the signatures wasn't a registered voter (e.g. underage) they were invalid.<ref name=hardball>Griffin, Drew & Johnston, Kathleen (May 29, 2008). [http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/29/obamas.first.campaign/ "Obama played hardball in first Chicago campaign"]. CNN website. Article text begins: "When the Democratic National Committee meets Saturday on the thorny issue of seating the Florida and Michigan delegations..."</ref> Palmer had according to Obama campaign consult Ronald Davis, used two children to help gather her petition signatures. To this day Palmer denies the challenges were valid, and maintains she could have overcome the objections with more time and resources.<ref name=bareknuckle /> Thanks to his lawyers, Obama would win the election without a single other candidate on the ballot.

===2000 election===
: ''Main Article: [[Illinois 1st congressional district election, 2000]]''
In 2000, Obama lost his only political election when he chose to run against experienced incumbent and former [[Black Panther]] Bobby L. Rush for the U.S. Congress in a 65% black district. Rush's name recognition began at 90%, Obama's at 11%. Michelle Obama opposed taking on an such an iconic figure dear to the community and threatened divorce.<ref>Bates, Daniel (May 16, 2012). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2145035/Michelle-Obama-prepared-divorce-papers-separate-Barack-leaving-suicidal.html "New book claims Michelle Obama prepared divorce papers to separate from Barack—leaving him so depressed friends feared he'd kill himself"]. ''Daily Mail'' website. See ''[[Daily Mail]]''.</ref> Establishment Democrats considered Obama "a white man in blackface".<ref>Gilmore, Jim (reporter, producer). (October 9, 2012). [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/government-elections-politics/choice-2012/transcript-29/ "Transcript of 'Barack Obama' in Kirk, Michael and Wiser, Mike (producers) '''Frontline'': The Choice 2012'"]. PBS website/WGBH/Frontline/film/The Choice 2012.</ref> Rush said of Obama, "He went to Harvard and became an educated fool," adding, "We’re not impressed with these folks with these eastern elite degrees."<ref>Ballasy, Nicholas (March 28, 2012). [http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/28/bobby-rush-in-2000-obamas-a-harvard-educated-fool-who-thinks-he-knows-all-about-the-civil-rights-protests/ "Bobby Rush in 2000: Obama a Harvard ‘educated fool’ who ‘thinks he knows all about’ the ‘civil rights protests’"]. Daily Caller website. See [[Daily Caller]].</ref> Todd Spivak would give voice to this impression of Obama, noting that
{{cquote|"My view of Obama then wasn't all that different from the image he projects now....One thing I can say is, I never heard him launch into the preacher-man voice he now employs during speeches. He sounded vanilla, and activists in his mostly black district often chided him for it."<ref name=spivak />}}
Rush would go on to win the Primary with 61.02% of the vote; Obama received 30.36%.<ref>Scott, Janny (September 9, 2007). [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/09/us/politics/09obama.html?pagewanted=all "In 2000, a streetwise veteran schooled a bold young Obama]." ''The New York Times''. See ''[[The New York Times]]''.</ref> The loss led to Obama considering dropping out of politics altogether, particularly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, since his name sounds similar to "Osama bin Laden".<ref name=msnbc />

===State Senate voting record===
Obama entered the Illinois Senate promising change to a corrupt system. He mixed often radical votes with more pragmatic agreements. Possibly one of his most radical votes was against requiring medical care for aborted children who survive [[abortion|the procedure]] - in fact the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council ascribed him a 100% rating for his consistently pro-choice votes.<ref name="cbs illinois">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/17/politics/main2369157.shtml|title=Obama record may be gold mine for critics|publisher=CBS News website|last=Clark|first=Amy|date=January 17, 2007}} See [[CBS News]].</ref> He was criticized for using the statehouse as a stepping stone for a more illustrious career: Steven J. Rauschenberger, a [[Republican]], said prior to Obama's election as president: “He is a very bright but very ambitious person who has always had his eyes on the prize, and it wasn’t Springfield. If he deserves to be president, it is not because he was a great legislator.”<ref name="nyt illinois">{{cite web|publisher=''The New York Times'' website|title=In Illinois, Obama proved pragmatic and shrewd|last=Scott|first=Janny|date=July 30, 2007|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html}}.</ref>

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

Obama established himself as a chief spokesperson in opposition to the [[War on Terror]] during an October 2002 rally at Federal Plaza in Chicago<ref>The rally was organized by Chicagoans Against War in Iraq (CAWI) later renamed Chicagoans Against War and Injustice. See Davidson, Carl (November 2, 2006). [http://web.archive.org/web/20100811115415/http://www.noiraqwar-chicago.org/?page_id=2 "About CAWI"]. Chicagoans Against War and Injustice website. Retrieved from August 11, 2010 archive at Internet Archive.</ref> [[community organizing|organized]] by veteran [[Mao]]ist and webmaster of [[Progressives for Obama]],<ref>[http://www.linkedin.com/in/carldavidson Carl Davidson] (2010 or bef.) LinkedIn [Profile page/Experience/Webmaster]. Retrieved March 13, 2010 and February 13, 2016.</ref> [[Carl Davidson]].

===2003 Emil Jones deal===
: ''Main Article: [[2003 Barack Obama deal with Emil Jones]]''
When Illinois' U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald announced he would be retiring in April 2003, Obama jumped at the opportunity, declaring that he would be a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2004.<ref name=msnbc /> To boost his chances Obama approached the newly crowned president of the Illinois Senate, Emil Jones Jr., with a proposal. According to Jones, whom Obama has since called his "godfather"<ref name=godfather>Associated Press (March 31, 2008). [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obamas-political-godfather-in-illinois/ "Obama's political 'godfather' in Illinois"]. CBS News website. See [[Associated Press]], CBS News.</ref> the conversation went as follows:
{{cquote|"After I was elected president, in 2003, he came to see me, a couple months later. And he said to me, he said, ‘You’re the senate president now, and with that, you have a lot of pow-er.’ And I told Barack, ‘You think I got a lot of pow-er now?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah, you got a lot of pow-er.’ And I said, ‘What kind of pow-er do I have?’ He said, ‘You have the pow-er to make a United States sen-a-tor!’ I said to Barack, I said, ‘That sounds good!’ I said, ‘I haven’t even thought of that.’ I said, ‘Do you have someone in mind you think I could make?,’ and he said, ‘Yeah. Me.’"<ref name=PurdumandScott/>}}
Because of the deal, Obama's entire Illinois Senate legislative record was, as longtime Obama reporter Todd Spivak put it, built in a single year. During his 7th and final year in the Illinois Senate, Obama sponsored an incredible 26 bills into law, including many he now points to when criticized as inexperienced<ref name=spivak />—as CNN's Suzanne Malveaux observed, "With help from on high, Obama got his name on hundreds of bills that he pushed through."<ref name=revealed /> Jones not only had Obama craft legislation addressing daily tragedies to raise his political profile,<ref name=godfather /> he also appointed Obama head of almost all high-profile legislation in the Illinois Senate, angering other state legislators with more seniority who'd spent years supporting the bills.<ref name=spivak /> Illinois State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of the famous racial profiling bill requiring videotaped confessions in police interrogations, complained bitterly about Jones' decision.<ref>Multiple references:
*Malveaux, Suzanne (August 20, 2008). [http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0808/20/se.02.html "Transcript of 'Barack Obama Revealed'"]. CNN website/Transcripts.
*Spivak, Todd (March 25, 2004). [http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-922-in-the-black.html "In the black"]. ''Illinois Times''.</ref> Jones' influence had a major impact on Obama's chances in the 2004 elections, preventing major political players from backing Obama's opponents. To quote Emil Jones,{{cquote|"He knew if he had me in the run for the Senate, it would put a block on the current mayor. The current mayor and the father of the controller, which was Dan Hynes, they were roommates in Springfield when the mayor was a state senator, so they had a relationship. Another big financial backer for the governor was Blair Hull. Barack knew if he had me it would checkmate the governor, ’cause the governor couldn’t come out and go with Blair Hull, ’cause the governor needs me. Same with the mayor. So he had analyzed and figured all of that out. He knew I could help him with labor support. And I could put a checkmate on some of the local politicians that didn’t know him, but they couldn’t really go against me."
—Emil Jones<ref name=raisingobama />}}

==2004-2008, U.S. Senate==
:''See also: [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama#U.S. Senate .282004-2008.29|Barack Obama:U.S. Senate (2004-2008)]], [[United States Senate election in Illinois, 2004]]''
[[Image:obama.jpg|thumb|left|Senator Barack Obama]]

===2004 Primary election===
Despite initially trailing in the polls to frontrunner [[Blair Hull]],<ref>Spivak, Todd (March 25, 2004). [http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-922-in-the-black.html "In the black"]. ''Illinois Times''.</ref> Obama greatly benefited from what the ''Chicago Tribune'' called "the most inglorious campaign implosion in Illinois political history"<ref name=mendell>Mendell, David (March 17, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-03-17/news/0403170332_1_blair-hull-gery-chico-blacks-and-liberal-whites "Obama routs Democratic foes"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.</ref> when pressure from journalists and opposing candidates, just weeks before the election, forced the unsealing of Hull's messy divorce files.<ref name=blairhull>Voegeli, William (March 19, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20070826095930/http://www.claremont.org/publications/pubid.339/pub_detail.asp "The rise and fall of Blair Hull"]. The Claremont Institute website. Retrieved from August 26, 2007 archive at Internet Archive. See [[Claremont Institute]].</ref> The files revealed Hull's ex-wife's accusations of verbal and physical abuse.<ref name=spivak /> Hull would afterwards criticize the media, stating, "As for the press, I will never read the newspaper the same way again."<ref name=mendell /> Obama would go on to win the Primary with 53% of the vote.<ref name=blairhull /> Obama's unexpected victory led to him being termed a "rising star" by the media.<ref>Howlett, Debbie (March 18, 2004). [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-03-18-obama-usat_x.htm Dems "See a rising star in Illinois Senate Candidate"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/Nation/Campaign 2004. See ''[[USA Today]]''.</ref>

===2004 General election, Jack Ryan===
Once again Obama found himself trailing to popular front runner [[Jack Ryan]], and once again a candidate's campaign imploded thanks to media intervention. In an unprecedented move, the ''Chicago Tribune'' and local TV station WLS sued to force the unsealing of Ryan's divorce files, despite opposition from both Ryan and his wife, Jeri Ryan, who in the files accused Jack Ryan of trying to coerce her to perform sex acts in public. Though Ryan advisors told him he could still win if using a negative attack on Obama, Ryan refused to engage in what he considered dirty politics.<ref name=abandon>Associated Press (June 26, 2004). [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/state/2004-06-25-ryan_x.htm "Jack Ryan abandons Senate bid"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/State/Campaign 2004. See [[Associated Press]].</ref> Ryan then dropped out of the race (per request by the Illinois GOP<ref name=idealist>Sangwan, Rahul (October 1, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20060924232703/http://www.dartmouthindependent.com/archives/2004/10/jack_ryan_81_th.html "Jack Ryan '81: The conservative idealist"]. ''Dartmouth Independent'' website. Retrieved from September 24, 2006 archive at Internet Archive.</ref>), following which the Illinois GOP scrambled to find a replacement, leaving Obama uncontested for weeks to campaign and build up public support. On top of all this, Obama was selected to give the keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention (July 27<ref>Obama, Barack (June 26, 2004). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19751-2004Jul27.html "Transcript: Illinois Senate candidate Barack Obama [Keynote address at 2004 Democratic National Convention]"]. Transcribed by FDCH E-Media. ''Washington Post'' website. See ''[[Washington Post]]''.</ref>), catapulting him into the national spotlight, and leading to further media publicity terming him a "rising star".<ref>Page, Susan and Despeignes, Peronet (July 28, 2004). [http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-07-28-obama-speech_x.htm "Rising star brings Democrats to their feet"]. ''USA Today'' website/News/Politics-Elections/Nation/President/Campaign 2004. See ''[[USA Today]]''.</ref>

===2004 General election, Alan Keyes===
: ''Main Article: [[Obama born alive controversy]]''
After a number of candidates including former [[Chicago Bears]] coach Mike Ditka declined to run,<ref>CNN (August 9, 2004). [http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/08/senate.illinois.keyes/ "Keyes challenges Obama for Illinois Senate seat"]. CNN website/Politics/America Votes 2004. See [[CNN]].</ref> the Illinois GOP finally settled on fiery [[Alan Keyes]], a former Ambassador to the Economic and Social Counsel of the United Nations,<ref name=spivak /> with less than 3 months left before the November 2004 election.<ref name=msnbc /> His sudden entrance into the state for the election was initially attacked in the press as "carpetbagging".<ref>Multiple references:
*"[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-08-06/news/0408060313_1_mr-keyes-judy-baar-topinka-alan-keyes "The GOP's rent-a-senator"] (August 6, 2004). ''Chicago Tribune'' website. See ''[[Chicago Tribune]]''.
*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50885-2004Aug8.html "Mr. Keyes the carpetbagger"] (August 9, 2004). ''Washington Post'', p. A14. Retrieved from ''Washington Post'' website. See ''[[Washington Post]]''.
*Pearson, Rick (September 5, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-09-05/news/0409050304_1_selfish-hedonist-alan-keyes-illinois-republican-party "Keyes, state GOP gearing up blame campaign"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.</ref> Keyes repeatedly claimed his primary motivation for entering a race he had seemingly no chance of winning was his disgust at Obama's votes on the popular [[Born Alive]] bills.<ref>Keyes, Alan (August 18, 2004). [http://www.mail-archive.com/newsandviews@chuckmuth.com/msg00699.html "How YOU can help Alan Keyes for Senate!"] Message from Keyes2004 Inc. to multiple internet mailing lists. Retrieved from archive of newsandviews internet mailing list at The Mail Archive website.</ref> Keyes, from his first day of arriving in Illinois (August 9, 2004),<ref name=assails>Associated Press (August 9, 2004). [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5654128/ "Keyes assails Obama's abortion views"]. NBC News website/Politics.</ref> accused Obama of having voted against bills mandating medical care for newborn children, and supporting "infanticide" (the term twice used in the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act<ref>United States Congress (October 21, 2003). [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/108/s3/text/enr "S. 3 (108th): "Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003"], sec. 2, subsec. 14, paras. G and O. Govtrack.us website/Congress/Bills/108th Congress/Senate bill 3/Text.</ref>) where hospitals left newborn infants to die like garbage.<ref>Multiple references:
*Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.) [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=341 "Alan Keyes on the Tavis Smiley Show"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview by Tavis Smiley. ''Tavis Smiley Show'' (New York City: National Public Radio, August 31, 2004). See [[NPR]].
*Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.) [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=337 "Alan Keyes on CBS2 Chicago This Morning"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview with ''CBS This Morning'' show. ''CBS This Morning'' (Chicago: CBS 2, August 30, 2004).</ref> Obama in a debate on October 13, 2004, defended himself against Keyes' accusations of infanticide by claiming that Illinois law was already sufficient.<ref>[http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-10-13/news/0410140004_1_alan-keyes-senate-race-first-of-three-debates "Debate or discussion?"] (October 13, 2004). ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.</ref>

However, Keyes' rhetoric, calling Obama's votes "the slaveholder's position"<ref name=assails /> and saying "Jesus Christ would not vote for Obama"<ref>Keyes, Alan (June 2008 or bef.). [http://www.keyesarchives.com/transcript.php?id=348 "Alan Keyes on the Scott Thomas Show (AM1160 - WYLL)"]. Alan Keyes Archives website. Transcript of interview by Scott Thomas. ''Scott Thomas Show'' (Chicago: WYLL, AM 1160, September 7, 2004).</ref> was widely ridiculed by the press. Keyes' unabashed criticism of homosexuality as "selfish hedonism" was also targeted.<ref>Multiple references:
*Pearson, Rick (September 5, 2004). [http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-09-05/news/0409050304_1_selfish-hedonist-alan-keyes-illinois-republican-party "Keyes, state GOP gearing up blame campaign"]. ''Chicago Tribune'' website/News.
*Associated Press (September 2, 2004). [http://www.nbcnews.com/id/5897569/ns/politics/t/keyes-cheneys-gay-daughter-practicing-selfish-hedonism/#.VsR94_krKWg "Keyes: Cheney's gay daughter practicing selfish hedonism"]. NBC News website/Politics.
*Pallasch, Abdon M. (September 2, 2004). [http://web.archive.org/web/20040903052923/http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-keyes02.html "Keyes' gay slam roils GOP"]. ''Chicago Sun-Times'' website/News/Elections. Retrieved from September 3, 2004 archive at Internet Archive. See ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. This article misquotes [[Liz Cheney]]; previous bulleted reference in this multiple reference gives full quote verified by CNN transcript.</ref> Obama would ultimately win the election, 70% to 27%.<ref>[http://cnn.hu/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/IL/S/01/index.html "America votes 2004: Election Results, U.S. Senate/Illinois"] (November 2, 2004). CNN Hungary website/Elections.</ref>

===U.S. Senate voting record===
Obama's incomplete term in the U.S. Senate was largely not noteworthy. In voting against raising the [[debt limit]] in 2006 Obama famously said, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can’t pay its own bills. ... I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit."<ref>Multiple references:
*''Washington Post'' FACT CHECKER, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/post/annotating-obamas-2006-speech-against-boosting-the-debt-limit/2013/01/14/aa8cf8c4-5e9b-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_blog.html Annotating Obama’s 2006 speech against boosting the debt limit], Washington Post, Glenn Kessler, 01/15/2013.
*Kaplan, Rebecca (April 11, 2011). [http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/04/obama-once-opposed-debt-ceiling-hike/237129/ "Obama once opposed debt ceiling hike"]. ''The Atlantic'' website/Politics.</ref> In 2008 as candidate for president Obama called George W. Bush's request to raise the debt limit "irresponsible" and "unpatriotic".<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuTG19Cu_Q "Obama says adding $4 trillion to debt is unpatriotic [July 3, 2008]"] (August 23, 2011). YouTube video, 0:38, posted by maywhitley31.</ref>

The ''National Journal'' ranked him the most liberal senator in 2007.<ref name="ranked">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-502163_162-3775451-502163.html|title="''National Journal'': Obama most liberal senator in 2007"|author=Montopoli, Brian|date=January 31, 2008|publisher=CBS News website}}. See [[CBS News]].</ref>

Obama frequently used the [[filibuster]] to obstruct the operations of government,<ref>O'Keefe, E. (2010, February 4). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303801_pf.html Obama criticizes Senate Republicans for delaying confirmation votes]. ''Washington Post''.</ref> and voted against the [[minimum wage]] bill<ref>Multiple references:
*Gill, Kathy (May 26, 2007). [http://web.archive.org/web/20070905140628/http://uspolitics.about.com/od/legislatio1/a/HR2206.htm "HR 2206 - Emergency appropriations [110th Congress, House of Representives, signed into law May 25, 2007]"], About.com website/News & Issues/U. S. Politics: Current Events/Legislation. Retrieved from September 5, 2007 archive at Internet Archive.
*[http://more.gov.mtopgroup.com/2007/05/votes-hr-2206-iraq-supplemental.html Votes - H.R. 2206: Iraq Supplemental], May 28, 2007. Retrieved from Deeper Inside the Mountain, June 4, 2007.</ref> he introduced because it included a provision to pay active duty U.S. troops. He voted for the $700 billion TARP program to bailout the big banks after receiving more than $120,000 in contributions from [[Fannie Mae]], a government sponsored entity<ref>more than any other political candidate for office since 1989. [http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2008/09/update-fannie-mae-and-freddie.html Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Invest in Lawmakers], By Lindsay Renick Mayer, September 11, 2008. opensecrets.org</ref> taken into conservatorship for mismanaging its affairs and responsible for all the big banks' problems.

According to Opensecrets.org, of the 671,269 contributions to Obama during his time in the Senate, [[Goldman Sachs]], JP Morgan, Citigroup, and Morgan Stanley were among the top 20 biggest money donors to his campaigns.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cid=N00009638&cycle=2008 Top 20 Contributors, 2007-2008]
*[http://www.votesmart.org/finance.php?can_id=9490 Barack Obama II's Campaign Finances]</ref> All four subsequently received approximately $70 billion in taxpayer assisted [[bailout]] money from the [[TARP]] program he voted for.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2008/10/14/business/14bailout.graphic2.html ''Beneficiary Banks'', ''The New York Times''. 2008-10-14.]</ref> UBS AG, a foreign bank and the 12th largest donor to Obama,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contrib.php?cycle=2008&cid=N00009638 Top 20 Contributors, 2007-2008]</ref> was fined $780 billion in February 2009 in a U.S. Federal Court on charges it helped thousands of Americans evade taxes.<ref>[http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20090219/FREE/902199983 ''UBS fined $780 million in tax evasion scandal,''] Investment News, February 19, 2009.</ref>

==2008 Presidential election==
{{main article|Barack Hussein Obama 2008 Presidential campaign}}
Unlike Democrat contenders Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, Obama's hands were not "stained" with the Iraqi war resolution; a number of Democrats wanted to punish candidates for acting [[bi-partisan]] and called for his candidacy. His only career accomplishment til then had been the delivery of a speech at the 2004 [[Democratic National Convention]].

Through heavy use of [[early voting]] by the Democrat political machine, Obama was elected president in 2008 in the midst of a severe economic meltdown and a foreign policy crisis. Obama outspent [[John McCain]] by hundreds of millions of dollars in 2008,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contriball.php?cycle=2008 "Candidate comparison: Top contributors 2008 cycle"] (betw. September–November 2013). OpenSecrets.org website.</ref> and spending more than a billion dollars from special interests to snag reelection in 2012.<ref>Multiple references:
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 "Barack Obama (D): Candidate summary, 2012 cycle/Source of funds"] (betw. March–June 2013). Opensecrets.org website. 34% Individual contributions, 67% large and corporate.
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php "2012 presidential race/Overall spending"] (betw. August–September 2015). OpenSecrets.org website. This special interests count of over $1 billion may have decreased at least for a time since August–September 2015, where a grand total of individual contributions of less than $1 billion is reflected, but the grand total is presumably incomplete (shown, for example, by the uncounted University of California contributions revealed when comparing the subtotal from the time before August–September 2015 to the time afterwards, the subtotal thus ''increasing''), has every chance of remaining close to its precise revised estimated amount at the beginning of that time (of $964 million) and does not include Super PAC contributions, which is ''indirect'' spending.
**([http://web.archive.org/web/20150304050735/http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/contrib.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 Link to version of this reference] on March 4, 2015 [whose pertinent subtotal which follows was the same back to the time indicated in the first bulleted reference] which shows $1,212,245 in contributions from the University of California. This is ''vs.'' $1,350,139 in contributions shown in the version indicated by the Internet Archive to have been published between August–September 2015 and shown in versions at least for a time thereafter [version retrieved on February 7, 2016 shows the same amount].)</ref>

Former [[Democrat]] Presidential candidate [[Joe Lieberman]] endorsed Obama's opponent [[John McCain]] in 2008 and declined to endorse Obama for the [[Presidential Election 2012|2012 presidential election]].<ref>Lillis, M. (2012, April 22). [http://thehill.com/video/campaign/222929-lieberman-declines-to-endorse-in-presidential-race Sen. Lieberman declines to endorse in presidential race]. ''The Hill''.</ref>

===Primary election===
In 2007-08, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton competed for the Democrat nomination. Hillary Clinton cleverly resurrected the "Born Alive" controversy surrounding Obama that had lain largely dormant since 2004 (notwithstanding the continuing mentions by [[Jill Stanek]]), by accusing Obama of not being pro-choice for voting "Present" on a number of abortion-related bills<ref>Bettelheim, Adriel (2008, February 13). "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/feb/13/obamas-present-tension/ Obama's 'Present' Tension]." ''PolitiFact''.</ref>—including the Born Alive ones,<ref>Multiple references:
*Berman, Russell (2008, January 17). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/clinton-obama-should-vote-no-on-abortion-issue/69700/ Clinton: Obama Should Vote 'No' On Abortion Issue She Backed]." ''[[New York Sun]]''.
*Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20obama.html?pagewanted=all It's Not Just 'Ayes' and 'Nays': Obama's Votes in Illinois Echo]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> and cowardly ducking the votes.<ref>Multiple references:
*''Politi-Fact''. "[http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2008/feb/13/hillary-clinton/yes-but-its-complicated/ Response to Hillary Clinton Comment for January 21st, 2008]." Truth-o-Meter.
*Dorning, Mike (2007, December 20). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/12/criticism_of_obama_present_vot.html Clinton Camp Criticizes Obama 'Present' Votes]." The Swamp. ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> This led to criticism of Obama by two pro-choice organizations, Emily's List, and the [[National Organization for Women]].<ref>Multiple references:
*Dorning, Mike (2008, January 14). "[http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/obama_campaign_mounts_defense.html The Swamp: Obama Campaign Defends His Abortion-Rights Record]." ''Chicago Tribune''.
*Dorn, Michael (2008, February 6). "[http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/02/obamas_voting_record_on_aborti_1.html Obama's Voting Record on Abortion]." ''Washington Post''.
*Newton-Small, Jay (2008, January 14). "[http://swampland.time.com/2008/01/14/obama_campaign_defends_present/ Obama Campaign Defends 'Present' Abortion Votes]." ''[[Time Magazine]]''.</ref> However, Pam Sutherland, the long-time head of Illinois Planned Parenthood, came to Obama's aid, criticizing Clinton for making the attack, and stating repeatedly that Obama's present votes were part of a broader strategy used by Planned Parenthood to keep Illinois voters from knowing their state senators were voting against the controversial and popular bills.<ref>Hernandez, Raymond & Drew, Christopher (2007, December 20). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/20/us/politics/20cnd-obama.html?_r=2&hp&oref=slogin Obama's Vote in Illinois Was Often Just 'Present']." ''The New York Times''.</ref><ref>Follmer, Max (2008, March 28). "[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/01/14/obama-emphasizes-prochoic_n_81460.html Obama Emphasizes Pro-Choice Voting Record as Clinton Questions 'Present' Votes]." ''[[Huffington Post]]''.</ref>
{{cquote|"He came to me and said: ‘My members are being attacked. We need to figure out a way to protect members and to protect women. A ‘present’ vote was hard to pigeonhole which is exactly what Obama wanted. What it did was give cover to moderate Democrats who wanted to vote with us but were afraid to do so" because of how their votes would be used against them electorally. A ‘present’ vote would protect them. Your senator voted ‘present.’ Most of the electorate is not going to know what that means."
-Pam Sutherland, President/CEO of Illinois Planned Parenthood Council, 1980-2012<ref>Davis, Teddy (2007, July 17). "[https://web.archive.org/web/20130414215754/http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2007/07/obama-abortion/ Obama Abortion Dodges Blessed by Planned Parenthood], ''[[ABC News]]''.</ref>}}As the contest in Iowa drew near and the former First Lady's inevitability was being usurped by a challenger, Hillary Clinton organizers began circulating rumors that Obama was secretly a Muslim.<ref>[http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/10/barackemail/ Obama Under the Clinton Microscope], By JEFF ZELENY, ''The New York Times'', December 10, 2007</ref><ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/06/clinton-volunteers-anti-obama-e-mail-causes-stir/ Clinton volunteer's sending of anti-Obama e-mail causes stir]. December 6, 2007. CNN</ref><ref>[http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=92143 Hillary Clinton Press Release - Sen. Obama Rewrites History], December 2, 2007, references Obama in the Muslim school in Indonesia in 3rd grade, quoting the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', 3/15/07</ref><ref>[http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/americas/article1995587.ece Obama ‘was educated in madrassa’], Tim Reid and Tom Baldwin, ''[[The Times of London]]'', January 20, 2007.</ref> Clinton also made the claim repeatedly that while Obama was leading in Delegates she was winning the Popular Vote,<ref>Koffler, Daniel (2008, May 28). "[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-koffler/hillary-clinton-and-the-p_b_103913.html Hillary Clinton and the Popular Vote: Not Wrong, but Meaningless]." ''Huffington Post''. Barone, Michael (2008, March 28). "[http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/barone/2008/03/28/projection-clinton-wins-popular-vote-obama-wins-delegate-count Projection: Clinton Wins Popular Vote, Obama Wins Delegate Vote]." ''U.S. News''.</ref> though this was in part because Obama hadn't been registered in Michigan.<ref>Romano, Andrew (2008, August 2). "[http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/blogs/stumper/2008/06/02/clinton-s-popular-vote-claim-close-but-not-quite.html Clinton's Popular Vote Claim? Close--But Not Quite*]." ''[[Newsweek]]''.</ref><ref>''[[RealClearPolitics]]''. "[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html 2008 Democratic Popular Vote]."</ref> Obama's advantage with super-delegates over Clinton was about 2-to-1.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Superdelegate endorsements for Friday 6/6|work=Democratic Convention Watch|url=http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/06/superdelegate-endorsements-for-friday.html}}</ref> Obama was able to attract the support of [[liberals]] by pointing out that he had come out against the [[Iraq War]] "from the beginning" whereas Clinton had voted in favor of the war in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-31-democrats-debate_N.htm|title=Obama, Clinton stress differences on Iraq, issues|author=David Jackson|work=USA Today|language=English}}</ref> On June 7, 2008, Hillary Clinton withdrew from the Primaries, conceding the race and endorsing her opponent,<ref>''Associated Press''. "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24993082/ns/politics-decision_08/t/clinton-ends-historic-bid-endorses-obama/ Clinton Ends Historic Bid, Endorses Obama]." [[MSNBC]]</ref> when Obama passed the 2,118 Delegates required; winning 2,201 delegates to Clinton's 1,896.<ref>''CNN''. "[http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/scorecard/#D Election Center 2008].</ref>

===Born Alive record resurfaces===
On June 30, 2008, Obama's voting record on the "Born Alive" bills came once more to the forefront when CNN gave voice to the growing controversy and revealed the defense Obama had been using since 2004-2008, that the Illinois bills he'd voted against were different from the federal bill, was false, since he'd brought up for a vote a bill word for word identical to the federal bill in the Health and Human Services Committee he chaired, and voted against it, defeating it.<ref>''CNN''. "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPZCXcTwZPY How He Really Voted on Abortion: Obama's Record Under Attack]." ''The Situation Room''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by [[Jill Stanek]].</ref><ref>''CNN''. "[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0806/30/sitroom.02.html Transcripts: June 30, 2008]." The Situation Room.</ref> This led in August to a confrontation between Obama and the [[NRLC]].<ref>''[[National Right to Life Committee]]''. "[http://www.nrlc.org/news/2008/NRL08/ObamaCoverup.html Obama Cover-up Revealed on Born-Alive Abortion Survivor's Bill]." NRL News, Vol. 35, Issue 7-8, pg. 5.</ref> After Obama accused critics of 'lying'<ref>Brody, David (2008, August 16). "[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skq5M1Ksp_c McCain/Obama Forum]." ''CNN''. Uploaded to ''YouTube'' by [[Jill Stanek]]. David Brody (August 16, 2008). "[http://blogs.cbn.com/thebrodyfile/archive/2008/08/16/obama-gets-heated-on-born-alive-infant-protection-act.aspx Obama Gets Heated on Born Alive Infant Protection Act]." ''[[CBN]] News''. The Brody File.</ref> the NRLC challenged the assertion, and the Obama campaign conceded he "misspoke" and had voted against an identical bill to the "federal bill that everybody supported" but focused on Obama's new claim, that Illinois law was already sufficient to protect newborn children.<ref>Berman, Russell (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nysun.com/national/obama-facing-attacks-from-all-sides-over-abortion/84059/ Obama Facing Attacks From All Sides Over Abortion Record]." ''[[New York Sun]]''.</ref> The NRLC promptly declared "Senator Barack Obama's four-year effort to cover up his full role in killing legislation to protect born-alive survivors of abortions continues to unravel."<ref>Johnson, Douglas (2008, August 18). "[http://www.nrlc.org/ObamaBAIPA/Obamacoveruponbornalive.htm Obama Cover-up on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Continues to Unravel After Sen. Obama Says NRLC is 'Lying']." ''[[National Right to Life Committee]]''.</ref>

===Jeremiah Wright===
{{See also|Barack Obama and Liberation Theology}}
One major dilemma that arose for Obama during his campaign was his connection to his preacher [[Jeremiah Wright]]. Obama and his wife (raised a Baptist) were members of the Trinity [[United Church of Christ]]<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1776246/posts Trinity United Church of Christ Website (Barack Hussein Obama's Church)]</ref> in Chicago, a church that embraced [[black liberation theology]] and its emphasis on empowering so-called "oppressed groups" against "establishment forces". This denomination was the first in America to ordain gays as ministers.<ref>[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/31079.html Obama's church pushes controversial doctrines], March 20, 2008</ref> Church pastor Jeremiah Wright had been making inflammatory comments and posting his sermons online for sale. These include the statement "G-d damn America," and in describing the September 11th attacks, "We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black [[South Africa]]ns, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Story?id=4443788 Obama's Pastor: G-d Damn America, U.S. to Blame for 9/11], [[ABC News]]</ref> In addition, Rev. Wright blamed America saying "We supported Zionism shamelessly while ignoring the Palestinians and branding anybody who spoke out against it as being [[anti-Semitic]]."

In April 2008, after 20 years in the church, candidate Obama made public statements poised to set him at odds with the man who conducted his wedding and baptized his children. With the negative publicity persisting, a month later Obama ended the friendship, left Wright's church, and blamed the media.<ref>[http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/31/obama-resigns-church-membership-in-chicago/ Obama Drops Church Membership in Chicago], [[Fox News]] May 31, 2008</ref> Obama claimed “It’s not fair to the other members of the church who seek to worship in peace...", and distanced himself from Wright's sermons as "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in the truth."<ref>USA Today, [http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20080430/1a_offlede30_dom.art.htm ''Obama breaks with former pastor, Candidate cites rants on U.S. role in terror, AIDS''], by Kathy Kiely and David Jackson</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081211092533/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_080430.htm ''Obama Says He Is Outraged By Wright's "Rants"'']</ref>

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

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

==2009-2017: U.S. Presidency==
{{main article|Obama administration}}
[[File:Obama and George H. W. Bush.jpg|thumb|right|300px|President Barack Obama meets with former President George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office, Feb. 15, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza).]]
Five years into Obama's presidency the number of people holding jobs still was 3 million below the all-time high of 138 million<ref>The effectiveness of [[American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009|Stimulus]] and deficits: [http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=112811 Job growth under President Obama's first term;] Source: [[United States Department of Labor]].</ref> workers - despite an increase of 10 million people in population over the same period of time.<ref>[https://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=112809 U.S. Population growth during Obama's first four years in office.] Source: [[U.S. Census Bureau]].</ref> Under Obama and Senate Democrats<ref>The Democrat-controlled Senate did not propose, vote on, or pass a budget for nearly five years. [http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/23/politics/senate-budget-bill/index.html Senate passes its first budget proposal in four years,] Ted Barrett and Alison Harding, CNN, March 23, 2013.</ref> budget management, the United States suffered its largest [[Federal budget deficit|deficit]]s<ref>Edwards, B. et. al. (2009, November 6). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/107xx/doc10708/11-06-mbr.htm Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2009]. ''[[Congressional Budget Office]]''. Delisle, E.C. et. al. (2010, November 5). [http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/118xx/doc11873/NovemberMBR.pdf Monthly Budget Review: Fiscal Year 2010]. ''[[Congressional Budget Office]]''.</ref> in history and its credit-worthiness downgraded from [[Standard and Poor's]]. Obama assured Americans that unemployment would not rise above 8% if his [[economic stimulus]] program was adopted, however it rose and stagnated in the 8-10% range<ref>Di Leo, L & Lynch, S.N. (2010, August 20). [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704476104575439172480870774.html Jobless Claims Jump in New Sign Recovery is Sputtering]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref><ref>[[United States Bureau of Labor Statistics]]. [http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS11300000&years_option=specific_years&include_graphs=true&to_month=1&from_month=2 Databases, Tables & Calculators by Subject: Labor Force Statistics from the Current Population Survey]. ''[[United States Department of Labor]]''. Data extracted on: July 19, 2010 (4:31:11 PM).</ref> for the entirety of his first term.

Patrick H. Caddell and Douglas E. Schoen, writing in the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'', noted, "Rather than being a unifier, Mr. Obama has divided America on the basis of race, class and partisanship." The commentators also note Obama's approach to governance has encouraged radical leftists to pursue a similar strategy on his behalf. Mary Frances Berry, former head of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, acknowledged that the [[Obama administration]] has taken to polarizing America around the issue of race as a means of diverting attention from other issues, saying, "Having one's opponent [[race card|rebut charges of racism]] is far better than discussing [[Unemployment|joblessness]]."<ref>Berry, M.F. (2010, July 20). [http://www.politico.com/arena/perm/Mary_Frances_Berry_91E3D9D5-C40D-440C-9D48-1C50CBC60C87.html Energy Arena, Driving the Conversation: Contracting Out U.S. Security? And will Branding Tea Party Racist Work?] ''[[Politico]]''.</ref> Caddell and Schoen, who worked for President Carter and Clinton, respectively, further stated, "Mr. Obama has also cynically [[class warfare|divided the country on class lines]]. He has taken to playing the populist card time and time again. He bashes Wall Street and insurance companies whenever convenient to advance his programs, yet he has been eager to accept campaign contributions and negotiate with these very same banks and [[corporation]]s behind closed doors in order to advance his political agenda... President Obama's divisive approach to governance has weakened us as a people and paralyzed our political culture."<ref>Caddell, P.H. & Schoen, D.E. (2010, July 28). [http://online.wsj.com/article/NA_WSJ_PUB:SB10001424052748703700904575391553798363586.html Our Divisive President]. ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref>

===Domestic policy===
====Economic policy====
[[File:Keynes.jpg|thumbnail|right|190px|[[Barack Obama]] advocates the use of discredited [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian economic concepts]]<ref>[http://centurean2.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/fabian-john-maynard-keynes-the-stealthy-enemy-of-human-freedom/ John Maynard Keynes the stealthy enemy of human freedom]</ref><ref>[http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-02-22/deathbed-of-keynesian-economics-will-be-in-u-k-matthew-lynn.html Deathbed of Keynesian Economics will be in the UK]</ref><ref>[http://www.iwf.org/inkwell/show/23102.html Will the G8 Repudiate the Philosophy of Living Beyond Our Means?]</ref><ref>[http://www.keynesatharvard.org/book/KeynesatHarvard-ch09.html KEYNES AT HARVARD Economic Deception as a Political Credo BY ZYGMUND DOBBS]</ref>]]

{{see also|Obamunism|American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009}}
Critics of the Obama administration have coined the word "[[Obamunism]]" to describe Barack Obama's [[socialism|socialistic]] and "[[fascism]] light" [[economic planning]] policies.<ref>[[Benito Mussolini]] defined fascism as the wedding of state and corporate powers. Accordingly, trend forecaster [[Gerald Celente]] labels [[Obama administration corporate bailouts|Obama's corporate bailouts]] as being "fascism light" in nature.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigmoney.com/articles/daily-intel/2009/07/20/obamunism-inc|work=The Big Money|publisher=Washington Post.[[Newsweek]] Interactive Co. LLC|language=English|title=Obamunism, Inc.|author=David Sessions|date=July 20, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smallbusinessadvocate.com/small-business-interviews/gerald-celente-6944|author=Jim Blasingame|title=Is the government creating a bailout bubble?}}</ref> Obamunism can also refer to Obama's [[Obama administration fiscal policy|ruinous fiscal policies]] and [[Obama administration monetary policy|reckless monetary policies]].<ref name="gerard">{{cite web|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/120883-monetary-policynot-obama-s-stimulusis-what-needs-watching|title=Monetary Policy-Not Obama's Stimulus-Is What Needs Watching|author=Gerard Jackson|date=February 16, 2009|work=Seeking Alpha}}</ref><ref name="bam">{{cite web|work=[[New York Post]]|date=May 17, 2009|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172009/postopinion/editorials/bams_wise_words_169731.htm|title=BAM'S WISE WORDS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.heritage.org/2009/03/24/bush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/|title=Bush Deficit vs. Obama Deficit in Pictures|work=The Foundry|publisher=[[Heritage Foundation]]|author=Conn Carroll|date=March 24, 2009}}</ref> As seen in his own actions, Barack Obama instructed his advisors to find loopholes that would enable the president to act as a [[dictator]] by pushing through legislation and increases in spending without congressional authority.<ref>Naked Emperor News (2011, October 12). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/executive-dictatorship-obama-instructs-advisers-to-push-through-stimulus-projects-without-pesky-congressional-authorization/ Exclusive Dictatorship: Obama Instructs Advisors to Push Through Stimulus Projects Without Pesky 'Congressional Authorization']. ''[[The Blaze]]''.</ref>

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

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

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

During what the [[White House]] billed as [[Recovery Summer]], one half million workers per week continued losing their jobs. His signature legislative achievement, [[ObamaCare]],has been found to be [[unconstitutional]]<ref>Schoenberg, T. & Fisk, M.T. (2010, December 13). [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-13/u-s-health-care-law-requirement-thrown-out-by-judge.html Obama's Health-Care Law Ruled Unconstitutional Over Insurance Requirement]. ''Bloomberg''.</ref> by several judges and constitutional by others, and is credited as a major cause of uncertainty, high [[unemployment]],<ref>[http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=33220 Obamacare: Unemployment You Can Believe In], [[Human Events]]</ref> lagging job creation,<ref>Foster, J.D. (2010, August 5). [http://blog.heritage.org/2010/08/05/it%E2%80%99s-official-medicare%E2%80%99s-finances-shadowed-by-uncertainty/ It’s Official: Medicare’s Finances Shadowed by Uncertainty]. ''The Foundry''. [[Heritage Foundation|The Heritage Network]].</ref> and risk of a credit default crisis.<ref>Samuelson, R.J. (2010, March 29). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/28/AR2010032802353.html With health bill, Obama has sown the seeds of a budget crisis]. ''Washington Post''.</ref><ref>Cramer, J. (2010, March 19). [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/jeff-poor/2010/03/19/mad-money-cramer-health-care-passage-will-topple-stock-market 'Mad Money' Cramer: Health Care Passage 'Will Topple the Stock Market']. ''[[Newsbusters]]''.</ref>

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

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

=====Stimulus=====
{{See also|Recovery Summer}}
In early 2009, Obama lobbied Congress and the public to pass a sweeping Stimulus package<ref>(2009, January 3). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Obama Urges Congress to Pass Stimulus Plan]." ''Associated Press''. Parsons, C. & Nicholas, P. (2009, February 10). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28479998/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-urges-congress-pass-stimulus-plan/ Barack Obama Sternly Urges Congress to Pass Economic Stimulus]." ''Chicago Tribune''.</ref> known as ''The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009'' (H.R. 1).<ref>"[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.1: Bill Text Versions: H.R. 1]." 111th Congress (2009-2010). ''[[Library of Congress]]''. "[http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204335,00.html The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009: Information Center]." ''[[IRS]]''.</ref> The report of the Congressional Budget Office mandated by law stated that the legislation would ultimately harm the economy.<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, February 4). "[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/04/cbo-obama-stimulus-harmful-over-long-haul/ CBO: Obama Stimulus Harmful Over Long Haul]." ''U.S. News''.</ref> Contrary to his promise of bipartisanship,<ref>Dinan, S. (2009, March 28). "[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/28/mccain-obama-breaks-campaign-promises-shuns-bipart/?page=all McCain: Obama Breaks Promise of Bipartisanship]." ''[[Washington Times]]''.</ref> the bill passed the House 244-188 on January 28, 2009 with 11 Democrats voting with the entire Republican caucus against,<ref>Calmes, J. (2009, January 28). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29obama.html House Passes Stimulus Plan With No G.O.P. Votes]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> and received just 3 Republican votes when passing the Senate 61-37.<ref>Herszenhorn, D.M. (2009, February 10). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/11/washington/11web-stim.html Senate Approves Stimulus Plan]." ''The New York Times''.</ref> One third of the massive $838 billion bill consisted of [[Backdoor spending authority#Backdoor tax expenditures|backdoor tax expenditures]]<ref>(2009, February 11). "Senate Passes $838 Billion Stimulus Bill." ''Associated Press''.</ref> and the rest direct [[new spending]] on "just about every pent-up Democratic proposal of the last 40 years."<ref>(2009, January 28). "[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123310466514522309.html A 40-Year Wish List]." ''Wall Street Journal''.</ref> In responding to criticism of the broken bipartisanship promise at the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi famously quipped, "We won the election. We wrote the bill."<ref>Kane, P. (2009, January 23). "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/22/AR2009012203961.html Stimulus Plan Meets More GOP Resistance]." ''Washington Post''.</ref> On February 18, 2009, the Stimulus was signed into law by Obama.<ref>(2009, February 17). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29231790/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-stimulus-lets-americans-claim-destiny/ Obama: Stimulus Lets Americans Claim Destiny]." ''Associated Press''.</ref> In August 2009, Republicans and Democratic Senator David Obey drew attention to mistakes on the Recovery.gov site claiming millions of Stimulus jobs created that didn't exist. Obama responded by saying the errors just indicate his accounting is an "inexact science".<ref>(2009, November 18). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/18/obama-calls-stimulus-data-errors-issue-says-focus-job-growth/ Obama Calls Stimulus Data Errors 'Side Issue,' Says Focus Is on Job Growth]." ''[[Fox News]]''.</ref>

=====[[Sequestration]]=====
According to [[Pulitzer Prize]] winning journalist [[Bob Woodward]] of the ''[[Washington Post]]'', Obama misled the American people in a Presidential debate only two weeks before the 2012 election when he said, "The sequester is not something that I’ve proposed,”<ref>[http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-22/opinions/37238840_1_jack-lew-treasury-secretary-rob-nabors Obama’s sequester deal-changer,] By Bob Woodward, ''Washington Post'', February 22, 2013.</ref> when in fact his chief budget negotiator and current Chief of Staff, [[Jack Lew]], made a call to Democrat [[Harry Reid]] at 2:30 pm on July 27, 2011 with the proposal after clearing it with Obama,<ref>[http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/22/fact-check-woodward-wrote-that-obama-administration-proposed-sequester/ Fact-check: Woodward wrote that Obama administration proposed sequester]. [[The Daily Caller]]</ref> as fully documented in Woodward's book, ''The Price of Politics''. Federal Reserve Chairman [[Ben Bernanke]] warned of immediate jobloss of about 750,000 jobs - about the same level as under George W. Bush<ref>[http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=109262 Monthly Jobloss under George W. Bush, Jan 2007 - Jan 2009]. See also [http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/fredgraph.png?graph_id=109266 Initial Unemployment Claims] over the same period, annualized. Source: [[U.S. Department of Labor]], Bureau of Labor Statistics.</ref> - if Obama's budget and economic plans were allowed to take effect.<ref>[http://money.cnn.com/2013/02/26/news/economy/bernanke-burden-recovery/ Bernanke: Spending cuts add 'significant' burden to recovery,] By Annalyn Kurtz, CNN February 26, 2013.</ref>

Woodward, who's reporting on [[Watergate]] is credited with toppling the administration of [[Richard Nixon]], told Wolf Blitzer of CNN he was told by a senior White House official he'd regret talking about the President Obama's positions on the sequester.<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/bob-woodward-obama-sequester-white-house-reporting-price-politics-2013-2 Bob Woodward: White House Threatened Me On Sequester,] businessinsider.com</ref>

=====Spreading poverty=====
Following the 2011 debt ceiling standoff between Obama and House Republicans,<ref name=Swann-Aug>{{cite web|url=http://www.standardandpoors.com/servlet/BlobServer?blobheadername3=MDT-Type&blobcol=urldata&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobheadervalue2=inline%3B+filename%3DUS_Downgraded_AA%2B.pdf&blobheadername2=Content-Disposition&blobheadervalue1=application%2Fpdf&blobkey=id&blobheadername1=content-type&blobwhere=1243942957443&blobheadervalue3=UTF-8 |title=United States of America Long-Term Rating Lowered to 'AA+' on Political Risks and Rising Debt Burden; Outlook Negative |publisher=[[Standard and Poor's]] |date=August 5, 2011 |accessdate=April 3, 2013}}</ref> the United States Government's credit rating was, for the first time in its history, downgraded from AAA to AA+, and [[poverty]]<ref>[http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/data/incpovhlth/2009/pov09fig04.pdf Figure 4: Number in Poverty and Poverty Rate: 1959-2009]. ''[[U.S. Census Bureau]]''. Current Population Survey, 1960 to 2010 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.</ref> increased markedly. By and large his programs, said to combat the recession, unemployment, slow growth, and deficits, have failed<ref>"The vast majority (73%) of respondents reported the fiscal stimulus enacted in February 2009 has had no impact on employment to date. While 68% also believe a jobs bill, such as the one recently enacted into law, will have no impact on payrolls, 30% do believe it will boost payrolls moderately". [http://www.nabe.com/press/ind1004.pdf Industry Survey], ''National Association for Business Economics'', April 2010, p. 2.</ref> leaving the country saddled with an $18 trillion [[national debt]] and climbing.<ref>During Obama's first two years in office, the rate of new U.S. federal debt added per year to its total tripled the rate of new debt accumulated by Bush to place the U.S. on a war footing, and during Obama's first six years in office, the total National Debt has nearly doubled ($7.5 trillion added). See [[National Debt]].</ref> One of his most well known tactics is blaming someone else, such as George W. Bush, for all his failures instead of taking responsibility. Also on the domestic front, Obama passed an expensive [[health care]] bill in 2010 with no national consensus or [[bipartisan]] support and 34 Democrats dissenting. Recently, the [[Congressional Budget Office]] wrote an open letter to [[John Boehner]], the Speaker of the House, outlining the effects of repealing [[Obamacare]] and explaining why net loss of over 100 billion dollars would occur from the repeal.<ref>[http://cbo.gov/publication/43471 Letter to the Honorable John Boehner providing an estimate for H.R. 6079, the Repeal of Obamacare Act], Congressional Budget Office</ref>

====Job killer healthcare mandates====
{{main article|Obamacare}}
On March 23, 2010, Obama signed the unpopular Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The act originated in the Democrat-controlled House and was amended and passed the Senate just prior to Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]]'s death largely along party lines with a significant number of Democrats voting to oppose. In what was construed as a de facto rejection of the bill, [[Massachusetts]] voters elected a [[Republican]] candidate, [[Scott Brown]], who promised to vote against the bill if given the chance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/senate/scott-brown-wins-massachusetts-senate-race.html|work=Washington Post|author=Chris Cillizza|date=January 19, 2010|title=Scott Brown wins Massachusetts Senate special election race|language=English}}</ref> After Obama made a promise to issue an [[executive order]] that would ultimately prohibit the use of taxpayer subsidies to pay for [[abortion]] services,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/22/nation/la-na-healthcare-passage22-2010mar22/3|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|language=English|title=House passes historic healthcare overhaul|date=March 22, 2010|author=Noam N. Levey and Janet Hook}}</ref> the Democratic [[House of Representatives]] would pass the bill as it left the Senate 219-212, with 34 Democrats and all other parties dissenting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-21/politics/health.care.main_1_health-care-entire-house-democratic-caucus-pre-existing-conditions?_s=PM:POLITICS|date=March 21, 2010|author=Alan Silverleib|work=CNN|language=English|title=House passes health care bill on 219-212 vote}}</ref>

Amongst other things, the act mandated that everyone purchase health care coverage or face punitive tax measures, and was upheld by the [[Supreme Court]].

====The revolving door====
Obama criticized the "revolving door" of government and business.<ref>"We need to close the revolving door that lets lobbyists come into government freely, and lets them use their time in public service as a way to promote their own interests over the interests of the American people when they leave." [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-welcoming-senior-staff-and-cabinet-secretaries-white-house REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN WELCOMING SENIOR STAFF AND CABINET SECRETARIES TO THE WHITE HOUSE,] January 21, 2009. [[White House]]</ref> After appointing [[Peter Orszag]] his first Budget Director to dole out the stimulus cash, Orszag resigned to become Citigroup's Vice Chairman of Global Banking. Citigroup was the recipient of $476 billion in [[bailout]] money - more than any other bank - after the disastrous [[Financial crisis of 2008]].<ref>[http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2011/03/citibank_received_more_bailout.html Citigroup Received More Bailout Money Than Any Other Bank,] By Nitasha Tiku, 3/16/11.</ref> Before the bailout, Orszag's expert opinion of the chances of a mortgage meltdown were 1 in 500,000.<ref>[http://www.pierrelemieux.org/stiglitzrisk.pdf Implications of the New Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Risk-based Capital Standard,] by Joseph E. Stiglitz, Jonathan M. Orszag and Peter R. Orszag. Fannie Mae Papers, Volume 1, Issue 2, March 2002, Conclusion p.6.</ref>

====Environment and energy====
{{main article|Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster}}
President Obama authorized offshore oil drilling in the [[Gulf of Mexico]]<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0430/Gulf-of-Mexico-oil-spill-imperils-Obama-s-offshore-drilling-plan Gulf of Mexico oil spill imperils Obama's offshore drilling plan,] By Mark Clayton, ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]'', April 30, 2010.</ref> stating, "oil rigs today generally don’t cause spills"<ref>White House Press Release, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-a-discussion-jobs-and-economy-charlotte-north-carolina Remarks by the President in a Discussion on Jobs and the Economy in Charlotte, North Carolina,] Office of the Press Secretary, April 02, 2010. Retrieved from whitehouse.gov 3 May 2010.</ref> and was widely criticized for his mishandling of the "[[Gulf oil spill disaster|worst environmental disaster]] in US history."<ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-33986-Political-Spin-Examiner~y2010m4d29-Worst-environmental-disaster-in-US-history-Oil-slick-in-Gulf-of-Mexico-is-set-on-fire Worst environmental disaster in US history,] Maryann Tobin, ''Examiner'', April 29, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-oil-spill-is-obamas-fault/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman Conscience of a Liberal: The Oil Spill Is Obama’s Fault,] Paul Krugman, ''The New York Times'', April 30, 2010.</ref>

====Reverses the Progressive 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' policy====
{{main article|Don't Ask Don't Tell}}
Candidate Obama promised to repeal a policy that originated with President Clinton and passed by a Democrat-controlled Congress that prohibited inquiries into military personnel's [[sexual orientation]] while barring openly gay [[homosexuals]] from serving in the military. [[Liberals]] expressed anger when time passed and no effort to repeal the law was seen;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/21/obama-to-delay-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell/|work=[[Washington Times]]|title=Obama to delay ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal|language=English|author=Rowan Scarborough|date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> in fact, Obama's [[justice department]], as part of their duty to defend all laws passed by any administration, filed a brief arguing against the [[Supreme Court]] granting a [[writ of certiorari]] to a gay soldier challenging the law (the writ was not granted). In response, the soldier, James Pietrangelo II, a former Army infantryman and lawyer, said, “(Obama's) a coward, a bigot and a pathological liar. This is a guy who spent more time picking out his dog, Bo, and playing with him on the White House lawn than he has working for equality for gay people."<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Time Magazine]]|publisher=Time Inc.|url=http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1903545,00.html?imw=Y|title=Dismay Over Obama's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Turnabout|author=Mark Thompson|date=Jun. 09, 2009}}</ref>

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

====Labor law and compensation to 9/11 first responders====
Obama's first act of office was to sign the [[Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009)|Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act]] - effectively nullifying the [[Supreme Court]] case ''Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'', which ruled that Ledbetter had to have filed a pay [[discrimination]] suit within 180 days of the first time Ledbetter was paid less than her male peers;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30ledbetter-web.html|work=The New York Times|language=English|title=Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation|author=Sheryl Gay Stolberg|date=January 29, 2009}}</ref> the law made corporations subject to suit within 180 days of each time the employee was unfairly paid.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://writ.news.findlaw.com/grossman/20090213.html?=features|work=FindLaw|author=Joanna L. Grossman|date=Feb. 13, 2009|language=English|title=The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009}}</ref>

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

=== Obama administration and the restriction of religious freedom for Christians ===
[[File:Schlafly phyllis.jpg|thumbnail|right|140px|[[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s book ''No Higher Power: Obama’s War on Religious Freedom'' documents Obama's attack on religious freedom.<ref>[http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/obamas-attack-on-religious-freedom-its-worse-than-you-think Obama’s Attack on Religious Freedom: It’s Worse Than You Think], ''Crises Magazine''</ref>]]
When first running for office Obama angered religious conservatives with his comment about working-class voters in old industrial towns. Obama said, "They get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/apr/14/barackobama.uselections2008 Obama angers midwest voters with guns and religion remark], The Guardian</ref>

The Obama administration has been widely criticized for his policies which encroach on religious freedom in areas such as: health care, freedom to dissent on matters relating to the [[homosexual agenda]], religious freedom in the military and religious freedom in other spheres of American life.<ref>
*[http://www.crisismagazine.com/2012/obamas-attack-on-religious-freedom-its-worse-than-you-think Obama’s Attack on Religious Freedom: It’s Worse Than You Think], ''Crises Magazine''
*[http://dailysignal.com/2016/01/21/obamas-hypocrisy-on-religious-freedom/ Obama’s Hypocrisy on Religious Freedom]
*[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/15/us-military-losing-christians-because-of-hostile-c/?page=all U.S. military ‘hostile’ to Christians under Obama; morale, retention devastated], ''Washington Times''
*[http://www1.cbn.com/beltwaybuzz/archive/2015/10/08/senator-seeks-answers-from-obama-on-religious-freedom Obama and Religious Freedom], ''CBN News''
</ref>

In addition, the Obama administration has been criticized for promoting religious freedom for [[Islam|Muslims]] and restricting religious freedom for Christians.<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/michaelbrown/2015/10/29/the-obama-administration-religious-freedoms-fro-american-muslims-not-american-christians-n2072727 The Obama Administration: Religious Freedoms for American Muslims, Not American Christians], Townhall</ref>

==== Obama administration met with an atheist group ====

''See also:'' [[Atheism and American politics]]

The Obama administration is the first administration to met with an [[Atheism|atheist]] group. It meet with the Secular Coalition for America which is a coalition which represents the [[American Atheists]], the American [[Secular Humanism|Humanist]] Association, and the Military Association of Atheists and [[Freethought|Freethinkers]].

According to the ''USA Today'', the group met with the White House officials to "discuss problems that they believe are fueled by religion."<ref name="content.usatoday.com">[http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/02/atheists-meet-with-white-house-officials/1#.VypYTzEn_7Y Atheists meet with White House officials], USA Today</ref> Among the issues the group discussed were the issues of "military proselytizing" by [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] Christian members of the military and faith-based initiatives<ref name="content.usatoday.com"/>

===Foreign policy===
Unlike Presidents [[Abraham Lincoln]] and [[Franklin Roosevelt]], Barack Obama has shown scant concern about the revival of [[slavery]] which took place on his watch shortly after his "apology tour", intended to diminish U.S. influence in the world.<ref>[http://womensenews.org/story/international-policyunited-nations/150527/un-sex-violence-envoy-focusing-syria-iraq UN Sex Violence Envoy: Focusing on Syria, Iraq]</ref><ref>[http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2009/06/barack-obamas-top-10-apologies-how-the-president-has-humiliated-a-superpower Barack Obama's Top 10 Apologies: How the President Has Humiliated a Superpower], Heritage Foundation</ref> Obama, who was raised a Muslim<ref>[http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2007/01/was_obama_blood.html Was Obama bloodied by madrassa story?]</ref><ref>[http://www.danielpipes.org/11952/obama-muslim-childhood Obama's Muslim Childhood]</ref> and is not a descendent of slaves, criticized Christians and the Crusades as reports of thousands of women and girls being captured, sold, and raped flooded in.<ref>[http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/579393/ISIS-Michelle-Obama-prostitute-justifies-raping-slave-girls-Koran ISIS calls Michelle Obama a PROSTITUTE and justifies raping slave girls with the KORAN]</ref><ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obamas-speech-at-prayer-breakfast-called-offensive-to-christians/2015/02/05/6a15a240-ad50-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html Critics pounce after Obama talks Crusades, slavery at prayer breakfast], Washington Post</ref>

Obama entered his second term mocking and ridiculing the idea that Russia was America's prime geo-strategic competitor; by the closing days of his presidency, Obama was in a panic fanning the flames of a Third Red Scare. Vladimar Putin and Russia had thoroughly embarrassed Barack Obama on the world stage as Obama withdrew America from its traditional role of global leadership and reputiated the idea of [[American exceptionalism]]. Respect for America degenerated in the world as issues such as transexual bathrooms occupied more of Obama's time and attention then the 12 million homeless refugees Obama had driven from their homes in his failed "[[Arab Spring]]" policy. Having been thoroughly rebuked politically with the election of Donald Trump, as a [[lameduck]] Obama attempted to coverup [[DNC]] scandals uncovered by [[Wikileaks]] by scapegoating Vladimar Putin and fostering an atmosphere of paranoia about Russia, the future, and a Trump presidency.

====Commander-in-chief====
As Senator, Obama was highly critical of President Bush and promised change. As President, Obama has tripled down in Afghanistan, widened the war into Pakistan, multiplied drone attacks, bombed Yemen and Somalia, and started an undeclared NATO war in Libya. On presidential war powers, surveillance questions, Guantanamo, detention policy and habeas corpus, Obama has similarly stayed the course, or expanded Bush's precedents. In a speech on May 19, 2011 Obama fully embraced the [[Bush Doctrine]] of preventative war.<ref>Krauthammer, C. (April 19). [http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-news-in-obamas-speech/2011/05/19/AF4dFN7G_story.html The News in Obama's Speech]. ''Washington Post''.</ref>
From the Boston Globe:
<blockquote>
'The New America Foundation, which tracks the strikes, has listed 23 raids since the beginning of April, 2011, all but one in Pakistan’s tribal regions of North and South Waziristan. A June 20 attack was reported in Kurram, an area north of North Waziristan along the Afghanistan border.'
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
'The drone program has become increasingly controversial as the Obama administration has expanded its use beyond the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Lethal missiles have been launched from unmanned aircraft in at least five countries in addition to Pakistan: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and, most recently, Somalia. The military’s Joint Special Operations Command used a drone last June to attack what officials said were two senior members of the Al Shabab militant group on the Somali coast.' <ref>DeYoung, K. (2011, July 4). [http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/07/04/cia_halts_drone_launches_from_pakistan_base/ CIA Halts Drone Launches From Pakistan Base]. ''[[The Boston Globe]]''.</ref>
</blockquote>
A commentator says:
<blockquote>
'Obama is commendable when he says he wants to avoid war. His policies, however, favor war by destabilizing the Middle East making it extremely hostile and favoring radical Islam over America’s ally, Israel, and American interests in the region... The president has chosen a very dangerous path for every American and one that promises great difficulty for Israel.' <ref>[http://www.thejerusalemconnection.us/blog/2012/03/14/obamas-words-disguise-his-israel-foreign-policy-actions.html Obama's words disguise his Israel foreign policy actions.]</ref>
</blockquote>
By Obama's third year as Commander-in-Chief, over 1200 American troops died in Iraq and Afghanistan - significantly more than the number who died during President [[George W. Bush]]'s term of office. And growing numbers of civilian contractors also have fallen. In the first half of 2010, 250 contractors reportedly died in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than the 235 military personnel who fell during the same period.<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/05/24/114662/what-price-war.html#ixzz1Nz07pg5O</ref>

====National Defense====
President Obama signed into U.S. law the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), only after his administration successfully lobbied to remove language from the bill that would have protected American citizens from being detained indefinitely without trial.<ref>Aaron Dykes. [http://www.infowars.com/president-obamas-ndaa-signing-statement-i-have-the-power-to-detain-americans-but-i-wont/ Obama’s Signing Statement on NDAA: I have the power to detain Americans… but I won’t], Infowars.com, January 1, 2012.</ref> After the legislation cleared Congress, the ACLU commented that if President Obama signed the bill it "will damage both his legacy and American’s reputation for upholding the rule of law," while executive director of the ''Human Rights Watch'' blasted the President for being ‘on the wrong side of history,’ noting that "Obama will go down in history as the president who enshrined indefinite detention without trial in US law."<ref>President Decides to Sign Ill-Conceived National Defense Authorization Act. [http://www.hrw.org/news/2011/12/14/us-refusal-veto-detainee-bill-historic-tragedy-rights US: Refusal to Veto Detainee Bill A Historic Tragedy for Rights], ''[[Human Rights Watch]]'', December 14, 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.aclu.org/national-security/white-house-backs-away-defense-bill-veto-threat White House Backs Away from Defense Bill Veto Threat], ''[[ACLU]]'', December 14, 2011.</ref>

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

====Escalates Afghan occupation into a conflict====
{{main article|Afghanistan War}}
American deaths in [[Afghanistan]] more than doubled in Obama's first few years compared with the preceding eight years of George Bush <ref>Chesser, S.G. (2012, July 12). [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R41084.pdf Afghanistan Casualties: Military Forces and Civilians - CRS Report for Congress]. Pg. 3. ''Congressional Research Service'''.</ref> as he increased troop strength for no discernible purpose and to "win" unstated objectives. Against his own Defense Secretary's advice, Obama [[Libyan uprising 2011|attacked Libya]] and forced regime change without Congressional authorization in violation of the post-Nixon era reform measure, the [[War Powers Act]].

After he took personal credit for killing [[Osama bin Laden]], the [[U.S. State Department]] warned of increased risk to the lives and safety of Americans.<ref>''KABC-TV/DT'' (2011, July 27). [http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/national_world&id=8273909 Risk of anti-US violence up after Osama bin Laden's death]. On ''ABC7 News''.</ref> Bin Laden's successor, [[Ayman al-Zawahiri]] confirmed the [[Benghazi Attack]] which took place on the anniversary of 9/11 and killed more Americans, was motivated by al-Qaeda's desire for revenge.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/12/world/africa/libya-attack-jihadists/index.html Pro-al Qaeda group seen behind deadly Benghazi attack], By Nic Robertson, Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, CNN, September 13, 2012.</ref> Bin Laden's death, as Obama's advisers warned, freed up jihadis who swore an oath of allegiance to the 9/11 mastermind to swear allegiance to rival and competing factions. The competing factions advocated the immediate establishment of the Islamic State, rather than after the overthrow of the Saudi monarchy and retaking of Mecca. As was well known, bin Laden always held a controversial and minority position among jihadis on the strategy for global jihad by attacking the United States first. Bin Laden's killing, intended as an election year gimmick, brought Obama no improvement in approval ratings and spawned unprecedented growth in global terror and jihadi recruiting.

Obama needlessly escalated troop strength<ref name="pbs">{{cite web|url=http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamaswar/themes/strategy.html#ixzz1LhWNImZp|title=Obama's New Strategy (March '09)|author=George Packer, Seth Jones, David Kilcullen, Rory Stewart, Andrew Exum, Col. Andrew Bacevich (Ret.)|work=[[PBS]]|language=English}}</ref> and defense costs in Afghanistan from $43.5 billion in George Bush's last year to $113.7 billion for 2011.<ref>Congressional Research Service, quoted in Gregory Anthony, ''What price war?''</ref> Adviser to General [[Stanley McChrystal]] David Kilcullen wrote, "One of the big strategic shifts is the use of language now which talks about Pakistan and Afghanistan as the same theater. Now we talked about Af-Pak long before the Obama administration came about, but the public use of that term, and the description of it as the Afghanistan-Pakistan campaign, sends a new message to people about how the administration is going to think about Afghanistan and Pakistan."<ref name="pbs"/>

====2011 Libyan uprising====
{{main article|Libyan uprising 2011}}
In February 2011, the political unrest that spread through the Arab world showed up as protests in Libya. Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, leader of Libya for 41 years, responded to the violence<ref>[http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article28376.htm There Was No Libyan Peaceful Protest, Just Murderous Gangs and Nic Robertson]</ref> with legitimate steps.<ref name="nyt libya">{{cite web|url=http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/libya/index.html|work=The New York Times|publisher=The New York Times Inc.|language=English|title=Libya — Protests and Revolt (2011)}}</ref> The [[United Nations Security Council]] voted to impose [[sanctions]], and later passed a resolution to protect civilians. Obama, without approval from Congress and over the objections of his own National Security staff,<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gates-libyan-no-fly-zone-means-attacking-libya/ Gates: Libyan no-fly zone means attacking Libya], CBS News</ref> directed American forces to take out Libya's air defense system.<ref name="nyt libya"/> Secretary of Defence [[Robert Gates]], National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough, and [[White House]] counterterrorism chief [[John O. Brennan]] all opposed the action. Obama later said, "if we waited one more day Benghazi, a city nearly the size of Charlotte, could suffer a massacre that would have reverberated across the region and stained the conscience of the world."<ref>{{cite web|author=Barack Obama|url=http://www.npr.org/2011/03/28/134935452/obamas-speech-on-libya-a-responsibility-to-act|title=Obama's Speech On Libya: 'A Responsibility To Act'|date=March 28, 2011|publisher=National Public Radio ([[NPR]])|language=English}}</ref> [[Alan J. Kuperman]], in an editorial for the ''[[Boston Globe]]'', suggested this statement was false, writing, "intervention did not prevent genocide, because no such bloodbath was in the offing. To the contrary, by emboldening rebellion, US interference has prolonged Libya’s civil war and the resultant suffering of innocents."<ref name="kuperman">{{cite web|author=Alan J. Kuperman|work=The Boston Globe|url=http://articles.boston.com/2011-04-14/bostonglobe/29418371_1_rebel-stronghold-civilians-rebel-positions|title=False pretense for war in Libya?|date=April 14, 2011}}</ref> Kuperman, a professor of public affairs at the [[University of Texas]] who authored a book called ''The Limits of Humanitarian Intervention'', further stated that the rebels had tricked the world into thinking a bloodbath was at hand and that Obama had lied to the American people in order to act on this theory.<ref name="kuperman"/>
<blockquote>
Gaddafi [never] threaten[ed] civilian massacre in Benghazi, as Obama alleged. The “no mercy’’ warning, of March 17, targeted rebels only, as reported by ''The New York Times'', which noted that Libya’s leader promised amnesty for those “who throw their weapons away.’’ Gaddafi even offered the rebels an escape route and open border to Egypt, to avoid a fight “to the bitter end.’’ <ref>[http://politicalcartel.org/2011/04/17/libya-and-the-obama-doctrine/ Libya and the “Obama Doctrine”.]</ref>
</blockquote>
Gaddafi wrote to Obama and told him he bore no ill will. "We have been hurt more morally than physically because of what had happened against us in both deeds and words by you," he wrote. "Despite all this you will always remain our son whatever happened. We still pray that you continue to be president of the USA. We endeavour and hope that you will gain victory in the new election campaign."<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/06/gaddafi-obama-nato-libya?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487 Gaddafi begs Obama to halt 'unjust war' ], [[The Guardian ]]</ref>

=====Aid to terrorists=====
A March 29, 2011 article in the ''[[Washington Post]]'' included these paragraphs:
{{Cquote|"It’s almost a certitude that at least part” of the Libyan opposition includes members of al-Qaeda, said Bruce Riedel, a former senior CIA analyst and adviser to President Obama. Riedel said that anti-Gaddafi elements in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi have had “very close associations with al-Qaeda” dating back years....I would hope that we now have a good sense of the opposition in Libya and can say that this is 2 percent, not 20 percent,” Riedel said. “If we don’t, then we are running the risk of helping to bring to power a regime that could be very dangerous.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/libyan-opposition-includes-a-small-number-of-al-qaeda-fighters-us-officials-say/2011/03/29/AFRlXWyB_story.html Libyan opposition includes a small number of al-Qaeda fighters, U.S. officials say], Washington Post</ref>}}

This set off a fierce debate in the [[Obama administration]] over the wisdom of arming terrorists.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/30/world/africa/30diplo.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss Washington in Fierce Debate on Arming Libyan Rebels], The New York Times</ref> It is now known sometime prior to March 31, 2011,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/world/africa/31intel.html?_r=2&hp C.I.A. Agents in Libya Aid Airstrikes and Meet Rebels], The New York Times</ref> at the urging of Hillary Clinton<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/19/world/africa/19policy.html?_r=3&hp& Obama Takes Hard Line With Libya After Shift by Clinton], The New York Times</ref> and over the objections of his National Security Council, Obama signed a Presidential Finding authorizing support for the rebel jihadis.<ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/30/us-libya-usa-order-idUSTRE72T6H220110330 Exclusive: Obama authorizes secret help for Libya rebels], [[Reuters]]</ref>

By October 2011, [[Libyan rebel fighting group]]s with support from [[NATO]] overtook the capital and toppled the government. Gaddafi was captured and brutally and sadistically murdered.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPzeLLL9V-c Leading from behind - a critique of Obama foreign policy]</ref> The jihadis were immediately recognized by the U.S. and the U.N. as the new legitimate government. Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, chairman of the National Transitional Council, announced [[Sharia]] will be the source for all legislation and all laws conflicting with Sharia are null and void.<ref name="Sharia">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8861608/Libya-Al-Qaeda-flag-flown-above-Benghazi-courthouse.html Libya: Al Qaeda flag flown above Benghazi courthouse] - [[Daily Telegraph]]</ref> Abdel Rahim al-Kib, the country's interim prime minister, echoed Jalil's words days later.<ref>[http://www.presstv.ir/detail/207953.html New Libyan PM backs Islamic sharia law]</ref> The al Qaeda flag was flown above the Benghazi courthouse, and reports surfaced that the Libyan jihadis had imposed Sharia law in some parts of the country even earlier.<ref name="Sharia" /> By February 17, 2013, four foreign nationals were arrested for distributing Christian literature, a charge that could carry the death penalty.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/17/libya-arrests-suspected-foreign-missionaries Libya arrests foreign 'missionaries' Four foreign nationals accused of distributing Christian literature] a charge that could carry the death penalty, Chris Stephen [[The Guardian]], Sunday 17 February 2013.</ref>

=====Terrorist attack on American soil=====
:{{main|Benghazi Attack}}
With several U.S. embassies besieged on the anniversary of the [[September 11 attacks]], White House Press Secretary [[Jay Carney]] declared there was no reason to believe the attack on the sovereign territory of the United States consulate in Benghazi, less than two months before the [[2012 Presidential election]] which killed Americans, was a terrorist attack.
{{Cquote|The unrest that we’ve seen around the region has been in reaction to a video that Muslims, many Muslims, find offensive.}}
This became the official White House line. Between laughs with [[Jon Stewart]] on [[Comedy Central]], Obama said the death of Americans was "not optimal".<ref>[http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/18/Obama-Benghazi-murders-not-optimal Interview with Jon Stewart of the ''Daily Show''], Breitbart.com</ref> When pressed by reporters, who pointed out evidence that the violence in Benghazi was a terrorist attack, Press Secretary Carney argued “the unrest around the region has been in response to this video.”

Leading suspected jihadis in the murders and terrorist attack were the local Benghazi branch of Ansar al-Shariah, known to have ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121023114113/http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/10/19/when-an-obama-adviser-called-benghazi-an-al-qaeda-hotbed/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway When an Obama adviser called Benghazi an al-Qaeda hotbed]</ref> A commander of the terrorist group boasted jovially about the attack over drinks with reporters for the ''New York Times'' in Benghazi.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/16/world/africa/election-year-stakes-overshadow-nuances-of-benghazi-investigation.html?pagewanted=2&ref=world Election-Year Stakes Overshadow Nuances of Libya Investigation], The New York Times</ref><ref>[http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/frappe-libya-attack/ Frappe-Sipping Libyan Militant Laughs at U.S. Manhunt for Benghazi Killers], [[Wired (magazine)]]</ref>

=====[[Al Qaeda in the Maghreb]]=====
Two more Americans were killed, along with 35 others, after being taken hostage by rebel jihadists in Mali shortly after the Libyan upheaval.<ref>[http://world.time.com/2013/01/21/algeria-37-foreigner-hostages-killed-in-attack/ Algeria: 37 Foreigner Hostages Killed in Attack], Associated Press, Jan. 21, 2013. ''[[Time Magazine]]''.</ref>

Hillary Clinton testified before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the wake of the Benghazi murders under her stewardship, that weapons and fighters equipped by the Obama administration made their way to [[Mali]] and [[Algeria]]:
{{cquote|There is no doubt that the Algerian terrorists had weapons from Libya. There is no doubt that the Malian remnants of AQIM [Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] have weapons from Libya.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/clinton-says-militants-used-weapons-libya-algeria-attack-154222664.html Clinton says militants used weapons from Libya in Algeria attack] [[Reuters]], Jan 23, 2013.</ref>}}

====Mexico====
[[File:Eric Holder.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Eric Holder]] resigned as Attorney General in light of Fast & Furious<ref>[http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/10/fast_and_furious_in_a_rotten_nutshell.html#ixzz27iRBCN28 Fast and Furious in a Rotten Nutshell], Ronald Kolb, ''[[American Thinker]]'', October 7, 2011,</ref> and other scandals.]]
:''Main article:'' '''[[Operation Fast and Furious]]'''
In May 2010, President Obama promised Mexican President [[Felipe Calderon]] that his administration would assist Mexico in curbing drug cartel violence, which has led to 30,000 deaths in Mexico. "President Calderon and I . . . stand together against the drug cartels that have unleashed horrific violence in so many communities," Obama said on May 19. "Mexico can count on the United States as a full partner in this effort."

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

====Cuba====
During his presidency, Obama instituted a major détente with the oppressive Communist dictatorship of [[Cuba]], despite its failed leftist governance and human rights violations.<ref>[http://www.wsj.com/articles/obamas-cuban-detente-1418862551 Obama’s Cuban Detente]. ''The Wall Street Journal''. December 17, 2014. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Spetalnick, Matt; Gardner, Timothy (December 13, 2016). [http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cuba-whitehouse-idUSKBN1422U6 Obama to press Trump to preserve Cuba detente: White House]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref> In August 2015, the U.S. and Cuba reopened each other's embassies.<ref>Frumin, Aliyah (July 1, 2015). [http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/obama-announces-historic-deal-cuba Obama announces historic deal with Cuba]. ''MSNBC''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/14/kerry-in-havana-for-reopening-us-embassy-tough-negotiations-ahead.html Kerry marks opening of US Embassy in Havana, critics rip 'diplomacy for show']. ''Fox News''. August 14, 2015. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref> In September 2016, Obama nominated the first U.S. Ambassador to Cuba in 55 years.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/09/27/obama-nominates-first-us-ambassador-to-cuba-in-more-than-45-years.html Obama nominates first US ambassador to Cuba in more than 55 years]. ''Fox News''. September 27, 2016. Retrieved January 15, 2016.</ref> Obama did everything in his power to normalize relations with the failed dictatorship, but the U.S. embargo against Cuba remained in place due to opposition from the Republican-controlled Congress.<ref>Spetalnick, Matt; Marsh, Sarah (October 14, 2016). [http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa-idUSKBN12E1H3 Obama eases restrictions on Cuba, lifts limits on rum and cigars]. ''Reuters''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

Despite Obama's support for mass immigration and amnesty for those who immigrated illegally, he ended the "wet foot, dry foot" policy that allowed Cuban refugees to legally stay in the U.S.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/12/obama-reportedly-to-scrap-wet-foot-dry-foot-policy-for-cuban-refugees.html Obama announces end to 'wet foot, dry foot' policy for Cuban refugees]. ''Fox News''. January 12, 2017. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

====Guantanamo Bay====
{{main article|Guantanamo Bay}}
One of Obama's campaign promises was that he would close the American detention center at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba - detainees would be flown to other countries while the ones awaiting trial would enter the American court system. Two days after taking office he signed an order directing the military to do so.<ref name="salon">{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/25/obama_guantanamo_rhetoric|work=Salon|title=The Obama/Gitmo timeline|author=Natasha Lennard|language=English}}</ref> But, in November 2009 Obama admitted that his self-imposed deadline of January 2010 would be missed, and in March 2011 the president went back on his campaign promise, signing an executive order to create a formal system of indefinite detention for the prisoners.<ref name="salon"/>

Obama ultimately failed to close Guantanamo Bay, although he continually attempted to reduce the number of detained terrorists held at the base, even in the last days of his presidency.<ref>Saxena, V. (January 6, 2017). [http://www.westernjournalism.com/obama-to-release-18-hardened-gitmo-terrorists-before-leaving-office/ Obama To Release 18 Hardened Gitmo Terrorists Before Leaving Office]. ''Western Journalism''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref><ref>Ryan, Missy; Tate, Julie (December 28, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/with-final-detainee-transfer-obamas-guantanamo-policy-takes-its-last-breath/2016/12/28/dfdf8cb2-cd0f-11e6-a747-d03044780a02_story.html?utm_term=.62bebcb1f672 With final detainee transfer, Obama’s Guantanamo policy takes its last breath]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved January 15, 2017.</ref>

====Russia====
Obama criticized president of [[Russia]], [[Vladimir Putin]] for carrying out a referendum for the seizure of [[Crimea]] to Russia.<ref>[http://cnsnews.com/news/article/obama-calls-rethinking-crimea-vote Obama calls for a 'rethinking' on Crimea vote]. [[Cybercast News Service]]</ref>

====Anti-Israel policies====
Obama has had very poor relations with the conservative [[Israel]]I Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]]. During the very tight and closely-watched 2015 elections, the Obama Administration attempted to influence the election—in order to elect a leftist government in the nation and defeat Netanyahu—by financing a liberal Israeli political organization.<ref>Klein, Aaron (July 13, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/07/13/israeli-lawmakers-fume-obama-administration-intervention-defeat-netanyahu/ Israeli Lawmakers Fume Over Obama Administration ‘Intervention’ to Defeat Netanyahu]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> Netanyahu decisively won the election, despite opposition from left-wing world leaders such as Obama.<ref>[http://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-claims-victory-as-vote-count-shows-likud-further-ahead/ Netanyahu scores crushing victory in Israeli elections]. ''The Times of Israel''. March 18, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

On December 23, 2016, Obama broke over 35 years of American policy by abstaining from a UN vote and allowing a blatantly anti-Israel resolution to pass, showing his true anti-Israel stance.<ref name="StrikeAgain"/><ref name="FedUpDrastic"/> On December 28, 2016, just a few weeks before the [[Trump Administration]] was to take office and a few days after the anti-[[Israel]] resolution was adopted, Kerry gave a major 72-minute<ref>Hanchett, Ian (December 28, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/12/28/nbcs-neely-kerry-speech-firing-a-flare-across-israel-he-wanted-to-give-it-for-some-time-but-wh-blocked-it/ NBC’s Neely: Kerry Speech ‘Firing a Flare’ ‘Across Israel’ He Wanted To Give It ‘For Some Time’ But WH Blocked It]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> speech viciously attacking Israel and paying worthless lip-service to American "support" for the nation.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (December 28, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2016/12/28/kerry-on-israel-peace-un-resolution/ Kerry Attacks Israeli Government, Defends UN Resolution]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref> Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] responded harshly but appropriately to the Administration's blatant betrayal.<ref>Key, Pam (December 28, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/12/28/netanyahu-i-must-express-my-deep-disappointment-with-john-kerry-israelis-do-not-need-to-be-lectured/ Netanyahu: ‘I Must Express My Deep Disappointment’ With Kerry — ‘Israelis Do Not Need To Be Lectured’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

Despite these actions, the U.S. House passed a motion on January 5, 2017 condemning Obama's allowing of the UN resolution.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/house-overwhelmingly-votes-to-condemn-un-resolution-on-israel-settlements.html House overwhelmingly votes to condemn UN resolution on Israel settlements]. ''Fox News''. January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Cortellessa, Eric (January 6, 2017). [http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-house-passes-repudiation-of-un-security-council-resolution-on-israel/ US House passes motion repudiating UN resolution on Israel]. ''The Times of Israel''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref> Additionally, Republican President-elect [[Donald Trump]] voiced strong support for Israel during this time.<ref>Pollak, Joel B. (December 23, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/23/trump-hints-defunding-un-anti-israel-vote/ Trump on UN Anti-Israel Vote: ‘Things Will Be Different After Jan. 20’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref><ref>Swoyer, Alex (December 29, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/29/trump-im-very-very-strong-on-israel/ Trump: ‘I’m Very, Very Strong on Israel’]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 6, 2017.</ref>

Soon before leaving office, Obama bypassed Congress and gave the [[State of Palestine]] $221 million.<ref name="221MLastHours">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/24/us-quietly-sent-221m-to-palestinians-in-obamas-last-hours.html US quietly sent $221M to Palestinians in Obama's last hours]. ''Fox News''. January 24, 2017. Retrieved January 24, 2017.</ref>

====Opposition to U.S. sovereignty====
Preferring international cooperation and equality (despite the U.S.'s obviously superior geopolitical position) to American sovereignty and independence, Obama intentionally reduced American power and strength during his presidency. One of his actions as president was to give up the nation's control of [[Domain name|internet domain name system]] and transfer control over to an international organization in 2016.<ref>Solomon, Howard (October 3, 2016). [http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/new-era-in-internet-governance-starts-as-us-cedes-control-of-domain-name-system/386903 New era in Internet governance starts as US cedes control of domain name system]. ''IT World Canada''. Retrieved October 14, 2016.</ref><ref>Lieberman, Eric (September 24, 2016). [http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/24/obama-admin-wants-to-surrender-us-control-over-internet-to-global-bureaucracy/ Obama Admin Wants To Surrender US Control Over Internet To Global Bureaucracy]. ''The Daily Caller''. Retrieved October 14, 2016.</ref>

===Congressional relations===
Obama has maintained tense relations with Congress throughout his term as President. Each of his budgets have been voted down, and many of his judicial appointments have not come to a vote. When Supreme Court Justice [[Antonin Scalia]] died on February 13, 2016, Obama made a point of addressing the nation to say that he would nominate a replacement, which drew criticism and rebuke from Republican Senators and Presidential candidates. Obama executive action in areas such as immigration policy have drawn extensive criticism as infringing upon Congressional legislative powers.

===2016 Presidential election===
By custom, President Obama stayed neutral during the primaries, eventhough his close friend and Vice President [[Joe Biden]] was seriously considering a Presidential campaign.

Once Hillary Clinton won the Democratic nomination, Obama campaigned for her and also attended fundraisers. Obama publicly criticized the Republican candidate, [[Donald Trump]] who had previously spent years claiming that Obama was not born in the United States.

On March 4, 2017, after becoming President, Trump tweeted:
<blockquote>How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!<ref>https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump</ref></blockquote>
and
<blockquote>Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!</blockquote>

Members of the mainstream media called this wiretapping claim an "astonishing and reckless accusation".<ref name=wiretap>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-trump-experiment-may-come-to-an-early-tipping-point/2017/03/05/87d38b3a-0055-11e7-99b4-9e613afeb09f_story.html?utm_term=.edb071c61986|title=The Trump Experiment may come to an early tipping point|first=EJ|last=Dionne Jr.|work=Washington Post|date=March 5, 2017|accessdate=March 5, 2017}}</ref> Obama and his director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. as well as the head of the FBI have denied that this happened.<ref name=wiretap/> In turn, Trump has called for a Congressional investigation of the alleged wiretapping.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/03/05/statement-press-secretary|title=Statement from the Press Secretary|date=March 5, 2017|accessdate=March 7, 2017}}</ref>

===Last days and transition===
In a stunning repudiation of Obama's leftist policies, Republican businessman [[Donald Trump]] was elected over the corrupt, leftist Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]]. In a frantic attempt to leave some sort of legacy, Obama issued a very large amount of far-Left executive orders which revealed his true political views if any doubt remained.<ref name="ActionsSpree">Lucas, Fred (December 26, 2016). [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/26/spree-obama-actions-revives-gop-concerns-over-midnight-regs-agenda.html?refresh=true Spree of Obama actions revives GOP concerns over ‘midnight’ regs, agenda]. ''Fox News''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> These orders included blocking large areas of the [[Arctic Ocean|Arctic]] and [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] oceans from oil and gas drilling, effectively barring the U.S. from real [[Energy Independence|energy independence]]; breaking the record of pardons and commutations in a single day for criminals (many of them were sentenced for drug-related crimes), showing his soft stance on crime and drugs; ending the defunct NSEERS program to register male immigrants from North Korea and [[Islam]]ic countries (the necessary, beneficial, and useful program was suspended by the Obama Administration in 2011<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/22/obama-ditches-registry-focused-on-immigrant-men-from-muslim-countries.html Obama ditches registry focused on immigrant men from Muslim countries]. ''Fox News''. December 22, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2017.</ref>); attempting to transfer even more terrorists out of [[Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp|Guantanamo Bay]]; allowing an anti-[[Israel]] resolution pass in the [[United Nations]]; enacting a record amount of unnecessary, useless, and job-killing regulations; and even more.<ref name="ActionsSpree"/> Obama made these actions knowing that Trump, who had almost completely opposite political views on these issues, was going to enter the [[White House]] in such short a time.

Although all of Obama's actions were worrisome, his actions in regards to Israel were particularly noteworthy. He broke over 35 years of American policy by abstaining from a UN vote and allowing a blatantly anti-Israel resolution to pass, showing his true stance concerning Israel.<ref name="StrikeAgain">[https://worldisraelnews.com/israel-fears-obama-will-strike/ Israel fears Obama will strike again]. ''World Israel News''. December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref><ref name="FedUpDrastic">Berkowitz, Adam Eliyahu (December 26, 2016). [https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/80855/fed-up-with-obamas-trickery-netanyahu-takes-drastic-actions/#VbVlRMtkx4zLRc3f.97 Fed Up With United States Trickery, Netanyahu Takes Drastic Actions]. ''Breaking Israel News''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Soon before leaving office, Obama bypassed Congress and gave the [[State of Palestine]] $221 million.<ref name="221MLastHours"/>

Obama continued to believe that he could have successfully "won" a third term as president had he been able to run.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/26/obama-could-have-won-third-term.html?refresh=true Obama: I could have won third term]. ''Fox News''. December 26, 2016. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref> Regardless of the factuality of that claim, Democrats lost 1,042 seats—including U.S. House, Senate, state governorship, and state legislative seats—during his eight years in office.<ref name="1,000Seats">[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2016/12/27/democrats-lost-over-1000-seats-under-obama.html?refresh=true Democrats lost over 1,000 seats under Obama]. ''Fox News''. December 27, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2016.</ref> Obama also believed that "the Democratic Party has stayed pretty grounded in fact and reality" despite its negative policies that suggest otherwise.<ref>Lawler, David (December 26, 2016). [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/26/barack-obama-says-democrats-will-not-disintegrate-like-labour/ Barack Obama says Democrats will not 'disintegrate' like Labour under Jeremy Corbyn]. ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved December 26, 2016.</ref>

Obama made Trump's transition much harder and rockier than it could have been by his leftist executive orders, decisions, and comments during the transition period.<ref>Swoyer, Alex (December 28, 2016). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/12/28/donald-trump-responds-to-president-obamas-many-inflammatory-statements/ Donald Trump Responds to President Obama’s ‘Many Inflammatory’ Statements]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref><ref>Scott, Eugine (December 28, 2016). [http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/28/politics/trump-obama-statements-not-smooth-transition/ Trump: 'NOT' a smooth transition after Obama 'roadblocks']. ''CNN''. Retrieved December 28, 2016.</ref>

Despite his foreign policy blunders, Obama received the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service from [[Secretary of Defense]] [[Ash Carter]], an Obama appointee in the same administration.<ref>Huston, Warner Todd (January 4, 2017). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/01/04/president-obama-awards-himself-distinguished-public-service-medal/ President Obama Awards Himself Distinguished Public Service Medal]. ''Breitbart''. Retrieved January 7, 2017.</ref> Although the award was created in 1947, the only other presidents to have received the medal (all during their tenure) are [[Bill Clinton]], a left-wing Democrat, and [[George W. Bush]], who holds [[RINO]] positions on certain issues.

In an interview, Obama claimed that "we are probably the first administration in modern history that hasn't had a major scandal in the White House,"<ref>[http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/01/13/president-obama-60-minutes-no-white-house-scandals-during-my-administration Obama: I'm the 1st Modern President Without a Major Scandal]. ''Fox News Insider''. January 13, 2017. Retrieved January 16 2017.</ref> and Obama's Chief of Staff [[Denis McDonough]] claimed likewise,<ref>Shelbourne, Mallory (January 15, 2017). [http://thehill.com/homenews/sunday-talk-shows/314396-obama-chief-of-staff-most-proud-we-are-scandal-free Chief of staff: Obama administration 'historically free of scandal']. ''The Hill''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref> despite the strong and massive evidence to the contrary.<ref>Dickens, Geoffrey (January 16, 2017). [https://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/geoffrey-dickens/2017/01/16/ The Seven Most Undercovered Obama Scandals]. ''[[NewsBusters]]''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref><ref>Hemingway, Mark (January 9, 2017). [http://www.weeklystandard.com/the-obama-era-had-scandals-aplenty/article/2006197 The Obama Era Had Scandals Aplenty]. ''[[Weekly Standard]]''. Retrieved January 16, 2017.</ref>

==2012 Presidential campaign==
: ''Main article: [[Presidential Election 2012]]''
===2011: Birth certificate controversies===
: ''Main article: [[Barack Obama Controversies#Birth Certificate]]''
On April 27, 2011,<ref>CNN Political Unit (2011, April 27). "[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/ White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate]." ''CNN''.</ref> a long-running controversy surrounding Obama's birth was largely put to rest<ref>Winter, J. (2011, April 29). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/29/expert-says-obamas-birth-certificate-legit/ Expert: No Doubt Obama's Birth Certificate is Legit]." ''[[Fox News]]''. Tuchman, G. (2011, April 25). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-25/politics/birthers.obama.hawaii_1_birther-controversy-obama-opinion-research-corporation?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Birther Claims Have No Merit]." ''CNN''. (2011, April 27). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42779923/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-releases-detailed-us-birth-certificate/ Obama Releases Detailed U.S. Birth Certificate]." ''MSNBC''.</ref> when Obama had his long-form birth certificate posted at WhiteHouse.gov.<ref>"[http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Certificate of Live Birth]." State of Hawaii. Retrieved from ''WhiteHouse.gov''.</ref> [[Donald Trump]], who had been critical of Obama for allowing the divisiveness to linger was then leading Republicans in polls for the upcoming GOP primary<ref>James, F. (2011, April 15). "[http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/04/15/135446314/poll-donald-trump-birther-darling-leads-gop-field-at-26 Donald Trump, Birther In Chief? Poll Has Him Leading GOP Field with 26 Percent]." ''NPR''.</ref> and has been credited with bringing final resolution to the issue. The birth certificates of Michelle Robinson, which would disclosure her birth-sex, and the two children which would clarify their birth parentage however, remain undisclosed.

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

Hillary Clinton top advisor [[Sidney Blumenthal]], and his son, Max Blumenthal, were the origin of the rumors in 2008 that Barack Hussein Obama was a Muslim in order to stir up fear among white Democrats and women, intended for Hillary's benefit.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-great-islamophobic-crusade/ The Great Islamophobic Crusade], CBSNEWS, December 19, 2010. cbsnews.com</ref> McClatchy Washington Bureau Chief James Asher relayed, "Mr. Blumenthal and I met together in my office and he strongly urged me to investigate the exact place of President Obama’s birth, which he suggested was in Kenya."<ref>http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article102354777.html</ref> Snope's has identified a claim that a 1991 promotional booklet by Barack Obama's then-literary agency, Acton & Dystel, touted Obama as "born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii" as being true.<ref>http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthers/booklet.asp</ref>

[[Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign]] team then began spreading [[Islamophobic]] rumors that Obama was a [[Muslim]] schooled in a ''madrassa'' as a child in Indonesia.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/sep/05/bill-clinton-barack-obama-bromance-long-slow-making Bill Clinton and Barack Obama: an alliance long and slow in the making], Gary Younge, ''Guardian'' UK.</ref><ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080506093354/http://www.stop-obama.org/?page_id=23 Who is BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA?] Mission Statement, stop-obama.org</ref> A group registered as People United Means Action (PUMA) was made up of Hillary Clinton supporters who not only opposed Barack Obama's nomination but also sought to delegitimitize his presidency.<ref>https://youtu.be/bifsEkjTAc8</ref> PUMA members charged that the media directed [[sexism]] and [[misogyny]] at Clinton during the 2008 primary campaign and expressed anger at [[Democratic Party]] leaders' failure to speak out or otherwise respond appropriately.

Hillary Clinton had received a majority of votes in the 2008 Democratic primaries and PUMA felt the [[Superdelegate]]s robbed Hillary of the nomination.

===2011: Retribution killings===
Obama transformed the Bush administration War on Terror from a preventative measure against terrorism to a cry for vengeance, mob bloodlust, and retribution killings which spawned a fresh, new, and larger cycle of violence.

On May 1, 2011, Obama misled the public when he announced <ref>Obama, B. (2011, May 2). "[http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/05/02/osama-bin-laden-dead Osama Bin Laden Dead]." ''White House''.</ref><ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf1SLhNoUNY Nobel Prize Winner with a kill list].</ref> that Osama bin Laden was "killed in a firefight" after a U.S. special operations group infiltrated a compound in [[Abbottabad raid|Abottobad]], Pakistan.<ref>Baker, P., Cooper, H., & Mazzetti, M. (2011, May 1). "[Bin Laden is Dead, Obama Says]." ''The New York Times''. "[http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Osama_Bin_Laden/ Target Bin Laden: The Death of Public Enemy #1]." ''ABC News''. ''[[NPR]]''. "[http://www.npr.org/series/135908383/osama-bin-laden-dead Special Series: Osama Bin Laden Killed]."</ref> Attacks, murders, and kidnappings of Americans have since escalated as reprisals for bin Laden's death. [[Al Qaeda]], once broken and on the run, operates openly as the jihad has now become global. Relations with Pakistan, a longtime ally throughout the Cold War and War on Terror, became strained. The government of Pakistan denied White House claims it allowed Americans to kill Muslims on its territory.<ref>''Associated Press'' (2011, May 10). "[http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/05/10/pakistani-president-claims-bin-laden-deal/ Former Pakistani President Claims There Was Never Bin Laden Deal With U.S.]." Retrieved from ''Fox News''.</ref> For all his duplicity and criticism of the War on Terror, Obama experienced only a temporary blip in approval ratings.<ref>Dao, J. & Sussman, D. (2011, May 4). "[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/05/us/politics/05poll.html For Obama, Big Rise in Poll Numbers After Bin Laden Raid]." ''New York Times''. ''Pew Research Center'' (2011, May 2). "[http://www.people-press.org/2011/05/03/public-relieved-by-bin-ladens-death-obamas-job-approval-rises/ Public 'Relieved' by Bin Laden's Death, Obama's Job Approval Rises]." Jones, J.M. (2011, May 5). "[http://www.gallup.com/poll/147437/obama-approval-rallies-six-points-bin-laden-death.aspx Obama Job Approval Rallies Six Points to 52% After Bin Laden Death]." ''Gallup''.</ref><ref>''[[CBS News]]/Associated Press'' (2012, May 1). "[http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57424622/1-year-after-osama-bin-laden-killed-still-no-answers-from-pakistan/ 1 Year After Osama bin Laden Killed, Still No Answers from Pakistan]."</ref>

An NBC investigation revealed Obama was informed of bin Laden's whereabouts one full year before he attempted to use it as an election year issue. NBC further reported that there was no "firefight" at all, contradicting what the president told the nation.<ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3077864/NBC-investigatin-says-bama-DID-edit-role-Pakistan-killing-Bin-Laden-change-facts-credit.html NBC investigation claims Obama knew where bin Laden was ONE YEAR before 2011 raid and backs Seymour Hersh's claim Pakistan intelligence hid al-Qaeda chief], [[Daily Mail ]]</ref> As early as the day after bin Laden was executed, it was learned bin Laden was not armed in the alleged "firefight" that Obama claimed took place.

===2012: defends Mohammad===
After the [[Benghazi terrorist attack]] which his administration knowingly and fraudulently blamed on the creator of an irreverent YouTube video critical of the founder of Islam, Obama made a speech at the UN in which he said, {{Cquote|The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.<ref>https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/25/remarks-president-un-general-assembly</ref>}}
Four Americans died in the terrorist action intended to commemorate the [[9/11 attack]]s. The attack occurred on the US Consulate at Benghazi, part of the territory of the United States. Administration officials did nothing to repel the attack in progress while huddling to discuss the domestic political ramifications for the upcoming presidential election, less than two months away. The creator of the video was jailed on bogus charges unrelated to the video. In 2015, a series of terrorist attacks in France, Denmark and the United States claimed the lives of at least 15 people with dozens injured, including security and police officers, motivated by Muslim extremists defending what, in their view were, unflattering depictions of the founder of Islam, [[Mohammad]].

=== 2012: voting irregularities===
According to Stanley Kurtz - author of ''Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism'' (2010) Obama in 1995 sought and obtained the endorsement of a left-wing third party, the [[New Party]] in his quest to be elected to the Illinois State Senate.<ref>Kurtz, S. (2012, June 7). [http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/302031/obamas-third-party-history-stanley-kurtz Obama's Third-Party History]. ''[[National Review Online]]''.</ref> Obama's "Fight the Smears" campaign has denied this, as has [[Politico]]'s Ben Smith.<ref name=pollack>Pollack, J.B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/06/07/Obama-Caught-Lying-Again-He-WAS-Member-of-New-Party-Says-Kurtz Obama Caught Lying Again: He WAS Member of 'New Party', Says Kurtz]. ''Breitbart.com'' Smith, B. (2008, October 25). [http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/1008/The_dread_New_Party.html The Dread New Party]. ''[[Politico]]''.</ref> Others who claim he was affiliated with the New Party/ACORN include [[The Blaze]]'s Billy Hallowell,<ref>Hallowell, B. (2012, June 7). [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/report-new-documents-show-obama-was-a-member-of-the-far-left-new-party/ News Docs Reportedly Show Obama Was a Member of the Far-Left 'New Party']. ''The Blaze''.</ref> [[Breitbart News Network|Breitbart]]'s Joel Pollack, [[Human Events]]' Erick Erickson,<ref>Erickson, E. (2008, June 10). [http://www.humanevents.com/2008/06/10/obama-and-the-new-party/ Obama and the New Party]. ''[[Human Events]]''.</ref> Newsbusters' P.J. Gladnick,<ref>Gladnick, P.J. (2008, October 12). [http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2008/10/08/will-msm-report-obama-membership-socialist-new-party#ixzz21JfE3z1z Will MSM Report on Obama Membership in Socialist New Party?] ''[[Newsbusters]]''.</ref> Rick Moran at AmericanThinker.com,<ref>Rick Moran. [http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/06/obamas_alliance_with_marxists.html Obama's Alliance with Marxists], ''American Thinker'', June 03, 2008.</ref> and various writers at [[Discover the Networks]] (which include Kurtz and Erickson).<ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=7434 NEW PARTY (NP)], ''[[Discover the Networks]]''.</ref>

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

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

===Results===
On November 6, 2012 Barack Obama won reelection with 332 electoral votes to Mitt Romney's 206.<ref>[http://www.politico.com/2012-election/results/map/ 2012 Presidential Election], Politico</ref> Obama received 51% of the popular vote (65,899,660 votes) to Romney's 47% (60,932,152 votes).<ref>[http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2012/2012presgeresults.pdf Official 2012 Presidential General Election Results], [[Federal Election Commission]]</ref>

==Post-presidency==
Despite Obama's opposition to Trump's plan to build a wall along the U.S.-[[Mexico]] border in order to secure it, it was reported in early 2017 that he was building a wall around his new mansion, obviously in order to keep unwanted people out.<ref>[http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/obama-building-a-wall-around-his-new-dc-house/article/2611130 Obama building a wall around his new DC house]. ''Washington Examiner''. January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.</ref>

After the end of his presidency, Obama spent much of his time vacationing in exclusive and elite locations around the world.<ref>Bennett, Kate (March 17, 2017). [http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/17/politics/where-in-the-world-is-barack-obama/ Barack Obama is probably lying on a beach in a deserted paradise right now]. ''CNN''. Retrieved March 18, 2017.</ref>

==Legacy==
In September 2016, a [[Parasite|parasitic]] worm, the [[Baracktrema obamai]], was named after Obama.<ref>Kaplan, Sarah (September 9, 2016). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2016/09/09/scientists-like-barack-obama-so-much-that-they-named-a-parasite-after-him/ Scientists like Barack Obama so much that they named a parasite after him]. ''The Washington Post''. Retrieved September 9, 2016.</ref> As of December 2016, at least 15 schools in the United States have been named after Obama.

During Obama's 8 years in office, Democrats lost over 1,000 seats in the federal and state governments.<ref name="1,000Seats"/>

[[Dinesh D'Souza]] wrote, "Obama's legacy is to double the national debt & dramatically reduce US influence in the world."<ref>https://twitter.com/dineshdsouza/status/760447860638789632</ref>

==Controversies==
:''Main article: [[Barack Obama Controversies]]''
Several major controversies have dogged Obama throughout his political career and have received major media coverage and prominence.

==Obamaisms==
Obama's bizarre gaffes, or [[Obamaisms]], were frequent and embarrassing, but typically unreported by the [[liberal media]]. Some examples are: spelling respect as R-S-P-E-C-T when he was attempting to sing that line from [[Aretha Franklin]]'s famous song, spelling Ohio as O-I-H-O, and saying that we built the Intercontinental Railroad instead of the Transcontinental Railroad, saying "How's it going, Sunshine" when he was in the city of Sunrise, Florida.<ref>Kurtzman, Daniel (March 6, 2014 or aft.) [http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/barackobama/a/obama-isms.htm "Obamaisms: Dumb quotes and gaffes by Barack Obama"]. About.com webiste/About entertainment/Political humor/Funny political jokes/Political gaffes.</ref> Many hardworking American businessmen took offense to a 2012 campaign speech about the economy where, referring to infrastructure improvements, he said "[[You didn't build that]]." Obama offended [[Poland]] by referring to the [[Nazi]] death camps there as "Polish death camps." Later Obama apologized.<ref>Sink, Justin (June 1, 2012). [http://thehill.com/blogs/global-affairs/europe/230419-obama-letter-says-he-regrets-polish-death-camp-gaffe "Obama apologizes in writing for 'Polish death camp' verbal gaffe"]. The Hill website/Policy/International.</ref> Gaffes are inevitable for people with a high profile, but several of Obama's were very revealing ("you didn't build that"), and they show how the [[mainstream media]] tends to emphasize the gaffes of conservatives as opposed to liberals.

== Quotes ==
*"I continue to believe that [[Donald Trump]] will not be president." (stated when asked by a reporter a month prior to Election Day)<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4iZSW_76TE Democrats and Media Agreed: There Was No Way Donald Trump Could Be Elected], Video</ref>

==See also==
*[[Obamagate timeline]]
*[[Political positions of Barack Obama]]
*[[Barack Obama and uncharitableness]]
*[[Barack Obama and abortion]]
*[[Essay:Born Outside the U.S.A.!]]
*[[Essay: The Special Interests Candidate]]
*[[Lobbyists ties to the Obama administration]]
*[[Obama doublespeak]]
*[[Obama inauguration]]
*[[Religion of Barack Hussein Obama]]
*[[Barack Obama's Muslim Heritage]]''
*[[The Honorable James David Manning]]
*[[Essay:The Obama Manifesto]]
*[[Obama syndrome]]
*[[Barack Obama's past dog meat eating and 2012 election campaign]]
*[[Barack Obama's "Last chance at dinner" fundraising letter]]
*[[Essay: Does Barack Hussein Obama care if America defaults on credit?]]
*[[Essay:The lie that we are safer under Obama]]
*[[Essay: Foes Want Obama to Fail, A Republican Perspective]]
*[[Essay:Impeach Obama]]
*[[Obama's second term agenda]]
*[[ObamaRail]]
*[[Obama sequester]]
*[[Obama (disambiguation)]]
*[[Essay: President's speech after the defeat of two tyrants]]
* [[Unconstitutional]] [[Executive amnesty]] via Obama [[Executive Order]]s
* [[Universal health care]] for [[Illegal immigration|illegal aliens]] via [[ObamaCare]]

==External links==
*[http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000167 Profile] on the ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress''
*[http://barackobamadoubletalk.com/ Barack Obama Doubletalk]
*[http://hotair.com/archives/2013/07/03/national-journal-obama-facing-crisis-over-incompetence/ National Journal: Obama facing crisis over incompetence]
*[http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/6130/ The New Cult of Personality]
*[http://www.noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/23/che-obama-and-the-revolutionary-agenda/ Che, Obama, and the Revolutionary Agenda]
*[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/09/americas-first-muslim-president/ GAFFNEY: America's first Muslim president?] Washington Times
*[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-l-esposito/barack-obama-and-islam_b_212519.html Barack Obama and Islam.] by [[John L. Esposito]].
*[http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78931 Democrat: Obama's grandma confirms Kenyan birth.]
*[http://www.ontheissues.org/barack_obama.htm Barack Obama on the issues.]

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

{{USPresidents}}
{{2008 presidential candidates}}
{{2012 presidential candidates}}
[[Category:Barack Hussein Obama]]
[[Category:Obama Presidency]]
[[Category:Obama Administration]]
[[Category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Chicago]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]
[[Category:Liberal Authors]]
[[Category:Best Selling Authors]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Obama, Barack Hussein}}

Bill Clinton

2016-03-29T18:19:16Z

Lincolnrep: Little Edit

{{Officeholder
|name=William Jefferson Clinton
|image=William Clinton by Knox.jpg
|party=Democratic
|spouse=[[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]
|religion=[[Baptist]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/president
|country=the United States
|number=42nd
|terms=January 20, 1993 – January 20, 2001
|vp=[[Al Gore]]
|preceded=[[George H. W. Bush]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[George W. Bush]]
}}
{{Officeholder/governor
|number=40th and 42nd
|state=Arkansas
|terms=January 9, 1979 – January 19, 1981; January 11, 1983 – December 12, 1992
|preceded=[[Joe Purcell]] (first term) [[Frank D. White]] (second term)
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Frank D. White]] (first term) [[Jim Guy Tucker]] (second term)
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=Arkansas
|number=50th
|governor=[[David Pryor]]
|deputy=n
|terms=January 3, 1977 – January 9, 1979
|preceded=[[Jim Guy Tucker]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Steve Clark]]
}}
}}
'''William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton''' (born '''William Jefferson Blythe III''', August 19, 1946), was the 42th president of the United States, elected twice with [[Plurality| pluralities]] in 1992 and 1996. Previously he served as governor of Arkansas. In the post-[[Cold War]] era his administration was characterized by reduced defence spending which produced a budget surplus, lower [[interest rate]]s and excessive stock and real estate and bubbles.

Clinton was [[impeach]]ed by the [[United States House of Representatives]] for [[obstruction of justice]] and [[perjury]], while the Senate failed to convict along party lines. Clinton later was found in contempt by a federal judge for lying under oath and subsequently barred from ever practising law again.

Clinton and his wife, First Lady [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]], are credited with making commonplace the [[politics of demonization]] in modern American political discourse. He served out his term despite legislative defeats, repeated scandal (he was notorious for his [[sexist]] improprieties) and impeachment.<ref> Whittington (1997)</ref>

After leaving the White House, he became a well-paid speaker in [[liberal]] circles. His wife, Hillary Clinton, was elected to the Senate from New York in 2000 and 2006, and in 2009 became the third female Secretary of State. Clinton was the major fundraiser and campaigner for his wife, but failed to win the African American vote to neutralize Hillary's main opponent, [[Barack Hussein Obama]] in the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries.

== Early Life ==
Clinton was born in Hope,<ref> [[Mike Huckabee]] was born in Hope in 1955, but did not know Clinton.</ref> Arkansas, a month after his father William Jefferson Blythe II, a salesman, was killed in an auto accident. He was raised by his maternal grandparents until age 4, when his mother Virginia Kelly (1923-1994), a nurse, married Roger Clinton (1909-1967), a car dealer. Roger was an alcoholic and violent; the marriage was tempestuous, including a divorce and a remarriage in 1962. A life-long Southern Baptist, Clinton graduated from the Hot Springs public high school in 1964. He attended Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where he became active in Democratic politics and won prestigious Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University in England. He was a bit player in the anti-Vietnam war movement, and managed to stall the draft until he received a high lottery number, an evasion that became controversial in his first presidential campaign. He attended Yale Law School (JD 1973). A hail fellow well met, Clinton developed a vast network of friends. He met [[Hillary Clinton]] at Yale; they married in 1975 and had one daughter, [[Chelsea Clinton]], born in 1980.

== Arkansas Attorney General and Governor ==
After returning to Arkansas as a law professor at the university, Clinton was elected state Attorney General in 1976. In 1978, he was elected Governor of Arkansas, becoming the youngest governor in the country at age 32 . Though defeated in 1980, Clinton won back the governorship in 1982 and held it until becoming President in 1992.

===Civil Rights violations===
In December 1989 a three-judge district federal court held Bill Clinton's state-wide legislative reapportionment plan violated Section 2 of the [[Voting Rights Act|Voting Rights Act of 1965]], 42 U.S.C. 1973. 1990 the [[Supreme Court]] of the United States found in the case of ''Clinton vs Jeffers'' <ref>Findings of the Supreme Court of the United States in [http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/1990/sg900402.txt Clinton vs Jeffers] No. 90-394 (1990) on appeal 730 F. Supp. 196, 198-201 (ED Ark. 1989) (three-judge court), aff'd, No. 89-2008 (Jan. 7, 1991).</ref> the former Arkansas Governor and [[Democratic]] president had violated the Voting Rights Act. The Justices findings were,
{{Cquote|Bill Clinton does not dispute here -- that "violations of the [[Fourteenth amendment|fourteenth]] or [[fifteenth amendment]] justifying equitable relief have occurred in Arkansas."

In May 1990, the district court turned to those claims, holding that "the State of Arkansas has committed a number of constitutional violations of the voting rights of black citizens." J.S. App. A5. In particular, the court determined that the "State has systematically and deliberately enacted new majority-vote requirements for municipal offices, in an effort to frustrate black political success in elections traditionally requiring only a plurality to win." In 1990...Devotion to majority rule for local offices lay dormant as long as the plurality system produced white office-holders. But whenever black candidates used this system successfully -- and victory by a plurality has been virtually their only chance of success in at-large elections in majority-white cities – the response was swift and certain. Laws were passed in an attempt to close off this avenue of black political victory.}}

The court concluded
{{Cquote|This series of laws represents a systematic and deliberate attempt to reduce black political opportunity. Such an attempt is plainly unconstitutional. It replaces a system in which blacks could and did succeed, with one in which they almost certainly cannot. The inference of [[bigotry|racial motivation]] is inescapable.}}

===Arkansas scandals===
Clinton was involved in several scandals while Governor of Arkansas. He converted governmental resources for personal use by having Arkansas state policemen arrange and stand guard during his extramarital rendezvous with women.<ref>Thomas C. Reeves, ''[https://www.questia.com/magazine/1G1-14988880/why-troopergate-matters-to-voters Why Troopergate matters to voters]'', ''Insight on the News,'' April 4, 1994.</ref>

His close personal business partnerships with James and Susan McDougall in a failed Savings and Loan business venture led to investigation of the [[Whitewater]] affair. Several of the people involved with the sale of land prior to the Clinton presidency were indicted, but prosecutors never charged either Clintons with a crime.

===Democratic Leadership Council===
The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) formed in early 1985 to formulate a moderate Democratic agenda. With Al From as executive director and Georgia Senator Sam Nunn as chairman, DLC comprised mostly Southern Democratic congressmen. They sought to rebuild the party's image after a series of defeats by Reagan and Bush. They wanted to assure voters that the moderate-conservative wing of the party was alive and well, and that [[progressive]] policy initiatives may be marketable to mainstream America. After the Democrats 1988 defeat, From asked Clinton in March 1990 to become the first DLC Chair from outside Washington. He and Clinton recruited state and local officials from around the country for the DLC, trying out talking points for [[New_spending#New_vs_old_spending_authority|new spending authority]] initiatives developed by an affiliated think tank, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI). Proposals that found their way into Clinton's 1992 platform included:
* Apprenticeship programs for non-college-bound skilled workers
* A program of national service for college students (with student loan forgiveness)
* A ROTC-style program to train new police officers in colleges
* An enhanced Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor
* Government-subsidized individual savings accounts for Social Security.

The two DLC manifestos and Clinton's 1991 "New Covenant" speech accounted for more than 60% of the spending promises in the 1992 Democratic platform. <ref> Borrelli, 432-35</ref> Clinton campaigned as a "New Democrat," with an appeal to southerners and moderates that included demands for welfare reform and support for the death penalty.

==1992 Presidential election==
:''Main article:'' [[United States presidential election, 1992]]
After the surge of support for the war policy of President [[George H.W. Bush]] pushed his popularity to the 90% level, most prominent Democrats decided to wait out the 1992 election. Clinton's main rival, Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts, called Clinton "pander bear" who "will say anything, do anything to get votes."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/07/us/the-1992-campaign-democrats-saying-clinton-is-cynical-tsongas-goes-on-the-attack.html THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Democrats; Saying Clinton Is Cynical, Tsongas Goes on the Attack,] By RICHARD L. BERKE, ''[[The New York Times]]'', March 07, 1992. </ref> Appalled by the tone and direction of the campaign, billionaire [[Ross Perot]] entered the race, ran on a balanced budget, and briefly led the polls. Both Bush and Perot proved poor campaigners, as Clinton and his running mate [[Al Gore]] promised a more responsive government. Republicans tried to use the character issue, questioning his failure to serve in the [[Vietnam War]] and stories of his illegal drug use in college days. But Bush was handicapped by a bad economy, and was wounded badly among moderates and conservatives for breaking a promise to not raise taxes. Clinton hammered away at the economy--"It's the economy, stupid!" explained his campaign manager. Clinton and Gore ran as "new Democrats", promising to cut middle class taxes, increase [[direct spending]], end welfare cash payments "as we know it", and support capital punishment. Clinton won the electoral college decisively, and outpolled Bush 43% to 37%, with 19% for Perot.

Clinton thus entered Washington with a Democratic Congress and a vague agenda. As the first President born after [[World War II]], Clinton represented the "baby-boom" generation.

==1993-1997, U.S. Presidency==
:''Main article:'' [[Clinton administration‎‎]]
Clinton was hailed by liberals and the media for his intellect. Alan Greenspan, who served six presidents in a long career said of Clinton after their first meeting, "for sheer intelligence, Bill Clinton was on a par with [[Richard Nixon]]."<ref>Alan Greenspan, ''The Age of Turbulence'', Penguin Press, 2007, p. 144.</ref>
===Community Reinvestment Act===
:''Main article:'' [[Community Reinvestment Act]]
One of President Clinton's early acts was an overhaul of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). In 1995 the implementing regulations were strengthened by focusing government regulators' attention on a financial institutions' performance in doling out credit within specified communities. Clinton's changes to the CRA<ref>{{cite web
|title=Clinton Administration Further Liberalizes the Community Reinvestment Act
|url=http://clinton6.nara.gov/1993/12/1993-12-08-briefing-by-bentsen-and-rubin.text.html
|publisher=[[The White House]] }}</ref> substantially increased the amount of home loans to unqualified low-income borrowers and, for the first time, allowed the [[securitization]] of CRA-regulated loans containing subprime mortgages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Congress Tries To Fix What It Broke
|url=http://news.investors.com/091708-490605-congress-tries-to-fix-what-it-broke.htm
|date=2008-09-17
|publisher=''[[Investor's Business Daily]]''}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ride out Wall Street's hurricane - The real reasons we're in this mess – and how to clean it up
|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0917/p09s01-coop.html
|first=Mark |last=Skousen
|date=2008-09-17|publisher=''[[Christian Science Monitor]]''
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|title=FIRST UNION CAPITAL MARKETS CORP., BEAR, STEARNS & CO. PRICE SECURITIES OFFERING BACKED BY AFFORDABLE MORTGAGES
|url=http://www.wachovia.com/inside/page/textonly/0,,134_307%5E306,00.html
|publisher=First Union Corporation (wachovia)}}</ref>

Howard Husock wrote:<ref>[http://www.city-journal.org/html/10_1_the_trillion_dollar.html The Trillion-Dollar Bank Shakedown That Bodes Ill for Cities], Howard Husock, ''City Journal'', Winter 2000</ref> "The Clinton administration has turned the Community Reinvestment Act into ...a vast extortion scheme against the nation's banks. Under its provisions, U.S. banks have committed nearly $1 trillion ... the evaluation process allowed advocacy groups a chance to express their views on individual banks" to receive a favourable CRA rating. These community groups worked out individual agreements and commitments from the Fannie Mae-backed lenders. A radical group called ACORN Housing "has a $760 million commitment from the Bank of New York; the Boston-based Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America has a $3-billion agreement with the Bank of America; a coalition of groups headed by New Jersey Citizen Action has a five-year, $13-billion agreement with First Union Corporation," among a host of others.

Clinton told Jim Lehrer in an interview on the PBS Newshour,<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTZIB6Sika4 Bill Clinton,] [[PBS]] Newshour, January 21, 1998. [[YouTube]] </ref> January 21, 1998,
{{Cquote|The Community Reinvestment Act was set up to say to the bank regulators: Look, you guys go in and look at these banks and tell them, you got to take some of your money<ref>(sic) a bank does not invest its own money, it lends out depositors money under the [[prudent man rule]]; President Clinton obviously was in error in this gross misstatement or distortion of fundamental facts regarding the responsibilities of people entrusted to make judgments in handling other peoples money. </ref> and invest it in inner cities and neighborhoods, and with people who otherwise would not get it so they have a chance to build homes, to build businesses, to create jobs, to build neighborhoods. In the 20-year history of the Community Investment Act, 85 percent-plus the money loaned out under it to poor inner city neighborhoods has been loaned in the five years since I've been President.}}

The threat of civil action caused many mortgage lenders to make what otherwise would be considered risky loans. For example, the lead attorney for [[ACORN]] Housing, [[Barack Hussein Obama]], sued Citibank in 1995 to force them into making [[Subprime loan|subprime mortgage]]s to unqualified minority borrowers. Obama alleged that, although his clients had been denied mortgages "because of delinquent credit obligations and adverse credit," they were really victims of institutional racism. The suit was brought about by the Community Reinvestment Act, so called "affirmative action mortgage lending." The plaintiffs won $60,000, Obama and two other attorneys were paid $950,000 <ref>[http://www.forbes.com/2009/10/03/community-reinvestment-act-mortgages-housing-opinions-contributors-peter-schweizer.html A Poisonous Cocktail: Expanding the Community Reinvestment Act], Peter Schweizer, ''[[Forbes]]'', 10.05.09. ''Selma S. Buycks-Roberson v. Citibank'',</ref>

===Mexican Peso bailout===
[[Image:ClintonPresident.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Bill Clinton's Presidential cabinet]]
Clinton refered to the Mexican [[bailout]] in his memoirs as, "one of the biggest crisis of my first term", and quotes Tom Friedman of the ''[[The New York Times]]'' saying it was the "least popular, least understood, most important foreign policy decision of the Clinton presidency."<ref>''My Life'', Bill Clinton, Knopf, 2004, pp. 641-645. </ref> It was the brainchild of Treasury Secretary Bob Rubin and chief economic adviser [[Larry Summers]] who later served President Barack Obama in the same position. Clinton claims it took him 10 minutes to decide on the $20 billion bailout. Polls showed 79% of the American people opposed it, with little support in Congress.

Critics cite the modern bailout culture of the [[Recession of 2008]] as originating with Clinton's Mexican bailout. It was allegedly designed to help Mexico using $20 billion from the U.S. Treasury Department's [[Exchange Stabilization Fund]] by [[Executive Order]]. Congress did not authorize it. And it was done, not for the Mexican banks sake, but for the big [[Wall Street]] banks, Citibank, Bankers Trust, and others that were over-exposed to risk for bad loans they made in Mexico. PBS's [[Bill Moyers]] calls it "[[Crony capitalism]]", "and so the idea got started that Washington would be there with a prop, with a bailout, with a helping hand." <ref>[http://billmoyers.com/episode/crony-capitalism/ Crony Capitalism,] Moyers and Company, PBS, January 20, 2012. </ref>

=== National Homeownership Strategy ===
Bill Clinton addressed a letter to HUD Secretary [[Henry Cisneros]] on November 3, 1994. In it he instructed Cisneros to
{{Cquote|dramatically increase homeownership in our nation over the next six years. I request that you report back to me within six months, with a concrete strategy involving the private and public sectors, and all levels of government, that builds on the base of the more than 1.5 million additional families who have been able to buy their own homes...to ensure that families currently underrepresented among homeowners - particularly minority families, young families, and [[low-income]] families - can partake of the American Dream."<ref>[http://economy.typepad.com/the_economy/2011/10/rate-watch-795-the-national-homeownership-strategy-october-7-2011by-dick-lepre-dickleprerpm-mtgcom-wwwloanminecom.html The National Homeownership Strategy,] Dick LePre, October 7, 2011. See also [http://www.globalurban.org/housing_us.htm globalurban.org]</ref>}}
On June 5 1995, Clinton and Cisneros<ref>Cisneros, along with DNC Chairman Christopher Dodd and cabinet Secretary Donna Shalala, was implicated in the Countrywide Mortgage lending scandal for receiving special favors and treatment while in office.</ref> unveiled one hundred things the Clinton administration planned to do to "increase home ownership to two-thirds of the population"<ref> ''My Life'', Bill Clinton, Knopf, 2004, p. 658; [http://confoundedinterest.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/nhsdream2.pdf The National Homeownership Strategy,] U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, May 1995. </ref> in the United States.

Clinton's plan spoke approvingly of a "no-down payment 100 Percent Mortgage Financing Program" used by one of the "Strategy partners".<ref>National Homeownership Strategy, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, May 1995, pp. 4-7.</ref> Where down payments could not be eliminated, the plan called for use of "a second, unsecured, interest-free loan to cover the down payment and other costs."<ref>National Homeownership Strategy, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, May 1995, pp. 4-14, 4-17.</ref> The administration praised Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for their efforts to promote lending flexibility: "In recent years many mortgagees have increased underwriting flexibility. This increased flexibility is due, at least in part to … [[liberal]]ized affordable housing underwriting criteria established by secondary market investors such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac."<ref>National Homeownership Strategy, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, May 1995,pp. 4-13</ref> To illustrate the desirable flexibility the Strategy cited a program that "allows for nontraditional employment histories, employment histories with gaps, short-term employment, and frequent job changes."<ref>National Homeownership Strategy, US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development, May 1995, pp. 4-14.</ref>

=== Budget and tax increases ===
Clinton's first priority while coming into office was a $60 billion [[stimulus]] package largely viewed as a payoff to big city mayors for Get-Out-The-Vote efforts. He also sent Congress a proposal to reduce the deficit in eleven years. However, the country's real problem was that about half of government spending goes to [[nondiscretionary entitlement]] programs such as [[social security]] and [[medicare]]. Refusing to control domestic spending, he increased taxes on ordinary consumers for gasoline, heating oil, and natural gas, breaking his campaign pledge not to raise taxes.<ref>Clinton repeatedly mocked incumbent President George H.W. Bush on the campaign trail for breaking his pledge to "read my lips, no new taxes."</ref> On Aug. 10, 1993, the largest tax increase in history was signed into law, raising taxes by almost $280 billion over five years.<ref>J.D. Foster, Ph.D. [http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/03/tax-cuts-not-the-clinton-tax-hike-produced-the-1990s-boom#_ftn1 Tax Cuts, Not the Clinton Tax Hike, Produced the 1990s Boom], ''[[Heritage Foundation]]'', March 4, 2008.</ref> 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.<ref> ''The President's Forgotten Middle Class,'' Joint Economic Committee, Majority Staff, 3/22/96.</ref> Conservatives blocked some proposals, such a new $71 billion [[BTU energy tax]] that would have cost the typical family nearly $500 per year.

===Tax increases on the elderly===
In 1993 President Clinton sought to increase taxes on [[Social Security]] benefits of the elderly and disabled.<ref>[http://www.uscare.com/sceact.html Senior Citizens' Equity Act]</ref> The final version of the bill passed by the [[Democrat]]ically controlled Congress increased taxes on beneficiaries from the first 50% to 85%<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20040408115747/www.ssa.gov/OACT/HOP/hopi.htm HISTORY OF THE PROVISIONS OF OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS, AND DISABILITY INSURANCE]</ref> of benefits (or "annuity payments" as they were originally called). [[Vice President]] [[Al Gore]] cast the deciding tie-breaker vote in the Senate to make the tax increase law. The Clinton-Gore tax increase on Social Security benefits imposed a 70% [[income tax]] rate on a retired couple making as little as $22,000 per year.<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=vLg4iJR0J9kC&pg=PA16593&lpg=PA16593&dq=Vice+President+Gore+cast+the+tie-breaking+vote%2Bsocial+security&source=bl&ots=-ImIDX6fHa&sig=ttWVUNAIVsLQoEg1ZhCntHB_02Y&hl=en&ei=dobVTMr9HoOglAe0iuX9CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Vice%20President%20Gore%20cast%20the%20tie-breaking%20vote%2Bsocial%20security&f=false Congressional Record, Comments by Rep. Christopher Cox,] July 27, 2000.</ref>
===DNC Fundraising===
In 1994 Clinton invited his longtime golfing buddy, Sen. [[Christopher Dodd]], to serve as chairman of the [[Democratic National Committee]] (DNC) and its chief fundraiser. Dodd also occupied the position of ranking Democrat, and later chairman of the Senate Banking Committee tasked with oversight of the nation's banks and financial institutions. Dodd left the DNC in 1997, after accusations that he mishandled charges that a top DNC fundraiser had collected millions in illegal donations.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120410185006/http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/christopher-j-dodd/gIQAmFfM9O_topic.html Christopher J. Dodd,] ''[[The Washington Post]]''. </ref>

===Dirty tricks and blackmail===
FBI special agent Gary Aldrich reported, James Carville and former Clinton adviser, now [[ABC News]] anchor [[George Stephanopoulos]] confirmed, after the Gingrich revolution of 1994 the Clinton administration ran a dirt-digging operation out of the Office of the White House Chief of Staff. "They hired upwards of 36 lawyers to staff the operation to handle 40 different cases," Aldrich, on White House duty at the time, said. "Once it became known that they had such an operation, then the blackmail itself took place." Carville and Stephanopoulos stated publicly there would be a "scorched-earth policy", and that everyone who had "skeletons in their closet" would be exposed.<ref>http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1571/is_23_16/ai_62896460/</ref> [[CNN]] has reported private divorce papers of [[Newt Gingrich]] were indeed removed from what was alleged sealed storage at the Carroll County, Georgia courthouse, "when he (Gingrich) became the center of attention." The documents were later made public by [[CNN]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/26/politics/gingrich-divorce-file/index.html Newly recovered court files cast doubt on Gingrich version of first divorce], [[CNN]]</ref>

In 1995 President Clinton and Congressional Republicans fought a bitter battle over the new federal [[budget]]. Clinton vetoed the Republican's efforts to move toward a balanced budget, claiming that it cut social programs. Speaker Gingrich believed that Clinton would back down and approve the budget. If not, the entire government would shut down because of lack of funds. Clinton allowed just that, and by doing so gained political capital by successfully blaming that shut down on Republicans. Clinton always opposed a balanced budget until it was reality.<ref>[http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/no-bill-clinton-didnt-balance-budget No, Bill Clinton Didn’t Balance the Budget,] By Stephen Moore, October 8, 1998. [[Cato Institute]].</ref>

===Don't ask don't tell ===
:''Main article'' : [[Don't Ask, Don't Tell]]
Shortly after being inauguarated, Clinton signed an executive order establishing the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" rule. Congress later passed legislation that was veru similar. In 2010, the law was found [[unconstitutional]] in federal court after a suit brought by [[Log Cabin Republicans]], a homosexual rights and advocacy organization.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39089475/ns/us_news-life/ Judge: Military's gay ban is unconstitutional], [[MSNBC]]</ref>

=== Failed healthcare takeover ===
:''Main article:'' [[Clinton health care plan of 1993]]
After ignoring the controversial issue on the campaign stump, one of his first acts in 1993 was a call for an immense overhaul of the nation's medical care system. The Clintons proposed a plan using regional insurance purchasing agencies along with tax subsidies and transfer payments to implement universal coverage. He and his advisers believed the plan would be acceptable to employers and larger insurance companies, but the plan was opposed by popular sentiment and a well-financed campaign. The pla put immense burdens on small business employers, which feared they could not afford it. The insurance industry, doctor organizations, and medical professionals also opposed it. Republicans argued that it was too costly and imposed too great a burden on government. Congressional Democrats were divided on the issue. Faced with public opposition and a two year national debate, the Clinton plan failed without the Democratic Congress even going on record to a vote.

Skocpol (1996) suggests the major mistake may have been in emphasizing the cost-reducing aspect of the plan, not realizing that Americans were willing to pay for a government program that would provide generous benefits to them. The fear that Clinton's proposals would lead to the sort of health care rationing prevalent in Canada and other countries further troubled the voters. Starr (1997) notes that Clinton sought to achieve liberal ends of universal coverage through the conservative means of managed competition among private health plans, with a backup cap on the rate of growth in average insurance premiums. This approach had a political as well as policy rationale. It was meant to be the basis of an alliance that could include conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans and thereby achieve the majorities necessary for congressional passage. But what we saw as compromise, they did not -- especially as the very locus of the political center shifted to the right during the debate. Health care reform that seemed "inevitable" to many serious observers at the start became unthinkable by the end. Polls showed strong initial support, but he never secured passage in either house of Congress and Republican victory in the 1994 elections doomed his plans.

== 1994 Midterm elections ==
Clinton's popularity had slipped by 1994 and the GOP, under [[Newt Gingrich]] launched a national midterm campaign based on a Republican "Contract with America. The centerpiece of the proposals was a [[balanced budget]], along with lower taxes, welfare reform, tougher anti-crime laws, term limits for Congress, and revised rules in Congress. Clinton responded by calling it "extreme".<ref>Prior to the 9/11 attacks, [[mainstream media]] outlets routinely used the terms "extremist" and "terrorist" interchangeably, and were only too willing to oblige demonizing Republicans and Republican ideas as "extremist". </ref>

In the elections of 1994, the Democrats lost 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and 8 seats in the Senate (followed by two defections after the election), giving the Republicans a majority in both houses of Congress for the first time since 1954. The Republicans also had a net gain of 12 governors' seats in that election.

Analysts have suggested many causes for the drastic change in political sentiment in the country between 1992 and 1994; among the causes suggested were voter disgust at Congressional scandals mainly implicating Democrats, voter distrust of Clinton after the presentation and defeat of the Clinton health care reform proposal--dubbed "Hillarycare"; the nationalization of the election by Gingrich's "Contract with America", and more skilled framing of issues by the Republicans in 1994.

In their first 100 days the House passed most items of the Contract with America. Eventually seven of ten items became law, with the term limits failing. Some GOP members voluntarily adhered to the term limit pledge.

==1996 Presidential election==
:''Main article:'' [[United States presidential election, 1996]]
[[File:ECON1994.jpg|thumb|390px]]
After the Republicans took control of Congress by the time of the 1996 reelection campaign the economy had improved. [[Unemployment]] and inflation was low, American wages increased, crime rates fell, and the number of people on welfare declined. The [[Republican Party]] nominated Senate Majority Leader [[Robert Dole]]. Ross Perot ran again, this time on the Reform Party, but his day was past. Clinton won reelection with 49% of the popular vote. His personal victory had limited coattails, with Republicans retaining a clear majority in the Senate and a narrow majority in the House. It also marked the first time since 1926 and 1928 that the Republican Party carried the House in two consecutive elections.<ref>http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/17342942.html?dids=17342942:17342942&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+11%2C+1996&author=Don+Fedr&pub=Boston+Herald&desc=A+night+to+cheer+for+conservatives&pqatl=google</ref>

==1997-2001, U.S. Presidency==
With the [[Cold War]] over, government borrowing and interest rates were much lower, and after the [[Republicans]] won control of Congress the budget was not only balanced but a surplus was produced for the first time in memory. The reasons include reduction in defense spending after the Cold War (from 5% of GDP to 3%), a revenue burst from the [[dot-com bubble]] (the short-lived overexpansion of high tech), restraints on spending imposed by [[Newt Gingrich]] and the GOP Congress, and the fruition of Reagan era tax cuts for business research and development in the consumer electronics (computer and cell phone) industry.

=== Impeachment ===
Shortly after taking office in 1993, Clinton had been sued by a woman alleging sexual harassment during his tenure as Governor of Arkansas. Clinton had studiously avoided being called to testify in the civil case during his first term by gaining postponements. Upon re-election, a federal judge ordered the accuser could finally exercise her rights and have her day in court, and the case should proceed.

In testimony under oath, Clinton committed perjury. A special prosecutor, looking into a host of [[corruption]] allegations dating back to Arkansas, was instructed to pursue the matter.

Clinton made history by becoming the first U.S. president to testify in front of a grand jury in an investigation of his own possibly [[criminal]] conduct. In an address to the nation, he admitted to having misled the public and a Federal Court over keys elements of testimony.

Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House for perjury. He was tried in the Senate for two counts: "perjury" and "obstruction of justice".<ref>The House turned down two other counts: "abuse of power" as well as another count of "perjury" in connection with the Paula Jones case.</ref> Although a majority of 55 Senators voted to convict, 45 voting against gained his acquittal, a two thirds majority necessary to remove him from office.

David Gergen, former White House Communications Director for both Presidents Reagan and Clinton, summarized the hurt of the President's misconduct:
{{Cquote|The deep and searing violation took place when he not only lied to the country, but co-opted his friends and lied to them....when you have gone over the line, you won't bring others into it...You don't foul the nest."<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/quinn110298.htm In Washington, That Letdown Feeling], By Sally Quinn, ''[[The Washington Post]]'', November 2, 1998, Page E01</ref>}}

Clinton lost his law license because he had committed ethical violations for lying in federal court. It was during this scandal that Clinton famously stated: "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is".<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/september/21/newsid_2525000/2525339.stm On This Day September 21st 1998: Clinton's Grand Jury testimony released], [[BBC]]</ref>

===Repeal of Glass-Steagall Act===
President Clinton signed into law the Financial Modernization Act of 1999 in November of the same year. The Act repealed parts of the [[Great Depression|Depression era]] Glass-Steagall Act. In signing President Clinton remarked, "It is true that the Glass-Steagall law is no longer appropriate for the economy in which we live."<ref>[http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/ls241.aspx STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AT THE SIGNING OF THE FINANCIAL MODERNIZATION BILL,] 11/12/1999, [[U.S. Department of the Treasury]] Press Center.</ref>The Glass-Steagall Act strictly regulated Bank Holding Companies (BHCs) and the types of assets banks could hold as part of their capitalization. The formal repeal allowed for large banks, such as Goldman Sachs, to form newly created [[Financial Holding Companies]] (FHCs) and merge with insurers and other financial institutions with potentially riskier liabilities. By 2008, the result of the repeal of Glass-Steagall was "too big to fail" behemoths like Goldman Sachs and Citigroup. The repeal of Glass-Steagall is considered one of the larger contributing factors to the [[Financial crisis of 2008]].<ref>[http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/economic-intelligence/2012/08/27/repeal-of-glass-steagall-caused-the-financial-crisis Repeal of Glass-Steagall Caused the Financial Crisis,] By James Rickards, USNews, August 27, 2012.</ref>

The repeal of Glass-Steagall also was recognition of other changes that had taken place, such as the [[Federal Reserve]]s' revision of Regulation Y in 1997, making it easier for Bank Holding Companies with a satisfactory [[Community Reinvestment Act]] (CRA) rating to receive quicker approval for new acquisitions and engage in other activities. University of Texas-Dallas economist Stan Liebowitz noted, “Banks that got poor reviews were punished; some saw their merger plans frustrated; others faced direct legal challenges from the [[Justice Department]].<ref>''[http://www.economist.com/node/10837333 The Proposition's rebuttal] [[The Economist]]'' Mar. 20, 2008.</ref> [[Alice Rivlin]], Clinton's Budget Director whom he later appointed to the Federal Reserve, said it would make the banking system "operate better as a result."<ref>[http://www.frbsf.org/publications/community/investments/cra97-3/regy.html Regulation Y Revised - Changes to the Federal Reserve Application Process,] Community Investments, Volume 9; No. 3; Summer 1997, By Mike Johnson, Applications Officer, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.</ref>

When Citibank sought federal approval for a merger with Travelers Group, it was only OK'd by the Clinton administration after it promised to provide $115 billion for Community Reinvestment Act "anti-redling" loans. Promises made by other financial institutions added up to $600 billion between 1993 and 1998, according to a 2000 Treasury Department report.<ref>[http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/090412-624522-obama-launched-subprime-crisis-with-lawsuit.htm?p=2 Subprime Bubble] ''Investors Business Daily'', 09/04/2012. </ref>

===Fannie Mae securitization of subprime mortgages===
[[Fannie_Mae#Franklin_Raines_era|Franklin Raines]], Vice Chairman of Fannie Mae, was appointed by Clinton as Director of the the [[Office of Management and Budget]] (OMB) in 1996; in 1999, he returned to Fannie Mae as CEO. One of his first acts was to lower Fannie Mae's underwriting guidelines and begin purchasing subprime mortgages implementing Clinton's National Homeownership Strategy under the Community Reinvestment Act.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/30/business/fannie-mae-eases-credit-to-aid-mortgage-lending.html Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending,] Steven A. Holmes, ''[[ The New York Times]]'', September 30, 1999.</ref> Raines was named (along with Bill Clinton) by ''[[Time magazine]]'' on it's list of ''25 People to Blame for the [[Financial Crisis of 2008]]''.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1877351_1877350_1877335,00.html The good intentions, bad managers and greed : behind the meltdown, Blameworthy : Frank Raines], ''[[Time magazine]]''. </ref>

Clinton hired [[Peter Orszag]] as Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy in 1997; as concern grew over Raines management of Fannie Mae, Raines hired Orszag to reassure investor's fears about the safety of Fannie Mae's purchase of subprime mortgages. Orszag made the fantastic claim that Fannie Mae's risk of [[insolvency]] was 1 in 500,000, and more likely 1 in 3 million. After Fannie Mae really did collapse, Barack Obama then made Orzsag his Budget Director.

When Raines took the appointment at Fannie Mae, Clinton replaced his services with [[Jack Lew]], who worked in the Clinton White House throughout all eight years. Upon leaving the White House Lew secured a job at Citibank as Chief Operations Officer on Robert Rubins recommendation. Lew received $1 million in salary and a $950,000 bonus - after it failed and was bailed out in 2009.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/11/jack-lew-rubin-citigroup_n_2458142.html Jack Lew's Robert Rubin Connection Is A Bad Sign For Financial Reform,] Mark Gongloff, ''[[Huffington Post]]'', 01/11/2013. </ref> From there Barack Obama re-hired him as Budget Director to replace Orszag, promoted him to Chief of Staff, and later Secretary of the Treasury.<ref>Lew was point man on Obama's [[Budget_sequester#2013_Obama_sequester|budget sequester]] where he misled the press and public on the origins and nature of the deal.</ref>

===Kyoto Protocols and carbon emissions===
:''Main article:'' [[Enron scandal]]
In July 1997, Enron CEO Ken Lay met with President Bill Clinton and Vice President [[Al Gore]] in the [[Oval Office]]. Enron had begun a pattern of [[soft money]] donations to Democrats and the Clinton White House years earlier. Clinton, Lay, and Gore discussed approval of the [[Kyoto protocol]]s on carbon emissions.<ref>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2002/jan/16/20020116-034901-2826r/#ixzz2OnPBZwzl Enron gave cash to Democrats, sought pact help,] ''[[The Washington Times]]'', January 16, 2002. </ref> Clinton asked Lay for his views "in advance of a climate treaty to be negotiated at an international conference." Clinton agreed to support Lay's proposal for a carbon emissions trading exchange<ref>As did Barack Obama. [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/25/obama-years-ago-helped-fund-carbon-program-pushing-congress/ Obama Years Ago Helped Fund Carbon Program He Is Now Pushing Through Congress,] By Ed Barnes, March 25, 2009. [[FoxNews]]</ref> which Enron hoped to profit from hugely, while American consumers would pay steep price increases for electricity and natural gas. Enron also asked for and received from Clinton's Export-Import Bank a $300 million loan to build a power plant in India; four days later Enron donated $100,000 to the Clinton-Gore campaign.

The Republican Senate rejected the Kyoto treaty by a 95-to-0 vote on August 15, 1997.

===Long-Term Capital Management===
:''Main article'': [[Long-Term Capital Management]]
Long-Term Capital Management (LTCM) was a hedge fund headed for bankruptcy in 1998 when a [[bailout]] arranged at the highest levels of the [[Clinton Administration]] saved it and its partners from ruin. Two years later it shut down.

[[Robert Rubin]], whom Bill Clinton appointed Secretary of the Treasury in 1993, previously worked at [[Goldman Sachs]] for 26 years. Goldman was a major investor in LTCM, as were many top executives at other leading investment banks and foreign banks. LTCM was a hedge fund that exploited emerging capital markets in foreign nations without any regard for the havoc that its speculations caused there.<ref>The Hong Kong government blamed hedge funds like LTCM for disrupting its capital markets.</ref> LTCM controlled contracts involving $160 billion at its peak, and it placed large short-term bets on securities issued by foreign governments.

When the bailout was arranged, LTCM's personal investors received $405 million at the taxpayers expense, which was $155 million more than another private offer, plus a guarantee that an additional $3.65 billion would remain in LTCM for three years. This sweetheart deal enabled the discredited management to remain in place indefinitely and recoup hundreds of millions of dollars. Details of the deal were kept secret.

Rubin resigned from the administration in 1999 to head up another one of the nation's largest banks, [[Citigroup]]. Under Rubin's leadership Citigroup got $45 billion of [[TARP]] bailout funds, $301 billion of loan guarantees, and an additional $13.4 billion subsidy under the government’s "too-big-to-fail" policy. After driving Citigroup into financial collapse, Rubin was paid $115 million to leave the company.<ref>[http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/03/01/jack_lew_and_citigroup_how_the_corrupt_rich_get_richer_with_cronyism_117227.html#ixzz2P5cIL0Vf Jack Lew and Citigroup: How the Corrupt Rich Get Richer with Cronyism,] By Daniel Mitchell, March 1, 2013. [[Real Clear Politics]]</ref>

===Rahm Emanuel and Freddie Mac===
President Clinton brought Rahm Emanuel into the White House in 1993 as part of his original staff, first serving as Assistant to the President for Political Affairs, and then Senior Adviser to the President for Policy and Strategy. 1998 Clinton appointed Emanuel to the Board of the [[government sponsored entity]] Freddie Mac.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122610420534009957.html Emanuel Pick Underscores Balancing Act Ahead in Reshaping Financial Industry], [[Wall Street Journal]]</ref><ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6201900&page=1 Emanuel Was Director Of Freddie Mac During Scandal], [[ABC News]], November 7, 2008.</ref> While on the board during the Clinton administration, Freddie Mac misreported its net income by 30.5 percent, and again in 2001 by 23.9 percent and in 2002 by 42.9 percent, defrauding investors according to the SEC. Freddie Mac's failure is regarded as one of the precipitating events of the [[Financial_Crisis_of_2008#2008_crises| Financial Crisis of 2008]].

Emanuel later is reported to have sold up to $250,000 of Freddie Mac stock in an insider trading deal only days before the stock dropped by 10 percent — and weeks before it was publicly revealed that the entity was under criminal investigation for inflating earnings.<ref>[http://www.businessinsider.com/book-rahm-emanuel-dumped-tons-of-freddie-mac-stock-days-before-it-collapsed-2011-11#ixzz2MnesKpxI Book: Rahm Emanuel Dumped Tons Of Freddie Mac Stock Days Before It Collapsed]</ref> In 2009 Emanuel became President Obama's Chief of Staff.

=== Foreign Policy ===
Critics of Clinton argued that he lacked a knowledge of [[world]] affairs. In his 1992 speech at the Democrat National Convention, he devoted one minute to foreign policy issues in an oration that lasted an hour. <ref>The Presidents by David Maraniss, Pg. 626</ref> Clinton entered office after the U.S. won the [[Cold War]], and the U.S. was the only superpower. There were no major foreign crisis during his presidency. His foreign policy was based on five principles: 1) strong alliances with Europe and Asia, 2) positive relations with former adversaries, 3) a global perspective on local conflicts, 4) the adaptation of national security priorities to incorporate technological advances, and 5) effective economic integration.<ref>Samuel R. Berger, "A Foreign Policy for the Global Age," ''Foreign Affairs'' 2000 79(6): 22-39. 0015-7120 </ref>

Butfoy (2006) argues that in the 1990s the "revolution in military affairs" (RMA), which produced "smart" weapons like cruise missiles, came of age. This apparently transformed how America viewed the relationship between force and international relations. It looked as though technology was framing foreign policy. In particular, smart weapons enabled Clinton to combine risk minimization with an expanded security agenda. However, we should be wary of ascribing technological determinism to the conflicts of the 1990s dominated by Washington's flexing of its strategic superiority, such as its bombing of Belgrade. As shown by comparison with US strategy after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Washington's stance in the 1990s was shaped by linkages between technology and specific political circumstances. As these circumstances changed, so did the RMA's place in US efforts to shape world order.

====North Korean nukes====
From 1985 to 1992, N. Korea "bought time" for its nuclear weapons program by entering into a series of international diplomatic agreements under which it promised to "deweaponize" its reactors and halt further production of plutonium. By Clinton's second, however, N. Korea had violated the terms of most of the non-proliferation agreements and withdrew from the rest.

Clinton forged an agreement with Kim Il-sung that the North would temporarily halt its signed on Oct. 21, 1994 known as the "Agreed Framework."<ref>[http://usgovinfo.about.com/library/weekly/aankorea.htm The North Korean Nuclear Situation]</ref>

In addition to the oil supplied under the 1994 Agreed Framework, North Korea continued to the United States and other countries for free, unconditional food aid while eschewing any real reform of its [[Stalin]]ist agricultural system. <ref>[http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/crs/91-141.htm North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program, Updated December 12, 1996]</ref>

By 2000, the United States contribution of food and other forms of humanitarian aid to North Korea had amounted to over $61 million.

==== Al-Qaeda and terrorism ====
The Arab terrorist group [[al-Qaeda]] conducted a World Trade Center bombing in 1993, simultaneous bombings of the US embassies in [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]] in 1998, and the attack on the [[USS Cole]] in 2000. Clinton bombed al-Qaeda bases in Afghanistan in response, but meanwhile 19 terrorists were plotting an even more ghastly attack on America which took place on September 11, 2001, eight months after Clinton left office.

====Human Rights====
Supporters of human rights faulted Clinton’s ideological transition from [[Wilsonianism| Wilsonian idealism]] to [[Realist|realism]], especially regarding China and Bosnia. They gave high marks for his efforts at pushing peace negotiations in Haiti and the Middle East, the use of economic sanctions against North Korea, India, and Pakistan, and his efforts to get a chemical weapons convention. However, they give low marks in terms of human rights for inaction on the genocide in Rwanda and the Russian repression of secessionist Chechnya.

===Pardons controversy===
====FALN terrorists====
On August 11, 1999, President Clinton offered clemency to members of the [[Armed Forces of National Liberation]] (FALN) [[terrorist]] group. <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20070703053819/http://rpc.senate.gov/_files/92199CoddlingTerrorists.pdf U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee] testimony available at http://www.senate.gov/~judiciary/wl91599.htm, ''The Tampa Tribune'', S.J.Res. 33 (passed 95-2).</ref> On January 24, 1975 the FALN bombed Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan killing four people. Over a six-year period, the group claimed responsibility for more than 100 bombings that took six lives and injured some 130 people.<ref>[http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/puertorico/sep4.htm Clinton Pardons Terror], ''[[New York Post]]'', August 13, 1999. retrieve from http://www.latinamericanstudies.org September 14, 2007.</ref> Deputy Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] was credited with with an "unconscionable" effort to circumvent the standard pardon process, not consulting with the [[U.S. Department of Justice]]'s pardon attorney and keeping deliberations hidden from the district U.S. attorney and investigative agencies.
====Weather Underground====
[[Weather Underground]] [[terrorists]] [[Linda Evans]] and Susan Rosenberg also received pardons.<ref>[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YmM1OGM4OGRiNTI5NTIzOTFkMDAwMTJiNGFlYWFiZGI= ''Confirming Fears''], Editorial, [[National Review Online]], November 19, 2008.</ref>
====Henry Cisneros====
In 1995 Cisneros was indicted on 18 counts of [[conspiracy]], false statements and obstruction of justice. He was pardoned by Bill Clinton in January 2001.
====Campaign contributors====
Marc Rich and his wife Penny, who contributed $450,000 to Bill Clinton's campaigns, were granted last minute pardons for violating U.S. tax laws. Former President Jimmy Carter publicly called it "disgraceful".<ref>[http://hillbuzz.org/who-is-funding-the-purchase-of-the-35-million-beachfront-hawaiian-estate-for-barack-and-michelle-obama-to-move-into-come-january-2013-2013 Who Is Funding the Purchase of the $35 million Beachfront Hawaiian Estate for Barack and Michelle Obama to Move into Come January 2013?], HillBuzz</ref> Eric Holder, who later served as Barack Obama's Attorney General, arranged the pardons.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/16/holder.confirmation/ Former FBI director: Holder was 'used' in Rich pardon], [[CNN]]</ref>

== Post-Presidency ==
Clinton has spent much of time since leaving office working for charitable causes such as support and fund-raising for the victims of AIDS and the Asian tsunami. In the case of the Indian Ocean tsunami, he teamed with former president [[George H.W. Bush]] to raise money for relief efforts.

Bill Clinton's wife, [[Hillary_Rodham_Clinton|Hillary Clinton]], was elected Senator to New York in 2000. She was reelected in 2006. She made a failed bid for the [[2008_Presidential_Election#Declared_Democratic_Party_Candidates|Democratic presidential nomination in 2008]].

Clinton has been criticized by both liberals and conservatives for his actions in his wife's presidential campaign. ''Time'' called him "his wife's attack dog". <ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080130021221/http://media.www.tuftsdaily.com/media/storage/paper856/news/2008/01/28/OpEd/Editorial.On.The.Campaign.Trail.Bill.Clinton.Should.Keep.His.Mouth.Shut-3171498.shtml On the campaign trail, Bill Clinton should keep his mouth shut]</ref> Although he had signed up most black leaders to support Hillary, the great majority of Black voters went for Obama. Clinton was accused of racism by implying that many voters chose [[Obama]] for reasons of race, rather than policy, saying that he succeeding in some regions for the same reason [[Jesse Jackson]] did.

After Obama refused to give Hillary the Vice Presidential nomination, both Clintons loyally campaigned for Obama. Obama easily defeated Senator [[John McCain]], and named Hillary Secretary of State. Bill Clinton has maintained a low profile in 2009.

==Works==
* ''Between Hope and History'', 1996
* ''My Life'', 2004
* ''Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World'', 2007
* ''Back to Work: Why We Need Smart Government for a Strong Economy'', 2011

==Legacy==
Of the $1.6 million Clinton earned in salary<ref>[http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/wjclinton.html William Jefferson Clinton]</ref> as President for 8 years, Clinton agreed to pay $850,000,<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clinton/stories/jones111498.htm Clinton Settles Paula Jones Lawsuit for $850,000], [[Washington Post]]</ref> or more than 53% in a legal settlement with [[Paula Jones]] to satisfy claims for damages to her reputation.

Every President since [[William Howard Taft]] in 1910 has served as Honorary President of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] during his term in office. In 2000 it was reported the Boy Scouts national office revoked the title afforded to Bill Clinton after thousands of complaints. Numerous Eagle Scouts returned their certificates of achievement bearing Clinton's signature and requested a replacement without it.<ref>[http://www.wnd.com/2000/08/474/ Eagle Scouts drop Clinton signature], ''[[WND]], August 24, 2000.</ref>

==Bibliography==

===Basic reading===
* Berman, William C. ''From the Center to the Edge: The Politics and Policies of the Clinton Presidency'' (2001) 160pp, useful summary and interpretation
* Campbell, Colin, and Bert A. Rockman, eds. ''The Clinton Legacy'' 348 pp [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=58143940 online edition]
* Clinton, Bill. ''My Life''. (2004). ISBN 0-375-41457-6. [http://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Bill-Clinton/dp/140003003X/ref=sr_1_8/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464316&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]
* Felsenthal, Carol. ''Clinton in Exile: A President Out of the White House‎'' (2008) 386 pages
* Gillon, Steve. '' The pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the rivalry that defined a generation‎'' (2008) 342 pages, by a leading historian; [http://books.google.com/books?id=d-U2IzI2r5YC&pg=PA78&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Hamilton, Nigel. ''Bill Clinton: Mastering the Presidency'' (2007) covers 1993-96, 766pp [http://books.google.com/books?id=Ky8fzAmUIvAC&pg=PA203&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Harris, John F. ''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House'' (2005) ISBN 0-375-50847-3, the best coverage of the presidency [http://www.amazon.com/Survivor-Bill-Clinton-White-House/dp/0375760849/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464409&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Hyland, William G. ''Clinton's World: Remaking American Foreign Policy'' (1999) ISBN 0-275-96396-9 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14147621 online edition]
* Klein, Joe. ''The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton'' (2003) by leading journalist [http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,490843,00.html online excerpt and search]; [http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Misunderstood-Presidency-Bill-Clinton/dp/0767914120/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464449&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Levy, Peter. ''Encyclopedia of the Clinton Presidency'' (2002), 400pp; 230 well-balanced articles
* Maraniss, David, ''First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton'' (1996) ISBN 0-684-81890-6. Biography to 1991. [http://www.amazon.com/First-His-Class-Biography-Clinton/dp/0684818906/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464484&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Posner, Richard A. ''An Affair of State: The Investigation, Impeachment, and Trial of President Clinton'' (1999) ISBN 0-674-00080-3 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=77420690 online edition]
* Schantz, Harvey L. ''Politics in an Era of Divided Government: Elections and Governance in the Second Clinton Administration'' (2001) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102246366 online edition]
* Schier, Steven E. ''The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton's Legacy in U.S. Politics'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Postmodern-Presidency-Clintons-Politics-Political/dp/082294135X/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464518&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

===Biographical and Presidential===
* Barber, Benjamin. '' The Truth of Power: Intellectual Affairs in the Clinton White House‎'' (2008) 336 pages [http://books.google.com/books?id=zwywJroh6PoC&pg=PA11&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Berman, William C. ''From the Center to the Edge: The Politics and Policies of the Clinton Presidency'' (2001) 160pp, useful summary and interpretation
* Campbell, Colin, and Bert A. Rockman, eds. ''The Clinton Legacy'' 348 pp [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=58143940 online edition]
* Congressional Quarterly. ''Congress and the Nation 1993-1997: A Review of Government and Politics: 103rd and 104th Congresses'' (1998); ''Congress and the Nation 1997-2001: A Review of Government and Politics: 105th and 106th Congresses'' (2002). Highly detailed nonpartisan coverage (1200 pp each) of all political issues, including presidency
* Gillon, Steve. '' The pact: Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, and the rivalry that defined a generation‎'' (2008) 342 pages, by a leading historian; [http://books.google.com/books?id=d-U2IzI2r5YC&pg=PA78&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Hamilton, Nigel. ''Bill Clinton: Mastering the Presidency'' (2007) covers 1993-96, 766pp [http://books.google.com/books?id=Ky8fzAmUIvAC&pg=PA203&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]* Harris, John F. ''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House'' (2005) ISBN 0-375-50847-3, the best coverage of the presidency [http://www.amazon.com/Survivor-Bill-Clinton-White-House/dp/0375760849/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464409&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Klein, Joe. ''The Natural: The Misunderstood Presidency of Bill Clinton'' (2003) by leading journalist [http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,490843,00.html online excerpt and search]; [http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Misunderstood-Presidency-Bill-Clinton/dp/0767914120/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464449&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Levy, Peter. ''Encyclopedia of the Clinton Presidency'' (2002), 400pp; 230 well-balanced articles
* Schantz, Harvey L. ''Politics in an Era of Divided Government: Elections and Governance in the Second Clinton Administration'' (2001) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102246366 online edition]
* Schier, Steven E. ''The Postmodern Presidency: Bill Clinton's Legacy in U.S. Politics'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/Postmodern-Presidency-Clintons-Politics-Political/dp/082294135X/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464518&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

===Clinton to 1992===
* Abbott, Philip. "A 'Long and Winding Road': Bill Clinton and the 1960s," Rhetoric & Public Affairs 9.1 (2006) 1-20 in Project Muse
* Borrelli, Stephen A. "Finding the Third Way: Bill Clinton, the DLC, and the Democratic Platform of 1992," ''Journal of Policy History'' Vol. 13#4 (2001), pp. 429-462 in Project Muse
* Goldman, Peter L. et al, ''Quest for the Presidency, 1992'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=11169230 online edition]
* Maraniss, David, ''First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton'' (1996) ISBN 0-684-81890-6. Biography to 1991. [http://www.amazon.com/First-His-Class-Biography-Clinton/dp/0684818906/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464484&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

===Foreign Policy===
* Butfoy, Andrew. "The Rise and Fall of Missile Diplomacy? President Clinton and the 'Revolution in Military Affairs' in Retrospect." ''Australian Journal of Politics and History'' 2006 52(1): 98-114. Issn: 0004-9522 Fulltext: in Ebsco [http://www.questia.com/read/5014679475 online complete editon]
* Cohen, Warren I. ''America's Failing Empire: U.S. Foreign Relations since the Cold War.'' 2005. 204 pp.
* Davis; John. "The Evolution of American Grand Strategy and the War on Terrorism: Clinton and Bush Perspectives" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 3, 2003
* Hendrickson, Ryan C. ''The Clinton Wars: The Constitution, Congress, and War Powers'' (2002)
* Hyland, William G. ''Clinton's World: Remaking American Foreign Policy'' (1999) ISBN 0-275-96396-9 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14147621 online edition]
* Jewett, Aubrey W. and Marc D. Turetzky. "Stability and Change in President Clinton's Foreign Policy Beliefs, 1993-96" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 28, 1998 [http://www.questia.com/read/5001392338 online edition]
* Livingston, C. Don, Kenneth A. Wink; "The Passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House of Representatives: Presidential Leadership or Presidential Luck?" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 27, 1997 [http://www.questia.com/read/5000429192 online edition]
* Maclean, George A. ''Clinton's Foreign Policy in Russia: From Deterrence and Isolation to Democratization and Engagement'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Clintons-Foreign-Policy-Russia-Democratization/dp/0754649016/ref=sr_1_5/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464518&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]

===Domestic Policy===
* Edwards; George C. "Bill Clinton and His Crisis of Governance" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly,'' Vol. 28, 1998 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5001393468 in Questia]
* Fisher; Patrick. "Clinton's Greatest Legislative Achievement? the Success of the 1993 Budget Reconciliation Bill" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 1, 2001 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5002437663 in Questia]
* Greenspan, Alan. ''The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World'' (2007), memoir by head of Federal Reserve [http://www.amazon.com/Age-Turbulence-Adventures-New-World/dp/0143114166/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260097183&sr=1-1xcerpt and text search]
* Harris, John F. ''The Survivor: Bill Clinton in the White House''. (2005) covers the major policy issues [http://www.amazon.com/Survivor-Bill-Clinton-White-House/dp/0375760849/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260097075&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Lanoue, David J. and Craig F. Emmert; "Voting in the Glare of the Spotlight: Representatives' Votes on the Impeachment of President Clinton" ''Polity'', Vol. 32, 1999
* Needham, Catherine. "Brand Leaders: Clinton, Blair and the Limitations of the Permanent Campaign." ''Political Studies'' 2005 53(2): 343-361. Issn: 0032-3217 Fulltext: in Ebsco
* Nie; Martin A. "'It's the Environment, Stupid!': Clinton and the Environment" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 27, 1997 [http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst?docId=5001516576 online edition]
* Patterson, James T. ''Restless Giant: The United States from Watergate to Bush vs. Gore'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Restless-Giant-United-Watergate-History/dp/019512216X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195117012&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Poveda; Tony G. "Clinton, Crime, and the Justice Department" ''Social Justice'', Vol. 21, 1994 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5000301618 online edition]
* Renshon; Stanley A. ''The Clinton Presidency: Campaigning, Governing, and the Psychology of Leadership'' Westview Press, 1995
* Schantz, Harvey L. ''Politics in an Era of Divided Government: Elections and Governance in the Second Clinton Administration'' (2001) ISBN 0-8153-3583-0
* Stiglitz, Joseph E. ''The Roaring Nineties: A New History of the World's Most Prosperous Decade'' (2004) economic history; [http://www.amazon.com/Roaring-Nineties-History-Worlds-Prosperous/dp/0393326187/ref=sr_1_6/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464518&sr=8-6 excerpt and text search]
* Wattenberg; Martin P. "The Democrats' Decline in the House during the Clinton Presidency: An Analysis of Partisan Swings" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 29, 1999 [http://www.questia.com/read/5001303783 online edition]

===Polls, campaign, images, character, scandals===
* Blaney, Joseph R. and William L. Benoit. ''The Clinton Scandals and the Politics of Image Restoration,'' (2001) [http://www.amazon.com/Scandals-Politics-Restoration-Political-Communication/dp/0275971066/ref=sr_1_4/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194471793&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search] [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=101159621 online edition]
* Borrelli, Stephen A. "Finding the Third Way: Bill Clinton, the DLC, and the Democratic Platform of 1992," ''Journal of Policy History'' Vol. 13, #4 (2001), pp. 429-462 in [[Project Muse]]
* Cohen; Jeffrey E. "The Polls: Change and Stability in Public Assessments of Personal Traits, Bill Clinton, 1993-99" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 31, 2001
* Cronin, Thomas E. and Michael A. Genovese; "President Clinton and Character Questions" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'' Vol. 28, 1998
* Denton Jr. Robert E. ''The 1992 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective,'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104563698 online edition]
* Denton Jr. Robert E. ''The 1996 Presidential Campaign: A Communication Perspective,'' (1998) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=26288597 online edition]
* Denton Jr. Robert E. and Rachel L. Holloway, eds. ''The Clinton Presidency: Images, Issues, and Communication Strategies, 1996 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=24374540 online edition]
* Denton Jr. Robert E. and Rachel L. Holloway, eds. ''Images, Scandal, and Communication Strategies of the Clinton Presidency'' (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/Scandal-Communication-Strategies-Presidency-Presidential/dp/0275971767/ref=sr_1_4/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464518&sr=8-4 excerpt and text search]
* Glad; Betty. "Evaluating Presidential Character" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 28, 1998 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5001393536 online edition]
* Maurer; Paul J. "Media Feeding Frenzies: Press Behavior during Two Clinton Scandals" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly,'' Vol. 29, 1999 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5001239881 online edition]
* O'Connor; Brendon. "Policies, Principles, and Polls: Bill Clinton's Third Way Welfare Politics 1992-1996" ''The Australian Journal of Politics and History'', Vol. 48, 2002
* Posner, Richard A. ''An Affair of State: The Investigation, Impeachment, and Trial of President Clinton'' (1999) ISBN 0-674-00080-3 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=77420690 online edition]
* Renshon, Stanley A. "The Polls: The Public's Response to the Clinton Scandals, Part 1: Inconsistent Theories, Contradictory Evidence" ''Presidential Studies Quarterly'', Vol. 32, 2002 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000773179 online edition]
* Renshon; Stanley A. '' The Clinton Presidency: Campaigning, Governing, and the Psychology of Leadership'' (1995) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9961027 online edition]
* Starr, Kenneth. ''The Starr Report: The Findings of Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr on President Clinton and the Lewinsky Affair'' (1998) ISBN 1-891620-24-X
* Whittington, Keith E. "The Rhetorical Presidency, Presidential Authority and President Clinton," ''Perspectives on Political Science,'' Vol. 26, 1997
* Waldman, Michael. ''POTUS Speaks: Finding the Words That Defined the Clinton Presidency'' (2000) ISBN 0-7432-0020-9
* Wattier; Mark J. "The Clinton Factor: The Effects of Clinton's Personal Image in 2000 Presidential Primaries and in the General Election" ''White House Studies'', Vol. 4, 2004
* Weisberg, Herbert F., and Janet M. Box-Steffensmeier. ''Reelection 1996: How Americans Voted,'' 1999 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=62235822 online edition]

===Health reform===
* Blendon, R. J., M. Brodie, and J. Benson. "What Happened to Americans' Support of the Clinton Plan?" ''Health Affairs'' 1995. 14(2):7-23. [http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/14/2/7?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&author1=brodie&andorexactfulltext=and&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=10&resourcetype=HWCIT online edition], analysis of poll data
* Fox, Daniel M. "A Lost Cause: Bill Clinton's Campaign for National Health Insurance, and: The Road to Nowhere: The Genesis of President Clinton's Plan for Health Security," ''Bulletin of the History of Medicine'' vol. 73, # 2, Summer 1999, pp. 367-369 in [[Project Muse]]
* Laham, Nicholas, ''A Lost Cause: Bill Clinton's Campaign for National Health Insurance'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/a-lost-cause-bill-clintons-campaign-for-national-health-insurance-by-nicholas-laham.jsp online edition]
* Rushefsky, Mark E. and Kant Patel. ''Politics, Power & Policy Making: The Case of Health Care Reform in the 1990s'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Power-Policy-Making-Health/dp/1563249561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260096806&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Skocpol, Theda. ''Boomerang: Clinton's Health Security Effort and the Turn Against Government in U.S. Politics,'' (1996) [http://www.amazon.com/Boomerang-Health-Reform-Against-Government/dp/039331572X/ref=sr_1_2/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194472221&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]

==Primary sources==
* [http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/publications/ERP/ Council of Economic Advisors, ''Economic Report of the President'' (annual 1947- )], complete series online; important analysis of current trends and policies, plus statistical tables
*Clinton, William jfeerson. ''Conversations: William Jefferson Clinton: from Hope to Harlem‎'' ed. by Janis F. Kearney (2006) 402 pages; [http://books.google.com/books?id=EVdrKWADFnsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=intitle:clinton&lr=&as_drrb_is=b&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=2006&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Starr, Kenneth. ''The Starr Report: The Findings of Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr on President Clinton and the Lewinsky Affair'' (1998) ISBN 1-891620-24-X [http://books.google.com/books?id=NxWTTbiij0wC&dq=inauthor:Starr+inauthor:Kenneth&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
===Memoirs===
* Clinton, Bill. ''My Life''. (2004). ISBN 0-375-41457-6. [http://www.amazon.com/My-Life-Bill-Clinton/dp/140003003X/ref=sr_1_8/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194464316&sr=8-8 excerpt and text search]
* Blumenthal, Sidney. ''The Clinton Wars''. (2003). ISBN 0-374-12502-3 [http://www.amazon.com/Clinton-Wars-Sidney-Blumenthal/dp/0374125023/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194472136&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Greenspan, Alan. ''The Age of Turbulence: Adventures in a New World'' (2007), memoir by head of Federal Reserve
* Stephanopoulos, George. ''All Too Human: A Political Education'' (1998) ISBN 0-316-92919-0 [http://www.amazon.com/All-too-Human-George-Stephanopoulos/dp/0316930164/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194472067&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

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

{{USPresidents}}
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[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Clinton administration]]
[[Category:Arkansas Governors]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:Corruption]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category:Former Governors]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]
[[Category:1990s]]
[[Category:Former Heads of government]]
[[Category:Former Heads of State]]

Bernie Sanders

2016-03-29T18:12:28Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Bernie Sanders
|image=Sanders.jpg
|party=[[Democratic Party|Democratic]] (former Independent)
|spouse=Jane O'Meara (2nd wife)
|religion=
|offices=
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Vermont
|terms=January 3, 2007 – Present
|preceded=[[Jim Jeffords]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Vermont
|district=at-large
|terms=January 3, 1991 – January 3, 2007
|preceded=Peter Smith
|former=n
|succeeded=Peter Welch
}}
}}

'''Bernard "Bernie" Sanders''', born September 8, 1941 (age {{age|1941|9|8}}), is a [[United States Senate|United States Senator]], representing [[Vermont]]. Sanders identifies as a [[socialist|democratic socialist]]. He called himself an Independent but always caucuses with [[Democrats]], in 2015 it became a registered Democrat to try the party's nomination for the presidency in the [[2016 presidential election|2016 elections]]. Previously, he served in the House of Representatives for eight terms, after serving several terms as mayor of Burlington. Sanders has a 100% pro-[[abortion]] voting record. Sanders has a child born out of wedlock.<ref>Multiple references:
*Kruse, Michael (July 9, 2015). [http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/bernie-sanders-vermont-119927 "Bernie Sanders has a secret"]. Politico website.
*Gould, Martin (July 15, 2015). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3155396/Bernie-Sanders-1960s-love-life-revealed-wife-woman-son-sugar-shack-home-lived-revolutionary.html "Bernie Sanders' very 1960s love life revealed - his first wife, the woman who had his son, and the sugar shack home where he lived as a 'revolutionary'"], ''Daily Mail'' website.</ref>

Sanders identifies as "Jewish", though admits he's "not particularly religious".<ref>[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2015/0611/Bernie-Sanders-I-m-proud-to-be-Jewish]</ref> This is consistent with many others on the [[secular left]], and indicates that Sanders culturally Jewish, though actually an [[agnostic]]/[[atheist]].

At a press conference on April 30, 2015, Sanders announced that he is running for the Democrat nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]]. He held an "official launch" on May 26.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/04/29/vermont-sen-bernie-sanders-am-running-for-president/ "Vermont Sen. Sanders announces White House bid, says he's 'running to win'"] (April 30, 2015). FoxNews.com website/Politics.</ref>

Sanders has a devout following, made up of many of the same people that voted for [[Barack Hussein Obama]]. He tickles his supporters' ears with all the usual [[Marxist]] claptrap: banks are bad, equality, the middle class, minimum wage, free healthcare, free college, a government so big it will be like living in a [[utopia]].

==Legislative record==

Bernie Sanders has missed 4.4% of the roll call votes, higher than the average 1.7% of lifelong senators' records.<ref name=legislativerecord>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/bernard_sanders/400357 GovTrack.US]</ref> He has introduced 376 bills, though only 8 have been signed into law, giving him less than a 1% success rate.<ref name=sanderslegislation-washtimes>[http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/oct/27/bernie-sanders-record-in-congress-shows-little-soc/?page=all Sanders has a tough time turning his socialist visions into reality]</ref>

==2016 Campaign==

Sanders calls himself an outsider and anti-establishment. He has spent the last 40 years in politics, though admittedly, he has never been able to attain the level of "establishment", because he has been unable to be accepted by anyone, nor to receive much support on any of his issues. His own views are the reason why he has long been an "outsider", even though he's been admitted to serve in the government.

Sanders does take pleasure in creating the same straw men as Obama. Specifically, the GOP war on women. Calls to defund [[Planned Parenthood]] is an opportunity for Sanders to denounce the treatment of women. He would kill a child in the womb for any reason and at any term but the GOP is extremist. Sanders will say the GOP wants to deny women's health services. The facts are that 13,000 women's health centers are available that are not owned by Planned Parenthood. He supports babies chopped up and sold for parts. No concern for underage victims of rape not being reported. He is indifferent to the fraudulent billing of the US government.

Class warfare is favorite theme for Sanders, pitting rich against the poor. His Marxist linchpin is the argument that the banks are too big. He also claims that billionaires are hurting the country, citing the Koch brothers over and over. He believes that America needs to spend another $18 Trillion dollars despite being $18 Trillion in debt. He has also made claims supporting single-payer healthcare, free college tuition, etc.

In one rant, Sanders claimed that Americans needlessly have too many choices when it comes to deodorant brands, noting that he counted 23 different types of the product for sale. Somehow he tied the story into feeding the poor. Reason.com produced a satirical video mocking its absurdity titled "The Bernie Sanders Save the Children Fund". <ref>[http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fspZiT8TdBE "The Bernie Sanders Save The Children Fund"] (May 27, 2015). YouTube video, 1:15, posted by ReasonTV.</ref>

He has said that [[America]] is racist, and he puts down America constantly.

Sanders is the author of "Rape Essays," a 1972 essay on sexual behavior filled with lurid sexual fantasies. He is a leftist, but claimed that it was a satirical essay against traditional gender roles.

Sanders uses [[Christian socialism]] to further his campaign, citing [[Pope Francis]]. However, Sanders cherry picks what elements of Christianity he agrees with and ignores the rest. He told a crowd of 300 in [[Alabama]] that [[Jesus]] was a socialist. <ref>Flynn, Mike (July 14, 2015). [http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/07/14/jesus-was-a-socialist-bernie-sanders-rocks-alabama/ "'Jesus was a socialist': Bernie Sanders rocks Alabama"]. Breitbart website/Big goverment.</ref>

[[File:YFO.png|framed|Economics 101]]

== Atheists' support of Bernie Sanders ==

Atheists seem to like Bernie Sanders, for some reason. The might have something to do with the connection between [[atheism and communism]], as [[Karl Marx]], the author of [[The Communist Manifesto]], once stated: "Communism begins from the outset (Owen) with atheism; but atheism is at first far from being communism; indeed, that atheism is still mostly an abstraction."

=== The Amazing Atheist ===

TJ Kirk, self-called The Amazing Atheist, has pled to all Hillary supporters to stop supporting her, and to support Bernie, instead, because he believes the Socialist has integrity.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQINZ7N1Ses]</ref> Naturally, The Amazing Atheist rarely has anything positive to say of Conservative Christians, and spends his time portraying Christians as bad guys.

=== David Pakman Show ===

David Pakman, of the David Pakman Show (and who speaks like he always needs to blow his nose), hints at Bernie support while portraying Hillary negatively, where he shows his bias,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/MidweekPolitics/videos]</ref> and calls the Best of Conservative politicians "the Best (Worst?)", indicating his negative bias toward Conservatives. David Pakman often pretends to be unbiased, but is, in fact, biased against Conservatives.

=== The Humanist Report ===

Mike Anthony, of The Humanist Report, has many produced many videos in favor of Bernie Sanders, against Hillary Clinton, and against "A lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive" Donald "People are praying for me" Trump.

=== Jaclyn Glenn ===

Jacklyn Glenn, a militant atheist, vegan, angry feminist, and closet lesbian, makes fun of people who are voting for Hillary just to put the first female President in the White House (while wearing a Bernie Sanders t-shirt),<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GHyDl6WXLk]</ref> and endorses Bernie Sanders. Meanwhile, feminist Hillary supporters attack her because she's not supporting what they want to be the first female President.

=== Secular Talk ===

Kyle Kulinski, of Secular Talk, promotes Bernie Sanders in several of his videos,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/SecularTalk/videos]</ref> attacks Hillary Clinton and Republicans, and compared [[Barack Obama]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf_H3pyayB0 to a Republican.]

=== The Secular Vegan ===

Isaiah, of The Secular Vegan, tells atheists to vote for Bernie, merely because he would be the first non-Christian President.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoMyiaOb6rE]</ref>

=== The Young Turks ===
Cenk Uygur, of the Young Turks, speaks highly of Bernie Sanders,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2vdD0CMUI]</ref> while dismissing [[Hillary Clinton]] and Republican politicians as "robots", and practically every week, they release a video disrespecting Conservatives.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggFitmOTSok]</ref>

=== Communist leaders ===
Sanders has supported the so-called 'Democratic' 'People's Republic' of 'Korea' during debates with Clinton, saying that [[Russia]] was a worse threat to American security than North Korea (or himself),<ref>[http://on.rt.com/73oj Greatest threat to US? Sanders says ‘paranoid’ N. Korea, Clinton picks ‘belligerent’ Russia]</ref> an objectively false statement full of typical [[liberal claptrap|liberal-socialist claptrap]]. The [[Kim Jong-un]] of North Korean fame said of Sanders: "I have greatest confidence in Senator Bernard E. [''sic''] Sanders in holding the lackeys of the U.S. administration to account".<ref>John Nichols (21 March 2011). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=TxVsPrMD0dkC The "S" Word: A Short History of an American Tradition...Socialism.]'' Verso. ISBN 978-1-84467-679-8.</ref><ref>Patrick Martin (WARNING: SOCIALIST WEBSITE) [https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/08/27/sand-a27.html Bernie Sanders: Silent partner of American militarism] ''World Socialist Website''. 27 August 2015.</ref> Comrade [[Fidel Castro]] also praised the eminent "socialist transformation of America" under Sanders, adding falsely: "Americans have witnessed the utter failure of Capitalism, the destruction of its middle class and is tired of the endless wars. The Cuban model has proved its superiority and Americans now see through the government propaganda and now praise our country’s centralized economy, our health care system, our education system: Americans are hungry for Socialism."<ref>[http://worldnewsdailyreport.com/fidel-castro-bernie-sanders-will-bring-socialism-to-america/ FIDEL CASTRO: “BERNIE SANDERS WILL BRING SOCIALISM TO AMERICA”] October 29th, 2015 by Bob Flanagan</ref>

==Controversial votes==

In 32 years of politics, Sanders authored 353 bills. Only three that made it into law and two of those were renaming post offices. [[Conservative Review]] has compiled a Liberty Score on Sanders. He gets a ''' 'F' ''' at just 16%.

Sanders headed the Veterans Affairs Committee. Under his purview; waiting list deaths, destruction and manipulation of medical records, whistleblowers punished, opiate abuse, fraud unpunished, mismanagement rewarded with pay raises, wait times to see a doctor has never been longer. Sanders has done next to nothing to fix these issues. Even today while he campaigns, he is still a member of the committee and has no plans to turn the duties over to somebody that will give it the time it deserves to fix.

During Bernie Sanders 2006 Senatorial campaign, [[Republican]] opponent Rich Tarrant made an issue over Sanders 2003 vote against the [[Amber Alert]even though he was actually in favor of the Amber Alert system to notify the public of missing children. The reason for his 'nay' vote was because the bill contained unconstitutional provisions<ref>[https://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/09/21/sanders_vote_on_amber_alert_emerges_as_key_campaign_issue/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F+Local]</ref> in it's 47 pages. This makes sense, considering he voted in favor of [[Megan's Law]],<ref>[https://votesmart.org/bill/2763/8163/27110/megans-law#.VsyGmigrKHs]</ref> which made sex offender information public. Bernie responded with a positive ad which set the record straight.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIa2KlEHhvc]</ref>

He was also one of only nineteen Congressman to vote against the Victims of Rape Health Protection Act passage, which would allow sexual assault victims to find out the HIV status of their suspected assailant<ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/106-2000/h505 "H.R. 3088 (106th): Victims of Rape Health Protection Act"] (October 2, 2000). Govtrack.us website/Congress/Votes/House Vote #505 in 2000.</ref>

After countless stories of election fraud by the group ACORN, Bernie Sanders joined six Democrat Senators that voted to continue funding [[ACORN]]. The vote failed and ACORN was stripped of funding in the Senate <ref>Isenstadt, Alex (September 14, 2009). [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27153.html "Senate denies ACORN funding"]. Politico website.</ref> Bill Wilson of [[Americans for Limited Government]] said, "The ACORN Housing Corporation has long been pushing the very loose-lending policies that helped destroy the housing industry. And now it has been exposed for working with prostitutes, as well. Yet, these seven Senators [Sanders] have knowingly voted to keep sending taxpayer money to a highly corrupt organization of pushers and pimps," <ref>Americans for Limited Government (September 15, 2009). [http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2009/09/alg-condemns-7-senators-for-voting-to.html "ALG condemns 7 Senators for voting to continue funding ACORN, calls for complete cutoff of federal funds"]. Americans for Limited Government website. Reprinted at Politico Mafioso website on September 16, 2009.</ref>

==[[Eugene Debs]] documentary==
In 1979, Sanders wrote, directed, and lent his voice for Debs' dialogue<ref>Shamsian, Jacob (September 18, 2015). [http://www.businessinsider.com/bernie-sanders-loves-eugene-v-debs-documentary-2015-9 "A documentary that Bernie Sanders made about a socialist politician 36 years ago says a lot about his politics today"]. Business Insider website/Politics.</ref> in a documentary which shows a long-standing respect on part of Sanders for what Debs stood for.<ref>Kurtz, Stanley (October 20, 2015). [http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/425839/bernie-sanders-documentary-eugene-debs "Bernie Sanders’s documentary on Eugene Debs"]. ''National Review'' website. See [[National Review]].</ref>

==Accusations of draft dodging==
Sanders was of age to be drafted into the [[Vietnam War]]. However, he filed for [[conscientious objector]] status on religious grounds. <ref>Vespa, Matt (December 28, 2015). [http://m.townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2015/12/28/apparently-bernie-sanders-would-be-a-lousy-commander-in-chief-and-hes-sort-of-an-ahole-to-his-staff-n2097445 "Apparently, Bernie Sanders would be 'A lousy commander in chief' and he's sort of 'an a**hole to his staff'"]. Townhall.com website.</ref> Sanders does not belong to any organized religion, <ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-finally-answers-the-god-question/2016/01/26/83429390-bfb0-11e5-bcda-62a36b394160_story.html? Why Bernie Sanders doesn’t participate in organized religion, WaPo, January 15, 2016]</ref> dismissing criticism because he has strong religious feelings.

==External links==
*[http://www.sanders.senate.gov/ Senate site]
*[https://berniesanders.com Bernie Sanders 2016 campaign website]
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w82pFvUq3o8 Bernie Sanders' 1979 Eugene Debs Documentary]
*[http://media.smithsonianfolkways.org/liner_notes/folkways/FW05571.pdf Trade Unionist, Socialist, Revolutionary - Eugene V. Debs, 1855 - 1926], Transcript of Sanders' documentary
*[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=coVE0PDGSw4&feature=player_embedded Socialist Senator Sanders Hawks His Book Like an Evil Capitalist]
*[http://www.weaselzippers.us/236973-trump-ad-on-bernie-sanders-we-need-a-strong-leader-and-it-aint-this-guy/ "A lot of people are switching to these really long putters, very unattractive" Donald "People are praying for me" Trump Ad On Bernie Sanders: “We Need A Strong Leader” And It Ain’t This Guy]
*[http://m.sfgate.com/news/article/Mike-Rowe-Bernie-Sanders-college-tweet-knucklehead-6702291.php Mike Rowe calls Bernie Sanders 'knucklehead' over tweet]

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

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanders, Bernie}}
[[Category:United States Senators]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:112th United States Congress]]
[[Category:113th United States Congress]]
[[Category:114th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Vermont]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]
[[Category:2016 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Democrats]]

Rudy Giuliani

2015-05-22T04:02:41Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Rudy Giuliani
|image=Rudy Giuliani.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Regina Peruggi (m. 1968, div. 1982, ann. 1983) Donna Hanover (1984-2002) Judith Nathan (m. 2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/mayor
|number=107th
|city=New York City
|terms=January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001
|preceded=David Dinkins
|succeeded=[[Michael Bloomberg]]
}}

}}
'''Rudy Giuliani''' (born Rudolph William Giuliani, May 28, 1944 in [[Brooklyn]], New York) is best known for serving two terms as [[Mayor]] of [[New York City]] from 1994 to 2001, and gained worldwide fame and became a hero to New Yorkers and the nation for his decisive action in the aftermath of the [[9/11]] terrorist attacks. He was ''Time'' Magazine's "Person of the Year" and became known as "America's Mayor." As [[Republican Party|Republican]] mayor of New York City he cracked down on "quality of life" crimes, including cleaning up [[Times Square]], taking the homeless off the streets and replacing welfare offices into job centers. By the end of his two terms the unemployment rate was cut in half, the crime rate dropped 57% and the murder rate dropped 65%. <ref>http://www.draftrudy.com/record</ref> Giuliani gained the reputation of one of the greatest mayors in history.

Previous to serving as Mayor, Giuliani became a high ranking member of the Department of Justice in the [[Reagan]] [[administration]] in 1981. In 1983 he become U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He vigorously put drug dealers and white collar criminals in jail. In 2007-2008 Rudy Giuliani emerged as an early front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, but faltered late in 2007 and did poorly in the primaries.

Rudy Giuliani has declined to seek the governorship of New York and United States Senate in 2010.

== Early Life ==
Rudolph W. Giuliani was born to a working class Italian-American family in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. As the grandson of immigrants, Giuliani developed a strong work ethic and a deep respect for America's ideal of equal opportunity. He attended [[Catholic]] parochial schools including Brooklyn's Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School (Class of '61). He graduated from Manhattan College (Class of '65) and New York University Law School, magna cum laude in 1968.<ref> "A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html] </ref>

== Personal Life ==
Giuliani has been married three times. First to his second cousin [[Regina Peruggi]], on October 26, 1968. In 1976 the couple split. They did not have any children. His second marriage was to [[Donna Hanover]]. Giuliani filed for legal separation from Peruggi on August 12, 1982. Giuliani and Hanover started living together later that year in Washington, D.C. A [[Roman Catholic]] Church [[annulment]] (of the Giuliani-Peruggi marriage) was granted at the end of 1983<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0212072giuliani12.html</ref> because, according to Giuliani, they did not have the necessary Church dispensation.

Giuliani and Hanover then married on April 15, 1984. They had two children, Andrew and Caroline. In May 2000, Giuliani admitted to an extramarital relationship with Judith Nathan and called a press conference to reveal he intended to separate from Hanover. Hanover did not know that Giuliani intended to make such an announcement and was reportedly caught somewhat by surprise <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E7D8163BF932A25756C0A9669C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=2</ref>
Giuliani then married Judith Nathan in 2003, his third marriage.

==Legal Career==
After law school Giuliani clerked for Judge Lloyd MacMahon, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. In 1970, he joined the office of the U.S. Attorney. At age 29, he was named Chief of the Narcotics Unit and rose to serve as executive U.S. Attorney. In 1975, Giuliani was recruited by the [[Gerald R. Ford]] administration and became Associate Deputy Attorney General and chief of staff to the Deputy Attorney General. From 1977 to 1981 he practiced law at Patterson, Belknap, Webb and Tyler in New York City.<ref> "A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html] </ref>

The Reagan Administration brought Giuliani to Washington in 1981 as Associate Attorney General, the third highest position in the [[U.S. Department of Justice]]. He supervised all of the US Attorney Offices' Federal law enforcement agencies, the Bureau of Corrections, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the US Marshals. In 1983, Reagan appointed Giuliani to be US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He gained national prominence over successfully prosecuting high profile cases.

He frequently used the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to bring down organized criminals. From 1985-1986 Giuliani indicted eleven organized crime figures under the RICO act that also included charges of extortion, labor racketeering, and murder for hire. Time Magazine called this "Case of Cases" possibly "the most significant assault on the infrastructure of organized crime since the high command of the [[Chicago]] Mafia was swept away in 1943." <ref>http://www.quickoverview.com/election2008/rudy-giuliani-overview.html</ref>

[[Wall Street]] arbitrageur [[Ivan Boesky]] earned an estimated $200 million by betting on corporate takeovers. He was violating [[insider trading]] laws by making investments based on tips received from corporate insiders. Giuliani prosecuted Boesky and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and fined $100 million. The case was all the more significant, in that insider trading laws were rarely enforced at the time. Boesky informed several of his insiders, including junk bond trader Michael Milken. In 1989 Giuliani charged Milken under the RICO act with 98 counts of racketeering and fraud. He paid a total of $900 million in fines and settlements.

After six years as serving as a prosecutor Giuliani's record stood at 4,125 convictions with only 25 reversals. <ref>"A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html]</ref>

==Mayoral Campaigns==
In 1989, Giuliani ran for mayor of New York City on the [[Liberal]] and [[Republican]] tickets, losing to [[Democrat]] David Dinkins in the closet election in New York City history. In a rematch in 1993, Dinkins popularity faltered after he alienated the New York City Police Department for his support for an all civilian panel to oversee brutality complaints. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/26/nyregion/dinkins-names-police-corruption-panel-and-urges-civilian-police-review.html</ref> This led to massive protests against the Mayor. As crime rates rose, Dinkins gained the image of being weak and incumbent. On the contrary, Giuliani stressed quality of life, crime, business and education. He was elected the 107th Mayor, becoming the first Republican mayor of New York City in over 25 years. In 1997 he was easily re-elected by a wide margin, carrying four out of five boroughs.

==Mayoralty of New York City==

Giuliani brought a new, conservative approach to the ills of New York City. He argued that crime's root cause was not poverty but poor law enforcement; poverty was not alleviated by social welfare programs but perpetuated by them; and the public schools needed not more money but fewer bureaucrats. He made major efforts to reform city affairs, opposed at every step by labor unions, the board of education, social-service agencies, the school bureaucracy, and identity-group politicians. He became a media favorite based on his conservative crime fighting and his liberal positions on [[abortion]], [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. As mayor he would hold almost daily press conferences, and his personal indiscretions regarding his married life became favorite topics for the media. He also hosted his own radio show once a week entitled ''Live From City Hall With Rudy Giuliani''. The show would discuss current city events, and became known by critics as "Rudy's bullying pulpit", in that when open calls were taken, Giuliani would not be hesitant to be confrontational with callers who disagreed with him.

===Crime===

As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani sought to return accountability to city government and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers. Under his leadership, overall crime fell 57%, murder was reduced by 65%, shootings dropped 72% and New York was recognized by the F.B.I. as the safest large city in America for five consecutive years. Although national crime rates fell in the 1990's, New York exceeded all other cities. Among Giuliani's most notable accomplishments during his mayoralty was his successful assault on [[pornography]] businesses in [[Times Square]]. The neighborhood had long been a mecca for "sexually oriented businesses", but through a prolonged campaign which included maintaining an alliance of local businesses, conservative and feminist groups and the general public, Giuliani managed to clean it up and replaced it with legitimate theaters, restaurants and shops, making it a world class tourist attraction for families.

Mayor Giuliani, along with New York City Police Department Commissioner [[Bill Bratton]], adopted an anti-crime approach known as the "Broken Window Theory." Which is the notion that if by cracking down on minor crimes such as [[graffiti]] or [[litter]], it will lead to stopping more serious crimes before they occur. In 1994 Giuliani and Bratton launched the initiative CompStat, which looked at crime geographically and statistically monitored criminal activity on specific street corners. The program proved to be successful in reducing crime and is still used today. In 1996 it won the Innovations in Government Award from the Kennedy School of Government at [[Harvard]] [[University]]. However, Bratton resigned in 1996 after having personal disagreements with Giuliani.

===Economic Record===

Under Mayor Giuliani [[unemployment]] dropped from 10.4% to 5.0%, personal income rose 50%, a $2.3 billion budget deficit was turned into a $2.9 billion surplus by FY 2001, there was a 17% reduction in New Yorkers [[tax]] burden, and over 640,000 people were cut from welfare rolls. [[Club for Growth]], a conservative political action committee which supports lower taxes, school choice and free trade has said that, "it is impossible to ignore Giuliani's overall commitment to a pro-growth philosophy and his executive talent for implementing that philosophy in a hostile political environment."

During his 1993 Mayoral campaign Giuliani proposed putting a 90-day limit to stay at homeless shelters, "It sounds generous and compassionate, but it isn't. There's an understanding of human psychology that's missing. The less you expect of people, the less you get. The more you expect, the more you get." <ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/rudolph-giuliani</ref>

On [[education]] Giuliani was a strong advocate of school choice. He created the Charter School Initiative in 1999, which led to creation of 17 new schools by the Fall 2001. His administration offered grants of up to $250,000 to new [[Charter Schools]]. In 1999 he placed $12 million into the budget for parochial [[school vouchers]]. Wanting to reduce school bureaucracy, Giuliani frequently battled [[liberal]]s at the New York City Board of Education. In April 1999, Giuliani said he would like to "blow up" the board of Education. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/28/nyregion/a-wider-audience.html</ref>

===Immigration===

Giuliani has received criticisms from conservatives for turning New York City into a [[Sanctuary city]]. In 1996, he said that "We're never, ever going to be able to totally control [[immigration]] in a country that is as large as ours." He went on to say, "If you were to totally control immigration into the United States, you might very well destroy the economy of the United States, because you'd have to inspect everything and everyone in every way possible." As Mayor, Giuliani said that, "There isn’t a mayor or public official in this country that is more strongly pro immigrant than I am. Including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti immigrant legislation about 2 or 3 years ago."

===Controversies===

In October 1995, Mayor Giuliani ejected [[terrorist]] [[Yasser Arafat]], leader of the [[Palestine]] Liberation Organization (PLO) from a concert at New York's Lincoln Center. Giuliani also refused to invite [[Cuba]]n dictator [[Fidel Castro]] to a gala dinner, "It's my party and I'll invite who I want."

Rudy Giuliani's personal life became an issue under his mayoralty, he had a romantic relationship with his City Hall communications director Cristyne Lategano. <ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/11/politics/main194350.shtml</ref> The story broke in Vanity Fair magazine in 1997, and was believed to have lead to the divorce of Giuliani's wife of 16 years Donna Hanover. Giuliani told reporters at a press conference "My private life is my own private life. If you like me fine, and if you don't, I don't really give a damn." <ref>Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story</ref>

In 1999 Giuliani, a Catholic, threatened to cut off city funding for the [[Brooklyn]] Museum if the museum did not remove a painting of [[Virgin Mary]] next to elephant dung and female genitalia pictures. Although [[Christian]]s supported the mayor's actions, the museum and the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] successfully filed a lawsuit against Giuliani that his actions violated the First Amendment. Mayor Giuliani was forced to restore funding.

==2000 Senatorial Campaign==

In 2000 a diagnosis of prostate cancer had led Rudy Giuliani to drop out of a run for the Senate seat eventually won by Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]].

==September 11 Terrorist Attacks==

[[Image:Rudy_Giulianipersonoftheyear.jpg|thumb|300px|]] On Sept. 10, 2001, Giuliani was known as a crime fighter; his approval rating hovered around 50 percent. He was a [[lame duck]], barred by term limits from seeking re-election, in a city that in any case felt increasingly worn out by eight years of his combative style. And while his supporters talked of a presidential bid, the prospect seemed a long shot for a Republican who supported abortion rights and restrictions on gun sales.

A week after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11 attacks]], due to his almost universally acclaimed leadership in the aftermath of that tragedy, his approval rating hovered at nearly 80%. Since then he has been on almost every short list of Republican contenders. In his talks, Giuliani uses Sept. 11 to make two points. The first is that he has proven himself to be a leader, and having a proven leader in these troubled times, he tells audiences, is more important than whether you agree with everything he stands for. The other is that his handling of the aftermath of the terrorist attacks proved his competency. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/us/politics/12topic-giuliani.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</ref>

The International Association of Fire Fighters, America's largest union of [[firefighter]]s, posted a grievance against Giuliani's November 2001 decision to reduce the number of firefighters searching the rubble of Ground Zero for the remains of some 300 fallen comrades.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/09/giuliani.firefighters.ap/index.html</ref>

He tried and failed to change the city's law prohibiting a third consecutive term. He began Giuliani Partners, which immediately became a consultant to businesses worldwide on dealing with terrorism. He gave many highly-paid speeches on how leadership can deal with terrible crises, like he did, and in 2002 published ''Leadership'', recounting how he handled 9-11.

Giuliani strongly recommended in 2004 that his business partner and former city police chief [[Bernard Kerik|Bernard B. Kerik]] be named Secretary of Homeland Security. President [[George W. Bush]] was about to do so when it was learned that Kerik was involved in multiple scandals. In November, 2007, Kerik was indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges relating to his former position under Giuliani, as well as personal tax evasion charges. The indictment seriously weakened the Giuliani presidential bid.<ref>John Solomon and Matthew Mosk, "Ex-Partner Of Giuliani May Face Charges," [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/30/AR2007033002425.html ''Washington Post'' March 31, 2007]</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main article: [[Rudy Giuliani 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

Giuliani ran for the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2008. He repeatedly talked about his mayoral achievements, losing the attention of many supporters.<ref>"A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html]; See also[http://www.time.com/time/poy2001/ "Time's 2001 Person of the Year Rudy Giuliani"]</ref> After the [[John McCain]] campaign apparently collapsed in mid 2007, Giuliani took the lead in national polls until December 2007, when he began to fall behind other candidates.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-192.html#polls</ref>

Downplaying his liberal views on abortion, gun control, homosexual and immigration, Giuliani emphasized his heroic leadership of New York City after 9-11, as well as his cutting crime in the city and his hard-line stance against terrorism. Although he campaigned vigorously, he was so focused on his own record in New York that he did not make contact with what the voters were interested in. Worse, he could not shake off charges of corruption. He lost most of his support in the last two months of 2007. He won only 3.5% of voters in Iowa; 8.5% in New Hampshire; 2.8% in Michigan; 4.3% in Nevada and 2.1% in South Carolina. Pulling out of other states, he concentrated all his efforts in a losing battle for Florida, where he ran third with a mere 15%. Analysts noted the more voters saw of Giuliani, the fewer supported him.<ref>Matthew Continetti, "The Giuliani Implosion: From frontrunner to also-ran in eight short weeks," [http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/584edbsw.asp ''The Weekly Standard'' Jan. 21, 2008]; Justin Wolfers, "How Rudy's Bet Went Wrong," [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120111080410210391.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy ''Wall Street Journal'' Jan. 23, 2008]; Michael Powell and Michael Cooper, "For Giuliani, a Dizzying Free-Fall", [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/us/politics/30giuliani.html?ref=politics ''New York Times'' Jan. 30, 2008]</ref>

[[Image:Rudy2.jpg|thumb|475px|Horsey editorial cartoon shows social conservative dismay regarding Giuliani's morals; March 23, 2007]]
He left the race after Florida and endorsed McCain. When McCain was nominated Giuliani criss-crossed the country speaking on his behalf.

==Political Views==
Rudy Giuliani is known for having liberal positions on social issues such as [[abortion]], [[gun control]] and [[gay rights]], while conservative positions on national defense and fiscal policy.

Giuliani supports "responsible" restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on [[partial birth abortion]] – except when the life of the mother is at stake. However, In 1997 Giuliani said that then - President [[Bill Clinton]] made the right decision when he vetoed a ban on partial birth abortion. During his 2000 Senate campaign he said that he would "vote to preserve the option for women." Giuliani has also given six contributions to [[Planned Parenthood]] in the 1990s. The payments, totaling $900, were made in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999. Planned Parenthood is one of the top abortion advocates and abortion providers in the [[United States]].

Giuliani has changed his views on guns over time. As mayor of New York City, he was a proponent of urban gun control, but, while running for President, has stated that he thinks differently about more mid-west environments. As Mayor of New York, Giuliani became a nationally visible figure in favor of gun control measures, beginning with an appearance on [[Meet the Press]] in late 1993. He was in favor of the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. In 1995, Giuliani called member's of the [[National Rifle Association]] "extremists." And that anti-gun control positions of many Republicans are "terrible for America."

Although Rudy Giuliani does not support same-sex marriage, he does support "domestic partnerships" that provide stability for Americans who are in non-traditional relationships.

Giuliani is known as a staunch conservative on national security. He has supported [[President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s tactic of using domestic surveillance and strongly supports completing the mission in [[Iraq]] and hunting for [[terrorists]] and insurgents. Giuliani was described by [[Newsweek]] magazine in January of 2007 as "one of the most consistent cheerleaders for the president’s handling of the war in Iraq."

On economic policy, conservative economist [[George Will]] said of Rudy Giuliani's two terms as mayor, "the most successful episode of conservative governance of the last 50 years. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjS-MVp-j9k</ref> He has received praise from fiscal conservatives for his advocacy of lower taxes and less government bureaucracy.

In February 2015, Giuliani gave comments which criticized [[Barack Hussein Obama]]'s policies, said he "doesn't love America".

==Bibliography==
* Polner, Robert, and Jimmy Breslin, eds. ''America's Mayor, America's President?: The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani'' (2007) Hostile essays. These authors catalogue mayor's vindictiveness, pettiness, totalitarian approach to governing, and his tight control of information and the press.[http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Mayor-President-Strange-Giuliani/dp/1933368942/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208716844&sr=8-3cerpt and text search]
* Siegel, Fred, and Harry Siegel. ''The Prince of the City: Giuliani, New York and the Genius of American Life'' (2005), analytical and academic study in-depth [http://www.amazon.com/Prince-City-Giuliani-Genius-American/dp/1594030847/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208717030&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guiliani, Rudolph}}
[[Category:United States Mayors]]
[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:New York City]]
[[category:crime]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Mayors]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Cafeteria Christians]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Republican Party

2014-11-09T04:06:34Z

Lincolnrep:

{{AmericanPoliticalParty
| party_name = Republican Party
| party_articletitle = Republican Party (United States)
| party_logo = [[Image:Cjjfdjfty.png|200px|"Republican Party Elephant" logo]]
| website = [http://www.gop.com www.gop.com]
| headquarters = 310 K Street SE [[Washington, D.C.]] 20003
| chairman = [[Reince Priebus]]
| houseleader = [[John Boehner]]
| senateleader = [[Mitch McConnell]]
| foundation = 1854
| ideology = [[moderate|Centrism]] [[Conservative|Conservatism]] [[Classical Liberalism]] [[Neoconservatism]]
| fiscalpolicy = [[Free Market]]
| socialpolicy = [[Conservative]]
| international = [[International Democrat Union]]
| colors = [[Red states and blue states|Red]] (unofficial)
| footnotes =
}}
The '''Republican Party''' or informally the '''GOP''' (short for Grand Old Party), is one of the two major political parties in the [[United States]]. The Republican Party is made up of predominantly [[pro-life]] members , while the [[Democratic Party]] is made up predominantly [[pro-abortion]] members.

In the past, the Republican voter coalitions have generally comprised businessmen, military veterans and evangelical Protestants. Some groups have realigned: blacks went from the GOP to the Democrats in the 1930s, while white Southerners became Republicans in the 1980s. Catholics switched from 80% Democratic in 1960 to 50-50 in recent years, primarily due to the embrace of [[abortion]] by the Democrats. In recent years youth (influenced by [[Hollywood values]]) and better educated professionals (influenced by [[professor values]]) have moved to the Democrats, while blue collar workers have become more Republican, due to the abortion issue and the Democrats support for [[nanny state]].

The Republican Party was created in 1854 by anti-slavery activists. It soon swept to control of all the northern states, and in 1860 elected [[Abraham Lincoln]] president. The South seceded, and the Union side of the [[American Civil War]] was directed by Lincoln and the new party, with help from "War Democrats." The GOP (as it was also called from the 1880s) dominated the elections of the [[Third Party System]] (1854-1896) as well as the [[Fourth Party System]] or Progressive Era (1896-1932). However the Democrats built a liberal [[New Deal Coalition]] under President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], and dominated the [[Fifth Party System]] (1932-1968), with the GOP only electing [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] in that era. The [[Sixth Party System]], since 1968, has been dominated by the GOP.

18 of the 28 US Presidents since 1861 have been Republicans and since that same year a Republican has won 23 of the last 37 presidential elections. The party's most recent candidate former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]], together with his running mate Wisconsin Congressman [[Paul Ryan]], lost the 2012 presidential election to Democrat incumbent [[Barack Obama]] and his Vice-President [[Joe Biden]].

It is important to vote for someone who's more conservative on the issues rather than for a Republican due to the fact some Republicans are less conservative than typical Republicans (see: [[RINO]]).

== Symbol ==
[[image:The_off_year_nast_1877.jpg|left|thumb|1877 Thomas Nast drawing of the Republican elephant.]]
The official symbol of the Republican Party is the elephant. Although the elephant had occasionally been associated with the party earlier, a political cartoon by [[Thomas Nast]], published in ''Harper's Weekly'' on November 7, 1874, is considered the first important use of the symbol<ref>http://www.harpweek.com/09Cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Year=2003&Month=November&Date=7</ref>. In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Republican party in some Midwestern states was the eagle, as opposed to the Democratic cock. The eagle still appears on Indiana ballots.

A political term referring to the party is "G.O.P.", which was originally an acronym of "Grand Old Party". The term was coined in 1875.

==Ideology==
Historically, the fundamental philosophy and political ideals of the Republican Party are founded on the idea that societal health is rooted in personal responsibility and actions. The Republican Party holds the belief that all material things are earned, not owed. This is seen most often in the party's push for lower taxes. This is fought for in an attempt to treat all citizens equally despite income, race, gender, or religion. They also see taxes as a drag on the economy, and believe private spending is usually more efficient than public spending.

Republicans also show concerns about having big government in charge of such vital issues as food, shelter, or health care, as they believe the private sector and/or the individual are better suited to control their own lives. President [[Ronald Reagan]] who became a Republican in the early 1960s after being a [[New Deal]]er at one time, has been quoted as saying "Government is not the solution, it is the problem."

The party tends to hold both [[conservative]] and [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] stances on social and economic issues respectively. Major policies that the party has recently supported include a conservative foreign policy, including [[War on Terror]], liberating of [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]], and strong support for democracy, especially in the [[Middle East]]. Many party members and politicians have shown a distrust of the [[United Nations]] due to the organization's incompetent bureaucracy, anti-capitalist undertone, corruption on the [[Security Council]] and in UN humanitarian programs. Along with demanding radical reforms in the UN, many Republican politicians also opposes the Kyoto Protocol due the protocol's unfair application to certain countries (especially the United States) and the fact that it prevents economic growth and slows the reduction of poverty.

The Republican Party generally supports free trade, especially [[NAFTA]] and [[CAFTA]]. It is responsible for a series of across-the-board tax cuts since 2001 that have bolstered the economy and reduced the punitive aspect of the income tax. It has sought business deregulation, reduction of environmental regulations that restrict fair use of land and property, and other policies that are pro-capitalism. It supports gun ownership rights, and enterprise zones (low taxes for investing in poverty areas). On social issues the majority of its national and state candidates usually favor the death penalty, call for stronger state-level control on access to [[abortion]], support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage at the federal level and by the states, favor faith-based charitable initiatives, support school choice and homeschooling, social welfare benefit reform, and oppose reverse racism, such as racial quotas.

In recent years the party has called for much stronger accountability in the public schools, especially through the "No Child Left behind Act" of 2001 (which also increased [[federal funding]] for schools). The party is split on the issue of federally funding embryonic stem cell research that involves the cloning and killing of human embryos. Many in the party think it unethical to force tax payers who believe this type of research is morally wrong to finance it. Historically Republicans have had a strong belief in [[individualism]], limited government, and business entrepreneurship.

In recent years, the Republican party has downplayed its emphasis on small government. Under the administration of [[George W. Bush]], the federal government has been expanded to record levels, surpassing even the Great Depression era <ref>http://www.dhs.gov/index.shtm</ref>. Additionally, the Bush administration has acted to nationalize the country's banking institutions in an effort to stymie the decline of the U.S. economy<ref>http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12078933</ref>

== History ==
[[File:GOP-presidents.jpg|thumb|300px|GOP Presidents by Andy Thomas; clockwise from far right: Nixon, Ford, Lincoln, GHW Bush, Reagan, GW Bush, Eisenhower, Roosevelt]]
The party began in 1854, at the start of the [[Third Party System]]. The '''GOP''' (or "Grand Old Party" as it was nicknamed after 1880) dominated national politics, including most of the [[Fourth Party System]] until 1932. Then the [[Fifth Party System]] (or "New Deal Coalition") was dominant until the late 1960s. Since 1968 the GOP has won 7 of 11 presidential elections (losing in 1976, 1992, 1996 and 2008). Its great rival is the [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]].

===Third Party System: 1854-1896===
The Republican party began as a spontaneous grass roots protest against the [[Kansas-Nebraska Act]] of 1854, which allowed slavery into western territories where it had been forbidden by earlier compromises. The creation of the new party, along with the death of the [[Whig Party]], realigned American politics. The central issues were new, as were the voter alignments, and the balance of power in Congress. The central issues became slavery, race, civil war and the reconstruction of the Union into a more powerful nation, with rules changed that gave the vote to former slaves.

====Issues: Slavery====
Republican activists denounced the Kansas-Nebraska act as proof of the power of the [[Slave Power]]--the powerful class of slaveholders who were conspiring to control the federal government and to spread slavery nationwide. The name "Republican" gained such favor in 1854 because "[[Republicanism, U.S.|republicanism]]" was the paramount political value the new party meant to uphold. The name also echoed the former Jeffersonian party of the [[First Party System]]. The party founders adopted the name "Republican" to indicate it was the carrier of "republican" beliefs about civic virtue, and opposition to aristocracy and corruption. <ref> Gould (2003) pp 14-15; republicanism is explored in depth by Foner (1970).</ref>

Two small cities of the Yankee diaspora, Ripon, Wisconsin, and Jackson, Michigan, claim the birthplace honors. <ref>There is also a myth that the town of Exeter, New Hampshire was first by six months, but nothing came of the secret meeting there and scholars dismiss the claim.</ref> Ripon held the first county convention on March 20, 1854. Jackson held the first statewide convention where delegates on July 6, 1854 declared their new party opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories and selected a state-wide slate of candidates. The Midwest took the lead in forming state party tickets, while the eastern states lagged a year or so. There were no efforts to organize the party in the South, apart from a few areas adjacent to free states. The new party was sectional, based in the northeast and northern Midwest--areas with a strong Yankee presence. It had only scattered support in slave states before the Civil War.<ref> There was some strength in border cities such as St. Louis, Louisville, Wheeling, and Baltimore.</ref>

The first presidential nomination in 1856 when to an obscure western explorer [[John C. Fremont]], as the party crusaded against the Slave Power with the slogan, "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free men, Fremont and victory!" Democrats warned darkly that disunion and Civil War would result. The remnants of the Know Nothing movement prevented the new party from sweeping the North, and the Democrats elected [[James Buchanan]]. By 1858 the Know Nothings were gone and the Republicans swept the North. The 1860 election seemed a certain victory, for the party had majorities in states with a majority of the electoral votes. In the event the opposition split three ways, and [[Abraham Lincoln]] coasted to an easy victory, carrying 18 states with 190 electoral votes, while the opposition carried 15 states (mostly in the South) with 123 electoral votes. Lincoln had 1.9 million popular votes.

====Modernization====
Besides opposition to slavery, the new party put forward a modernizing vision --emphasizing higher education, banking, railroads, industry and cities, while promising free homesteads to farmers. It vigorously argued that free-market labor was superior to slavery and the very foundation of civic virtue and true American values - this is the "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men" ideology explored by historian Eric Foner <ref> Foner, Eric. ''Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men''. 1993. </ref>. The Republicans absorbed the previous traditions of its members, most of whom had been [[Whig Party|Whigs]], and some of whom had been Democrats or members of third parties (especially the [[Free Soil Party]] and Know-Nothings (American Party). Many [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democrats]] who joined up were rewarded with governorships. <ref> They included [[Nathaniel P. Banks]] of Massachusetts, [[Kinsley Bingham]] of Michigan, [[William H. Bissell]] of Illinois, [[Salmon P. Chase]] of Ohio, [[Hannibal Hamlin]] of Maine, [[Samuel J. Kirkwood]] of Iowa, [[Ralph Metcalf]] of New Hampshire, [[Lot Morrill]] of Maine, and [[Alexander Randall]] of Wisconsin).</ref> or seats in the U.S. Senate.<ref> The senators included Bingham and Hamlin, as well as [[James R. Doolittle]] of Wisconsin, [[John P. Hale]] of New Hampshire, [[Preston King]] of New York, [[Lyman Trumbull]] of Illinois, and [[David Wilmot]] of Pennsylvania.</ref> Since its inception, its chief opposition has been the Democratic Party, but the amount of flow back and forth of prominent politicians between the two parties was quite high from 1854 to 1896.

====Ethnocultural voting====
Historians have explored the ethnocultural foundations of the party, along the line that ethnic and religious groups set the moral standards for their members, who then carried those standards into politics. The churches also provided social networks that politicians used to sign up voters. The pietistic churches, heavily influenced by the revivals of the [[Second Great Awakening]], emphasized the duty of the Christian to purge sin from society. Sin took many forms--alcoholism, polygamy and slavery became special targets for the Republicans. The Yankees, who dominated New England, much of upstate New York, and much of the upper Midwest were the strongest supporters of the new party. This was especially true for the pietistic Congregationalists and Presbyterians among them and (during the war), the Methodists, along with Scandinavian Lutherans. The Quakers were a small tight-knit group that was heavily Republican. The liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Episcopal, German Lutheran), by contrast, largely rejected the moralism of the GOP; most of their adherents voted Democratic. <ref> Kleppner (1979) has extensive detail on the voting behavior of groups.</ref>

====Politics 1854-1860====
[[John C. Frémont]] ran as the first Republican nominee for [[President of the United States|President]] in 1856, using the [[political slogan]]: "[[United States Free Soil Party#Positions|Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men]], Frémont." Although Frémont's bid was unsuccessful, the party showed a strong base. It dominated in New England, New York and the northern Midwest, and had a strong presence in the rest of the North. It had almost no support in the South, where it was roundly denounced in 1856-60 as a divisive force that threatened civil war. The election of [[Abraham Lincoln]] in 1860 ended the domination of the fragile coalition of pro-slavery southern Democrats and conciliatory northern Democrats which had existed since the days of [[Andrew Jackson]]. Instead, a new era of Republican dominance based in the industrial and agricultural north ensued. Republicans still often refer to their party as the "party of Lincoln" in honor of the first Republican President.
{{See also|Third Party System}}

====Civil War: 1861-1865====
Lincoln proved brilliantly successful in uniting the factions of his party to fight for the Union.<ref> Goodwyn 2005</ref> However he usually fought the [[Radical Republicans]] who demanded harsher measures. Most Democrats at first were [[War Democrats]], and supportive until the fall of 1862. When Lincoln added the abolition of slavery as a war goal, many war Democrats became "peace Democrats." All the state Republican parties accepted the antislavery goal except Kentucky. In Congress, the party passed major legislation to promote rapid modernization, including a national banking system, high tariffs, an income tax, many excise taxes, paper money issued without backing ("greenbacks"), a huge national debt, homestead laws, and aid to education and agriculture. The Republicans denounced the peace-oriented Democrats as [[Copperheads]] and won enough [[War Democrats]] to maintain their majority in 1862; in 1864, they formed a coalition with many War Democrats as the "National Union Party" which reelected Lincoln easily, then folded back into the Republican party. During the war, upper middle-class men in major cities formed [[Union League]]s, to promote and help finance the war effort.

====Reconstruction: Blacks, Carpetbaggers and Scalawags====
In [[Reconstruction]], how to deal with the ex-Confederates and the freed slaves, or [[Freedmen]], were the major issues. By 1864, [[Radical Republicans]] controlled Congress and demanded more aggressive action against slavery, and more vengeance toward the Confederates. Lincoln held them off, but just barely. Republicans at first welcomed President [[Andrew Johnson]]; the Radicals thought he was one of them and would take a hard line in punishing the South. Johnson however broke with them and formed a loose alliance with moderate Republicans and Democrats. The showdown came in the Congressional elections of 1866, in which the Radicals won a sweeping victory and took full control of Reconstruction, passing key laws over the veto. Johnson was impeached by the House, but acquitted by the Senate. With the election of [[Ulysses S. Grant]] in 1868, the Radicals had control of Congress, the party and the Army, and attempted to build a solid Republican base in the South using the votes of [[Freedmen]], [[Scalawags]] and [[Carpetbaggers]], supported directly by U.S. Army detachments. Republicans all across the South formed local clubs called [[Union League]]s that effectively mobilized the voters, discussed issues, and when necessary fought off [[Ku Klux Klan]] attacks. Thousands died on both sides.

Grant supported radical reconstruction programs in the South, the 14th Amendment, and equal civil and voting rights for the freedmen. Most of all he was the hero of the war veterans, who marched to his tune. The party had become so large that factionalism was inevitable; it was hastened by Grant's tolerance of high levels of corruption typified by the [[Whiskey Ring]]. The "[[Liberal Republican]]s" split off in 1872 on the grounds that it was time to declare the war finished and bring the troops home. Many of the founders of the GOP joined the movement, as did many powerful newspaper editors. They nominated [[Horace Greeley]], who gained unofficial Democratic support, but was defeated in a landslide. The depression of 1873 energized the Democrats. They won control of the House and formed "[[Redeemers|Redeemer]]" coalitions which recaptured control of each southern state, in some cases using threats and violence.

Reconstruction came to an end when the contested election of 1876 was awarded by a special [[Electoral Commission (United States)|electoral commission]] to Republican [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] who promised, through the unofficial [[Compromise of 1877]], to withdraw federal troops from control of the last three southern states. The region then became the [[Solid South]], giving overwhelming majorities of its electoral votes and Congressional seats to the Democrats until 1964.

In terms of racial issues, "White Republicans as well as Democrats solicited black votes but reluctantly rewarded blacks with nominations for office only when necessary, even then reserving the more choice positions for whites. The results were predictable: these half-a-loaf gestures satisfied neither black nor white Republicans. The fatal weakness of the Republican party in Alabama, as elsewhere in the South, was its inability to create a biracial political party. And while in power even briefly, they failed to protect their members from Democratic terror. Alabama Republicans were forever on the defensive, verbally and physically." [Woolfolk p 134]

Social pressure eventually forced most [[Scalawags]] to join the conservative/Democratic Redeemer coalition. A minority persisted and formed the "tan" half of the "Black and Tan" Republican party, a minority in every southern state after 1877. (DeSantis 1998)

====Gilded Age: 1877-1894====
The "GOP" (as it was now nicknamed) split into factions in the late 1870s. The Stalwarts, followers of Senator Conkling, defended the spoils system. The Half-Breeds, who followed Senator [[James G. Blaine]] of Maine, pushed for [[Civil service reform]]. Independents who opposed the spoils system altogether were called "[[Mugwumps]]". In 1884 they rejected [[James G. Blaine]] as corrupt and helped elect Democrat [[Grover Cleveland]]; most returned to the party by 1888.

As the Northern post-bellum economy boomed with heavy and light industry, railroads, mines, and fast-growing cities, as well as prosperous agriculture, the Republicans took credit and promoted policies to keep the fast growth going. They supported big business generally, hard money (i.e. the [[gold standard]]), high [[tariff]]s, and high pensions for Union veterans. By 1890, however, the Republicans had agreed to the [[Sherman Anti-Trust Act]] and the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]] in response to complaints from owners of small businesses and farmers. The high [[McKinley Tariff]] of 1890 hurt the party and the Democrats swept to a landslide in the off-year elections, even defeating McKinley himself.
====Ethnocultural Voters: pietistic Republicans versus liturgical Democrats====

From 1860 to 1912, the Republicans took advantage of the association of the Democrats with "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion". Rum stood for the liquor interests and the tavern keepers, in contrast to the GOP, which had a strong dry element. "Romanism" meant Catholics, especially Irish Americans, who ran the Democratic party in every big city, and whom the Republicans denounced for political corruption. "Rebellion" stood for the Confederates who tried to break the Union in 1861, and the [[Copperheads]] in the North who sympathized with them.

Demographic trends aided the Democrats, as the German and Irish Catholic immigrants were Democrats, and outnumbered the English and Scandinavian Republicans. During the 1880s and 1890s, the Republicans struggled against the Democrats' efforts, winning several close elections and losing two to Grover Cleveland (in [[U.S. presidential election, 1884|1884]] and [[U.S. presidential election, 1892|1892]]).
Religious lines were sharply drawn [Kleppner 1979]. Methodists, Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Scandinavian Lutherans and other pietists in the North were tightly linked to the GOP. In sharp contrast, liturgical groups, especially the Catholics, Episcopalians, and German Lutherans, looked to the Democratic party for protection from pietistic moralism, especially prohibition. Both parties cut across the class structure, with the Democrats more bottom-heavy.

Cultural issues, especially prohibition and foreign language schools became important because of the sharp religious divisions in the electorate. In the North, about 50% of the voters were pietistic Protestants (Methodists, Scandinavian Lutherans, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Disciples of Christ) who believed the government should be used to reduce social sins, such as drinking. Liturgical churches (Roman Catholics, German Lutherans, Episcopalians) comprised over a quarter of the vote and wanted the government to stay out of the morality business. Prohibition debates and referenda heated up politics in most states over a period of decade, as national prohibition was finally passed in 1918 (and repealed in 1932), serving as a major issue between the wet Democracy and the dry GOP.<ref> See Kleppner (1979)</ref>

===Fourth Party System: 1896-1932: The Progressive Era ===
The election of [[William McKinley]] in 1896 was a [[realigning election]] that changed the balance of power, and introduced new rules, new issues and new leaders. It did not, however, see the emergence of a new major party. The Republican sweep of the 1894 Congressional elections presaged the McKinley landslide of 1896, which was repeated in 1900, thus locking the GOP in full control of the national government and most northern state governments. The GOP made major gains as well in the border states. The [[Fourth Party System]] was dominated by Republican presidents, with the exception of the two terms of Democrat [[Woodrow Wilson]], 1912-1920.

====McKinley and realignment====
McKinley promised that high tariffs would end the severe hardship caused by the [[Panic of 1893]], and that the GOP would guarantee a sort of pluralism in which all groups would benefit. He denounced [[William Jennings Bryan]], the Democratic nominee, as a dangerous radical whose plans for "Free Silver" at 16-1 (or [[Bimetallism]]) would bankrupt the economy.

McKinley relied heavily on industry and the middle classes for his support and cemented the Republicans as the party of business; his [[campaign manager]], Ohio's [[Mark Hanna]], developed a detailed plan for getting contributions from the business world, and McKinley outspent his rival [[William Jennings Bryan]] by a large margin. McKinley was the first president to promote [[pluralism]], arguing that prosperity would be shared by all ethnic and religious groups.

====Roosevelt and Progressivism====
[[Theodore Roosevelt]], who became president in 1901, had the most dynamic personality in the nation. Roosevelt had to contend with men like Senator [[Mark Hanna]], whom he outmaneuvered to gain control of the convention in 1904 that renominated him. More difficult to handle was conservative House Speaker [[Joseph Gurney Cannon]].

Roosevelt achieved modest legislative gains in terms of railroad legislation and pure food laws. He was more successful in Court, bringing antitrust suits that broke up the [[Northern Securities]] trust and [[Standard Oil]]. Roosevelt moved left in his last two years in office but was unable to pass major Square Deal proposals.

Roosevelt did succeed in naming his successor Secretary of War [[William Howard Taft]] who easily defeated Bryan again in 1908.

====Progressive insurgents vs. Conservatives====
The GOP was divided between insurgents and stand-patters (liberals and conservatives, to use 21st century terms). [[Theodore Roosevelt]] was an enormously popular president (1901-1909), and he transferred the office to [[William Howard Taft]]. Taft, however, did not have TR's enormous popularity nor his ability to bring rival factions together. When Taft sided with the standpatters under Speaker [[Joe Cannon]] and Senate leader [[Nelson Aldrich]], the insurgents revolted. Led by [[George Norris]] the insurgents took control of the House away from Cannon and imposed a new system whereby committee chairmanships depended on seniority (years of membership on the committee), rather than party loyalty.

The tariff issue was pulling the GOP apart. Roosevelt tried to postpone the issue but Taft had to meet it head on in 1909 with the [[Payne-Aldrich Tariff Act]]. Eastern conservatives led by [[Nelson A. Aldrich]] wanted high tariffs on manufactured goods (especially woolens), while Midwesterners called for low tariffs. Aldrich tricked them by lowering the tariff on farm products, which outraged the farmers. In a stunning comeback the Democrats won control of the House in 1910, as the GOP rift between insurgents and conservatives widened.

Roosevelt sided with the insurgents and, after long indecision, decided to run against Taft for the 1912 nomination. Roosevelt had to steamroll over insurgent Senator [[Robert LaFollette]] of Wisconsin, turning an ally into an enemy. Taft outmaneuvered Roosevelt and controlled the convention. Roosevelt walked out and formed a third party, the "Progressive" or "Bull Moose" party. Very few officeholders supported him, and the new party collapsed by 1914. With the GOP vote divided in half, Democrat [[Woodrow Wilson]] easily won the 1912 election, and was narrowly reelected in 1916.

====State and local politics====
The Republicans welcomed the [[Progressive Era]] at the state and local level. The first important reform mayor was [[Hazen S. Pingree]] of Detroit (1890-97) who was elected governor of Michigan in 1896. In New York City the Republicans joined nonpartisan reformers to battle [[Tammany Hall]], and elected Seth Low (1902-03). Samuel "Golden Rule" Jones was first elected mayor of Toledo as a Republican in 1897, but was reelected as an independent when his party refused to renominate him. In Iowa Senator Albert Cummins came up with the "Iowa Idea" that blamed the trust or monopoly problem on the high tariff, angering the eastern industrialists and factory workers. Many Republican civic leaders, following the example of [[Mark Hanna]], were active in the [[National Civic Federation]], which promoted urban reforms and sought to avoid wasteful strikes.

====Harding-Coolidge-Hoover, 1920-1932====
The party controlled the presidency throughout the 1920s, running on a platform of opposition to the League of Nations, high tariffs, and promotion of business interests. [[Warren G. Harding]], [[Calvin Coolidge]] and [[Herbert Hoover]] were resoundingly elected in the elections of 1920, 1924 and 1928 as the Democrats were deeply split on prohibition and religion. The breakaway efforts of Senator [[Robert LaFollette]] in 1924 failed to stop a landslide for Coolidge, and his movement fell apart. The [[Teapot Dome Scandal]] threatened to hurt the party but Harding died and Coolidge blamed everything on him, as the opposition splintered in 1924. The pro-business policies of the decade seemed to produce an unprecedented prosperity--until the Wall Street Crash of 1929 heralded the [[Great Depression]]. Although the party did very well in large cities and among ethnic Catholics in presidential elections of 1920-24, it was unable to hold those gains in 1928. By 1932 the cities--for the first time ever--had become Democratic strongholds.

The African American vote held for Hoover in 1932, but started moving toward Roosevelt. By 1940 the majority of northern blacks were voting Democratic. Southern blacks who could vote (in border states) were split; disenfranchised blacks in the South probably preferred the Republicans.

The [[Great Depression]] cost Hoover the presidency with the [[U.S. presidential election, 1932|1932 landslide election]] of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]. Roosevelt's [[New Deal coalition]] controlled American politics for most of the next three decades, excepting the two-term presidency of Republican [[Dwight Eisenhower]].

==Fifth Party System: 1932-1980 ==
Minority parties tend to factionalize and after 1936 the GOP split into a conservative faction (dominant in the West and Southeast) and a liberal faction (dominant in the Northeast) – combined with a residual base of inherited progressive Republicanism active throughout the century. [[U.S. presidential election, 1936|In 1936]] Kansas governor [[Alf Landon]] and his young followers defeated the [[Herbert Hoover]] faction. Landon generally supported most New Deal programs, but carried only two states in the Roosevelt landslide.

Senator [[Robert Taft]] of Ohio represented the Midwestern wing of the party that continued to oppose [[New Deal]] reforms and continued to champion [[isolationism]]. [[Thomas Dewey]], governor of New York, represented the Northeastern wing of the party. Dewey did not reject the New Deal programs, but demanded more efficiency, more support for economic growth, and less corruption. He was more willing than Taft to support Britain in 1939-40. After the war the isolationists wing strenuously opposed the [[United Nations]], and was half-hearted in opposition to world Communism. Senator [[William F. Knowland]] of California, sobriquet ''Senator from Formosa'' (Taiwan).

[[Dwight Eisenhower]], an internationalist allied with the Dewey wing, challenged Taft in 1952 on foreign policy issues. The two men were not far apart on domestic issues. Eisenhower's victory broke a 20 year Democratic lock on the White House. Eisenhower did not try to roll back the New Deal, but he did expand the Social Security system and built the Interstate Highway system.

The conservatives in 1964 made a comeback under the leadership of [[Barry Goldwater]] who defeated [[Nelson Rockefeller]] as the Republican candidate in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1964|1964 presidential convention]]. Goldwater was strongly opposed to the New Deal and the United Nations, but he rejected isolationism and containment, calling for an aggressive anti-Communist foreign policy.

Any long-term movement toward the GOP was interrupted by the [[Watergate Scandal]], which forced Nixon to resign in 1974 under threat of impeachment. [[Gerald Ford]] succeeded Nixon and gave him a full pardon--thereby giving the Democrats a powerful issue they used to sweep the 1974 off-year elections. Ford never fully recovered, and in 1976 he barely defeated [[Ronald Reagan]] for the nomination. The taint of Watergate and the nation's economic difficulties contributed to the election of Democrat [[Jimmy Carter]] in [[U.S. presidential election, 1976|1976]], running as a Washington outsider.

====Strength of Parties 1977====
How the Two Parties Stood after the 1976 Election:

{| class=wikitable
! Party
! Republican
! Democratic
! Independent
|-
! Party ID (Gallup)
| 22%
| 47%
| 31%
|-
! Congressmen
| 181
| 354
|
|-
! House
| 143
| 292
|
|-
! Senate
| 38
| 62
|
|-
! % House popular vote nationally
| 42%
| 56%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the East
| 41%
| 57%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the South
| 37%
| 62%
| 2%
|-
| align=right | in the Midwest
| 47%
| 52%
| 1%
|-
| align=right | in the West
| 43%
| 55%
| 2%
|-
! Governors
| 12
| 37
| 1
|-
! rowspan=2 | State Legislators
| 2,370
| 5,128
| 55
|-
| 31%
| 68%
| 1%
|-
! State legislature control
| 18
| 80
| 1 *
|-
| align=right | in the East
| 5
| 13
| 0
|-
| align=right | in the South
| 0
| 32
| 0
|-
| align=right | in the Midwest
| 5
| 17
| 1 *
|-
| align=right | in the West
| 8
| 18
| 0
|-
! States' one party control of legislature and governorship
| 1
| 29
| 0
|-
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The unicameral Nebraska legislature, in fact controlled by the Republicans, is technically nonpartisan.

Source: Everett Carll Ladd Jr. ''Where Have All the Voters Gone? The Fracturing of America's Political Parties'' (1978) p.6

====Moderate Republicans of 1940-80====
The term ''Rockefeller Republican'' was used 1960-80 to designate a faction of the party holding "moderate" views similar to those of the late [[Nelson Rockefeller]], [[governor of New York]] from 1959 to 1974 and vice president under President [[Gerald Ford]] in 1974-77. Before Rockefeller, [[Tom Dewey]], governor of New York 1942-54 and GOP presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948 was the leader. [[Dwight Eisenhower]] reflected many of their views. An important leader in the 1950s was Connecticut Republican Senator [[Prescott Bush]], father and grandfather of presidents of [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[George W. Bush]]. After Rockefeller left the national stage in 1976, this faction of the party was more often called "moderate Republicans," in contrast to the conservatives who rallied to [[Ronald Reagan]].
Historically, Rockefeller Republicans were moderate or liberal on domestic and social policies. They favored New Deal programs, including regulation and welfare. They were very strong supporters of civil rights. They were strongly supported by big business on Wall Street (New York City). In fiscal policy they favored balanced budgets and relatively high tax levels to keep the budget balanced. They sought long-term economic growth through entrepreneurships, not tax cuts. In state politics, they were strong supporters of state colleges and universities, low tuition, and large research budgets. They favored infrastructure improvements, such as highway projects. In foreign policy they were internationalists, and anti-Communists. They felt the best way to counter Communism was sponsoring economic growth (through foreign aid), maintaining a strong military, and keeping close ties to [[NATO]]. Geographically their base was the Northeast, from Pennsylvania to Maine.

====Suburbia====
The suburban electorate passed the city electorate in the 1950s, as Eisenhower showed unusually strength there. The history of suburban politics is encapsulated in Nassau County (New York), just east of New York City, where a moderate Republican party machine operated. Despite predictions that the New Deal spelled the demise of the political machine, Nassau provided fertile ground for a party organization that rivaled its big city Democratic counterparts. The traditionally GOP county underwent a booming expansion during 1945-60, with an influx of new residents, many with previous Democratic party affiliations. In established villages and new housing developments such as [[Levittown]], under the canny leadership of J. Russel Sprague, the party used patronage and community organizing techniques to build its base among ethnic voters, young people, and new homeowners. The party expanded beyond its white Protestant base, with Italian Americans becoming particularly prominent in party leadership. Sprague was both party leader and county executive. That post was created in 1936 under a new charter engineered by Sprague to update a municipal apparatus unable to meet the infrastructure and development needs of a county that by 1960 had 1.3 million residents. Democrats and reformers had promoted charter revision for decades, and some consolidation of government services did take place. As county "boss," Sprague ruled with an iron hand. Nassau's pluralities for such candidates as Governor Thomas E. Dewey and President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Sprague's fundraising prowess made him a force in national party politics. He advocated a moderate, middle-of-the-road position that recognized expectations created by the New Deal while criticizing what were claimed to be Democratic excesses. After leaving elective office and party leadership, Sprague became a major campaign issue when the Democrats, in a 1961 historic upset, won the county executive post by both lambasting Sprague, tainted by a racetrack-stock scandal, and criticizing the developer-friendly "Spragueland" regime that had governed Nassau for decades. Soon after Sprague died in 1969, the Nassau GOP regained its control of the county government and reestablished virtual one-party rule until the 1990s.<ref> Marjorie Freeman Harrison, "Machine Politics Suburban Style: J. Russel Sprague and the Nassau County (New York) Republican Party at Midcentury." PhD dissertation Columbia U. 2005. 388 pp.
DAI 2005 66(5): 1925-A. DA3174807 </ref>

An even longer reign of power characterized GOP machine control of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, a rural and suburban area south of Philadelphia. William McClure controlled the GOP from 1875 until his death in 1907; his son John J. McClure, was in control from 1907 until his death in 1965. McLarnon (1998) has four main findings. First, political machines were not confined to big cities; the demographic and political peculiarities of suburban counties lent themselves to continued domination by political machines long after the heyday of the city machine had passed. Secondly, neither the New Deal, immigration restriction, nor the rise of organized labor destroyed all the old Republican machines. Delaware was one of several similar counties in southeastern Pennsylvania where the GOP continued to hold sway throughout the 20th century. Thirdly, not all blacks switched their electoral loyalties to the Democratic party in 1936. The black population of Chester, Delaware County's industrial city, generally voted Republican for offices below the presidential level. Finally, the citizens of Delaware County supported and continues to support the Republican machine because the machine delivered and continues to deliver those things that the citizens want most. At the beginning of the century, the machine provided food, work, and police protection to Chester's European and black immigrants. During Prohibition, it supplied the county with liquor. Through the Depression, patronage and close alliances with local industrialists kept a significant portion of machine loyalists employed. In the 1950s and 1960s the machine kept taxes low, initiated a war on organized vice, successfully defeated all threats to home rule, and discouraged blacks from settling in historically white communities. The trash was collected, the snow plowed, the streets repaired. The buses ran on time, the playgrounds and parks were clean, and the schools acceptably average. These were the most important concerns of a majority of county's citizens. While the citizens and their concerns changed over time, two things seem to have remained constant: the McClures', and their successors' ability to read and react to the needs of the electorate; and the fact that rarely, if ever, has a desire for honest, democratic government been high on Delaware County voters' list of priorities.<ref>John Morrison McLarnon, "Ruling Suburbia: A Biography of the McClure Machine of Delaware County, Pennsylvania." PhD dissertation U. of Delaware 1998. 616 pp. DAI 1998 58(12): 4780-A. DA9819160 </ref>

====Rise of the right====
[[Barry Goldwater]] crusaded against the Rockefeller Republicans, beating Rockefeller narrowly in the California primary of 1964. That set the stage for a conservative resurgence, based in the South and West, in opposition to the Northeast. Brennan (1995) stresses that conservatives in the late 1950s and early 1960s had many internal problems to overcome before they could mount an effective challenge to the hegemony of the distrusted Eastern Establishment, typified by [[Nelson A. Rockefeller]]. The conservative movement had some newspapers and magazines (especially [[William F. Buckley]]'s ''National Review'') and one charismatic national leader, Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. The movement gained momentum once they had established a unity out of diverse elements on the Right with a common commitment to a militant anticommunism, and once they had succeeded in mobilizing a grassroots base inside a number of state and local organizations in the Sun Belt on behalf of a draft Goldwater campaign in 1960. Although Nixon was acceptable to the conservatives, they worried that he compromised with Rockefeller in 1960. His defeat in 1960 removed a major obstacle and also gave ammunition to those who wanted "a choice, not an echo" (to echo a Goldwater slogan). After 1960 liberals and moderates in the Republican party failed to appreciate the magnitude of the challenge they faced on the grass-roots level. They too readily equated their conservative opponents in the party with the "lunatic fringe" and did not take them seriously until they found themselves deposed by a grass roots insurgency of the sort unknown in the party since 1912.<ref> Brennan (1995) p, 59</ref> Goldwater's landslide defeat opened the way to a liberal Democratic resurgence, but did little to help the liberal wing of the GOP. The failures of the Great Society, especially a wave of major urban riots and a surge in violent crime, led to major gains in 1966, and to Nixon's election in the chaotic 1968 election. The Democrats became deeply divided on the Vietnam war (which did not divide the GOP), and on issues of race, when Alabamian [[George C. Wallace]] set up a third party that carried much of the deep South.

As Goldwater faded to a lesser role after 1964, a new conservative hero emerged: in the largest and most trendy state film star [[Ronald Reagan]] was elected governor of California in 1966 and reelected in 1970.

With the rise of conservatism the national Republican Party became more ideologically homogeneous. This change occurred as conservative politicians and voters joined the party and their liberal counterparts abandoned the GOP. Events in New York State during the 1960s and 1970s facilitated this transformation. Here, ideological conservatives formed a third party for the express purpose of changing a state GOP that both symbolized and contributed to the national GOP's liberal viewpoint. The [[Conservative Party, New York|Conservative Party]] relied on the state's unique election law to crash the New York GOP, either by forcing its way in or by imposing a lethal electoral price. The GOP-Conservative Party relationship began in 1962 at sword's point but achieved a high degree of harmony in 1980. Initially, New York Republicans, led by Governor [[Nelson Rockefeller]], successfully marginalized the new party. As the conservative movement matured, however, the balance of power began to shift. When Nixon was elected president in 1968, the Conservative Party gained an external ally who proved invaluable. The third party achieved partial acceptance in 1970 with the election of [[James Buckley]] to the Senate. For much of the ensuing decade, however, Conservatives struggled with success suffering a series of damaging setbacks. Only in the late 1970s, did the party recover when it embraced a more modest agenda. Finally, the 1980 election settled the overall contours of the relationship between the two parties. Conservatives formed their party to force the state GOP to the right, to drive liberal Republicans from office, and allow ideologically conservative national Republicans to succeed in the state. By 1980, it had achieved these goals changing the nature of politics in the state. This resolution affected politics beyond the state by diminishing the importance of ideological liberals in the national GOP, thus freeing a more ideologically consistent national Republican Party to promote the rise of conservatism.<ref> Timothy J. Sullivan, "Crashing the Party: The New York State Conservative and Republican Parties, 1962-1980." PhD dissertation U. of Maryland, College Park 2003. 458 pp. DAI 2004 64(11): 4181-A. DA3112508 </ref>

====Realignment: The South becomes Republican====
In the century after Reconstruction ended in 1877, the white South identified with the [[U.S. Democratic Party|Democratic Party]]. The Democrats' lock on power was so strong, the region was called the "Solid South." The Republicans controlled certain parts of the Appalachian mountains, but they sometimes did compete for statewide office in the border states. Before 1964, the southern Democrats saw their party as the defender of the southern way of life, which included a respect for states' rights and an appreciation for traditional southern values. They repeatedly warned against the aggressive designs of Northern liberals and Republicans, as well as the civil rights activists they denounced as "outside agitators." Thus there was a serious barrier to becoming a Republican.

However, since 1964, the Democratic lock on the South has been broken. The long-term cause was that the region was becoming more like the rest of the nation and could not long stand apart in terms of racial segregation. Modernization that brought factories, businesses, and cities, and millions of migrants from the North; far more people graduated from high school and college. Meanwhile the cotton and tobacco basis of the traditional South faded away, as former farmers moved to town or commuted to factory jobs.

The immediate cause of the political transition involved civil rights. The [[civil rights movement]] caused enormous controversy in the white South with many attacking it as a violation of states' rights. When segregation was outlawed by court order and by the Civil Rights acts of 1964 and 1965, a die-hard element resisted integration, led by Democratic governors [[Orval Faubus]] of Arkansas, [[Lester Maddox]] of Georgia, and, especially [[George Wallace]] of Alabama. These populist governors appealed to a less-educated, blue-collar electorate that on economic grounds favored the Democratic party, but opposed segregation. After passage of the Civil Rights Act most Southerners accepted the integration of most institutions (except public schools). With the old barrier to becoming a Republican removed, traditional Southerners joined the new middle class and the Northern transplants in moving toward the Republican party. Integration thus liberated Southern politics, just as [[Martin Luther King]] had promised. Meanwhile the newly enfranchised black voters supported Democratic candidates at the 85-90% level.

The South's transition to a Republican stronghold took decades. First the states started voting Republican in presidential elections--the Democrats countered that by nominating Southerners who could carry some states in the region, such as [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976 and 1980, and [[Bill Clinton]] in 1992 and 1996; the strategy did not work with [[Al Gore]] in 2000, or [[John Edwards]] in 2004. Then the states began electing Republican senators to fill open seats caused by retirements, and finally governors and state legislatures changed sides. Georgia was the last state to fall, with [[Sonny Perdue]] taking the governorship in 2002. Republicans aided the process with systematic gerrymandering that protected the African American and Hispanic vote (as required by the Civil Rights laws), but split up the remaining white Democrats so that Republicans mostly would win. In 2006 the Supreme Court endorsed nearly all of the redistricting engineered by [[Tom DeLay]] that swung the Texas Congressional delegation to the GOP in 2004.

In addition to its white middle class base, Republicans attracted strong majorities from the evangelical Christian vote, which had been nonpolitical before 1980. The national Democratic Party's support for liberal social stances such as [[abortion]] drove many former Democrats into a Republican party that was embracing the conservative views on these issues. Conversely, liberal Republicans in the northeast began to join the Democratic Party. In 1969 in ''The Emerging Republican Majority'', [[Kevin Phillips]], argued that support from Southern whites and growth in the [[Sun Belt]], among other factors, was driving an enduring Republican electoral [[realigning election|realignment]]. Today, the South is again solid, but the reliable support is for Republican presidential candidates. Exit polls in 2004 showed that Bush led Kerry by 70-30% among whites, who comprised 71% of the Southern voters. Kerry had a 90-9% lead among the 18% of the voters who were black. One third of the Southerners said they were white evangelicals; they voted for Bush by 80-20%.<ref> See [http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/pages/results/states/US/P/00/epolls.3.html exit polls]</ref>

===Reagan Era===
In 1980, [[Ronald Reagan]] won the Republican nomination and easily beat Carter and a breakaway Republican with his strong communication skills and message of economic freedom and strength against the [[Soviet Union]]. Reagan produced a major realignment with his 1980 and 1984 landslides. In 1980 the Reagan coalition was possible because of Democratic losses in most social-economic groups. In 1984 Reagan won nearly 60% of the popular vote and carried every state except his Democrat opponent Walter Mondale's home state of [[Minnesota]] and the District of Columbia, creating a record 525 electoral vote total (of 538 possible). Even in Minnesota, Mondale won by a mere 3,761 votes <ref>http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1984&fips=27&f=1&off=0&elect=0</ref>, meaning Reagan came within less than 3,800 votes of winning in all fifty states.

Running on a "Peace Through Strength" platform to combat the Communist threat and massive tax cuts to revitalize the economy, Reagan's strong but genial persona proved too much for the ineffective and sour Carter in 1980. Reagan's election also gave Republicans control of the Senate for the first time in decades. Dubbed the "Reagan Revolution" he fundamentally altered several long standing debates in Washington, namely dealing with the Soviet threat and reviving the economy. His election saw the conservative wing of the party gain control. While reviled by liberal opponents in his day, his proponents contend his programs provided unprecedented economic growth, and spurred the collapse of the former Soviet Union. Currently regarded as one of the most popular and successful presidents in the modern era (1960-present), he inspired Conservatives to greater electoral victories by being re-elected in a landslide against Walter Mondale in 1984 but oversaw the loss of the Senate in 1986.

The so-called "Reagan Democrats" were Democrats before the Reagan years, and afterwards, but who voted for Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984 (and for George H.W. Bush in 1988), producing their landslide victories. They were primarily ethnic Catholics in the Northeast and were frustrated by their seeing abandonment on cultural issues by the Democratic party's national leaders.

Reagan's Vice-President, George H.W. Bush, a [[World War II]] war hero, was elected in 1988 but was defeated in 1992 as domestic issues took prominence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and end of the [[Cold War]]. Democratic challenger [[Bill Clinton]] strategically repositioned the Democrats to the right. [[Ross Perot]]'s candidacy was instrumental in Clinton's victory as he took Republican votes with his criticism of deficits. Perot won 19% of the popular vote, and Clinton, still a largely unknown quantity in American politics with 41% of the popular vote took office. Despite his loss, George H.W. Bush left office in 1993 with a 56 percent job approval rating.

House Republican Minority Whip [[Newt Gingrich]]-led the "Republican Revolution" of 1994 and its famous ''Contract With America''. It was the first time since 1952 that the Republicans secured control of both houses of U.S. Congress, which, with the exception of the Senate during 2001-2002, lasted until the 2006 mid-term elections. Democrats had controlled both houses of Congress for the forty years preceding 1994, with the exception of the 1981-1987 Congresses (in which Republicans controlled the Senate).

In the 1994 mid-term election, Republican congressional candidates ran on a platform of promising floor votes to force members of Congress to go on record on a series of popular reforms -- something the Democrats had stifled for decades. These measures and others formed the Contract with America, which represented the first effort to have a party platform in a mid-term election. Seven of the ten Contract items actually became Law. The budget reforms, coupled with reduced defense spending after the Cold War, and the earlier Reagan Tax Cuts for Business Research and Development in the 1980s, led to a high tech consumer boom, rising incomes for all groups, and unprecedented, sustained economic growth in the late 1990s. Democratic President Bill Clinton opposed some of the social agenda initiatives but he co-opted the proposals for welfare reform and a balanced federal budget. The result was a major change in the welfare system, which conservatives hailed and liberals bemoaned. One Contract item, which required Democrats in a two-thirds majority to pass a Constitutional amendment to impose term limits on members of Congress, failed.

In 1995, a budget battle with [[President Clinton]] led to the brief shutdown of the federal government, an event which contributed to Clinton's victory in the 1996 election. That year the Republicans nominated Bob Dole, who was unable to transfer his success in Senate leadership to a viable presidential campaign. Ross Perot ran again (this time on Reform Party ticket), once again draining away a large percentage of Dole's support and insuring Clinton another term after the majority of Americans voters voted against him.

With the election of George W. Bush (son of former president George H. W. Bush) in an extremely close 2000 election, the Republican party controlled both the presidency and both houses of Congress for the first time since 1952. However, after [[Vermont]] senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an independent aligned with the Democrats in June of 2001, Republicans lost control of the Senate by a single seat.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, however, Bush pursued a "War on Terrorism" that included the liberation of Afghanistan from the radical Islamist Taliban regime and the [[Patriot act|USA PATRIOT act]]. By early 2002, the Taliban was removed from power in Afghanistan. On March 20, 2003, U.S. and allied nations initiated "Operation Iraqi Freedom" to liberate the Iraqi people from the brutal regime of [[Saddam Hussein]]. By May 1, 2003, the regime of Saddam was declared officially over. Once US and allied military forces entered Iraq, they discovered that various international terrorists had been given sanctuary by Saddam and ran their terrorist operations from Iraq. Notable terrorists found included Muhammad Zaidan aka Abu Abbas and Sabri Khalil al-Banna aka Abu Nidal.

The Republican Party fared well in the 2002 midterm elections, solidifying its hold on the House and regaining control of the Senate, in the run-up to the liberation of Iraq. This marked just the third time since the Civil War that the party in control of the White House gained seats in both houses of Congress in a midterm election (others were 1902 and 1934).

Bush was renominated without opposition for the [[United States presidential election, 2004]] and titled his political platform "A Safer World and a More Hopeful America". It expressed Bush's commitment to winning the War on Terror, ushering in an Ownership Era, and building an innovative economy to compete in the world.

On November 2, 2004, Bush was re-elected, while Republicans gained seats in both houses of Congress, leaving Democrats in disarray. Bush carried 31 of 50 states for 286 Electoral College votes. In that election, he also received more popular votes than any previous presidential candidate, 62.0 million votes. Democrat challenger, Senator [[John Kerry]], won 251 Electoral votes and 48% of the popular vote to Bush's 51%. It was the first time anyone won a popular majority since 1988. 2004 marked the seventh consecutive election in which the Democratic nominee failed to reach that threshold.

== Contemporary Party ==
The contemporary Republican Party represents a wide array of interests such as the conservative evangelicals and the economic libertarians. The party has had some internal conflict over attitudes about how governments should run and how large they should be, what the party stands for, and what the party's attitude towards [[neo-conservatism]] should be especially in regard to foreign policy. The party is also divided over immigration issues with some members (such as George W. Bush) favoring workers visas and permits and some other members favoring strict control of immigration and strong action against illegal immigration. Unlike the Democratic party, the Republican party routinely allows dissenting factions such as the [[Log Cabin Republicans]] to speak at National Conventions.

==2009==
After smashing defeats in 2006 and 2008, the GOP lost control of Congress, the White House, and many states. They confront president who still retains some popularity, but have been able to chip away at support for his domestic policies, as the [[recession of 2008]] continues to drag on. In June 2009 public opinion was favorable toward Obama personally, but increasingly dubious about his plans to overhaul health care, rescue the auto industry and close the prison at Guantánamo Bay. But with a positive job approval rating of 51% , Obama has the backing of most Democrats, even as Republicans turn negative, with only 23% supporting him. Support for Obama's foreign policies and terrorism policies remains high at 57-59%. Meanwhile the GOP weaknesses were glaring: the June poll found that the Republican Party is viewed favorably by only 28% of Americans, the lowest rating ever in a New York Times/CBS News poll. In contrast, 57% said that they had a favorable view of the Democratic Party.<ref> [Jeff Zeleny and Dalia Sussman, "Obama Poll Sees Doubt on Budget and Health Care [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/18/us/politics/18poll.html?th&emc=th ''New York Times'' June 17, 2009]</ref> However, it should be noted that this poll was conducted by the [[mainstream media]] and thus is a clear example of [[liberal bias]].

== GOP (Frisbee team) ==
The term GOP may also refer to one of the frisbee teams of Carleton College, located in Northfield, MN.[https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/rec/club/?item_id=43089]

==Presidents from the party==
# [[Abraham Lincoln]] (1861-1865)
# [[Ulysses S. Grant]] (1869-1877)
# [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] (1877-1881)
# [[James Garfield]] (1881)
# [[Chester A. Arthur]] (1881-1885)
# [[Benjamin Harrison]] (1889-1893)
# [[William McKinley]] (1897-1901)
# [[Theodore Roosevelt]] (1901-1909)
# [[William Howard Taft]] (1909-1913)
# [[Warren G. Harding]] (1921-1923)
# [[Calvin Coolidge]] (1923-1929)
# [[Herbert Hoover]] (1929-1933)
# [[Dwight Eisenhower]] (1953-1961)
# [[Richard Nixon]] (1969-1974)
# [[Gerald Ford]] (1974-1977)
# [[Ronald Reagan]] (1981-1989)
# [[George H. W. Bush]] (1989-1993)
# [[George W. Bush]] (2001-2009)

==Notable Republicans (Non-presidential)==
*[[James G. Blaine]] (1830-1893): Senator from [[Maine]], presidential nominee
*[[Joseph Gurney Cannon]] (1836-1926): [[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]]
*[[Charles Curtis]] (1860-1936): United States [[Vice President]], a Native American
*[[Charles G. Dawes]] (1865-1951): United States Vice President
*[[Tom Dewey]] (1902-1971): Governor of [[New York]]; presidential nominee in 1944 and 1948
*[[John C. Frémont]] (1813-1890): First Republican candidate for president
*[[Mark Hanna]] (1837-1904): Senator from [[Ohio]], manager of 1896 campaign
*[[George Frisbie Hoar]] (1826-1904): Senator from [[Massachusetts]]
*[[Charles Evans Hughes]]: Governor of New York; presidential nominee in 1916, United States Secretary of State, [[Chief Justice of the United States]]
*[[William Fife Knowland]] (1908-1974), Senator from [[California]], Senate Majority Leader from 1953-1955, Senate Minority Leader from 1955-1959
*[[Henry Cabot Lodge]] (1850-1924): Senator from [[Massachusetts]], foreign policy spokesman
*[[Joseph McCarthy]] (1908-1957): Senator from [[Wisconsin]] and noted anti-communist
*[[Thomas Brackett Reed]] (1839-1902): Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
*[[Nelson Rockefeller]] (1908-1979): Vice President, Governor of New York, leader of liberal Republicans
*[[Thaddeus Stevens]] (1792-1868): Senator from [[Pennsylvania]], leader of Radicals in Civil War and Reconstruction
*[[Charles Sumner]] (1811-1874): Senator from Massachusetts, leader of Radicals in Civil War and Reconstruction
*[[Henry Stimson]]: Secretary of War for Taft and FDR, Secretary of State for Hoover
*[[Robert Taft]] (1889-1953): Senator from Ohio and presidential hopeful, leader of conservatives
*[[Strom Thurmond]] (1902-2003): the oldest serving senator in history (from [[South Carolina]])
*[[Arthur H. Vandenberg]] (1884-1951): Senator from Michigan, leader of internationalism in 1940s
*[[Earl Warren]] (1891-1974): Vice presidential nominee, [[Governor of California]], and [[Chief Justice of the United States]]
*[[John McCain]]: Senator from [[Arizona]], presidential nominee in 2008
*[[Sarah Palin]]: Governor of [[Alaska]], vice-presidential nominee in 2008
*[[Arnold Schwarzenegger]]: Governor of [[California]]
*[[Jesse Helms]] (1921-2008): Senator from North Carolina
*[[Mitt Romney]]: Governor of [[Massachusetts]], presidential nominee in 2012

==See Also==
*[[RINO]] - '''R'''epublicans '''i'''n '''N'''ame '''O'''nly
*[[Previous Breaking News/Republicans|Articles about '''Republicans''' from previous "Breaking News"]]

==Bibliography==
===Historical===
*''American National Biography'' (20 volumes, 1999) covers all politicians no longer alive; online at many academic libraries.
* Abramson, Paul R. et al. ''Change and Continuity in the 2004 and 2006 Elections'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Change-Continuity-2004-2006-Elections/dp/0872894150/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221785751&sr=8-10 excerpt and text search]
* Batchelor, John Calvin. ''"Ain't You Glad You Joined the Republicans?" A Short History of the GOP.'' 1996. 399 pp. well-written popular history, well illustrated
* Chace, James. ''1912: Wilson, Roosevelt, Taft, and Debs - The Election That Changed the Country.'' (2004). 323 pp.
* ''Congressional Quarterly's Guide to U.S. Elections'' (4th ed 2003) 1600pp, vast compilation of data, esp., since 1945
* Foner, Eric. ''Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men: The Ideology of the Republican Party Before the Civil War (1970), influential history of ideas and ideology; [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=90104191 online edition]
*Gienapp, William E. ''The Origins of the Republican Party, 1852-1856'' (1987), quantitative voting studies, by state
* Goldberg, Robert Alan. ''Barry Goldwater'' (1995),
*Gould, Lewis. ''Grand Old Party: A History of the Republicans'' (2003), the best scholarly overview.
* Hodgson, Godfrey. ''The World Turned Right Side Up: A History of the Conservative Ascendancy in America'' (1996). by British journalist
*Jensen, Richard. ''Grass Roots Politics: Parties, Issues, and Voters, 1854-1983'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15326916 online edition]
*Jensen, Richard. ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896'' (1971)
*Kleppner, Paul, et al. ''The Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' (1983), applies party systems model
*Kleppner, Paul. ''The Third Electoral System 1853-1892: Parties, Voters, and Political Cultures'' (1979), analysis of voting behavior, with emphasis on region, ethnicity, religion and class. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=24451028 online edition]
*Marcus, Robert. ''Grand Old Party: Political Structure in the Gilded Age, 1880-1896'' 1971.
*Morgan, H. Wayne. ''From Hayes to McKinley; National Party Politics, 1877-1896'' (1969) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=94446383 online edition], good survey of era
*Mayer, George H. ''The Republican Party, 1854-1966.'' 2nd ed. (1967), narrative.
*Parmet, Herbert S. ''Eisenhower and the American Crusades'' (1972) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=14967951 online edition]
* Patterson, James T. ''Mr. Republican: A Biography of Robert A. Taft'' (1972)
*Perlstein, Rick. ''Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus'' (2002) well written, broad account of 1964
*Perlstein, Rick. ''Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America'' (2008), 896pp; covers 1965 to 1972
* Reinhard, David W. ''The Republican Right since 1945'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=91954887 online edition]
*Rutland, Robert Allen. ''The Republicans: From Lincoln to Bush'' (1996) popular narrative
*Shafer, Byron E. and Anthony J. Badger, eds. ''Contesting Democracy: Substance and Structure in American Political History, 1775-2000'' (2001), long essays by specialists on each time period: [http://www.amazon.com/Contesting-Democracy-Substance-Structure-Political/dp/0700611398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221785707&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
**includes: "'To One or Another of These Parties Every Man Belongs;": 1820–1865 by Joel H. Silbey; "Change and Continuity in the Party Period: 1835–1885" by Michael F. Holt; "The Transformation of American Politics: 1865–1910" by Peter H. Argersinger; "Democracy, Republicanism, and Efficiency: 1885–1930" by Richard Jensen; "The Limits of Federal Power and Social Policy: 1910–1955" by Anthony J. Badger; "The Rise of Rights and Rights Consciousness: 1930–1980" by James T. Patterson; and "Economic Growth, Issue Evolution, and Divided Government: 1955–2000" by Byron E. Shafer
*Schlesinger, Arthur Meier, Jr. ed. ''History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2000'' (various multivolume editions, latest is 2001). For each election includes good scholarly history and selection of primary document. Essays on the most important election are reprinted in Schlesinger, ''The Coming to Power: Critical presidential elections in American history'' (1972)
* Smith, Richard Norton. An Uncommon Man: The Triumph of Herbert Hoover, (1987) full-length scholarly biography.
*Summers, Mark Wahlgren. ''Rum, Romanism & Rebellion: The Making of a President, 1884'' (2000) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=104865169 online edition]
* Sundquist, James L. ''Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=29223022 online edition]
* Thelen, David. ''Robert M. La Follette and the Insurgent Spirit'' 1976. short interpretive biography
===Since 1980===
*Barone, Michael, and Grant Ujifusa, ''The Almanac of American Politics 2008: The Senators, the Representatives and the Governors: Their Records and Election Results, Their States and Districts'' (2007) covers all incumbent Congressmen and governors with amazing detail. New edition published every two years since 1975.
* Aistrup, Joseph A. ''The Southern Strategy Revisited: Republican Top-Down Advancement in the South'' (1996)
* Black, Earl and Black, Merle. ''The Rise of Southern Republicans.'' (2002). 442 pp.
* Cannon, Lou. ''President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime'' (2000), [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=88989671 online edition]
* Critchlow, Donald T. ''The Conservative Ascendancy: How the GOP Right Made Political History'' (2007), by a leading conservative historian
* Edwards, Lee. ''The Conservative Revolution: The Movement That Remade America.'' (1999). 391 pp. by a conservative
*Ehrman, John, ''The Eighties: America in the Age of Reagan'' (2005) by a conservative historian
* Frank, Thomas. ''What's the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America'' (2005), a liberal attack [http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Matter-Kansas-Conservatives-America/dp/B000FTWB3K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072365&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Green, John Robert. ''The Presidency of George Bush.'' (2000). 1989-1993
* Lamis, Alexander P. ed. ''Southern Politics in the 1990s'' (1999)
* Layman, Geoffrey. ''The Great Divide: Religious and Cultural Conflict in American Party Politics.'' (2001). 435pp.
* Levy, Peter B. ''Encyclopedia of the Reagan-Bush Years'' Greenwood Press, 1996 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=77341841 online edition]
* Lublin, David. ''The Republican South: Democratization and Partisan Change.'' Princeton U. Press, 2004. 272 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Republican-South-Democratization-Partisan-Change/dp/0691130477/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072384&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Patterson, James T. ''Restless Giant: The United States from Watergate to Bush vs. Gore.'' (2005), standard scholarly synthesis.
* Pemberton, William E. ''Exit with Honor: The Life and Presidency of Ronald Reagan'' (1998) favorable biography by historian; [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=49534236 online edition]
* Reeves, Richard. ''President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination'' (2005) detailed analysis by conservative historian
* Rymph, Catherine. ''Republican Women: Feminism and Conservatism from Suffrage through the Rise of the New Right.'' U. of North Carolina Press, 2006. 338 pp.
* Sabato, Larry J. ed. ''The Sixth Year Itch: The Rise and Fall of the George W. Bush Presidency'' (2007), in-depth essays by scholars
*Sabato, Larry J. ''Divided States of America: The Slash and Burn Politics of the 2004 Presidential Election'' (2005).
* Sabato, Larry J. and Bruce Larson. ''The Party's Just Begun: Shaping Political Parties for America's Future'' (2001).
* Schaller, Michael and Rising, George. ''The Republican Ascendancy: American Politics, 1968-2001.'' Harlan Davidson, 2002. 210 pp. Short survey by liberal scholars
* Steely, Mel. ''The Gentleman from Georgia: The Biography of Newt Gingrich.'' Mercer U. Press, 2000. 431 pp.
* Taylor, Andrew J. ''Elephant's Edge: The Republicans as a Ruling Party.'' 2005. 336 pp. academic study of how GOP turned small advantages into power [http://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Edge-Republicans-Ruling-Party/dp/0275985369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072452&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Wilentz, Sean. ''The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008'' (2008) by a liberal historian. [http://www.amazon.com/Age-Reagan-History-1974-2008/dp/0060744804/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1221786281&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
*Wooldridge, Adrian and John Micklethwait. ''The Right Nation: Conservative Power in America'' sophisticated study by two British journalists (2004). [http://www.amazon.com/Right-Nation-Conservative-Power-America/dp/B000F71124/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198072420&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]

====Notes====
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.gop.com/ Official GOP Site]
*[http://platform.gop.com/2008Platform.pdf 2008 Republican Platform (pdf download)]
*[http://nyyrcrecord.blogspot.com/ New York Young Republican Record]
*[http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/rsc_action_plan.pdf The RSC’s Action Plan for House Republicans], Republican Study Committee, May 20, 2008
*[http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/rsc_action_plan_(broad).pdf A Detailed Action Plan For House Republicans: Bold, Simple, and Different than the Democrats], Republican Study Committee, May 20, 2008
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/republicans/ What Liberals Say - Category: Republicans], [[Accuracy In Media]]

[[Category:Republican Party|!]]
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[[Category:United States Political Parties]]
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[[Category:Member of the International Democrat Union]]

Fourth Party System

2014-11-09T03:49:31Z

Lincolnrep:

The '''Fourth Party System''' or '''[[Progressive Era]]''' is the period in American political history from about 1896 to 1932 that was dominated by the Republican party, except when it split in 1912 and allowed the Democrats in for eight years. The period saw a transformation from the issues and alignments of the [[Third Party System]], which focused on [[American Civil War|Civil War]], [[Reconstruction]], race and the money supply. The era began in the [[Panic of 1893]] and the extraordinarily intense election of 1896. It included the [[Progressive Era]], [[World War I]], and the start of the [[Great Depression, U.S.|Great Depression]]. The failure of the Republicans to deal with the Great Depression caused a realignment that produced the [[Fifth Party System]], which was dominated by the Democratic [[New Deal Coalition]] until the 1960s.

The central domestic issues concerned government regulation of railroads and large corporations (called "trusts", hence the [[Antitrust]] movement), the protective tariff, the role of labor unions, child labor, the need for a new banking system, corruption in party politics, primary elections, direct election of senators, racial segregation, efficiency in government, woman suffrage, and control of immigration. In foreign policy the main issues involved the [[Spanish-American War|War of 1898 with Spain]], imperialism in the Philippines, the [[Mexican Revolution]], [[World War I]] in Europe, and the creation of the [[League of Nations]]. Dominant personalities included presidents [[William McKinley]], [[Theodore Roosevelt]] and [[Woodrow Wilson]], and three-time presidential candidate [[William Jennings Bryan]].

==Beginnings==
The period began with the realignment of 1894-1896. The overwhelming [[Republican Party|Republican]] victory in 1896 over [[William Jennings Bryan]] and his [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]], repeated in 1900, restored business confidence, inaugurated a long epoch of prosperity (shown in the table), and swept away most of the issues and personalities of the Third Party System. Most voting blocs continued unchanged, but some realignment took place, giving Republicans dominance in the industrial Northeast and new strength in the border states. Thus the way was clear for the [[Progressive Movement]] to impose a new way of thinking and a new agenda for politics.

[[Image:COIN1894.JPG|thumb|left|400px|''Coin's Financial School'' (1894), a famous silverite book; Coin is a boy who outsmarts all the economics professors by showing the wisdom of "bimetallism" (i.e. free silver) and refuting the fallacies about gold]]

==Economic trends==
see also [[American Economic history]]
Table: Real GDP per capita</TD> </TR>

<TABLE BORDER>
<TR> <TD></TD> <TD>
<TR> <TD>
1892</TD><TD>
1896</TD><TD>
1900</TD><TD>
1904</TD><TD>
1908</TD><TD>
1912</TD><TD>
1916</TD><TD>
1920</TD><TD>
1924</TD><TD>
1928</TD><TD>
1932</TD> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
104</TD><TD>
100</TD><TD>
114</TD><TD>
121</TD><TD>
119</TD><TD>
139</TD><TD>
145</TD><TD>
147</TD><TD>
164</TD><TD>
173</TD><TD>
133</TD> </TR>
<TR> </TR>
<TR> <TD>
</TABLE>
source: Susan Carter, ed. ''Historical Statistics of the U.S.'' (Millennium Edition) (2006) </TD> </TR>

==Progressive reforms==
Alarmed at the new rules of the game for campaign funding, the Progressives launched investigations and exposures (by the "[[muckraker]]" journalists) into corrupt links between party bosses and business. New laws and constitutional amendments weakened the party bosses by installing [[United States presidential primary|primaries]] and directly electing senators.<ref> Ware (2002)</ref> [[Theodore Roosevelt]] shared the growing concern with business influence on government.
[[Image:ALDRICH1908.JPG|thumb|300px|GOP Senate leader Nelson Aldrich had a tight grip on the GOP; he had strong ties to Wall Street, as his daughter married the son of oilman John D. Rockefeller]]

When [[William Howard Taft]] appeared to be too cozy with pro-business conservatives like Senator [[Nelson Aldrich]] in terms of tariff and conservation issues, Roosevelt broke with his old friend and his old party. He crusaded for president in 1912 at the head of an ill-fated "Bull Moose" Progressive party. TR's schism helped elect [[Woodrow Wilson]] in 1912 and left pro-business conservatives as the dominant force in the GOP. The latter elected [[Warren G. Harding]] and [[Calvin Coolidge]]. In 1928 the iconic progressive [[Herbert Hoover]] became the last president of the Fourth Party System. The Great Depression spoiled the nation's optimism and ruined Republican chances. In long-term perspective [[Al Smith]] in 1928 started a voter realignment — a new coalition — based among ethnics and big cities that spelled the end of classless politics of the Fourth Party System and helped usher in the [[Fifth Party System]] or [[New Deal coalition]] of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].<ref>Degler (1964)</ref> As one political scientist explains, "The election of 1896 ushered in the Fourth Party System.... [but] not until 1928, with the nomination of Al Smith, a northeastern reformer, did Democrats make gains among the urban, blue-collar, and Catholic voters who were later to become core components of the New Deal coalition and break the pattern of minimal class polarization that had characterized the Fourth Party System."<ref>Lawrence (1996) p 34.</ref> In 1932 the landslide victory of Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] led to the [[New Deal coalition]] that dominated the '''[[Fifth Party System]],''' after 1932.

==Women's suffrage and feminism ==
[[Image:Cleanup1.jpg|thumb|300px||right|Women promised that if they had the vote they would clean up the political mess.]]
Gustafson (1997) shows that women vigorously define their role in political parties from the 1880s to 1920. Traditionally viewed as nonpartisan, women generally formed auxiliaries to the Republican and Democratic parties. The formation of the [[Progressive Party]] in 1912 offered women a chance for equality. Progressive party supporter [[Jane Addams]] openly advocated women's partisanship. After the Progressive Party loss in 1912, partisan women continued to form auxiliaries in the major parties. After 1920, inclusion and power in political parties persisted as issues for partisan women. Suffragists shifted from an emphasis on their right to vote to a new emphasis on the need for women to purify politics and guide policy toward education. The suffrage movement gained strength during World War I, and at the end women received the vote, in a major change in the rules of the game.
[[Image:Suffragemap1917.jpg|thumb|240px|left|women campaigned state by state, starting in the west; the South held out longest]]

== Prohibition ==
In most of the country prohibition was of central importance in progressive politics before World War I, with a strong religious and ethnic dimension. Most pietistic Protestants were "dries" who advocated prohibition as a solution to social problems; they were led by aroused ministers and members of the Methodist, Congregationalist, Disciples, Baptist, Presbyterian, Quaker, and Scandinavian Lutheran churches. On the "wet" side, Episcopalians, Catholics, and German Lutherans attacked prohibition as a menace to their social customs and personal liberty. Prohibitionists supported direct democracy to enable voters to bypass the state legislature in lawmaking. In the North, the Republican Party championed the interests of the prohibitionists, while the Democratic Party represented ethnic group interests. In the South, the Baptist and Methodist churches played a major role in forcing the Democratic party to support prohibition. After 1914 the issue shifted to the Germans' opposition to Woodrow Wilson's foreign policy. <ref>Folsom 1981</ref> In the 1920s, however, the sudden, unexpected outburst of big city crime associated with bootlegging undermined support for prohibition, and the Democrats took up the cause for repeal, finally succeeding in 1932.

== World War ==

[[Image:T-Roosevelt-time-2006.jpg|thumb|350px|a century after his presidency, Theodore Roosevelt is hailed as a maker of Modern America]]

The United States also appeared on the world scene in the last years of [[World War I]]. President Wilson tried to negotiate a peace in Europe, but when Germany began unrestricted submarine warfare against American shipping, especially after the 1915 sinking of the ''Lusitania'', he called on Congress to declare war. Ignoring military affairs, he focused on diplomacy and finance. On the home front he began the first effective draft in 1917, raised billions through [[Liberty loans]], imposed an income tax on the wealthy, set up the [[War Industries Board]], promoted labor union growth, supervised agriculture and food production through the [[Lever Act]], took over control of the railroads, and suppressed left-wing anti-war movements. As the European states, the United States experiment war economy. In 1918, Wilson advocated various international reforms in the ''[[Fourteen Points]]'', among them public diplomacy, freedom of navigation, "equality of trade conditions" and removal of economic barriers, an "impartial adjustment of all colonial claims," the "evacuation of all Russian territory" (where the new [[Bolshevik]] regime was trying to establish itself firmly during the [[Russian Civil War]], opposed by the [[White movement|White Army]] supported by Western states), the evacuation of France and Belgium, the creation of a [[Polish state]], and, last but not least of the 14 Points, the creation of an association of nations. The latter would become the [[League of Nations]].

In 1917, the [[Lansing-Ishii Agreement]] signed with Japan also pledged to maintain the [[Open Door policy]] in China, recognizing Japanese special interests in China. Under the [[Warren G. Harding|Harding administration]], Washington hosted [[Washington Naval Conference|an international naval conference]] aimed at naval disarmement.

The 1920s were marked, on the international scene, by successful efforts at naval disarmament led by the U.S. at the [[Washington Confedernce]], and by the tangle of economic reparations due by Germany to France. The US acted as mediators in this conflict, first with the [[Dawes Plan]] in 1924, then the [[Young Plan]] in 1929.

==See also==
* [[Third Party System]]
* [[Fifth Party System]]
* [[Progressive Era]]

==Bibliography==
* Allen, William H. "The Election of 1900," ''Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science'' Vol. 17 (Jan., 1901), pp. 53-73 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-7162%28190101%2917%3C53%3ATEO1%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Z in JSTOR]
* Baker, Jean H. ''Votes for Women: The Struggle for Suffrage Revisited'' Oxford University Press, 2002 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=103555769 online edition]
*Blum, John Morton. ''The Progressive Presidents: Roosevelt, Wilson, Roosevelt, Johnson'' (1980)
* Burner, David. ''Herbert Hoover: A Public Life''. (1979).
* Burnham, Walter Dean, "The System of 1896: An Analysis," in Paul Kleppner, et al., ''The Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' , Greenwood. (1983)
* Burnham, Walter Dean. "Periodization Schemes and 'Party Systems': The "System of 1896" as a Case in Point," ''Social Science History,'' Vol. 10, No. 3 (Autumn, 1986), pp. 263-314.[http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0145-5532%28198623%2910%3A3%3C263%3APSA%22ST%3E2.0.CO%3B2-L online at JSTOR]
* Campbell, James E., "Party Systems and Realignments in the United States, 1868–2004," ''Social Science History,'' 30 (Fall 2006), 359–86.
* Campbell, Tracy. ''Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition-1742-2004'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Deliver-Vote-Election-Political-Tradition-1742-2004/dp/078671591X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product excerpt and text search]
* Cherny, Robert W. ''A Righteous Cause: The Life of William Jennings Bryan'' (1994) [http://www.amazon.com/Righteous-Cause-William-Jennings-Bryan/dp/0806126671/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195471907&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Cooper, John Milton ''The Warrior and the Priest: Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt.'' (1983) a dual biography by leading scholar; [http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Priest-Woodrow-Theodore-Roosevelt/dp/0674947517/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195471969&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Craig, Douglas B. 'After Wilson: The Struggle for the Democratic Party, 1920-1934'' (1992) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/after-wilson-the-struggle-for-the-democratic-party-1920-1934-by-douglas-b-craig.jsp online edition]
* Degler, Carl N. "American Political Parties and the Rise of the City: An Interpretation" ''Journal of American History,'' 51#1 (1964) pp 41-59 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0021-8723(196406)51:1%3C41:APPATR%3E2.0.CO;2-%23&origin=historycoop online edition]]
* Edwards, Rebecca. ''Angels in the Machinery: Gender in American Party Politics from the Civil War to the Progressive Era'' (1997) [http://www.amazon.com/Angels-Machinery-American-Politics-Progressive/dp/019511695X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195471844&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Folsom, Burton W. "Tinkerers, Tipplers, and Traitors: Ethnicity and Democratic Reform in Nebraska During the Progressive Era." ''Pacific Historical Review'' 1981 50(1): 53-75. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0030-8684(198102)50%3A1%3C53%3ATTATEA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K in JSTOR]
* Glad, Paul W. ''McKinley, Bryan and the People'' (1991), on 1896 election. [http://www.amazon.com/McKinley-Bryan-People-Paul-Glad/dp/0929587499/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195472008&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Gosnell, Harold F. ''Boss Platt and His New York Machine: A Study of the Political Leadership of Thomas C. Platt, Theodore Roosevelt, and Others'' (1924) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9489049 online edition]
* Gould, Lewis L. ''America in the Progressive Era, 1890 - 1914'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/America-Progressive-Era-1890-Seminar/dp/0582356717/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195472043&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Gould, Lewis L. ''Four Hats in the Ring: The 1912 Election and the Birth of Modern American Politics'' (2008) by a leading scholar [http://www.amazon.com/Four-Hats-Ring-Presidential-Elections/dp/0700615644/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208766113&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]
* Gustafson, Melanie. "Partisan Women in the Progressive Era: the Struggle for Inclusion in American Political Parties." ''Journal of Women's History'' 1997 9(2): 8-30. {{ISSN|1042-7961}} Fulltext online at SwetsWise and Ebsco.
* Harbaugh, William Henry. ''The Life and Times of Theodore Roosevelt.'' (1963), standard scholarly biography; also titles ''Power and Responsibility; [http://www.amazon.com/Power-Responsibility-William-Henry-Harbaugh/dp/0945707134/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195472085&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* Harrison, Robert. ''Congress, Progressive Reform, and the New American State'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Congress-Progressive-Reform-American-State/dp/0521827892/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195472134&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Hofstadter, Richard. ''The Age of Reform: From Bryan to F.D.R.'' (1955) Pulitzer Prize [http://www.historyebook.org/ online at ACLS e-books]
* Hofstadter, Richard. ''The American Political Tradition'' (1948), chapters on Bryan, Roosevelt, Wilson and Hoover [http://www.historyebook.org/ online at ACLS e-books]
*Jensen, Richard. ''The Winning of the Midwest: Social and Political Conflict, 1888-1896'' (1971)
* Jensen, Richard. ''Grass Roots Politics: Parties, Issues, and Voters, 1854-1983'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=15326916 online edition]
*Keller, Morton. ''Affairs of State: Public Life in Late Nineteenth Century America'' (1977)
* Keller, Morton. ''America's Three Regimes: A New Political History'' (2007) 384pp.
* Kleppner, Paul. ''Continuity and Change in Electoral Politics, 1893-1928,'' Greenwood. 1987
* Lawrence, David G. ''The Collapse of the Democratic Presidential Majority: Realignment, Dealignment, and Electoral Change from Franklin Roosevelt to Bill Clinton'' (1996) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=9028640 online edition]
* Lee, Demetrius Walker, "The Ballot as a Party-System Switch: The Role of the Australian Ballot in Party-System Change and Development in the USA," ''Party Politics'', Vol. 11, No. 2, 217-241 (2005)
* Lichtman, A. J. "Critical elections theory and the reality of American presidential politics, 1916-40." ''American Historical Review'' (1976) 81: 317-348. in JSTOR
* Lichtman, Allan J. ''Prejudice and the Old Politics: The Presidential Election of 1928'' (1979).
* Link, Arthur Stanley. ''Woodrow Wilson and the Progressive Era, 1910-1917'' (1972) standard political history of the era
* McSeveney, Samuel T. "The Fourth Party System and Progressive Politics", in. L. Sandy Maisel and William Shade (eds) ''Parties and Politics in American History'' (1994)
* Mahan, Russell L. "William Jennings Bryan and the Presidential Campaign of 1896" ''White House Studies'' 2003 3(2): 215-227. {{ISSN|1535-4768}}
* Morgan, H. Wayne. ''William McKinley and His America'' (1963)
* Morris, Edmund. ''Theodore Rex'' (2002), detailed biography of Roosevelt as president 1901-1909 [http://www.amazon.com/Theodore-Rex-Modern-Library-Paperbacks/dp/0812966007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195466714&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Mowry, George. ''The Era of Theodore Roosevelt and the Birth of Modern America, 1900-1912.'' (1954) in ACLS e-books
* Sanders, Elizabeth. ''Roots of Reform: Farmers, Workers, and the American State, 1877-1917'' (1999). argues the Democrats were the true progressives and GOP was mostly conservative [http://www.amazon.com/Roots-Reform-American-1877-1917-Political/dp/0226734773/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195466739&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Sarasohn, David. ''The Party of Reform: Democrats in the Progressive Era'' (1989), covers 1910-1930.
* Sundquist, James L. ''Dynamics of the Party System'', Revised Edition, Brookings Institute. 1983 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=29223022 online edition]
* Ware, Alan. ''The American Direct Primary: Party Institutionalization and Transformation in the North'' (2002) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-american-direct-primary-party-institutionalization-and-transformation-in-the-north-by-alan-ware.jsp online edition]
===Primary sources===
* Bryan, William Jennings. ''First Battle'' (1897), speeches from 1896 campaign.
* Ginger, Ray, ed. ''William Jennings Bryan; Selections'' (1967).
* LaFollette, Robert. ''Autobiography'' (1913)
* Roosevelt, Theodore. ''Autobiography'' (1913)
* Whicher, George F., ed. ''William Jennings Bryan and the Campaign of 1896'' (1953), primary and secondary sources. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=57254443 online edition]
===External links===
*[http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/dward/classes/elecsys/es02biblio.html#5 bibliography]
* John C. Green and Paul S. Herrnson. "Party Development in the Twentieth Century: Laying the Foundations for Responsible Party Government?" (2000) [http://polisci.wisc.edu/~party/apsa2000green.pdf online version]
====notes====
<references/>

[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:Progressive Era]]
[[Category:United States Political Terms]]
[[Category:1920s]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]

Jeffersonian Republicans

2014-11-09T03:43:44Z

Lincolnrep:

The '''Jeffersonian Republicans''' was a U.S. political party led by [[Thomas Jefferson]].<ref>"[http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3401803576.html Republicans, Jeffersonian]", ''Dictionary of American History'', 2003. Wood, Gordon, ''Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815'' (2009), See Chapter 4 ("The Emergence of the Jeffersonian Republican Party").</ref>

In 1790, a congressional faction coalesced around Virginia congressman [[James Madison]] to oppose the policies of Treasury Secretary [[Alexander Hamilton]]. Jefferson, then secretary of state, joined Madison to contest the elections of 1792. The party dissolved in 1825.

In 1793-1794, French Ambassador Edmond-Charles Genêt recruited privateers based in U.S. ports to attack British shipping, citing a provision in the 1778 Franco-American treaty of alliance. President [[George Washington]] denounced Genêt's actions as a violation of U.S. neutrality. Genêt took his case to the American people and various pro-French groups, referred to collectively as the Democratic-Republican Societies, were formed. After Genêt was recalled, many of the people involved in these societies continued to be politically active as members of Jefferson's Republican party.

Federalist [[John Adams]] narrowly defeated Jefferson in the 1796 presidential election. In the "Revolution of 1800," the Republicans gained control of the federal government. Jefferson was president from 1801 until 1809. Jefferson argued for a minimal federal government. He opposed a standing army and even a central bank. The navy Adams had built was allowed to deteriorate. The charter of the Bank of the United States expired in 1811.

The [[War of 1812]] demonstrated the need for a stronger government, and a Second Bank of the United States was chartered in 1816. Under President [[James Monroe]] (1817-1825), the party adopted much of the Federalist agenda that it had previously scorned. Those who supported Monroe's approach were called "Nationalists," while those who were skeptical were called "Democrats." The word "democrat" had been popularized in the 1790s by the French Revolution and reminded the public of the party's values at that time.

When [[Andrew Jackson]] ran for president in 1824, the party split into Jacksonian and Anti-Jacksonian factions. The Jacksonians are the direct ancestor of the modern [[Democratic Party]]. In 1830, the Anti-Jacksonians established the [[National Republican Party]]. This group later evolved into the [[Whig Party]].

In Jefferson's time, his party was known as the '''Republicans.''' The creation of the modern [[Republican Party]] in 1854 made this terminology confusing. The term '''"Democratic-Republican Party,"''' which originated in reference to the pro-Jackson wing, is sometimes erroneously applied to the party as a whole.

==Presidents==
* [[Thomas Jefferson]] (1801-1809)
* [[James Madison]] (1809-1817)
* [[James Monroe]] (1817-1825)
* [[John Quincy Adams]] (1825-29) (anti-Jacksonian)

==References==
<references/>

==See also==
*[[Federalist Party]]
*[[Democratic Party]]

[[Category:United States Political Parties]]
[[Category:Republicanism]]
[[Category:Early National U.S.]]

Chris Christie

2014-11-09T03:37:26Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Chris Christie
|image=Chris-christie3.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Mary Pat Christie
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New Jersey
|terms=January 19, 2010 - Present
|preceded=[[Jon Corzine]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Christopher Christie''' (born September 6, 1962 in Newark, New Jersey) is the 55th and current Governor of [[New Jersey]], having won in the 2009 election by a 49%-45% margin over incumbent [[Democrat]] [[Jon Corzine]]. A [[Republican]], Christie previously served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Christie declined to run for president in 2012, but endorsed [[Mitt Romney]] early and at a pivotal time, when Romney was struggling with [[evangelical]] statements against him. But Christie was passed over by Romney in his selection of a candidate for Vice President, despite how Christie might attracted [[Catholic]] voters nationwide, as well as Irish and Italian American voters, and helped carry nearby [[Pennsylvania]]. Instead, Christie was picked to deliver the keynote address at the [[Republican National Convention]]. However, Christie earned the ire of [[conservative]]s with his fervent embrace of [[Barack Hussein Obama]] at a critical moment, likely costing Romney the election.

Christie wanders between [[conservative]] values and [[RINO]] positions. Christie vetoes same-sex marriage bills and other socially [[liberal]] legislation. But he has nominated Supreme Court Justices who are not conservative. He pardoned a man who received an absurdly long sentence for peaceful gun possession, but Christie has also been criticized for sometimes supporting of [[gun control]]. Conservatives have also criticized him for his stance on immigration reform.<ref>http://americasvoiceonline.org/blog/chris_christies_immigration_record/</ref> He believes in the liberal hoax known as [[global warming]], <ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55793.html</ref> and has supported the [[Obamacare]] [[Medicaid]] expansion.

On the important [[abortion]] issue, Christie is a bit of a [[PLINO]] - pro-life in name only. Christie has occasionally espoused [[pro-life]] views, but since early 2010 he has done almost nothing for unborn children. The [[abortion]] rate in [[New Jersey]] remains among the highest in the nation. Still, it is unlikely that Christie would run ads in support of abortion in certain cases, as Romney did in 2012.

He easily won reelection in 2013, winning in a landslide against democrat [[Barbara Buono]].

==Biography==
Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term. <ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

After serving as a top fundraiser for [[George W. Bush]]'s 2000 presidential campaign, the [[Bush administration]] appointed Christie as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and served from 2002-2008. He was also one of the 17 U.S. Attorneys on [[Attorney General]] [[Alberto Gonzales]]'s advisory commitee. Christie's most high profile prosecutions included State Senator and [[Newark]] Mayor Sharpe James for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiring to rig the sale of nine city lots to his mistress. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/newark_ex_mayor_sharpe_james_convicted.html] Mayor James convicted</ref> He also led the felony conviction of State Senator Wayne Brant of mail and wire fraud, and bribery for soliciting a job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/11/exlawmaker_bryant_guilty_of_br.html</ref> As attorney, Christie won convictions or guilty pleas from over 130 public officials, without losing a single case.

Christie's service as a prosecutor had an influence in [[national security]], when he led the team that prosecuted Hemant Lakhani, who had the desire to broker the sale of shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down American passenger jets. <ref>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6229181-details/%27Del+Boy%27+trader+on+arms+charge/article.do;jsessionid=2F40D75F1AFD0FA79E8E876DCB944F88 {{dead link}}</ref> When leaving office in December 2008 he was praised by every major newspaper in New Jersey. The Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized "Christie has already done more good for New Jersey than some previous governors." The [[New York Times]] wrote that Christie "won widespread admiration for his aggressive fight against political corruption." <ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=14677&ShowAllPoll=Y</ref>

Even Governor Corzine, Christie's opponent in the gubernatorial election praised Christie in 2005, saying "I have supported Chris Christie as being our U.S. attorney, fought for his ability to be that, endorsed what he's doing...There have been as many Republicans as Democrats who have been brought to justice because of Chris Christie. I think he's doing a great job." <ref>http://www.christiefornj.com/images/negativeattacks.pdf</ref>

==2009 Gubernatorial Campaign==
[[Image:Christiemap.jpg|thumb|right|250px|2009 Election Results]]
In the Republican primary, Christie defeated former mayor [[Steve Lonegan]].

Although a Democratic state, Christie was elected while advocating the need to downsize state [[government]] and reduce property taxes. New Jersey had faced a weakened economy, high budget deficit and a high tax burden, reslting in Corzine's defeat.

In July, Christie endorsed [[Barack Hussein Obama|President Obama]]'s nomination of [[Sonia Sotomayor]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], saying "Elections have consequences. One of those consequences are judicial appointments. While Judge Sotomayor would not have been my choice, President Obama has used his opportunity to fill a seat on the Supreme Court by choosing a nominee who has more than proven her capability, competence and ability." <ref>http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/07/gop_gov_candidate_chris_christ_3.html</ref>

Christie is pro-life:
:"I believe in the sanctity, dignity and inherent value of all human life. Hearing the heartbeat of my unborn daughter 14 years ago had a profound effect on me. I am pro-life because I believe her life and the life of every child is precious." <ref>http://www.christiefornj.com/questions-for-chris {{dead link}}</ref>

===Notable Endorsements===
*Former [[New York City]] [[Mayor]] [[Rudy Giuliani]]
*Former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]]
*Former New Jersey Governor [[Thomas H. Kean]]
*Economist [[Steve Forbes]]
*New Jersey Right to Life Committee <ref>http://www.lifenews.com/state4512.html</ref>

==Record as Governor==
On Christie's first day as governor he signed eight executive orders and froze several government regulations. He gave a nod to Casinos, signing an order saying that their employees are essential state workers and will not have to close in any future state government shutdown, as they were in 2006. Christie also added unions to the list of groups who cannot receive state contracts of more than $17,500 if they have donated more than $300 to a campaign for governor or county political committee in the previous 18 months.<ref>http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/new_jersey/article_63a14ff8-8038-591a-8f1a-7503e1bbcbcc.html</ref>

In February, Christie announced that he would immediately freeze all state spending. Saying New Jersey is on the verge of bankruptcy, Christie declared a fiscal emergency, announcing drastic cuts. <ref>http://wcbstv.com/local/governor.christie.freezes.2.1487727.html {{dead link}}</ref>

On March 16, 2011, Christie announced major cuts to education to help balance the budget bloat caused by years under Democratic governors. <ref>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/03/22/25559/</ref> The New Jersey Education Association hotly contested these vital cuts, as they would almost certainly require the firing of non-tenured teachers to balance local school budgets, a problem the teacher's union created in the first place. Recently, the cuts have been challenged by the Supreme court, despite there being no link between New Jersey's relatively large amount of educational spending and increased statewide academic success. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/christies_school_aid_cuts_left.html</ref>

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench. Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University. The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref> Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011. The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012. By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>

He has also failed in getting the New Jersey Grand Prix ready for 2013, it will now be held in 2014.

==Controversy==
Christie's administration allegedly used "thug tactics"<ref> http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2014/01/08/Christie-Staff-Using-Thug-Tactics</ref> to shut down a bridge in New Jersey as retaliation against a Democrat who would not endorse Christie. The resulting traffic delays led to the death of an elderly woman and a number of investigations are ongoing. Numerous comparisons with [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Watergate]] have been drawn, even by former allies and supporters.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303754404579310952856880802</ref><ref> http://www.nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/01/nixon-christie-bridgegate.html</ref><ref> http://www.mediaite.com/online/glenn-beck-finds-the-good-news-in-christies-fat-furious-bridgegate-scandal/</ref>

According to RedState, "I have had Congressmen, Governors, and the staffers of Congressmen and Governors tell me horror stories about dealing with Christie’s people. All of them seem to dread it."<ref> http://www.redstate.com/2014/01/08/the-politics-of-a-holes/</ref> The Daily Caller elaborates: "But style aside, why should Republicans trust a candidate who has been openly antagonistic to them?"<ref> http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/08/bedford-the-myth-of-chris-christie-exposed/</ref> Even some [[RINO]]s such as Lindsay Graham have begun to question Christie<ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2014/01/09/the-first-big-name-republican-to-attack-christie-over-bridgegate-is-lindsey-graham/</ref> although most are avoiding the issue. <ref>http://www.wnd.com/2014/01/rush-limbaugh-rinos-like-wildebeests/?cat_orig=politics</ref>

==External Links==
*[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/ Governor of New Jersey Official Site]

===Videos===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICIa-KJeUtM&feature=related Governor Christie: Style]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evtt-R7Rmdw&feature=related Governor Christie: Day of Reckoning]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVccFQLFmUo&feature=related Conservative Governor on his "confrontational tone"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlzA9dgZ1qM&feature=related Rush Limbaugh: Governor Chris Christie Slaughters a Liberal Reporter]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeXBlZdPENU&feature=related Governor Chris Christie For President 2012]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljIVr0dVgww&feature=related Christie Slams Teacher Unions]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuri7p_9pm4&feature=related Chris Christie vs. Teachers Unions]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ksLlAi3iIc&feature=related Governor Christie: Not About Teachers]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkv6uo5nZDM&feature=related Governor Christie on Hannity]

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, Christopher}}
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[category:New Jersey Governors]]
[[category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Rino backers]]
[[Category:RINOs]]

Chris Christie

2014-11-09T03:34:15Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Chris Christie
|image=Chris-christie3.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Mary Pat Christie
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New Jersey
|terms=January 19, 2010 - Present
|preceded=[[Jon Corzine]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Christopher Christie''' (born September 6, 1962 in Newark, New Jersey) is the 55th and current Governor of [[New Jersey]], having won in the 2009 election by a 49%-45% margin over incumbent [[Democrat]] [[Jon Corzine]]. A [[Republican]], Christie previously served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Christie declined to run for president in 2012, but endorsed [[Mitt Romney]] early and at a pivotal time, when Romney was struggling with [[evangelical]] statements against him. But Christie was passed over by Romney in his selection of a candidate for Vice President, despite how Christie might attracted [[Catholic]] voters nationwide, as well as Irish and Italian American voters, and helped carry nearby [[Pennsylvania]]. Instead, Christie was picked to deliver the keynote address at the [[Republican National Convention]]. However, Christie earned the ire of [[conservative]]s with his fervent embrace of [[Barack Hussein Obama]] at a critical moment, likely costing Romney the election.

Christie wanders between [[conservative]] values and [[RINO]] positions. Christie vetoes same-sex marriage bills and other socially [[liberal]] legislation. But he has nominated Supreme Court Justices who are not conservative. He pardoned a man who received an absurdly long sentence for peaceful gun possession, but Christie has also been criticized for sometimes supporting of [[gun control]]. Conservatives have also criticized him for his stance on immigration reform.<ref>http://americasvoiceonline.org/blog/chris_christies_immigration_record/</ref> He believes in the liberal hoax known as [[global warming]], <ref>http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55793.html</ref> and has supported the [[Obamacare]] [[Medicaid]] expansion.

On the important [[abortion]] issue, Christie is a bit of a [[PLINO]] - pro-life in name only. Christie has occasionally espoused [[pro-life]] views, but since early 2010 he has done almost nothing for unborn children. The [[abortion]] rate in [[New Jersey]] remains among the highest in the nation. Still, it is unlikely that Christie would run ads in support of abortion in certain cases, as Romney did in 2012.

He easily won reelection in 2013, winning in a landslide against democrat [[Barbara Buono]].

==Biography==
Prior to his election as governor, Christie's only elected experience was serving on the Morris County board of Freeholders from 1995-1998. His colleagues praised him as effective, such as requiring as policy that the freeholder board go out for three quotations even on no-bid contracts. They also noted that he was unusually ambitious, when he unsuccessfully ran for State Assembly just two months into his term. <ref>http://www.politickernj.com/max/26275/political-career-three-parts-chris-christie-freeholder</ref> During his tenure in office county taxes decreased by 6.6%. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/gop_candidate_chris_christie_l.html</ref>

After serving as a top fundraiser for [[George W. Bush]]'s 2000 presidential campaign, the [[Bush administration]] appointed Christie as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and served from 2002-2008. He was also one of the 17 U.S. Attorneys on [[Attorney General]] [[Alberto Gonzales]]'s advisory commitee. Christie's most high profile prosecutions included State Senator and [[Newark]] Mayor Sharpe James for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiring to rig the sale of nine city lots to his mistress. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/newark_ex_mayor_sharpe_james_convicted.html] Mayor James convicted</ref> He also led the felony conviction of State Senator Wayne Brant of mail and wire fraud, and bribery for soliciting a job at the School of Osteopathic Medicine. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/topstories/index.ssf/2008/11/exlawmaker_bryant_guilty_of_br.html</ref> As attorney, Christie won convictions or guilty pleas from over 130 public officials, without losing a single case.

Christie's service as a prosecutor had an influence in [[national security]], when he led the team that prosecuted Hemant Lakhani, who had the desire to broker the sale of shoulder-fired missiles to shoot down American passenger jets. <ref>http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-6229181-details/%27Del+Boy%27+trader+on+arms+charge/article.do;jsessionid=2F40D75F1AFD0FA79E8E876DCB944F88 {{dead link}}</ref> When leaving office in December 2008 he was praised by every major newspaper in New Jersey. The Philadelphia Inquirer editorialized "Christie has already done more good for New Jersey than some previous governors." The [[New York Times]] wrote that Christie "won widespread admiration for his aggressive fight against political corruption." <ref>http://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=14677&ShowAllPoll=Y</ref>

Even Governor Corzine, Christie's opponent in the gubernatorial election praised Christie in 2005, saying "I have supported Chris Christie as being our U.S. attorney, fought for his ability to be that, endorsed what he's doing...There have been as many Republicans as Democrats who have been brought to justice because of Chris Christie. I think he's doing a great job." <ref>http://www.christiefornj.com/images/negativeattacks.pdf</ref>

==2009 Gubernatorial Campaign==
[[Image:Christiemap.jpg|thumb|right|350px|2009 Election Results]]
In the Republican primary, Christie defeated former mayor [[Steve Lonegan]].

Although a Democratic state, Christie was elected while advocating the need to downsize state [[government]] and reduce property taxes. New Jersey had faced a weakened economy, high budget deficit and a high tax burden, reslting in Corzine's defeat.

In July, Christie endorsed [[President Obama]]'s nomination of [[Sonia Sotomayor]] to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]], saying "Elections have consequences. One of those consequences are judicial appointments. While Judge Sotomayor would not have been my choice, President Obama has used his opportunity to fill a seat on the Supreme Court by choosing a nominee who has more than proven her capability, competence and ability." <ref>http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/07/gop_gov_candidate_chris_christ_3.html</ref>

Christopher Christie is pro-life:
:"I believe in the sanctity, dignity and inherent value of all human life. Hearing the heartbeat of my unborn daughter 14 years ago had a profound effect on me. I am pro-life because I believe her life and the life of every child is precious." <ref>http://www.christiefornj.com/questions-for-chris {{dead link}}</ref>

===Notable Endorsements===
*Former [[New York City]] [[Mayor]] [[Rudy Giuliani]]
*Former [[Massachusetts]] Governor [[Mitt Romney]]
*Former New Jersey Governor [[Thomas H. Kean]]
*Economist [[Steve Forbes]]
*New Jersey Right to Life Committee <ref>http://www.lifenews.com/state4512.html</ref>

==Record as Governor==
On Christie's first day as governor he signed eight executive orders and froze several government regulations. He gave a nod to Casinos, signing an order saying that their employees are essential state workers and will not have to close in any future state government shutdown, as they were in 2006. Christie also added unions to the list of groups who cannot receive state contracts of more than $17,500 if they have donated more than $300 to a campaign for governor or county political committee in the previous 18 months.<ref>http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/new_jersey/article_63a14ff8-8038-591a-8f1a-7503e1bbcbcc.html</ref>

In February, Christie announced that he would immediately freeze all state spending. Saying New Jersey is on the verge of bankruptcy, Christie declared a fiscal emergency, announcing drastic cuts. <ref>http://wcbstv.com/local/governor.christie.freezes.2.1487727.html {{dead link}}</ref>

On March 16, 2011, Christie announced major cuts to education to help balance the budget bloat caused by years under Democratic governors. <ref>http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2010/03/22/25559/</ref> The New Jersey Education Association hotly contested these vital cuts, as they would almost certainly require the firing of non-tenured teachers to balance local school budgets, a problem the teacher's union created in the first place. Recently, the cuts have been challenged by the Supreme court, despite there being no link between New Jersey's relatively large amount of educational spending and increased statewide academic success. <ref>http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/christies_school_aid_cuts_left.html</ref>

In August 2011, Christie raised controversy by dismissing legitimate concerns voters and members of the New Jersey state legislature had raised concerning his appointment of Sohail Mohammed, a Muslim attorney with a history of defending Muslims after [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11]], as a judge on the state bench. Christie used profanity in referring to concerns that Mohammed would institute [[Sharia law]] from his position as state judge, and called citizens concerned about the Islamization of America "crazies."<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/chris-christie/2011/08/04/christie-defends-appointing-muslim-judge-sharia-law-business-crap</ref>

Governor Christie has endorsed a plan to to merge part of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) with Rutgers University. The plan would include UMDNJ’s New Brunswick-Piscataway campus — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the School of Public Health and the Cancer Institute of New Jersey. The change would help raise Rutgers’ profile and draw more research dollars to the state, according to the recommendations. <ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/09/umdnj-rutgers_partial_merger_r.html Gov. Christie strongly endorses partial merger of Rutgers and UMDNJ]</ref> Rutgers, one of the few state universities without its own medical school, has been lobbying for a merger since another state task force headed by former New Jersey Gov. [[Thomas H. Kean]] first suggested the idea in January 2011. The reorganization has an “aggressive” target date of July 1, 2012. By adding a medical school, Rutgers’ rank among universities in spending on research and development would rise dramatically<ref>[http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/no_time_wasted_creating_rutger.html No time is being wasted creating Rutgers medical school]</ref>

He has also failed in getting the New Jersey Grand Prix ready for 2013, it will now be held in 2014.

==Controversy==
Christie's administration allegedly used "thug tactics"<ref> http://www.breitbart.com/InstaBlog/2014/01/08/Christie-Staff-Using-Thug-Tactics</ref> to shut down a bridge in New Jersey as retaliation against a Democrat who would not endorse Christie. The resulting traffic delays led to the death of an elderly woman and a number of investigations are ongoing. Numerous comparisons with [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Watergate]] have been drawn, even by former allies and supporters.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303754404579310952856880802</ref><ref> http://www.nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/01/nixon-christie-bridgegate.html</ref><ref> http://www.mediaite.com/online/glenn-beck-finds-the-good-news-in-christies-fat-furious-bridgegate-scandal/</ref>

According to RedState, "I have had Congressmen, Governors, and the staffers of Congressmen and Governors tell me horror stories about dealing with Christie’s people. All of them seem to dread it."<ref> http://www.redstate.com/2014/01/08/the-politics-of-a-holes/</ref> The Daily Caller elaborates: "But style aside, why should Republicans trust a candidate who has been openly antagonistic to them?"<ref> http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/08/bedford-the-myth-of-chris-christie-exposed/</ref> Even some [[RINO]]s such as Lindsay Graham have begun to question Christie<ref>http://hotair.com/archives/2014/01/09/the-first-big-name-republican-to-attack-christie-over-bridgegate-is-lindsey-graham/</ref> although most are avoiding the issue. <ref>http://www.wnd.com/2014/01/rush-limbaugh-rinos-like-wildebeests/?cat_orig=politics</ref>

==External Links==
*[http://www.state.nj.us/governor/ Governor of New Jersey Official Site]

===Videos===
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICIa-KJeUtM&feature=related Governor Christie: Style]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evtt-R7Rmdw&feature=related Governor Christie: Day of Reckoning]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVccFQLFmUo&feature=related Conservative Governor on his "confrontational tone"]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlzA9dgZ1qM&feature=related Rush Limbaugh: Governor Chris Christie Slaughters a Liberal Reporter]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeXBlZdPENU&feature=related Governor Chris Christie For President 2012]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljIVr0dVgww&feature=related Christie Slams Teacher Unions]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuri7p_9pm4&feature=related Chris Christie vs. Teachers Unions]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ksLlAi3iIc&feature=related Governor Christie: Not About Teachers]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkv6uo5nZDM&feature=related Governor Christie on Hannity]

==References==
{{reflist|1}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christie, Christopher}}
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[category:New Jersey Governors]]
[[category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Rino backers]]
[[Category:RINOs]]

Michele Bachmann

2014-11-09T03:17:56Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Michele Bachmann
|image=Michele Bachmann.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Marcus Bachmann
|religion= Non-Denominational Christian
(Was formerly a member of the [[Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod]])<REF>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/michele-bachmann-leaves-church-gets-catholic-support-52384/ Bachmann leaves church] Anugrah Kumar, The Christian Post, 27 July 2011</REF>
|offices=
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Minnesota
|district=6th
|terms=January 4, 2007 – Present
|preceded=Mark Kennedy
|former=
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Michele M. Bachmann''', born April 6, 1956 (age {{age|1956|04|06}}), is a [[conservative]] and the first [[Republican Party|Republican]] woman to be elected to the [[United States House of Representatives|U.S. House of Representatives]] from [[Minnesota]]. She represents the 6th District of Minnesota. Undefeated as a four-term conservative [[congress]]woman from a predominantly liberal state, Bachman announced that she would not run for reelection in 2014.<ref>http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/29/bachmann/2368527/</ref>

A [[movement conservative]], Michele Bachmann defeated a massive attempt by [[liberals]] to unseat her in 2008 and 2010. Prior to her election to [[Congress]], she served in the Minnesota state [[legislature]] since first being elected there in 2000 as a check against the leftists then encroaching on Minnesota's freedoms.

Michele Bachmann, an [[attorney]], is a former tax litigator. She has five [[children]] and has also opened her home to 23 foster children.<ref>http://bachmann.house.gov/Biography/</ref>

Bachmann is [[pro-life]], [[pro-gun]],<REF>[http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/2008/10/bachmann_gets_n.shtml Bachmann gets new campaign manager, NRA endorsement] MN. Public Radio, OCTOBER 3, 2008</REF> pro-religion and holds many other core conservative values. She is widely considered one of the most important politicians in the fight against [[evolution]]. She has been heavily influenced by Francis Shaeffer, and is not afraid to defend her conservative Christian moral convictions against even the most desperate attacks by liberals. A search for her on [[Google]] turns up five positive sites for every 100 nasty liberal smear sites, like the [[Huffington Post]]. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had officially put the outspoken Minnesota Republican in their sights with the bachmannwatch website. In early 2013, the FBI and congressional ethics investigators interviewed former Bachmann campaign workers regarding allegations of improper campaign expenditures.<ref name=wp/> Despite a heavily Republican district, Bachmann narrowly won re-election in 2012, receiving just 4,298 more votes than her DFL challenger [[Jim Graves]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Diaz|first=Kevin|title=Close call for Bachmann|url=http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/177789861.html?refer=y|newspaper=Star Tribune|date=November 8, 2012}}</ref>On May 29, 2013, Bachmann announced that she would not seek reelection to Congress in 2014.<ref name=wp>{{cite news|title=For Bachmann, a shift to the GOP sideline|first=Paul|last=Kane|page=A1|work=Washington Post|date=May 30, 2013}}</ref>

[[File:Bachmann3.jpg|right|150px]]

==2012 Presidential candidate==
Michele Bachmann became one of the nation's first female presidential candidate from the GOP. Her campaign showed promise with a win in the [[Iowa]] straw poll 2011, however the [[Iowa caucus]] in 2012 would turn out much different. Her campaign expected more from Iowans but she finished near the bottom. After the less-than-favorable showing she decided to formally suspend her campaign. She was lampooned as a non-intellectual, a target for [[Mainstream media|pathetic journalism]] to smear. <ref>The Jimmy Fallon Talk Show incident, Chris Wallace interview to name a few</ref> In addition, the MSM went after her husband Marcus. They mock his demeanor as woman-like. <ref>Marcus Bachmann was trending on [[Twitter]] January 3rd, 2012</ref>

==[[Liberal]] reaction to Bachmann==
Liberals have been hysterical about some of the candid observations of Congresswoman Bachmann. She was targeted for comments made seeking an investigation into the [[Obama]]-[[William Ayers|Ayers]] connection, the "tolerant" liberal establishment even compared her to the Nazis.<ref>[http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2008/10/21/hardball-gone-mad-congresswoman-compared-nazi-insisting-media-cover-obam Hardball Gone Mad: Congresswoman Compared to Nazi for Insisting Media Cover Obama-Ayers Connection], Tim Graham, ''Newsbusters'', October 21, 2008</ref> She deserves many compliments for her insight and courage. Congresswoman Rep. Bachmann "has shown an uncanny knack for infuriating critics with sometimes off-the-wall behavior and comments, all the while advancing her own political career." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/03/19/pub-michele-bachmann/ Outspoken But Not Outmaneuvered, Rep. Bachmann Manages Her Candor], Judson Berger, ''Fox News.com'', March 27, 2009</ref>

The liberal smears are part of a familiar pattern whereby they work overtime to try to discredit conservative women or minorities. The reason is obvious: conservative women and minorities disprove the falsehood that liberals are better for them.

Liberals have also tried to smear Michele Bachmann for her work as a tax attorney for the IRS. As usual, Congresswoman Bachmann rose above the liberal smears when she told a crowd "I went to work into that system because the first rule of war is 'know your enemy.'"<ref>http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/michele-bachmann-i-worked-for-the-irs-so-i-could-take-down-the-irs/</ref> Their newest line of attack is trying to demonize her opposition to government mandated vaccinations when abstinence is the truest prevention of HPV infection.

The liberal Super-PAC CREDO has even started to target her for her mid-term election in 2014. It claims it will spend at least $500,000 to boot Bachmann out of office.<ref>http://www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/04/credo-super-pac-2014-target-michele-bachmann</ref>

Bachmann's husband has also been the target of smears by liberals, many of whom disapprove of his work to help misguided gay teens.

==See also==
*[[United States Presidential Election, 2012]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bachmann, Michele}}

==External links==
*[http://www.michelebachmann.com/ Official Michele Bachmann For President website]
*[http://bachmann.house.gov/ Official Website]
*[http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/412216_michele_bachmann Open Congress]
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thR-lVuztIY Video of Bachmann talking about the gangster government on the House floor]

[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:111th United States Congress]]
[[Category:United States Representatives]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:2010 Midterm Elections]]
[[Category:Minnesota]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]

Fifty-seven states

2014-11-08T16:36:52Z

Lincolnrep:

The '''fifty-seven states''' flap involved a remark [[Barack Hussein Obama]] made about how many states he had visited on the campaign trail. Although he may have meant 47, critics noted that there are 57 [[Islamic]] [[nation state|states]] and used the remark or slip as evidence of Obama being secretly Muslim.

Obama may have been confusing the 47 out of 48 states (other than Alaska and Hawaii) in the continental [[United States of America]], though making such an elementary mistake about the country you aspire to lead seems unlikely.

==See also==
*[[My Muslim faith]]
*[[The bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor]]

==Links==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGH02DtIws YouTube clip]

[[Category:United States Politics]]
[[Category: Barack Hussein Obama]]

Virginia

2014-11-08T16:30:10Z

Lincolnrep:

{{USState
|name=Virginia
|flag=11121.gif
|motto="Sic Semper Tyrannis" (Thus Always to Tyrants)
|nick=The Old Dominion State
|capital=Richmond
|language=English
|governor=Terry McAuliffe
|gparty=Democrat
|senator2=Mark Warner
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-2023
|s2email=http://warner.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm Contact
|senator1=Jim Webb
|s1party=Democrat
|s1phone=(202) 224-4024
|s1email=http://webb.senate.gov/contact/ Contact
|population=
|date=June 25, 1788 (10th)
}}

'''Virginia''' (Officially '''''The Commonwealth of Virginia''''') is one of the fifty [[United States]]. Named in honor of [[Queen Elizabeth I]] of [[England]], Virginia was also nicknamed the ''Old Dominion'' by King Charles II because it remained loyal to the crown during the [[English Civil War]] and throughout [[Oliver Cromwell]]'s years. Virginia was the first colony in [[Colonial America]] in the 1600s and was a leader in the [[American Revolution]].

==Politics==
In partisan terms, the two parties compete furiously for the legislature and the governorship. In presidential elections Virginia was reliably Republican from 1968 until 2004, but in 2008 Obama won, thanks to the growing liberal strength in the Washington suburbs.

[[File:Va-gov.jpg|thumb|330px]]

The 2009 election for governor was a referendum on the Obama administration. Republican [[Bob McDonnell]], Virginia's former attorney general, defeated Democrat State Senator [[Creigh Deeds]]. Since 1977, the political party that has won the presidency has, in every case, lost the Virginia governorship in the next election.

McDonnell explained that, "The business community was the first to recoil" from policies such as "card check" -- legislation to allow union organization by signing cards instead of by a secret ballot -- and cap-and-trade environmental policies. "But health care now dwarfs previous concerns -- handing over the best medical system in the world to the federal government. It affects everyone." Conservatives, he contends, are more activated than at any time since 1993. A young McDonnell campaign worker exuded confidence, boasting, "We have the enthusiasm Obama's people had last time."<ref>Michael Gerson, "A Virginia Model For a GOP Comeback?" [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082703256.html?hpid=opinionsbox1 '"Washington Post'' Aug. 28, 2009] </ref>

The Virginia Senate has 22 Democrats and 18 Republicans. The House of Delegates, however, consists of 59 Republicans, 39 Democrats, and two Independents who caucus with Republicans.

==Elected Officials==

===Federal===
*Sen. [[James Webb]] (D)
*Sen. [[Mark Warner]] (D)
*Rep. [[Rob Wittman]] [R, VA-01]
*Rep. [[Scott Rigell]] [R, VA-02]
*Rep. [[Robert Scott]] [D, VA-03]
*Rep. [[Randy Forbes]] [R, VA-04]
*Rep. [[Robert Hurt]] [R, VA-05]
*Rep. [[Bob Goodlatte]] [R, VA-06]
*Rep. [[Eric Cantor]] [R, VA-07]
*Rep. [[Jim Moran]] [D, VA-08]
*Rep. [[Morgan Griffith]] [R, VA-09]
*Rep. [[Frank Wolf]] [R, VA-10]
*Rep. [[Gerry Connolly]] [D, VA-11]

===Statewide===
*Governor [[Terry McAuliffe]] (D)
*Lt. Governor [[Ralph Northam]] (D)
*Attorney General [[Mark Herring]] (D)

==Geological Regions of Virginia==
Virginia is commonly divided into five geological regions, Tidewater, Piedmont, Blue Ridge, Valley and Ridge and the Appalachia Plateau. There are no formal lines marking these regions and any political boundaries, such as county or city boundaries are coincidental. However, these regions have identifiable geology which differentiates them.

===Fall Line===
The ''Fall Line'' is so named because it marks a line where many waterfalls occur in Virginia Rivers. Below the Fall Line most rivers, such as the James and Potomac and Rappahannok, are broad, deep and gentle, but above the Fall Line the rivers are rockier and swifter. Below the Fall Line rivers are navigable by ocean-going vessels. Above the Fall Line canoes and flat boats are the only means to navigate most rivers.

Because of this the C&O Canal (Chesapeake and Ohio Canal) was constructed above the Fall Line. The goal was to unite the Chesapeake Bay with the Ohio River system the way the Erie Canal had opened up the Great Lakes below Niagara. Many important Virginia cities such as Alexandria, Richmond and Petersburg are just below the Fall Line.

===Tidewater===
The Tidewater or "Coastal Plain" of Virginia is bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean and on the west by the ''Fall Line''.

The Tidewater Region was the first region of Virginia to be settled by Europeans, and is home to many of the oldest English settlements in North America, such as [[Jamestown]]. The dominant geographical feature of the region is the [[Chesapeake_Bay | Chesapeake Bay]]. Rivers in the region rise and fall with the tides because they flow into the Chesapeake or other salt-water bays. Major ports such as [[Norfolk]] or Newport News are found in the region as are historical port cities such as the tobacco ports of Alexandria and Yorktown are found on the Coastal Plain. The British surrender at Yorktown was considered a tipping point in the [[Revolutionary War]].

====Eastern Shore====
The Eastern Shore of Virginia is that part of Virginia situated on the Delmarva Peninsula between the [[Chesapeake Bay]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. The region is fairly undeveloped due to the remoteness imposed by the bay and ocean, but many fishers, farmers and chicken farms are found here. These region is geographically part of the Tidewater region and its connected to the mainland by way of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. <ref>http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761554210/Delmarva_Peninsula.html</ref>

===Piedmont===
Above the Fall Line are the foothills of the Appalachian and the region whose name means "foot mountain". The Piedmont is rockier and higher than the coastal plain of the Tidewater. The Piedmont was settled by English pioneers in the earliest days of colonial America and later by African slaves who worked the plantations of the region. Tobacco and corn are still an important part of the Piedmont economy. Scenic and historic cities such as Charlottesville and Lynchburg are two important Piedmont cities. The famed Appomattox courthouse is in the Piedmont.

===Blue Ridge===
The Blue Ridge is a range of mountains rise up above the Piedmont and mark the point where the Appalachian Mountains rise up above the Piedmont. The [[Shenandoah National Park]] and the Skyline Drive are Blue Ridge tourist destinations. Apples orchards are common in this region, but the industry is not as vibrant as it was historically. [http://www.whitehousefoods.com/ White House Foods], a major apple juicer and product packager, draws many of its apples from this region. Cities are uncommon, perhaps unknown in this region, but "mountain people" inhabited much of the highlands before they were converted to parks. Mountain people, sometimes called ''hillbillies, rednecks, or or other liberal slurs for reverse discrimination'', had a unique culture devoted to life in the highland. <ref>Memories of a Lewis Mountain Man by John W. Stoneberger published by Potomac Appalachian Trail Club</ref><ref>http://www.patc.net/store/PC320.htm</ref>

===Valley and Ridge===
Beyond the Blue Ridge is the ''Valley and Ridge Region''. Perhaps the most famous part of the Valley and Ridge Region west of the Blue Ridge is the Shenandoah Valley. Stonewall Jackson's Valley campaign was fought throughout this region. Cities in this region developed in proximity to the early railroad system, and this figured into the strategy of the [[American Civil War | War Between the States]]. Manassas, Harrisonburg and Roanoke are important cities in this region.

===Appalachian Plateau===
The southwest corner of Virginia between [[West Virginia]], [[Kentucky]], and [[Tennessee]] makes up Virginia's Appalachian Plateau. The region is similar geographically to West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky with rugged terrain not well-suited to the development of large cities like the westernmost metropolitan area, Roanoke, though some parts of the region, such as the Grundy area, have major educational facilities which attracts many out of state residents (i.e., the Appalachian School of Law). The [[Coal]] industry is an important industry and way of life in this part of Virginia. Also, this region is one of the leading producers of natural gas due to large methane deposits found within deep (underground) mines. The region is also known for its national parks (i.e. the Breaks Interstate Park, which is on the VA/KY border.)

==Regions, Counties and Cities==
Virginia has evolved into several different cultural regions which have very divergent economic interests, lifestyle goals and ways of life. Northern Virginia is one of the wealthiest, best educated and most developed parts of the United States and thus the entire world. Traffic congestion is a common problem and the [[Metrorail|Metro]] ([[subway]] system) aids commuters into and out of Washington D.C., [[Arlington, Virginia|Arlington]] and Alexandria. High technology industries and U.S. government jobs are leading employers in this region. Southwestern Virginia is mountainous with coal mining and few other industries. The Virginia Beach/Norfolk Region is home to several major military installations and [[ship]]-building foundries. Central Virginia is dominated by mid-sized cities with disproportionate political strength such as [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]]. The [[Chesapeake Bay]] separates the Eastern Shore of Virgina from the rest of Virgina. The Eastern Shore is the Virginia portion of the Delmarva Peninsula and is sparsely populated, flat, and sandy.

Virginia is organized into a system of [[county|counties]] and [[independent city|independent cities]]. Towns are incorporated in counties, and towns have the power to levy taxes in addition to those imposed by the county. Arlington is organized as a county, but it is completely urbanized, and there are [[unincorporated area|no towns]] in the county limits, so for all practical purposes, Arlington is a city.

===Cities & Towns===
* Alexandria
* Abingdon
* Bedford
* Bridgewater
* Chesapeake
* Danville
* Fairfax City
* Falls Church
* Fredericksburg
* Galax
* Grundy
* Hampton
* Hampton Roads Region
* Lebanon
* Lynchburg
* Manassas
* Norfolk
* Petersburg
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Staunton
* Tangiers Island
* Virginia Beach
* Williamsburg
* Winchester

===Counties===
*Accomack
*Albemarle
*Alleghany
*Amelia
*Amherst
*Appomattox
*Arlington
*Augusta
*Bath
*Bedford
*Bland
*Botetourt
*Brunswick
*Buchanan
*Buckingham
*Campbell
*Caroline
*Carroll
*Charles City
*Charlotte
*Chesterfield
*Clarke
*Craig
*Culpeper
*Cumberland
*Dickenson
*Dinwiddie
*Essex
*Fairfax
*Fauquier
*Floyd
*Fluvanna
*Franklin
*Frederick
*Giles
*Gloucester
*Goochland
*Grayson
*Greene
*Greensville
*Halifax
*Hanover
*Henrico
*Henry
*Highland
*Isle of Wight
*James City
*King and Queen
*King George
*King William
*Lancaster
*Lee
*Loudoun
*Louisa
*Lunenburg
*Madison
*Mathews
*Mecklenburg
*Middlesex
*Montgomery
*Nelson
*New Kent
*Northampton
*Northumberland
*Nottoway
*Orange
*Page
*Patrick
*Pittsylvania
*Powhatan
*Prince Edward
*Prince George
*Prince William
*Pulaski
*Rappahannock
*Richmond
*Roanoke
*Rockbridge
*Rockingham
*Russell
*Scott
*Shenandoah
*Smyth
*Southampton
*Spotsylvania
*Stafford
*Surry
*Sussex
*Tazewell
*Warren
*Washington
*Westmoreland
*Wise
*Wythe
*York

<nowiki>*Information obtained from VA state site.</nowiki>

==Flag, Seal and Official Symbols & Emblems==
The unofficial motto and tourist marketing slogan of the Commonwealth is ''Virginia is for Lovers'' but the official State Motto is ''Sic Semper Tyrannis'', a Latin phrase meaning "Thus Always to Tyrants". <ref>http://www.state.va.us/cmsportal2/facts_and_history_4096/facts_4104/trivia_facts.html</ref>

The front of the Great Seal of Virginia (called the obverse) features the Roman goddess Virtus standing over a defeated opponent. Virtus wears a blue tunic exposing her left breast. One arm rests on a spear, the other carries a sheathed sword. This goddess stands in a triumphant victor's with one foot on the chest of a fallen tyrant, whose crown lies at Virtus' feet. ''Sic Semper Tyrannis'' arches at the bottom the image and "Virginia" symmetrically arches above Virtus. <ref>http://www.netstate.com/states/symb/seals/va_seal.htm</ref> The reverse (or back side) of the Seal features the Latin word ''Perseverando'' (Persevering) and a depiction of three robed Roman goddesses figures who represent Libertas, Ceres and Aeternitas. Ceres the goddess of agriculture holds a horn of plenty with other symbols of agricultural bounty. In the center of the reverse, Libertas, the goddess of liberty, holds a wand at the top of the wand hangs a Phrygian Cap, also known as a Liberty Cap. To the right of Libertas is Aeternitas or "Eternity" holding a orb representing Virginia's authority.
<ref>http://legis.state.va.us/cap_class/4-5/4_5_emb_symb.html#Emblems</ref>

Virginia's flag features the Great Seal of the Commonwealth on white center over a field of royal blue. Many web images depict a light blue flag, but the actual flag is a rich purplish blue. The General Assembly adopted an official flag salute in 1954:

::''I salute the flag of Virginia, with reverence and patriotic devotion to the ‘Mother of States and Statesmen,’ which it represents—the ‘Old Dominion,’ where liberty and independence were born.''<ref>http://legis.state.va.us/cap_class/4-5/4_5_emb_symb.html#Emblems</ref>

The cardinal and the dogwood petal are among Virginia's most well-known emblems, but Virginia's has many emblems:

* State Bat: Virginia Big Eared [[Bat]] (an endangered species)
* State Beverage: [[Milk]]
* State Bird: Northern [[cardinal]]
* State Boat: Chesapeake Bay Deadrise
* State Dog: American Foxhound
* State Dance: Square Dance (Virginia Reel)
* State Fish: Brook [[Trout]]
* State Flower (and tree): American Dogwood
* State Fossil: Chesapeten Jeffersonius
* State Insect: Tiger Swallowtail [[Butterfly]]
* State Shell: Oyster Shell <ref>http://legis.state.va.us/cap_class/4-5/4_5_emb_symb.html#Emblems</ref>

==Transportation==
Virginia is well served by the [[Interstate Highway System]] including at least two of the busiest highways on the Eastern Coast of the US, I-81 and I-95. Interstate 81, which moves through the city of Bristol, TN/VA is popular with tractor-trailers and some travelers, while 95 is a popular tourist highway. The famed [[Beltway]] (I-495) surrounds Washington DC by looping through Northern Virginia. Richmond is served by I-95 and a beltway looping off I-64. Rail lines are not as busy as they were historically, but important coal lines still make their way through the Valley and Ridge Region of Virginia. [[Amtrak]] lines Richmond and Alexandria to the cities in the Eastern US. Dulles International is one of the busiest airports in the US and the Northern Virginia area is also served by Ronald Reagan National Airport. Norfolk Virginia is one of the largest ports on the East Coast. The Virginia Inland Port in Front Royal Virginia is linked by rail line to Norfolk.

==History==
See [[History of Virginia]]

The '''History of Virginia''' began with the settlement of the geographic region now known as the Commonwealth of Virginia in the U.S. thousands of years ago by Native Americans. Permanent European settlement began with English settlers at Jamestown in 1607. Tobacco emerged as a profitable export crop, and the Virginia Colony became the richest and largest British colonies in North America. The year 2007 marked the 400th anniversary of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown.

As one of the original 13 United States which won their independence from Great Britain during the [[American Revolution]], Virginia produced more national leaders than any state, including four of the first five presidents (Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe). The new state gave up its western lands to form Kentucky and Ohio. During the first half of the 19th century, Virginia grew less rapidly than industrial states to the north, or cotton states to the south. The state exported young people and slaves to form plantations and farms to the west and south.

Virginia was a slave state but refused to join the cotton states in the new Confederacy until Lincoln called for troops to invade the Confederacy. Then it seceded and Richmond became the new Confederate capital. After many decades of sectional hostility in 1861 West Virginia broke away as a separate state and joined the Union.

With the Yankees intent on capturing Richmond, Virginia became the main battlefield of the war, which it lost in 1865 as its greatest general, Robert E. Lee, surrendered.

Reconstruction brought the liberation of the state's slaves, and proved less contentious than elsewhere in the South. Virginia was poor after 1865, though the new popularity of cigarettes boosted its tobacco industry. After 1940, prosperity returned. [[World War II]] gave the state a major naval and industrial economic base. Desegregation of schools and the integration of African Americans in many other aspects of the society were major issues from the 1950s to the 1970s and the changes did not come without considerable efforts. However, in 1989 [[Douglas Wilder]] became the first elected black governor anywhere in the country. By the 1980s the suburban fringes of Washington D.C. known as Northern Virginia saw the greatest growth and prosperity, a trend which was also seen in the [[Hampton Roads]] region.

Politically, the state was a stronghold of conservative Democrats for most of the 20th century, with a new strength shown by conservative Republicans in the final decade. In the early 21st century, funding for transportation needs emerged as the most controversial single issue.

In partisan terms, the two parties compete furiously for the legislature and the governorship. In presidential elections Virginia was reliably Republican from 1968 until 2004, but in 2008 Obama won, thanks to the growing liberal strength in the Washington suburbs.

===Mother of Presidents===
Virginia is often called the ''Mother of Presidents'' or ''Birthplace of Presidents'' because eight U.S. Presidents have been born in there. Four of the first five presidents, [[George Washington]], [[Thomas Jefferson]], [[James Madison]], and [[James Monroe]], were Virginians. The remaining Presidents from Virginia are [[William Henry Harrison]], [[John Tyler]], [[Zachary Taylor]], and [[Woodrow Wilson]]. Many of their Virginia homes such as Jefferson's [[Monticello]] and Washington's Mount Vernon are popular tourist destinations.<ref>http://www.virginia.org/site/features.asp?featureID=94</ref>

Virginia is perhaps the only state in the U.S. to have been the birthplace of four presidents of a foreign nation, Liberian presidents Joseph Jenkins Roberts, James Spriggs Payne, Anthony W. Gardiner, and Sam Houston, first president of the Republic of Texas. <ref> http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/sam-houston-born </ref>

==See also==
*[[State Governors]]

==References==
[http://www.virginia.gov/cmsportal3/ Governor website]
<references/>

{{USstates}}
[[Category:States of the United States]]
[[Category:Virginia| ]]
[[Category:The South]]

Newt Gingrich

2014-11-08T16:23:47Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Newt Gingrich
|image=NewtGingrich.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Jackie Battley (1962-1981) Marianne Ginther (1981-2000) Callista Gingrich
|religion=Baptist-turned-Roman Catholic
|offices=
{{Officeholder/representative
|state=Georgia
|district=6th
|terms=January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1999
|preceded=Jack Flynt
|former=n
|succeeded=Johnny Isakson
}}

}}

'''Newton Leroy Gingrich''', known as '''Newt Gingrich''' (born Harrisburg, [[Pennsylvania]], June 17, 1943), served as [[Speaker of the House]] from 1995 until 1999, preceding [[J. Dennis Hastert]] and succeeding [[Thomas Foley]]. He is widely considered the mastermind of the [http://www.conservapedia.com/Bill_Clinton#1994_Republican_Revolution 1994 Republican Revolution] and "[[Contract with America]]" that led the [[Republican Party]] to capture the majority in the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] for the first time since 1954. He was considered the chief Republican opposition to President [[Bill Clinton]] in the 1990's.

Popular with conservatives, Gingrich is a television commentator and the author of nineteen books including 11 fiction and non-fiction [[New York Times]] best-sellers.

Under his leadership, Congress passed [[welfare]] reform, passed the first [[balanced budget]] in a generation, and passed the first tax cut in sixteen years. In addition, the Congress restored funding to strengthen defense and intelligence capabilities, an action later lauded by the bipartisan [[9/11]] Commission.

Gingrich's congressional career ended in 1999 when he resigned from Congress after poor showings from Republicans in the midterm elections and due to being investigated by the House ethics panel. Claims were made that Gingrich had used a political consultant in the development of the GOP platform contrary to House Ethics Rules. Despite his claim of no wrongdoing, a $300,000 fine was imposed by the panel. The final three of the charges were dismissed in October 1998.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/101198.htm Ethics Committee Drops Last of 84 Charges Against Gingrich</ref><ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/govt/leadership/stories/gingrich123198.htm Gingrich Pays Off Ethics Penalty</ref>

In 2011, Gingrich entered the race for the 2012 Republican presidential monination but withdrew on May 2, 2012, having secured primary victories only in [[South Carolina]] and [[Georgia]], which he had represented in Congress. Had he remained in the contest, he may have drawn the support of [[Conservapedia]] (see [[Gingrich Administration]]). Voters and delegates instead chose the [[RINO]] [[Mitt Romney]] as the nominee.

==Speakership==
*All ten items in the Contract With America were brought to a vote in the U.S. House in the first 100 days (the promise was to bring them to a vote). Nine of the ten items passed the House. The sole exception was term limits which received a plurality but required a two-thirds majority as a Constitutional Amendment.
*Committee Chairmen were term-limited as was the Speakership.
*The Legislative branch was cut including the Speaker's office. Also reduced were committee sizes. Unnecessary perks like the House barbershop, shoeshine and ice service were eliminated.
*The Congress was forced to live under the same laws as the rest of the land - OSHA, disabilities, workplace laws, members, staff etc.
*A big six accounting firm audited the U.S. House's finances for the first time in history.
*The Budget was balanced for the first time in a generation. When Time Magazine named Gingrich their Man of the Year in 1995, they said that because of Newt a balanced budget was no longer a question of if, but when.
*Tax rates were cut for the first time in 17 years. Included were a lowering of the [[capital gains]] tax rate, a $500 per child tax credit and new tax credits for tuition to college and voc-tech schools. The cap gains tax actually ended being scored as a [[revenue]] increase, a shift in tax policy debate due to Gingrich's success.
*Military spending increased for the first time in over 10 years including funding for a national missile defense.
*The line-item veto passed and was signed into law.
*Six of the bills were signed into law by the President. (In 1996, [[Bill Clinton| President Clinton]] pointed to 13 separate reforms that were contained within the Contract with America at the Democratic National Convention.)<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/acceptance-speech-to-1996-democratic-convention]</ref>
*More women were appointed to leadership positions in the House than anytime in history.
*Increased funding for the Violence Against Women Act by 700%.
*[[Megan's Law]] was passed. <ref>[http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/national-alert/?engine=adwords!3475&keyword=%2Amegan%27s+law%2A&match_type=&gclid=CKC_9fSEi4sCFSMhYQodWTGRHQ]</ref> <ref>[http://www.klaaskids.org/pg-legmeg.htm]</ref> <ref>[http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=31]</ref>
*In response to the removal of former Democratic Speaker Jim Wright on ethical violations, Reps. David Bonior and [[Nancy Pelosi]] filed a list of alleged ethics charges against Gingrich in 1997. Gingrich reimbursed the committee $300,000 for investigative costs after failing to meet full disclosure requirements about a college class he was teaching at a community college in Georgia. A formal [[IRS]] investigation in 1999 exonerated Gingrich and found that the course was intended to educate students about American government and society.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204661604577185030808355916.html?mod=googlenews_wsj</ref>
*He resigned from the House one day after being elected for his 11th term. This was in response to the poor Republican showing in the 1998 House elections, in which the GOP lost 5 seats and for which Gingrich was partially blamed. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/08/us/the-speaker-steps-down-excerpts-from-phone-call-about-gingrich-s-future.html</ref>

==Political Positions==
[[File:Ronald Reagan with Newt Gingrich.jpg|thumb|Newt Gingrich with [[Ronald Reagan]].]]
Gingrich support the immigration of [[illegal aliens]]<ref>http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/11/23/gingrich-criticizes-federal-immigration-policy-at-debate/</ref> and believe in [[Global warming]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/12/gingrich-feels-heat-global-warming-ad-pelosi/</ref> He opposes [[Gun control]] and the [[Corruption|corrupt]] [[United Nations]]. Gingrich is a strong supporter of [[Israel]] and called Palestinians 'Invented'.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/12/10/gingrich-describes-palestinian-people-as-invented/</ref> He is pro-life and said that life begins at implantation.<ref>http://www.lifenews.com/2011/12/02/newt-gingrich-pro-life-but-says-life-begins-at-implantation/</ref>

==Post Congressional Activities==
*Started the Center for Health Transformation, January 2003. <ref>[http://www.healthtransformation.net/about/History/ Center for Health Transformation, History]</ref>

==Issues==
#African-American males get the smallest return on [[Social Security]].<ref> [http://townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2012/01/06/gingrich_to_black_people_paychecks_not_food_aid Gingrich to black people: paychecks, not food aid]</ref>

==Quotes==
*"There is no attack on American culture more deadly and more historically dishonest than the secular effort to drive God out of America's public life."
*“All free people stand on Reagan's shoulders. His principled policies proved that free markets create wealth, that the rule of law sustains freedom, and that all people everywhere deserve the right to dream, to pursue their dreams, and to govern themselves.”
*“The idea that a congressman would be tainted by accepting money from private industry or private sources is essentially a socialist argument.”
*If [[Thomas Edison]] invented electric light today, Dan Rather would report it on CBS News as "candle making industry threatened".”
*“Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.”<ref>[http://thinkexist.com/quotes/newt_gingrich]</ref>
* “It is impossible to maintain civilization with 12-year-olds having babies, with 15-year-olds killing each other, with 17-year-olds dying of AIDS and with 18-year-olds getting diplomas they can't read”

==Writings==
As an author, Gingrich has published nine books including the best sellers, ''Contract with America'' and ''To Renew America'' and his most recent book, ''Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America''. In June 2005, ''Never Call Retreat'' concluded Newt's series of active history studies in the lessons of warfare based on a fictional account of the [[Battle of Gettysburg]] and its aftermath. And in ''Saving Lives & Saving Money'', Gingrich demonstrates how to transform health and healthcare into a 21st century system.<ref>[http://www.newt.org/backpage.asp?art=71][http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=newt%20gingrich%20books&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-1_blended_28026792_1&results-process=default]</ref>

==Personal Life==
[[Image:Newt Callista.jpg|thumb|Newt and Callista]]
Gingrich was born into a single-parent household with his mother, after his biological father abandoned the family. Robert Gingrich, a retired army officer, married Gingrich's mother and adopted him. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/21/us/robert-b-gingrich-speaker-s-father-71.html</ref> He has been married three times. His first wife, Jackie Battley, was his geometry teacher while he was in high school. They began their relationship when he was 16 years old, and married in 1962 after he graduated.<ref name="poli">[http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/House/Georgia/Newt_Gingrich/Scandals/Marital_Affairs/ Newt Gingrich: Marital Affairs] poligu.com, retrieved January 22, 2012.</ref> The couple had two daughters, and divorced in 1981. [[Liberal]] and [[mainstream media]] sources have perpetuated a myth for decades Jackie was served with divorce papers "on her deatbed," however, she is very much alive. Only in December, 2011, did FactCheck.org research and correct some of the smears.<ref>http://www.factcheck.org/2011/12/the-gingrich-divorce-myth/</ref>

Gingrich married Ginther in 1981. The couple separated in 1988, reconciled in 1994, and later divorced in 1999. He began his relationship with Callista Bisek, a Congressional aide and his future third wife, in 1993 while he was still married to Ginther.<ref>http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1999-11-11/news/9911110139_1_callista-bisek-georgia-republican-house-speaker-newt-gingrich</ref> In response to inquiries Gingrich publicly admitted to having an extra-marital relationship. "The honest answer is yes," Gingrich said in an interview with [[Focus on the Family]] founder [[James Dobson]]. "There are times that I have fallen short of my own standards. There's certainly times when I've fallen short of God's standards." Gingrich contrasted owning up to his shortcomings with [[President Clinton]]'s perjury and criminal offenses, "''The President of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge''," the former Georgia congressman said of Clinton's 1998 House impeachment on perjury and [[obstruction of justice]] charges. "I drew a line in my mind that said, 'Even though I run the risk of being deeply embarrassed, and even though at a purely personal level I am not rendering judgment on another human being, as a leader of the government trying to uphold the rule of law, I have no choice except to move forward and say that you cannot accept ... perjury in your highest officials." <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1597666,00.html?cnn=yes]</ref>

===Charitable work===
Gingrich is co-founder along with his wife Callista, of the Gingrich Foundation, a charitable [[nonprofit organization|nonprofit corporation]]. Among its charitable contributions, the Gingrich Foundation has established the Newt and Callista Gingrich Scholarship at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Other grants have been awarded to the [[Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception]], [[American Museum of Natural History]], [[Arthritis Foundation]], [[Alzheimer’s Association]], [[Learning Makes a Difference Foundation]], [[Autism Society]], [[Catholic Charities USA]], [[American Heart Association]], [[Washington National Opera]], [[Wolf Trap Foundation]], Atlanta Ballet, City of Fairfax Band, Mount Vernon Ladies Association, Museum of the Rockies, Trust for Public Land, and the [[Girl Scouts of the USA]].

Gingrich serves as a Board Member of the [[Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation]] and has received the highest non-medical award the [[American Diabetes Association]]. In 1995 he was named Citizen of the Year by the [[March of Dimes]].<ref>http://www.gingrichproductions.com/about-us.html</ref>

==See also==
*[[Gingrich's campaign mistakes 2012]]

==External links==
*[http://www.answers.com/topic/newt-gingrich Biography.] From Answers Corporation.
*[http://www.newt.org/ Official site.]
*[http://www.facebook.com/newtgingrich#!/newtgingrich?v=info On Facebook.]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gingrich, Newt}}
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Former United States Representatives]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:2012 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]
[[Category:Georgia]]
[[Category:Virginia]]
[[Category:Pennsylvania]]

Andrew Cuomo

2014-11-08T16:15:11Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-December 31, 2010
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Eric Schneiderman]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997–January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He signed legislation legalizing [[same-sex marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" that are politicians who are "[[Anti-abortion|right-to-life]], pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay" had no place in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:Anti Second Amendment]]

David A. Paterson

2014-11-08T16:12:35Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=David A. Paterson
|image=Paterson.jpg
|party=[[Democratic]]
|spouse=Michelle Paige Paterson
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=55th
|terms=March 17, 2008 – December 31, 2010
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Andrew Cuomo]]
}}
}}

'''David A. Paterson''' (b. May 20, 1954, in [[Brooklyn]], NY) was an American politician who served as [[New York]]’s 55th governor. He earned his bachelor’s degree in History from [[Columbia University]] in 1977, and completed his J.D. at Hofstra Law School in 1982. He is the first legally blind person to take the Oath of Office as Governor and New York's first [[African American]] Governor.

==Defuses scandal==
Paterson is married to Michelle Paige Paterson, and they have two children, Ashley and Alex. His admission on taking office that he had extramarital affairs defused the issue.

==Poor governor==
Paterson started out with very high approval ratings after he replaced disgraced Governor [[Eliot Spitzer]] in March 2008. Even Republicans leaders were dancing in the aisles.

Paterson's popularity collapsed in early 2009, following his confused search for a replacement for the Senate seat vacated by [[Hillary Clinton]], and the sharp downturn in state finances as part of the [[Recession of 2008]].

Paterson finally picked a rather conservative democrat candidate for the Senate seat, [[Kirsten Gillibrand]], angering liberals.

With the $133 billion state budget in the red by $17.7 billion, Paterson came into conflict with public service unions who rejected his call for sacrifice. Polls in September 2009 show his unpopularity had set a new record: only 17% of New Yorkers were favorable.

President [[Barack Obama]] in Sept. 2009 contacted Paterson, asking him not to seek reelection in 2010 in that he cannot recover from his dismal political standing.<ref>Raymond Hernandez and Jeff Zeleny,
"Obama Said to Request That Paterson Drop Campaign," [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/nyregion/20paterson.html?_r=2&hp ''New York Times'' Sept. 19, 2009] </ref> In February 2010 Paterson announced that he would not seek a full term. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/nyregion/27paterson.html</ref>

Paterson’s chances had been even more damaged after it was revealed that he and his troopers intimidated a woman who'd reported domestic violence against one of his top aides. <ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/26/paterson-expected-drop-election-bid-amid-scandal-aide/?test=latestnews</ref>

==See also==
*[[Eliot Spitzer]]

== External links ==
*[http://www.ny.gov/governor/bio/index.html Governor David A. Paterson Biography]

== References ==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paterson, David A.}}
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]

Eliot Spitzer

2014-11-08T16:11:46Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Eliot Spitzer
|image=Spitzer down.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Silda Wall Spitzer
|religion=[[Jewish]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|terms=January 1, 2007 – March 17, 2008
|preceded=[[George Pataki]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[David Paterson]]
}}
}}

'''Eliot Laurence Spitzer''' (born June 10, 1959), a Democrat, was the Governor of [[New York]] until a sex scandal forced his resignation in 2008. Spitzer was elected governor in a landslide victory in the November 2006 election.<ref>http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2006&fips=36&off=5&elect=0&f=0</ref> He is the former New York State Attorney General. Spitzer currently hosts ''Viewpoint'' on [[Current TV]], replacing [[Keith Olbermann]]'s program. He also had a failed stint working for [[CNN]].

On the national scene for nearly two decades, Spitzer was in private law practice briefly before becoming a district attorney and chief New York prosecutor. Spitzer made national headlines along the way, successfully prosecuting everything from financial malfeasance to prostitution rings, with the former earning him the nickname Mr. Clean of Wall Street.<ref>''Washington Times'' editorial, March 11, 2008 [http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080311/EDITORIAL/673743404/1013]</ref>

==Prostitution scandal==
On March 10, 2008, Spitzer was exposed as a client of a very high priced [[prostitution]] ring. He was already the subject of an investigation by the New York state Attorney General's office for ordering the State Police to keep special records of Republican state Senate majority leader Joseph L. Bruno's whereabouts when he traveled with police escorts in New York City. At the direction of top officials of the Spitzer administration, the New York State Police created documents meant to cause political damage to Bruno.

The cover of the June 14, 2004, edition of ''[[National Review]]'' referred to Spitzer as "the most destructive politician in America".<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/ponnuru/ponnuru200406090832.asp</ref> He was considered an enemy by those on [[Wall Street]].<ref>Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2008</ref>

It has been noted that Spitzer, despite using laws against prostution to destroy his enemies and further his political career, was willing to violate these laws himself.<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VBF6OO0&show_article=1</ref> In the aftermath of the prostitution scandal, he announced on March 12, 2008, that he planned to resign effective March 17, 2008.

==See also==
*[[David A. Paterson]]
*[[Dominique Strauss-Kahn]]

==External links==
*[http://www.ny.gov/governor/ Governor of New York] - Official Website of the Governor of New York
*[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200634&c=422598 Follow the Money] - Eliot L Spitzer 2006 campaign contributions
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?em&ex=1205294400&en=d0917c3b73427b6a&ei=5087%0A Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring] - from the ''New York Times''

==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spitzer, Eliot}}
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Corruption]]
[[Category:Current TV]]
[[Category:Former Governors]]

Eliot Spitzer

2014-11-08T16:10:56Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Eliot Spitzer
|image=Spitzer down.jpg
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Silda Wall Spitzer
|religion=[[Jewish]]
|offices=

{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|terms=January 1, 2007 – March 17, 2008
|preceded=[[George Pataki]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[David Paterson]]
}}
}}

'''Eliot Laurence Spitzer''' (born June 10, 1959), a Democrat, was the Governor of [[New York]] until a sex scandal forced his resignation in 2008. Spitzer was elected governor in a landslide victory in the November 2006 election.<ref>http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2006&fips=36&off=5&elect=0&f=0</ref> He is the former New York State Attorney General. Spitzer currently hosts ''Viewpoint'' on [[Current TV]], replacing [[Keith Olbermann]]'s program. He also had a failed stint working for [[CNN]].

On the national scene for nearly two decades, Spitzer was in private law practice briefly before becoming a district attorney and chief New York prosecutor. Spitzer made national headlines along the way, successfully prosecuting everything from financial malfeasance to prostitution rings, with the former earning him the nickname Mr. Clean of Wall Street.<ref>''Washington Times'' editorial, March 11, 2008 [http://www.washingtontimes.com/article/20080311/EDITORIAL/673743404/1013]</ref>

== Prostitution Scandal ==
On March 10, 2008, Spitzer was exposed as a client of a very high priced [[prostitution]] ring. He was already the subject of an investigation by the New York state Attorney General's office for ordering the State Police to keep special records of Republican state Senate majority leader Joseph L. Bruno's whereabouts when he traveled with police escorts in New York City. At the direction of top officials of the Spitzer administration, the New York State Police created documents meant to cause political damage to Bruno.

The cover of the June 14, 2004, edition of ''[[National Review]]'' referred to Spitzer as "the most destructive politician in America".<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/ponnuru/ponnuru200406090832.asp</ref> He was considered an enemy by those on [[Wall Street]].<ref>Wall Street Journal, March 11, 2008</ref>

It has been noted that Spitzer, despite using laws against prostution to destroy his enemies and further his political career, was willing to violate these laws himself.<ref>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8VBF6OO0&show_article=1</ref> In the aftermath of the prostitution scandal, he announced on March 12, 2008, that he planned to resign effective March 17, 2008.

==See also==
*[[David A. Paterson]]
*[[Dominique Strauss-Kahn]]

==External links==
*[http://www.ny.gov/governor/ Governor of New York] - Official Website of the Governor of New York
*[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200634&c=422598 Follow the Money] - Eliot L Spitzer 2006 campaign contributions
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?em&ex=1205294400&en=d0917c3b73427b6a&ei=5087%0A Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring] - from the ''New York Times''

==References==
<div class="references-small">
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spitzer, Eliot}}
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Corruption]]
[[Category:Current TV]]
[[Category:Former Governors]]

George Pataki

2014-11-08T16:09:10Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=George Pataki
|image=000-George_Pataki.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Libby Pataki
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|terms=January 1, 1995 – December 31, 2006
|preceded=[[Mario Cuomo]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
}}
}}
'''George Elmer Pataki''' (born June 24, 1945) served as the three term [[Governor]] of [[New York]] from 1995 to 2006 and is a member of the [[Republican Party]].

Born and raised on his family farm in Westchester County, New York to [[Hungarian]] immigrants, he graduated from [[Yale University]] in 1967 and Columbia Law School in 1970 on academic scholarships. Pataki began his political career by serving as Mayor of his home town of Peekskill. He went on to serve 10 years in the New York State legislature. He was elected Governor in the 1994 Republican sweep year, defeating incumbent [[Democrat]] [[Mario Cuomo]]. Pataki was the first Governor of New York since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] to not be from [[New York City]]. He was easily reelected in 1998 and 2002. From the begining of his administration he instituted major spending cuts. Pataki's governance included a period of economic expansion for New York State, $100 billion in tax cuts, reduced [[welfare]] and 600,000 added jobs. In 2005, New York had an on-time budget for the first time in twenty-one years. He enact more than 100 new laws to toughen penalties for criminals and eliminated parole for violent felony offenders. The [[crime]] rate in New York State fell for eleven consecutive years, by the end of his tenure as Governor, violent crime dropped 54% and New York was recognized as the safest large state in America. <ref>http://www.worldcat.org/arcviewer/1/AO%23/2007/01/12/0000057321/viewer/file5060.html</ref>.

A [[Republican in name only]], Pataki is [[pro-choice]] regarding [[abortion]] (although supports the ban on [[partial birth abortion]]) <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/George_Pataki_Abortion.htm</ref> and vetoed a bill that would allow sale of the morning-after pill. <ref>http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/george_pataki/index.shtml</ref> Additionally, he is a strong supporter of [[environment]]al protection. He played a major role in the clean-up of the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. Pataki signed major [[health care]] legislation in 1999 that provided health insurance coverage, under Family Health Plus, to lower income adults who do not have health insurance through their employers. George Pataki was governor during the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks]], and led lower [[Manhattan]] through recovery and rebuilding. Pataki suffered health problems towards the end of his governorship after he suffered a burst appendix and had to go through significant operation.

Pataki's name was mentioned as a possible Republican presidential candidate in 2000 and 2008, although he declined to run. It is rumored that he may run for the [[United States Senate]] in 2010 against [[Kirsten Gillibrand]]. <ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/08/08/2009-08-08_maloney_wont_run_against_kirsten_flipflops_on_challenge_in_primary.html</ref> Public opinion polls indicate a Pataki victory. <ref>http://maristpoll.marist.edu/gillibrand-needs-to-make-positive-inroads-with-ny-electorate/</ref><ref>http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/76607-pataki-in-drivers-seat-if-he-runs-for-senate-in-ny</ref>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pataki, George}}

==References==
{{reflist|}}

[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:RINOs]]

Scott Walker

2014-11-08T16:04:44Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Scott Walker
|image=Scott walker.jpg
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Tonette Walker
|religion=[[Evangelical Christian]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=Wisconsin
|terms=January 3, 2011 - Present
|preceded=Jim Doyle
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}

'''Scott Kevin Walker''' (born November 2, 1967 in Colorado Springs, Colorado) is the current [[conservative]] Governor of [[Wisconsin]] and a member of the [[Republican Party]]. Previously he was Executive of Milwaukee County and a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, and while in college he ran a student [[pro-life]] organization. He faced a [[recall election]] on June 5, 2012 and won it by a landslide.<ref>FOX News: [http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/06/05/polls-close-in-wisconsin-voter-turnout-reported-heavy/ Wisconsin's Walker survives recall by wide margin] (June 5, 2012)</ref> By late May [[liberals]] were already beginning to blame each other for Walker's lead in the polls: "Top [[union]] officials are lashing out at Washington [[Democrat]]s, claiming they haven't done enough to help them unseat Gov. Scott Walker in [[Wisconsin]]'s [[recall]] election."<ref>http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/229485-unions-angry-with-washington-democrats-over-lack-of-help-in-wisconsin</ref>

Scott Walker became a leader of [[conservatives]] nationwide when he supported and then signed into law a repeal of the [[collective bargaining]] rights of most government workers. Walker took this historic step to prevent the State from continuing on a path of financial ruin.

Perhaps due to bad political advice, Walker first focused on union issues first and accomplished virtually nothing meaningful on the [[abortion]] issue in 2011, despite having overwhelming majorities on his side in the legislature. But in 2012 Walker began signing into law [[pro-life]] legislation, which earned him the support of many in the [[working class]], and he then swept to a massive victory in the recall election. Scott Walker reelected again in 2014.

==Budget Deficit==
When Scott Walker took office, Wisconsin had a budget deficit of more than $3 billion. Instead of raising taxes, the governor has set out on a mission to reduce costs across the board and to make Wisconsin a business-friendly state. The state's [[labor union]]s were in an uproar and protested Walker's decision to end union [[collective bargaining]] and force employees to fund part of their pensions, as well as to contribute to their own health and life insurance.

==External Links==
*[http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/ Governor of Wisconsin Official Site]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Scott}}
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Wisconsin Governors]]
[[category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:Republican Governors]]

Michael Bloomberg

2014-09-23T05:47:14Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Michael Bloomberg
|image=Bloomberg.jpg
|office=Mayor
|party=[[Democrat]] (until 2001) [[Republican]] (2001-2007) [[Independent]] (2007-Present)
|spouse=Susan Brown (div.)
|religion=Jewish
|offices=
{{Officeholder/mayor
|number=108th
|city=New York City
|terms=January 1, 2002-December 31, 2013
|preceded=[[Rudolph Giuliani]]
|succeeded=[[Bill de Blasio]]
|former=n
}}
}}

'''Michael Rubens Bloomberg''' (born February 14, 1942, in Boston, Massachusetts<ref>http://www.mikebloomberg.com/en/about_mike_bloomberg</ref>) the founder and primary owner of Bloomberg, L.P., which licenses computer systems for real-time stock quotes to Wall Street and has news-related businesses. He served as mayor of [[New York City]] for three terms, 2002 to 2013. Even though he was a life-long registered [[Democrat]], Michael Bloomberg successfully ran for mayor as a [[Republican]] in 2001 due in large part to the support of popular outgoing mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]], and was reelected in 2005. He ran for a third term in 2009 as an independent, spending a record-breaking sum—the equivalent of $174.53 per vote (more than ten times his competitor).<ref>http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/11/28/2009-11-28_mayor_bloomberg_spends_102m_to_win_third_term__or_175_per_vote_.html</ref> Michael Bloomberg is also one of the richest people in the world according to ''Forbes'' magazine, with an estimated net worth of $17 billion. Michael Bloomberg is divorced and has 2 children.

Bloomberg dropped his Republican Party affiliation on June 19, 2007, stating "I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our city."<ref>http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=11203856</ref> Bloomberg is traditionally known as a fiscal [[conservative]] with social liberal tendencies. He was frequently mentioned as a possible independent candidate for the [[2008 Presidential Election]].

==Education==
Michael Bloomberg holds a Bachelor of Arts & Science from Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Business Administration from Harvard University. In 2001, Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism established the Bloomberg Chair in Journalism with a gift of $1.5 million from Bloomberg L.P.<ref>http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/01/05/bloomberg.html</ref>

==Political views and Mayoralty==
Bloomberg enforced a strengthened cell-phone ban in city schools. Under Mayor Bloomberg, the high school graduation rate in New York City went up 18%. He supports [[abortion]] rights and [[same-sex marriage]]. Bloomberg was also the most prominent Republican to oppose President [[George W. Bush]]'s nomination to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] of Chief Justice [[John Roberts]].

Bloomberg is a supporter of illegal immigration, saying that [[New York City]] would "collapse" if they didn't have illegal aliens.{{fact}}

Bloomberg took office as mayor in January 2002, just four months after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Upon taking office, he inherited the largest fiscal crisis in recent New York history. Giuliani spent lavishly during his final year in office, increasing capital spending by 60%. Not anticipating the [[dot-com bubble]] burst and the unforeseen attacks of September 11th, Giuliani left office passing on a $4 billion city budget gap, where city law mandates a balanced budget.<ref>http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_05/b3768089.htm</ref> A large portion of New York City's budget are fixed costs. This created a predicament for the fiscally conservative new mayor. Bloomberg made some very unpopular budget cuts in the portions of the budget under his control, even closing many redundant fire-houses, a subject of severe public outcry so soon after September 11th. These cuts however, had only marginal effect on the city's budget gap, which was ultimately addressed with the largest property tax increase in the city's history. Later in his second term, Bloomberg lowered property taxes, but not enough to completely remove the increases of his first term. Bloomberg effectively used tax breaks as an incentive to lure companies to the city. When Bloomberg first took office, the city's budget crisis brought threats from Albany that the state may step in and take over the city's finances. By June 2007 S&P (Standard and Poor's) raised New York City's bond rating to AA, the highest bond rating in the city's history.<ref>http://home2.nyc.gov:80/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fhome2.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2007a%2Fpr174-07.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1</ref>

Bloomberg was criticized by [[libertarian]]s for pushing for New York City's unprecedented ban on trans fats on restaurants.

Although he has remained mostly silent on foreign policy, Bloomberg was a supporter of the [[War in Iraq]]. In March, 2007, during a news conference in Staten Island, he said about legislation proposed in Congress calling for a clear timetable for troop withdrawal, "we ask our young men and women to go over and to fight, and if you have a deadline knowing they're pulling out, how can you expect them to defend this country? How can you expect them to go out and put their lives at risk? I just think that's untenable and that this is not a responsible piece of legislation. It is totally separate of how we're conducting the war. It's totally separate of whether we should have been there. The issue that you asked about is plain and simple: Should the Congress pass a law forcing the president to withdraw troops at a given point in time? I think that is not something that is in the country's interest or in the military's interest."

==2008 Presidential Election==
Though Bloomberg suggested that he might run for President in 2008, he never did.

==Mayors Against Illegal Guns==
See main article: [[Mayors Against Illegal Guns]]

Bloomberg has been criticized by the [[NRA]], [[Gun Owners of America]], [[Second Amendment Foundation]] and other [[Second Amendment]] advocates for his position on [[handguns]], having co-founded the [[liberal]] [[gun control]] [[propaganda]] organization, "[[Mayors Against Illegal Guns]]" ([[MAIG]]). His [[gun control]] policies and [[executive orders]] continued those implemented by his predecessor [[Rudolph Giuliani]].

[[New York City]] crime statistics for 2007 were the lowest ever recorded for the City. As of December 2007, compared to 2001 figures (the year before Bloomberg took office), shootings were down 11%, murder was down 25%, auto theft was down 55% and major crime overall was down 26%. Of course, neither Bloomberg nor [[MAIG]] can reasonably claim his policies were responsible for the decrease.<ref>http://www.nyc.gov:80/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press_release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%3A80%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2007b%2Fpr473-07.html&cc=unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1</ref>

==See also==
* [[Gun control]]
* [[Elitist]]
* "[[Stop and frisk]]"
* [[Chuck Schumer]]
* [[Anthony Weiner]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
[http://www.forbes.com/lists/2006/54/biz_06rich400_Michael-Rubens-Bloomberg_C610.html The 400 Richest Americans], ''Forbes magazine'', September 21, 2006.

[[Category:United States Mayors]]
[[Category:Business People]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bloomberg, Michael}}
[[Category:New York City]]
[[Category:Third Party Politicians]]
[[Category:Liberal Media]]
[[Category:American Jews]]

Rudy Giuliani

2014-09-23T05:44:56Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Rudy Giuliani
|image=Rudy Giuliani.jpg‎
|party=[[Republican]]
|spouse=Regina Peruggi (m. 1968, div. 1982, ann. 1983) Donna Hanover (1984-2002) Judith Nathan (m. 2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/mayor
|number=107th
|city=New York City
|terms=January 1, 1994 – December 31, 2001
|preceded=David Dinkins
|succeeded=[[Michael Bloomberg]]
}}

}}
'''Rudy Giuliani''' (born Rudolph William Giuliani, May 28, 1944 in [[Brooklyn]], New York) is best known for serving two terms as [[Mayor]] of [[New York City]] from 1994 to 2001, and gained worldwide fame and became a hero to New Yorkers and the nation for his decisive action in the aftermath of the [[9/11]] terrorist attacks. He was ''Time'' Magazine's "Person of the Year" and became known as "America's Mayor." As [[Republican Party|Republican]] mayor of New York City he cracked down on "quality of life" crimes, including cleaning up [[Times Square]], taking the homeless off the streets and replacing welfare offices into job centers. By the end of his two terms the unemployment rate was cut in half, the crime rate dropped 57% and the murder rate dropped 65%. <ref>http://www.draftrudy.com/record</ref> Giuliani gained the reputation of one of the greatest mayors in history.

Previous to serving as Mayor, Giuliani became a high ranking member of the Department of Justice in the [[Reagan]] [[administration]] in 1981. In 1983 he become U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He vigorously put drug dealers and white collar criminals in jail. In 2007-2008 Rudy Giuliani emerged as an early front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, but faltered late in 2007 and did poorly in the primaries.

Rudy Giuliani has declined to seek the governorship of New York and United States Senate in 2010.

== Early Life ==
Rudolph W. Giuliani was born to a working class Italian-American family in [[Brooklyn]], [[New York]]. As the grandson of immigrants, Giuliani developed a strong work ethic and a deep respect for America's ideal of equal opportunity. He attended [[Catholic]] parochial schools including Brooklyn's Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School (Class of '61). He graduated from Manhattan College (Class of '65) and New York University Law School, magna cum laude in 1968.<ref> "A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html] </ref>

== Personal Life ==
Giuliani has been married three times. First to his second cousin [[Regina Peruggi]], on October 26, 1968. In 1976 the couple split. They did not have any children. His second marriage was to [[Donna Hanover]]. Giuliani filed for legal separation from Peruggi on August 12, 1982. Giuliani and Hanover started living together later that year in Washington, D.C. A [[Roman Catholic]] Church [[annulment]] (of the Giuliani-Peruggi marriage) was granted at the end of 1983<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0212072giuliani12.html</ref> because, according to Giuliani, they did not have the necessary Church dispensation.

Giuliani and Hanover then married on April 15, 1984. They had two children, Andrew and Caroline. In May 2000, Giuliani admitted to an extramarital relationship with Judith Nathan and called a press conference to reveal he intended to separate from Hanover. Hanover did not know that Giuliani intended to make such an announcement and was reportedly caught somewhat by surprise <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E7D8163BF932A25756C0A9669C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=2</ref>
Giuliani then married Judith Nathan in 2003, his third marriage.

==Legal Career==
After law school Giuliani clerked for Judge Lloyd MacMahon, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. In 1970, he joined the office of the U.S. Attorney. At age 29, he was named Chief of the Narcotics Unit and rose to serve as executive U.S. Attorney. In 1975, Giuliani was recruited by the [[Gerald R. Ford]] administration and became Associate Deputy Attorney General and chief of staff to the Deputy Attorney General. From 1977 to 1981 he practiced law at Patterson, Belknap, Webb and Tyler in New York City.<ref> "A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html] </ref>

The Reagan Administration brought Giuliani to Washington in 1981 as Associate Attorney General, the third highest position in the [[U.S. Department of Justice]]. He supervised all of the US Attorney Offices' Federal law enforcement agencies, the Bureau of Corrections, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the US Marshals. In 1983, Reagan appointed Giuliani to be US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He gained national prominence over successfully prosecuting high profile cases.

He frequently used the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to bring down organized criminals. From 1985-1986 Giuliani indicted eleven organized crime figures under the RICO act that also included charges of extortion, labor racketeering, and murder for hire. Time Magazine called this "Case of Cases" possibly "the most significant assault on the infrastructure of organized crime since the high command of the [[Chicago]] Mafia was swept away in 1943." <ref>http://www.quickoverview.com/election2008/rudy-giuliani-overview.html</ref>

[[Wall Street]] arbitrageur [[Ivan Boesky]] earned an estimated $200 million by betting on corporate takeovers. He was violating [[insider trading]] laws by making investments based on tips received from corporate insiders. Giuliani prosecuted Boesky and was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and fined $100 million. The case was all the more significant, in that insider trading laws were rarely enforced at the time. Boesky informed several of his insiders, including junk bond trader Michael Milken. In 1989 Giuliani charged Milken under the RICO act with 98 counts of racketeering and fraud. He paid a total of $900 million in fines and settlements.

After six years as serving as a prosecutor Giuliani's record stood at 4,125 convictions with only 25 reversals. <ref>"A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html]</ref>

==Mayoral Campaigns==
In 1989, Giuliani ran for mayor of New York City on the [[Liberal]] and [[Republican]] tickets, losing to [[Democrat]] David Dinkins in the closet election in New York City history. In a rematch in 1993, Dinkins popularity faltered after he alienated the New York City Police Department for his support for an all civilian panel to oversee brutality complaints. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/26/nyregion/dinkins-names-police-corruption-panel-and-urges-civilian-police-review.html</ref> This led to massive protests against the Mayor. As crime rates rose, Dinkins gained the image of being weak and incumbent. On the contrary, Giuliani stressed quality of life, crime, business and education. He was elected the 107th Mayor, becoming the first Republican mayor of New York City in over 25 years. In 1997 he was easily re-elected by a wide margin, carrying four out of five boroughs.

==Mayoralty of New York City==

Giuliani brought a new, conservative approach to the ills of New York City. He argued that crime's root cause was not poverty but poor law enforcement; poverty was not alleviated by social welfare programs but perpetuated by them; and the public schools needed not more money but fewer bureaucrats. He made major efforts to reform city affairs, opposed at every step by labor unions, the board of education, social-service agencies, the school bureaucracy, and identity-group politicians. He became a media favorite based on his conservative crime fighting and his liberal positions on [[abortion]], [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. As mayor he would hold almost daily press conferences, and his personal indiscretions regarding his married life became favorite topics for the media. He also hosted his own radio show once a week entitled ''Live From City Hall With Rudy Giuliani''. The show would discuss current city events, and became known by critics as "Rudy's bullying pulpit", in that when open calls were taken, Giuliani would not be hesitant to be confrontational with callers who disagreed with him.

===Crime===

As Mayor, Rudy Giuliani sought to return accountability to city government and improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers. Under his leadership, overall crime fell 57%, murder was reduced by 65%, shootings dropped 72% and New York was recognized by the F.B.I. as the safest large city in America for five consecutive years. Although national crime rates fell in the 1990's, New York exceeded all other cities. Among Giuliani's most notable accomplishments during his mayoralty was his successful assault on [[pornography]] businesses in [[Times Square]]. The neighborhood had long been a mecca for "sexually oriented businesses", but through a prolonged campaign which included maintaining an alliance of local businesses, conservative and feminist groups and the general public, Giuliani managed to clean it up and replaced it with legitimate theaters, restaurants and shops, making it a world class tourist attraction for families.

Mayor Giuliani, along with New York City Police Department Commissioner [[Bill Bratton]], adopted an anti-crime approach known as the "Broken Window Theory." Which is the notion that if by cracking down on minor crimes such as [[graffiti]] or [[litter]], it will lead to stopping more serious crimes before they occur. In 1994 Giuliani and Bratton launched the initiative CompStat, which looked at crime geographically and statistically monitored criminal activity on specific street corners. The program proved to be successful in reducing crime and is still used today. In 1996 it won the Innovations in Government Award from the Kennedy School of Government at [[Harvard]] [[University]]. However, Bratton resigned in 1996 after having personal disagreements with Giuliani.

===Economic Record===

Under Mayor Giuliani [[unemployment]] dropped from 10.4% to 5.0%, personal income rose 50%, a $2.3 billion budget deficit was turned into a $2.9 billion surplus by FY 2001, there was a 17% reduction in New Yorkers [[tax]] burden, and over 640,000 people were cut from welfare rolls. [[Club for Growth]], a conservative political action committee which supports lower taxes, school choice and free trade has said that, "it is impossible to ignore Giuliani's overall commitment to a pro-growth philosophy and his executive talent for implementing that philosophy in a hostile political environment."

During his 1993 Mayoral campaign Giuliani proposed putting a 90-day limit to stay at homeless shelters, "It sounds generous and compassionate, but it isn't. There's an understanding of human psychology that's missing. The less you expect of people, the less you get. The more you expect, the more you get." <ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/rudolph-giuliani</ref>

On [[education]] Giuliani was a strong advocate of school choice. He created the Charter School Initiative in 1999, which led to creation of 17 new schools by the Fall 2001. His administration offered grants of up to $250,000 to new [[Charter Schools]]. In 1999 he placed $12 million into the budget for parochial [[school vouchers]]. Wanting to reduce school bureaucracy, Giuliani frequently battled [[liberal]]s at the New York City Board of Education. In April 1999, Giuliani said he would like to "blow up" the board of Education. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/28/nyregion/a-wider-audience.html</ref>

===Immigration===

Giuliani has received criticisms from conservatives for turning New York City into a [[Sanctuary city]]. In 1996, he said that "We're never, ever going to be able to totally control [[immigration]] in a country that is as large as ours." He went on to say, "If you were to totally control immigration into the United States, you might very well destroy the economy of the United States, because you'd have to inspect everything and everyone in every way possible." As Mayor, Giuliani said that, "There isn’t a mayor or public official in this country that is more strongly pro immigrant than I am. Including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti immigrant legislation about 2 or 3 years ago."

===Controversies===

In October 1995, Mayor Giuliani ejected [[terrorist]] [[Yasser Arafat]], leader of the [[Palestine]] Liberation Organization (PLO) from a concert at New York's Lincoln Center. Giuliani also refused to invite [[Cuba]]n dictator [[Fidel Castro]] to a gala dinner, "It's my party and I'll invite who I want."

Rudy Giuliani's personal life became an issue under his mayoralty, he had a romantic relationship with his City Hall communications director Cristyne Lategano. <ref>http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/11/politics/main194350.shtml</ref> The story broke in Vanity Fair magazine in 1997, and was believed to have lead to the divorce of Giuliani's wife of 16 years Donna Hanover. Giuliani told reporters at a press conference "My private life is my own private life. If you like me fine, and if you don't, I don't really give a damn." <ref>Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story</ref>

In 1999 Giuliani, a Catholic, threatened to cut off city funding for the [[Brooklyn]] Museum if the museum did not remove a painting of [[Virgin Mary]] next to elephant dung and female genitalia pictures. Although [[Christian]]s supported the mayor's actions, the museum and the [[American Civil Liberties Union]] successfully filed a lawsuit against Giuliani that his actions violated the First Amendment. Mayor Giuliani was forced to restore funding.

==2000 Senatorial Campaign==

In 2000 a diagnosis of prostate cancer had led Rudy Giuliani to drop out of a run for the Senate seat eventually won by Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]].

==September 11 Terrorist Attacks==

[[Image:Rudy_Giulianipersonoftheyear.jpg|thumb|300px|]] On Sept. 10, 2001, Giuliani was known as a crime fighter; his approval rating hovered around 50 percent. He was a [[lame duck]], barred by term limits from seeking re-election, in a city that in any case felt increasingly worn out by eight years of his combative style. And while his supporters talked of a presidential bid, the prospect seemed a long shot for a Republican who supported abortion rights and restrictions on gun sales.

A week after the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|9/11 attacks]], due to his almost universally acclaimed leadership in the aftermath of that tragedy, his approval rating hovered at nearly 80%. Since then he has been on almost every short list of Republican contenders. In his talks, Giuliani uses Sept. 11 to make two points. The first is that he has proven himself to be a leader, and having a proven leader in these troubled times, he tells audiences, is more important than whether you agree with everything he stands for. The other is that his handling of the aftermath of the terrorist attacks proved his competency. <ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/us/politics/12topic-giuliani.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</ref>

The International Association of Fire Fighters, America's largest union of [[firefighter]]s, posted a grievance against Giuliani's November 2001 decision to reduce the number of firefighters searching the rubble of Ground Zero for the remains of some 300 fallen comrades.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/03/09/giuliani.firefighters.ap/index.html</ref>

He tried and failed to change the city's law prohibiting a third consecutive term. He began Giuliani Partners, which immediately became a consultant to businesses worldwide on dealing with terrorism. He gave many highly-paid speeches on how leadership can deal with terrible crises, like he did, and in 2002 published ''Leadership'', recounting how he handled 9-11.

Giuliani strongly recommended in 2004 that his business partner and former city police chief [[Bernard Kerik|Bernard B. Kerik]] be named Secretary of Homeland Security. President [[George W. Bush]] was about to do so when it was learned that Kerik was involved in multiple scandals. In November, 2007, Kerik was indicted by a federal grand jury on corruption charges relating to his former position under Giuliani, as well as personal tax evasion charges. The indictment seriously weakened the Giuliani presidential bid.<ref>John Solomon and Matthew Mosk, "Ex-Partner Of Giuliani May Face Charges," [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/30/AR2007033002425.html ''Washington Post'' March 31, 2007]</ref>

==2008 Presidential Campaign==
''Main article: [[Rudy Giuliani 2008 Presidential Campaign]]''

Giuliani ran for the Republican nomination for president of the United States in 2008. He repeatedly talked about his mayoral achievements, losing the attention of many supporters.<ref>"A Biography Of Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani" The City of New York Office of the Mayor [http://www.nyc.gov/html/records/rwg/html/bio.html]; See also[http://www.time.com/time/poy2001/ "Time's 2001 Person of the Year Rudy Giuliani"]</ref> After the [[John McCain]] campaign apparently collapsed in mid 2007, Giuliani took the lead in national polls until December 2007, when he began to fall behind other candidates.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/republican_presidential_nomination-192.html#polls</ref>

Downplaying his liberal views on abortion, gun control, homosexual and immigration, Giuliani emphasized his heroic leadership of New York City after 9-11, as well as his cutting crime in the city and his hard-line stance against terrorism. Although he campaigned vigorously, he was so focused on his own record in New York that he did not make contact with what the voters were interested in. Worse, he could not shake off charges of corruption. He lost most of his support in the last two months of 2007. He won only 3.5% of voters in Iowa; 8.5% in New Hampshire; 2.8% in Michigan; 4.3% in Nevada and 2.1% in South Carolina. Pulling out of other states, he concentrated all his efforts in a losing battle for Florida, where he ran third with a mere 15%. Analysts noted the more voters saw of Giuliani, the fewer supported him.<ref>Matthew Continetti, "The Giuliani Implosion: From frontrunner to also-ran in eight short weeks," [http://weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/584edbsw.asp ''The Weekly Standard'' Jan. 21, 2008]; Justin Wolfers, "How Rudy's Bet Went Wrong," [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120111080410210391.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy ''Wall Street Journal'' Jan. 23, 2008]; Michael Powell and Michael Cooper, "For Giuliani, a Dizzying Free-Fall", [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/30/us/politics/30giuliani.html?ref=politics ''New York Times'' Jan. 30, 2008]</ref>

[[Image:Rudy2.jpg|thumb|475px|Horsey editorial cartoon shows social conservative dismay regarding Giuliani's morals; March 23, 2007]]
He left the race after Florida and endorsed McCain. When McCain was nominated Giuliani criss-crossed the country speaking on his behalf.

==Political Views==

Rudy Giuliani is known for having liberal positions on social issues such as [[abortion]], [[gun control]] and [[gay rights]], while conservative positions on national defense and fiscal policy.

Giuliani supports "responsible" restrictions on abortion such as parental notification with a judicial bypass and a ban on [[partial birth abortion]] – except when the life of the mother is at stake. However, In 1997 Giuliani said that then - President [[Bill Clinton]] made the right decision when he vetoed a ban on partial birth abortion. During his 2000 Senate campaign he said that he would "vote to preserve the option for women." Giuliani has also given six contributions to [[Planned Parenthood]] in the 1990s. The payments, totaling $900, were made in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999. Planned Parenthood is one of the top abortion advocates and abortion providers in the [[United States]].

Giuliani has changed his views on guns over time. As mayor of New York City, he was a proponent of urban gun control, but, while running for President, has stated that he thinks differently about more mid-west environments. As Mayor of New York, Giuliani became a nationally visible figure in favor of gun control measures, beginning with an appearance on [[Meet the Press]] in late 1993. He was in favor of the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act and the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban. In 1995, Giuliani called member's of the [[National Rifle Association]] "extremists." And that anti-gun control positions of many Republicans are "terrible for America."

Although Rudy Giuliani does not support same-sex marriage, he does support "domestic partnerships" that provide stability for Americans who are in non-traditional relationships.

Giuliani is known as a staunch conservative on national security. He has supported [[President]] [[George W. Bush]]'s tactic of using domestic surveillance and strongly supports completing the mission in [[Iraq]] and hunting for [[terrorists]] and insurgents. Giuliani was described by [[Newsweek]] magazine in January of 2007 as "one of the most consistent cheerleaders for the president’s handling of the war in Iraq."

On economic policy, conservative economist [[George Will]] said of Rudy Giuliani's two terms as mayor, "the most successful episode of conservative governance of the last 50 years. <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjS-MVp-j9k</ref> He has received praise from fiscal conservatives for his advocacy of lower taxes and less government bureaucracy.

==Bibliography==
* Polner, Robert, and Jimmy Breslin, eds. ''America's Mayor, America's President?: The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani'' (2007) Hostile essays. These authors catalogue mayor's vindictiveness, pettiness, totalitarian approach to governing, and his tight control of information and the press.[http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Mayor-President-Strange-Giuliani/dp/1933368942/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208716844&sr=8-3cerpt and text search]
* Siegel, Fred, and Harry Siegel. ''The Prince of the City: Giuliani, New York and the Genius of American Life'' (2005), analytical and academic study in-depth [http://www.amazon.com/Prince-City-Giuliani-Genius-American/dp/1594030847/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1208717030&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guiliani, Rudolph}}
[[Category:United States Mayors]]
[[Category:RINOs]]
[[Category:New York City]]
[[category:crime]]
[[Category:2008 Presidential Candidates]]
[[Category:Fiscal Conservatives]]
[[Category:Republicans]]
[[Category:Mayors]]
[[Category:The 100 Americans The Left Hates Most]]
[[Category:Cafeteria Christians]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Mario Cuomo

2014-09-23T05:40:06Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Mario Cuomo
|image=000_Mario_Cuomo.jpg‎
|party=[[Democratic Party]]
|spouse=Matilda Cuomo
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=52nd
|terms=January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994
|preceded=[[Hugh Carey]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[George Pataki]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=State
|state=New York
|number=58th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Hugh Carey]]
|terms=January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1978
|preceded=John Ghezzi
|former=y
|succeeded=Basil Paterson
}}
}}

'''Mario Matthew Cuomo''' (born June 15, 1932) was the governor of [[New York]] from 1983 through 1994. Cuomo was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by the little-known [[Republican]] [[George Pataki]] in the election of 1994, despite New York being an overwhelmingly Democratic state and despite Republican [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] crossing party lines and endorsing Cuomo.

Born and raised in [[Queens|Queens, New York]], Cuomo earned a law degree from St. John's School of Law and became an assistant to Judge Adrian P. Burke of the New York State Court of Appeals. Cuomo first gained attention in the early 1970s when he represented residents of the Forest Hills section of Queens when they opposed the construction of a public-housing development in that neighborhood. After unsuccessfully seeking the [[Lieutenant Governor]]ship in 1974, he was appointed [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|New York Secretary of State]] in 1975 by Governor [[Hugh Carey]]. He went on to be defeated for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City by [[Ed Koch]] in 1977. Cuomo was, however, elected Lieutenant Governor the following year and was elected governor in 1982 and then reelected in 1986 and 1990. After giving a well-received keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention he was mentioned as a possible [[president]]ial [[candidate]]; however, he declined to run.

As Governor, Cuomo was an unwavering supporter of [[pro-abortion|abortion rights]] and a proponent of the social [[welfare state]]. He strongly opposed [[capital punishment]] during a high-crime era. His liberal policies caused millions to move away from New York, and it had one of the highest tax rates, highest taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] rates, and worst business climates of any state in the nation.<ref>http://www.willkie.com/professionals/c/cuomo-mario-m</ref>

Mario Cuomo's son [[Andrew Cuomo]] is the current governor of New York.

== Opposition To Death Penalty ==
Cuomo is against the death penalty for capital crimes. In 1994 he was widely criticized for his administration of justice and for his leftist, anti-death-penalty parole-board appointments in particular, in light of the Arthur Shawcross (Genesee River Killer) mass-murderer case. He vetoed death-penalty legislation more than seven times in spite of the public's wishes, which passed by Democratic controlled State Assembly.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/21/nyregion/cuomo-vetoes-death-penalty-seventh-time.html N.Y. Times; Cuomo Vetoes Death Penalty Seventh Time]</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External Links ==
*[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=a517ae3effb81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Mario Cuomo at the National Governors Association]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Mario}}
[[Category:politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]
{{Liberalism}}

Mario Cuomo

2014-09-23T05:38:29Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Mario Cuomo
|image=000_Mario_Cuomo.jpg‎
|party=[[Democratic Party]]
|spouse=Matilda Cuomo
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=52nd
|terms=January 1, 1983 – December 31, 1994
|preceded=[[Hugh Carey]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[George Pataki]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=State
|state=New York
|number=58th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Hugh Carey]]
|terms=January 1, 1975 – December 31, 1978
|preceded=John Ghezzi
|former=y
|succeeded=Basil Paterson
}}
}}

'''Mario Matthew Cuomo''' (born June 15, 1932) was the governor of [[New York]] from 1983 through 1994. Cuomo was defeated in his bid for a fourth term by the little-known [[Republican]] [[George Pataki]] in the election of 1994, despite New York being an overwhelmingly Democratic state and despite Republican [[New York City]] Mayor [[Rudy Giuliani]] crossing party lines and endorsing Cuomo.

Born and raised in [[Queens|Queens, New York]], Cuomo earned a law degree from St. John's School of Law and became an assistant to Judge Adrian P. Burke of the New York State Court of Appeals. Cuomo first gained attention in the early 1970s when he represented residents of the Forest Hills section of Queens when they opposed the construction of a public-housing development in that neighborhood. After unsuccessfully seeking the [[Lieutenant Governor]]ship in 1974, he was appointed [[Secretary of State (U.S. state government)|New York Secretary of State]] in 1975 by Governor [[Hugh Carey]]. He went on to be defeated for the Democratic nomination for mayor of New York City by [[Ed Koch]] in 1977. Cuomo was, however, elected Lieutenant Governor the following year and was elected governor in 1982 and then reelected in 1986 and 1990. After giving a well-received keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National Convention he was mentioned as a possible [[president]]ial [[candidate]]; however, he declined to run.

As Governor, Cuomo was an unwavering supporter of [[pro-abortion|abortion rights]] and a proponent of the social [[welfare state]]. He strongly opposed [[capital punishment]] during a high-crime era. His liberal policies caused millions to move away from New York, and it had one of the highest tax rates, highest taxpayer-funded [[abortion]] rates, and worst business climates of any state in the nation.<ref>http://www.willkie.com/professionals/c/cuomo-mario-m</ref>

Mario Cuomo's son [[Andrew Cuomo]] is the current governor of New York.

== Opposition To Death Penalty ==
Cuomo is against the death penalty for capital crimes. In 1994 he was widely criticized for his administration of justice and for his leftist, anti-death-penalty parole-board appointments in particular, in light of the Arthur Shawcross (Genesee River Killer) mass-murderer case. He vetoed death-penalty legislation more than seven times in spite of the public's wishes, which passed by Democratic controlled State Assembly.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/21/nyregion/cuomo-vetoes-death-penalty-seventh-time.html N.Y. Times; Cuomo Vetoes Death Penalty Seventh Time]</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External Links ==
*[http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga/menuitem.29fab9fb4add37305ddcbeeb501010a0/?vgnextoid=a517ae3effb81010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e449a0ca9e3f1010VgnVCM1000001a01010aRCRD Mario Cuomo at the National Governors Association]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Mario}}
[[category:politics]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[category:Catholic politicians]]
{{Liberalism}}

François Mitterrand

2014-09-23T05:34:40Z

Lincolnrep:

'''François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand''' (26th October 1916 - 8th January 1996) was [[President of France]] from 1981 to 1995, and a leader of the [[Parti Socialiste]], the French Socialist Party. He was the first left-wing politician to be so far elected President of France under the Fifth Republic, served two terms.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitterrand, François}}
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Socialists]]

François Mitterrand

2014-09-23T05:30:29Z

Lincolnrep:

Gordon Brown

2014-09-23T05:29:40Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Gordon Brown.jpg
|seq=74
|term_start=June 27, 2007
|term_end=May 11, 2010
|previous=Tony Blair
|next=David Cameron
|party=Labour Party
|birth_date=February 20, 1951
|birth_place=Glasgow
|spouse=Sarah Brown
|religion=[[Church of Scotland]]
}}
'''Dr. James Gordon Brown''', generally known as '''Gordon Brown''', is the former [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] and former leader of the British [[Labour Party]]. He succeeded [[Tony Blair]] in these positions in June 2007.

A Scottish [[Labour Party|Labour]] politician, Brown served as Britain's [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] for ten years. His mutual enmity with former Prime Minister Blair was a consistent feature of British political life for a number of years.

In Britain, Brown is seen as being a more sombre, sober and serious figure in contrast to Tony Blair, who is regarded as charismatic and has at times been perceived as lightweight and as an overly "slick" media performer (not unlike [[Bill Clinton]]). This resonates with a stereotype that many English people have of Scottish people being humorless and dour. Brown's father was a Minister in the [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] [[Church of Scotland]], and it is thought that Brown's religious beliefs have influenced his serious, sober style. On the negative side, some believe that he is insufficiently likeable and sunny to appeal to voters. He has also been criticized for secretiveness, control-freakery and an awkward personal style. However, his communication skills, especially reading from autocues and being interviewed under bright lights in television studios, may be adversely affected by the fact that his eyesight is extremely poor. He is blind in one eye and his vision in the other is weak, owing to a sporting injury sustained when he was a teenager.

Brown was one of the longest serving Chancellors in history, and took credit for the consistently healthy state of the British economy during his tenure - credit which many are reassessing in light of the current (as of October 2008) perilous condition of the British economy. He is a passionate advocate of reducing poverty in the [[Third World]]. He has made speeches in which he has praised the concept of "Britishness" and suggested that the British should display the British flag outside their houses, as many Americans do with the US flag. However, his patriotic convictions are expected to have consequences in foreign policy which are arguably negative: it is widely believed that he will be zealous in defending British interests (narrowly defined), but that he will neglect broader elements of Tony Blair's foreign policy such as support for the United States and the [[War on Terror]].

During Brown's tenure as Chancellor, the UK enjoyed sustained economic growth and generally positive reports from the [[International Monetary Fund]], although there were concerns at extreme inflationary pressures in the housing market. These concerns were more than borne out by the collapse in the housing market and credit crunch of 2007-2008.

Brown followed a generally redistributionary policy, increasing spending in the [[National Health Service]] and [[education]], and giving tax breaks to some poorer families whilst significantly increasing taxes on many others. His most significant achievement in the early days of the Labour Government was to grant fiscal independence to the Bank of England.

Just two days after the Brown ministry began, Islamic terrorists initiated several [[June 2007 UK terror attacks|attempted attacks]] against the UK, consisting of two car bombs in [[London]] on June 29 and a suicide-bomb attack at Glasgow International Airport on June 30.

By the Fall of 2008, Brown's premiership was increasingly seen as catastrophic by the country as a whole and his own party. Labour's opinion poll ratings dropped to historic lows, with widepread predictions of a Conservative landslide at the next General Election. The events of early October 2008, gained him new respect, though not necessarily popularity, as he exercised cool, firm international leadership in the midst of the banking crisis. Opinion polls show that Brown's popularity is significantly lower than that of his main opponent, [[David Cameron]], it is also alleged that he caused the "Credit crunch", the recession where the UK,supposedly owes more then HALF of their GDP, but local people say that no-one knows who we owe it to.

He has been married to Sarah since 2000. They have a daughter (deceased) and two sons.

==See also==
* [[British politics]]
* [[Labour Party]]

==References==
[http://www.imf.org/external/country/GBR/index.htm]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Gordon}}
[[Category:Presbyterians]]
[[Category:Scottish People|Brown, Gordon]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers|Brown, Gordon]]

Jacques Chirac

2014-09-23T05:29:21Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Jacques Chirac
|party=[[Union for a Popular Movement]]
|spouse=Bernadette Chirac
|religion=[[Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/president
|country=France
|number=22nd
|terms=May 17, 1995 - May 16, 2007
|vp=Alain Juppé Lionel Jospin Jean-Pierre Raffarin Dominique de Villepin
|preceded=[[François Mitterrand]]
|succeeded=[[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
}}
}}

'''Jacques Chirac''' (born November 29, 1932) is a former president of [[France]] from 1995 to 2007. He served two terms in office, choosing not to seek a third term due to his age, a massive unpopularity and several legislative failures.

Chirac is a lifelong [[Gaullist]] whose political instincts probably contributed greatly to his decision not to participate in the [[Iraq War]], though he sent troops to help overthrow the [[Taliban]] in [[Afghanistan]]. He has been quoted as saying that the [[free market]] is not the solution to all problems.<ref>http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/12/europe/EU-POL-France-Chiracs-Future.php</ref>

He has always been against the war in Iraq, opposing his veto at the United Nation Security Council. The announcement earned him a hostile campaign, especially in some of the Anglo-Saxon media (The Sun titled "Chirac Is A worm"). Relations with the United States become worse.

In 2011, following the case of alleged fictitious jobs in the city of Paris, the former head of state was sentenced to two years of suspended sentence.

==See Also==
* [[List of French Presidents]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chirac, Jacques}}
[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:French Politicians]]

Jacques Chirac

2014-09-23T05:27:49Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Jacques Chirac
|party=[[Union for a Popular Movement]]
|spouse=Bernadette Chirac
|religion=[[Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/president
|country=France
|number=22nd
|terms=May 17, 1995 - May 16, 2007
|vp=Alain Juppé Lionel Jospin Jean-Pierre Raffarin Dominique de Villepin
|preceded=[[François Mitterrand]]
|succeeded=[[Nicolas Sarkozy]]
}}
|birth_date = November 29, 1932
|birth_place = Paris
}}

'''Jacques Chirac''' (born November 29, 1932) is a former president of [[France]] from 1995 to 2007. He served two terms in office, choosing not to seek a third term due to his age, a massive unpopularity and several legislative failures.

Chirac is a lifelong [[Gaullist]] whose political instincts probably contributed greatly to his decision not to participate in the [[Iraq War]], though he sent troops to help overthrow the [[Taliban]] in [[Afghanistan]]. He has been quoted as saying that the [[free market]] is not the solution to all problems.<ref>http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/03/12/europe/EU-POL-France-Chiracs-Future.php</ref>

He has always been against the war in Iraq, opposing his veto at the United Nation Security Council. The announcement earned him a hostile campaign, especially in some of the Anglo-Saxon media (The Sun titled "Chirac Is A worm"). Relations with the United States become worse.

In 2011, following the case of alleged fictitious jobs in the city of Paris, the former head of state was sentenced to two years of suspended sentence.

==See Also==
* [[List of French Presidents]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chirac, Jacques}}
[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:French Politicians]]

Nicolas Sarkozy

2014-09-23T05:24:46Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Nicolas Sarkozy
|party=[[Union for a Popular Movement]]
|spouse=[[Carla Bruni-Sarkozy]]
|offices=|offices={{Officeholder/president
|country=France
|number=23rd
|terms=May 16, 2007-May 15, 2012
|vp=[[François Fillon]]
|preceded=[[Jacques Chirac]]
|succeeded=[[François Hollande]]
}}
|religion=[[Catholic]]
}}
'''Nicolas Sarkozy''' (born in 1955) is a [[France|French]] [[neoconservative]] [[politics|politician]], who was [[2007 French presidential elections|elected]] [[President]] of France on May 6, 2007. He is a strong admirer of the [[United States]]<ref>[http://www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20070424-102752-8335r.htm "Sarkozy vs. Royal", The ''Washington Times'' Online]</ref>. Sarkozy was the target of vicious [[leftist]] attacks during his presidency.<ref>http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/le-pen-brands-sarkozy-as-scum/story-e6frg6so-1111113355628</ref>

Sarkozy championed a policy of foreign interventionalism, particularly in [[Libya]], that is characteristic of [[neoconservatives]] in [[Britain]] and the [[United States]], while downplaying the significance of social issues like [[same-sex marriage]]. On 6 May 2012, Sarkozy was defeated in his bid for a second term by the [[French Socialist Party|Socialist Party]] candidate [[François Hollande]].

Sarkozy was born in [[Paris]] in 1955 to a French mother of Greek Jewish origin (the daughter of a Greek immigrant born to the Mallah family, one of the oldest Jewish families of Salonika, Greece <ref> [http://www.pascalsview.com/pascalsview/2007/05/nicolas-sarkozys-jewish-heritage.html Nicolas Sarkozy’s Jewish Heritage.] </ref>) and a [[Hungarian]] father (real name: Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa) who had escaped [[Communism]]. Sarkozy attended law school at the University of Paris, and also studied at the Institute of Political Studies. In 1983, at the age of 28, he became [[mayor]] of Neuilly-sur-Seine, a major suburb of Paris. He was elected to the French [[Parliament|National Assembly]] in 1988 and named minister in 1993. From 2002 to 2007 he served as interior minister and budget minister during which time he burnished his reputation as a tough-on-crime and straightforward politician. On January 14, 2007, he was chosen by the [[UMP|Union pour un Mouvement Populaire]] (UMP), France's main conservative party, as its candidate for president.

<blockquote>
The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, is unpopular because of government corruption, because the French economy is weaker than it was supposed to be, because he and his now former foreign minister chose the wrong side in Tunisia, and because he’s erratic and unpredictable. <ref> [http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/frances-goals-in-libya-hit-a-little-closer-to-home/2011/03/28/AF4J7mqB_story.html? France’s goals in Libya hit a little closer to home.] </ref>
</blockquote>

Divorced twice, Sarkozy is father to three sons and a daughter, Pierre and Jean from his first marriage and Louis from his second.<ref>[http://www.support-sarkozy-france.com/nicolas_sarkozy/ Nicolas Sarkozy's Biography]</ref> He was married for a third time on February 2, 2008, to model and singer [[Carla Bruni]].<ref>[http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/02/03/europe/03sarkozy.php Elaine Sciolino, "French president and ex-model wed, quietly," ''International Herald Tribune'' 3 Feb. 2008.]</ref>

Sarkozy also has engendered much controversy in France with his advocacy of economic reforms, [[immigration]] controls, a youth employment law that the [[government]] was compelled to repeal by widespread protests,<ref>[http://worldnews.about.com/od/france/g/sarkozy_nicolas.htm "France - The News From France", ''About.com'']</ref> and his notorious comment that his intention was to "wash away the scum", when referring to the [[2005 Paris Riots]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,,2063783,00.html "Troubled Suburbs Rally to Stop Sarkozy", ''The Guardian'' Online]</ref>

== Zionist ancestry ==

<blockquote>
"Sarkozy’s grandfather, Aron Mallah, nicknamed Benkio, was born
in 1890. Beniko’s uncle Moshe was a well-known Rabbi and a
devoted [[Zionist]] who, in 1898 published and edited "El Avenir",
the leading paper of the Zionist national movement in Greece at
the time. His cousin, Asher, was a Senator in the Greek Senate
and in 1912 he helped guarantee the establishment of the
Technion – the elite technological university in Haifa, [[Israel]].
In 1919 he was elected as the first President of the Zionist
Federation of Greece and he headed the Zionist Council for
several years." <ref> [http://www.pascalsview.com/pascalsview/2007/05/nicolas-sarkozys-jewish-heritage.html Ibidem] </ref>
</blockquote>

From a transcription of attorney Isabelle Tahar Miller's talk at the 2007 Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El Torahthon:
My passion is politics — writing, defending Israel ''<sic>'' against media bias, and giving lectures... I was born in Paris to a traditional Sephardic-Tunisian Jewish family. Tunisia was a French protectorate and my family arrived in the mid-fifties in Paris after [[Tunisia]] became independent. I was educated in French public schools and graduated from the Sorbonne law school. I have also lived in Israel for four years where I took the Bar. I speak Hebrew fluently. <ref> [http://www.pjvoice.com/v33/33007sarkozy.aspx Sarkozy, Israel and the Jews.] </ref>

== Racism ==
Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of [[racism]] for ordering closure of 300 illegal gypsy camps and expulsion of Roma after riot. <ref> [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1298690/Sarkozy-accused-racism-ordering-closure-illegal-gypsy-camps-riot.html He was accused of racism for ordering closure of 300 illegal gypsy camps and expulsion of Roma after riot.] </ref> Sarkozy was behind the controversial measure to deport Roma gypsies, breaching European immigration laws. European Union officials accused Sarkozy of "fanning xenophobia " in his move to deport the Roma. <ref> [http://digitaljournal.com/article/320841 French President Nicolas Sarkozy, 'too many foreigners in France'.] </ref>

In 2012, French interior minister Brice Hortefeux has been convicted in court of making racist remarks about Arabs. The minister - one of President Nicolas Sarkozy's closest allies - was found guilty uttering of the slur at a political rally. <ref>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1284014/Sarkozy-ally-convicted-racist-slur-Arabs.html Sarkozy ally convicted of racist slur on Arabs] </ref>

<blockquote>
"too many foreigners in France." Nicolas Sarkozy. <ref> [http://digitaljournal.com/article/320841 [[Ibidem]]] </ref>
</blockquote>

"Those on the Zionist far right who deliberately and systematically attempt to foment hatred of Muslims, are always in danger of at the same time promoting antisemitism. The same resentments, the same sordid politics and racist rhetoric, come into play for both. Sarkozy, by dirtying the Gaullist tradition with Le-Pen-iste rhetoric, is creating an atmosphere of intolerance in France that may not be entirely unrelated to the murders of innocent children and a man of God in Toulouse." <ref>[http://www.juancole.com/2012/03/is-anti-immigrant-islamophobic-campaign-rhetoric-fomenting-antisemitism-in-france.html Is Anti-Immigrant, Islamophobic Campaign Rhetoric fomenting Antisemitism in France?] </ref>

== Libyan affair ==
[[Bernard Henri Levy]], a friend of Sarkozy since 1983 but with an extremely complicated relationship, is the man who, some consider, waged a war in Libya. Lévy, 62 (born in Algeria in 1948, to a wealthy Sephardi Jewish family), a Zionist French philosopher is the man behind the French and American War on Libya... After persuading Sarkozy, Mr. Lévy, gives Mr. Sarkozy sole credit for persuading London, Washington and others to support intervention in Libya. <ref> [http://anarchitext.wordpress.com/2011/05/10/bhl-war-in-libya/ B.H. Levy: the man who waged a War in Libya.] </ref>

Two French lawyers said they planned to initiate legal proceedings against French President Nicolas Sarkozy for crimes against humanity over the [[NATO]]-led military campaign in [[Libyan uprising 2011|Libya]]... Dumas, a former French minister, said "the NATO mission, which was meant to protect civilians, was in fact killing them." <ref>[http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=46395 French lawyers plan Libya lawsuit against Sarkozy.]</ref>

<blockquote>
If Sarkozy hoped intervening in Libya and the Côte d'Ivoire would boost his popularity, it has backfired. He is now by far the most unpopular president in the history of France’s Fifth Republic, according to opinion polls. [http://rt.com/news/sarkozy-libya-backfire-france/ Sarkozy’s Napoleonic ambitions backfire.]
</blockquote>

At the end of the "peace" intervention thousands of innocent Libyans died under the NATO bombing. Gaddafi was murdered in cold blood. [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Obama-Cameron-Sarkozy-to-Resign-for-Executing-Gaddafi-and-Bombing-Libya/267006183341566 Obama, Cameron, Sarkozy to Resign for Executing Gaddafi and Bombing Libya.]

==See also==
*[[List_of_French_Presidents]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.ejpress.org/article/22741 A Greek book on Nicolas Sarkozy.]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3673102.stm Profile: Nicolas Sarkozy.]
*[http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/frances-goals-in-libya-hit-a-little-closer-to-home/2011/03/28/AF4J7mqB_story.html? France’s goals in Libya hit a little closer to home.] by Anne Applebaum.
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/09/french-anti-gypsy-european-parliament French 'anti-Gypsy policy' denounced by European parliament.]
*[http://english.pravda.ru/world/africa/12-02-2012/120485-libya_nato_crime-0/ Libya: NATO's worst crime.]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarkozy, Nicholas}}
[[Category:Catholic Politicians]]
[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:French Politicians]]

David Cameron

2014-09-23T05:16:49Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=674uyyhju.jpg
|seq=75
|term_start=May 11, 2010
|term_end=present
|previous=Gordon Brown
|party=Conservative Party
|birth_date=October 6, 1966
|birth_place=London
|spouse=Samantha Sheffield
|religion=[[Church of England]]
}}
'''David Cameron''', born 9 October 1966, is the current Prime Minister of the [[United Kingdom]] and leader of the British [[Conservative Party]]. Following the May 2010 election, the Conservatives won the most seats but were short of a majority, resulting in a hung parliament. Labour Leader [[Gordon Brown]] resigned, and Cameron was appointed Prime Minister, leading a Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government.

==Personal==
Cameron was born in [[London]], but spent his early years near Wantage in [[Oxfordshire]], [[England]], though his family's roots lie in [[Inverness]], [[Scotland]], and "Cameron" is well known in Britain as a Scottish name.

Cameron was educated at [[Eton College | Eton]], Britain's most prestigious public school (a "public school" in the UK referring to a privately run institution, as opposed to a "state school"), and at [[Brasenose College]], [[Oxford University|Oxford]], Britain's most ancient and prestigious university.

Cameron is self-described as "upper middle class", though his bloodline is noble, and he is a direct descendent of William IV, and thus a distant cousin of HRH Queen Elizabeth II. His family has historically been involved in finance and banking, with his great great grandfather being head of HSBC in the late 19th century, and worked alongside the Rothschilds to finance the Russo-Japanese war.

Cameron's leadership and indeed his own party are supported by businesses, as opposed to the liberal, socialist aligned Labour Party, led by [[Ed Miliband]]; which is funded and largely controlled by the [[trade union]]s. Many intervening leaders have been middle-class ([[Edward Heath]], [[Margaret Thatcher]]) or even working-class ([[John Major]]).

Cameron's reluctance to discuss his past, citing the right to a private life before politics<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4340328.stm</ref> has led to class-based attacks on his education and ancestry from a small proportion of left-wing media sources and opposition members of Parliament.

He has been married to Samantha since 1996. She is of direct noble bloodline, the daughter of 8th Baronet Sheffield, and a descendent of Charles II. They now have two sons and a daughter. Their eldest son, Ivan Cameron, died on February 25, 2009.<ref>[[BBC News]] - [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7909562.stm Cameron's 'beautiful boy' dies]</ref>

==Political career==
Cameron's pre-parliamentary career included spells as a staffer for controversial Conservative politician [[Norman Lamont]] and as a PR executive.

Cameron was elected to Parliament as MP for Witney in Oxfordshire at the 2001 general election.

Cameron was elected leader of the [[Conservative Party]] in December 2005, succeeding [[Michael Howard]].

In late June 2007, at the end of then-Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]]'s final Prime Minister's Questions session in the [[House of Commons]], David Cameron led his opposition party in giving the outgoing leader a standing ovation.<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1555758/Tony-Blair-steps-down-to-a-standing-ovation.html Tony Blair steps down to standing ovation] - Daily Telegraph, June 27, 2007</ref>

==Policies==
Cameron has attempted to move the Conservative party towards what is perceived by some to be the centre ground of British politics. While the party under his leadership has expressed support for some traditional elements of Conservative policy, such as the importance of the [[family]], Cameron has also expressed a passionate concern about [[global warming]]. He has suggested a move towards [[privatization]] within the strongly-socialist [[National Health Service]], in an attempt to combat the economic failures resulting from the flawed socialist ideas upon which the organisation is based. Designed and originated by the leftist [[Labour Party]], the organisation is notorious for its bureaucracy and the failure of its left-wing values in an economic sense.

Some traditional Conservatives, particularly those on the [[Thatcherism|Thatcherite]] wing of the party, have criticized Cameron for moving the party too far to the left. They point to surveys showing that many voters feel they no longer know what the Conservative Party stands for. <ref>http://www.yougov.com/archives/pdf/TEL060101018_1.pdf</ref> However, he has stated that he is "certainly a big [[Margaret Thatcher|Thatcher]] fan, but I don't know whether that makes me a Thatcherite."<ref name="new identity">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4446864.stm "Cameron: Tories need new identity"], ''BBC News Online'', 17 November 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> He has also described himself as a "liberal Conservative" (though "liberal" in British English does not have the same meaning as in the United States, and instead has the meaning of "centrist," "moderate" or "libertarian").<ref name="Rawnsley">Andrew Rawnsley, [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0,,1669957,00.html "'I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one'"], ''Guardian Unlimited'', 18 December 2005, accessed 6 November 2006</ref> Some have gone so far as to claim that true conservatism is today represented in Britain not by the Conservative Party but by the [[UK Independence Party]].

Cameron has said: "My aim is to promote social justice, making sure that everyone has access to good schools, good healthcare and decent housing, take a lead in ending global poverty and do all we can to meet the great environmental threats of our age."<ref>http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=david.cameron.about.page</ref> Some conservative politicians and commentators, notably [[Norman Tebbit]], have criticised him for prioritising issues of the environment and social justice over more traditionally Conservative policy areas, such as tax, immigration and foreign relations. Tebbit said: "Is he the party's [[Chairman Mao]] or [[Pol Pot]], intent on purging even the memory and name of [[Margaret Thatcher|Thatcherism]] before building a new modern compassionate green globally aware party somewhere on the left side of the middle?"<ref name="g1">[http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,,1698576,00.html Tories must retake centre ground says Cameron], ''Guardian Unlimited'', 31 January 2006</ref> However, Cameron has responded extensively to such criticisms by pointing out that the economic and social problems faced by modern-day Britain are radically different from those faced in the past; he has argued that the Conservative Party needs to re-take the [[centrist|centre ground]] of politics from the [[Labour Party]].<ref name="bbc1">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4661024.stm Cameron denies 'betraying' Tories], BBC News, 30 January 2006</ref> He argued: "The change is not a betrayal. It is a recognition that the challenges faced by Britain are not the challenges of the 1970s. Social justice and economic efficiency are the common ground of British politics. We have to find the means of succeeding where the government has failed."<ref name="g1"/>

==References==
<References/>

==See also==
* [[British politics]]

==External links==
*[http://www.mydavidcameron.com/ Cameron Election Campaign 2010]
*[http://www.herald.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=13223:pm-cameron-brushes-off-libyan-war-talk&catid=45:international-news&Itemid=137 British prime minister brushes off Libyan war talk.]

{{DEFAULTSORT: Cameron, David}}
[[Category:Current Heads of government]]
[[Category:Anglicans]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[category:British Politics]]

Gordon Brown

2014-09-23T05:14:42Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Gordon Brown.jpg
|seq=74
|term_start=June 27, 2007
|term_end=May 11, 2010
|previous=Tony Blair
|next=David Cameron
|party=Labour Party
|birth_date=February 20, 1951
|birth_place=Glasgow
|spouse=Sarah Brown
|religion=[[Church of Scotland]]
}}
'''Dr. James Gordon Brown''', generally known as '''Gordon Brown''', is the former [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] and former leader of the British [[Labour Party]]. He succeeded [[Tony Blair]] in these positions in June 2007.

A Scottish [[Labour Party|Labour]] politician, Brown served as Britain's [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] for ten years. His mutual enmity with former Prime Minister Blair was a consistent feature of British political life for a number of years.

In Britain, Brown is seen as being a more sombre, sober and serious figure in contrast to Tony Blair, who is regarded as charismatic and has at times been perceived as lightweight and as an overly "slick" media performer (not unlike [[Bill Clinton]]). This resonates with a stereotype that many English people have of Scottish people being humorless and dour. Brown's father was a Minister in the [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] [[Church of Scotland]], and it is thought that Brown's religious beliefs have influenced his serious, sober style. On the negative side, some believe that he is insufficiently likeable and sunny to appeal to voters. He has also been criticized for secretiveness, control-freakery and an awkward personal style. However, his communication skills, especially reading from autocues and being interviewed under bright lights in television studios, may be adversely affected by the fact that his eyesight is extremely poor. He is blind in one eye and his vision in the other is weak, owing to a sporting injury sustained when he was a teenager.

Brown was one of the longest serving Chancellors in history, and took credit for the consistently healthy state of the British economy during his tenure - credit which many are reassessing in light of the current (as of October 2008) perilous condition of the British economy. He is a passionate advocate of reducing poverty in the [[Third World]]. He has made speeches in which he has praised the concept of "Britishness" and suggested that the British should display the British flag outside their houses, as many Americans do with the US flag. However, his patriotic convictions are expected to have consequences in foreign policy which are arguably negative: it is widely believed that he will be zealous in defending British interests (narrowly defined), but that he will neglect broader elements of Tony Blair's foreign policy such as support for the United States and the [[War on Terror]].

During Brown's tenure as Chancellor, the UK enjoyed sustained economic growth and generally positive reports from the [[International Monetary Fund]], although there were concerns at extreme inflationary pressures in the housing market. These concerns were more than borne out by the collapse in the housing market and credit crunch of 2007-2008.

Brown followed a generally redistributionary policy, increasing spending in the [[National Health Service]] and [[education]], and giving tax breaks to some poorer families whilst significantly increasing taxes on many others. His most significant achievement in the early days of the Labour Government was to grant fiscal independence to the Bank of England.

Just two days after the Brown ministry began, Islamic terrorists initiated several [[June 2007 UK terror attacks|attempted attacks]] against the UK, consisting of two car bombs in [[London]] on June 29 and a suicide-bomb attack at Glasgow International Airport on June 30.

By the Fall of 2008, Brown's premiership was increasingly seen as catastrophic by the country as a whole and his own party. Labour's opinion poll ratings dropped to historic lows, with widepread predictions of a Conservative landslide at the next General Election. The events of early October 2008, gained him new respect, though not necessarily popularity, as he exercised cool, firm international leadership in the midst of the banking crisis. Opinion polls show that Brown's popularity is significantly lower than that of his main opponent, [[David Cameron]], it is also alleged that he caused the "Credit crunch", the recession where the UK,supposedly owes more then HALF of their GDP, but local people say that no-one knows who we owe it to.

He has been married to Sarah since 2000. They have a daughter (deceased) and two sons.

==See also==
* [[British politics]]
* [[Labour Party]]

==References==

http://www.imf.org/external/country/GBR/index.htm

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Gordon}}
[[Category:Presbyterians]]
[[Category:Scottish People|Brown, Gordon]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers|Brown, Gordon]]

Tony Blair

2014-09-23T05:11:31Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Tblair.jpg
|seq=73
|term_start=May 2, 1997
|term_end=June 27, 2007
|previous=John Major
|party=Labour Party
|next=Gordon Brown
|birth_date=May 6, 1953
|birth_place=Edinburgh
|death_date=
|death_place=
|spouse=[[Cherie Blair|Cherie Booth]]
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
}}
'''Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair''', (born May 6, 1953) is a former [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]]. The [[Labour Party]]'s longest-serving Prime Minister, he served from May 2, 1997 to June 27, 2007, succeeding the Conservative Party's [[John Major]] and preceding [[Gordon Brown]]. Blair is also the only person to have led the Labour Party to three consecutive general election victories, and the only Labour Prime Minister to serve more than one full consecutive term. Over the protest of the Old Left he abandoned most of the leftover leftist ideas in the Labour Party, endorsed the market solutions promulgated by [[Conservative Party]] Prime Minister [[Margaret Thatcher]] in the 1980s, and, as a close ally of the United States under [[Bill Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]], he strongly endorsed the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

== Personal ==
The son of barrister and lecturer Leo Blair and his wife Hazel, Tony Blair was born in [[Edinburgh]], but spent most of his childhood in Durham. Blair has an older brother, Sir William, and a younger sister, Sarah. At the age of 14 he returned to Edinburgh to finish his education at Fettes College. Blair was known as a cheeky, rebellious, and argumentative schoolboy, and at 17 he was threatened with expulsion for persistently breaking school rules.<ref name="bbc">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6506365.stm The Tony Blair Story] BBC News 10 May 2007</ref>. After leaving Fettes with three A levels he studied law at [[Oxford University]], and went on to become a barrister (Lincoln's Inn) himself, before entering politics. Blair married his wife, [[Liverpool]]-born Cherie Booth QC, a barrister and daughter of the actor Tony Booth, in 1980, and they have four children.

Blair is a competent guitar player and at university was a member of a rock band called Ugly Rumours. His favourite music includes [[The Beatles]], [[The Rolling Stones]], [[Led Zeppelin]], Free, [[Bruce Springsteen]], [[U2]], Coldplay, The Foo Fighters, and Simply Red.<ref name="bbc" />

While Blair rarely discusses his religious faith in public - and had been advised by his spokesman Alistair Campbell that "We don't do God, Mate" <ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/05/05/dl0501.xml A Question of Faith] Daily Telegraph 5 May 2003</ref> - he is a convinced Christian. His wife Cherie is a Catholic and Blair converted to Catholicism in 2007.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7157409.stm Tony Blair joins Catholic Church] BBC News 22 December 2007</ref>

==Career==
He was elected to the Labour Party leadership in 1994 following the unexpected death of his predecessor, John Smith. As well as being leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, Blair also served as the [[Member of Parliament|MP]] for Sedgefield, a constituency in [[County Durham]] in northeast England.

==Blair's political career==
A combination of the Labour Party's newfound moderation, Blair's personal popularity and the deep unpopularity of the Conservatives under [[John Major]] resulted in a landslide victory for Blair and his party in the 1997 general election, ending 18 years of Conservative government. Blair led Labour to easy triumphs in the 2001 and 2005 elections.

While the Labour Party still carries the old tag of a "socialist party", Blair eradicated most elements of socialism and committed his government to capitalism and private ownership. Blair coined the phrases "[[New Labour]]" and "[[The Third Way]]" to distinguish his own pro-business policies from the more collectivist platform of his leftist predecessors. He was often attacked by left-wing members of the Labour Party for "selling out" to conservative thinking, particularly in his support for privitisation and cooperating closely in the foreign policy of the United States in the [[Iraq War]]. On the other hand, some of Blair's policies were liberal by American standards: they have included increases in taxation, increases in government spending (particularly on public schools and Britain's [[National Health Service|public healthcare system]]), the introduction and subsequent increases of a minimum wage, and support for equal rights for gay people.

==Blair's policies==
During Blair's tenure as Prime Minister, the [[Labour party|Labour]] government made the Bank of England independent, allowing them to set the nation's interest rates (which had previously been set by the Chancellor of the Exchequer), and introduced a national [[minimum wage]] in 1998, which has gradually been increased over time. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland gained their own legislatures, and limited attempts were been made to devolve power to the regions of England (although outside of [[London]] these were not successful). Blair's government also banned fox-hunting, cigarette smoking in public places and public demonstrations within 1 kilometre of Parliament, as well as prepared the way for a national identity card and increased the time suspects can be held in police custody without charge to 28 days. His government was also notable for legislating an equal age of consent for homosexuals, civil partnership laws, and the abolition of [[Section 28]] (a measure introduced by the previous Conservative administration which prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools).

The most controversial aspects of Blair's premiership was his unstinting support for the Iraq war, despite strong opposition from the far left. He won the endorsement of majorities of both the Labour Party and the Conservative Party MP's for his policies in Iraq. His foreign policy is often described as [[neoconservative]].

==Blair and the media==
In the 1990s in particular, Blair was seen as a charismatic leader, with formidable media performing skills. His most famous television appearance was his tribute to [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] on the morning after her death in August 1997, in which he described her as "the People's Princess" and "the Queen of Hearts". Blair acquired a reputation for excessive news management, and even for dishonesty, particularly after the Iraq War.

Blair was criticized by more liberal opponents for his close association with conservative News Corp. owner [[Rupert Murdoch]], and the positive press they believed he received in return.

He is also the only Prime Minister to provide his own voice in an episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]'', in the episode "The Regina Monologues".

== Presidential Medal of Freedom ==
[[Image:Blair MedalOfFreedom2.jpg|right|thumb|300px|President George Bush applauds former Prime Minister Tony Blair at the ceremony honoring Mr. Blair as recipient of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom.]]
On January 13, 2009, Blair received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] in a [[White House]] ceremony from United States President [[George W. Bush]]. The medal is America's highest civil award. It is given in recognition of exemplary achievement, and to convey the utmost esteem of the people and the President of the [[United States of America]]. The citation read:
:Tony Blair has been a powerful force for freedom and for building understanding among nations. As Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, he was instrumental in helping millions of people secure their freedom in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone; forging a new era of peace in Northern Ireland; providing humanitarian assistance around the globe, especially in Africa; and strengthening the special relationship between our two nations. Throughout his career, and in his role as Quartet Representative to the Middle East, he has worked to provide people with opportunities to better their lives. The United States honors Tony Blair for his lifelong dedication to building a more just and peaceful world.

==See Also==
* [[British politics]]
* [[Labour Party]]

==Bibliography==
===Biographies===
*Abse, Leo. ''Tony Blair: The Man Behind the Smile.'' (2001); nasty attack from the Old Left.
*Beckett F, Hencke D. ''The Survivor: Tony Blair in Peace and War .'' (2006) prize winning book by investigative journalists
*Naughtie, James. ''The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency.'' (2001); [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21050-2004Sep14.html Interview in ''The Washington Post.'']]
*Riddell, Peter. ''The Unfulfilled Prime Minister: Tony Blair and the End of Optimism.'' (2004)
*Seldon, Anthony. ''Blair.'' (2004) [http://www.cerium.ca/article944.html#ouverture "Tony Blair in History"]
*Stephens, Philip. ''Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader.'' (2004) by a senior editor of The ''Financial Times.'' Review [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5037/is_200402/ai_n18261022 Argues that for Blair, "ending the tyranny in Iraq was a moral cause fully in accord with the teachings on just wars of Saint Augustine and Thomas Aquinas."
* Temple, Michael. ''Blair'' (British Prime Ministers of the 20th Century) (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Blair-British-Prime-Ministers-Century/dp/1904950736/ref=sr_1_2/104-1795140-9172706?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1186882938&sr=8-2 excerpt online]

==Scholarly studies==
* Bevir, Mark and Rhodes, R. A. W. (2006) "Prime Ministers, Presidentialism and Westminster Smokescreens." ''Political Studies'' 54:671-90. Issn 0032-3217 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Bartle, John, and Anthony King. ''Britain at the Polls, 2005'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Britain-Polls-2005/dp/1933116633/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375016&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]
* Fielding, Steven. ''The Labour Party: Continuity and Change in the Making of New Labour.'' (2003) argues the Labour Party under Blair has been faithful to its past, and represents "traditional values in a modern setting."
* Foley, Michael. ''John Major, Tony Blair and a Conflict of Leadership: Collision Course.'' Manchester University Press, 212 pp. (2003)
* Foley, Michael. ''The British Presidency: Tony Blair and the Politics of Public Leadership'' (2001)
* Gardner, Lloyd C. "'Damned High Wire,' on the Special Relationship That Unites Bush and Blair in Iraq." ''Journal of Transatlantic Studies'' (2005) 3(1 Supplement):43-62. Issn: 1479-4012 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Giddens, Anthony. ''The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy'' (1998) [http://www.amazon.com/Third-Way-Renewal-Democracy-European/dp/0745622674/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375436&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], by influential advisor to Blair
* Hill, Paul T. "Lessons from Blair's School Reforms." ''Policy Review,'' No. 131, 2005. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5012121395 online edition]
* Jones, Nicholas. ''Sultans of Spin: The Media and the New Labour Government''. (2000)
* King, Anthony, ed. ''New Labour Triumphs: Britain at the Polls.'' (1998) , 259pp. political science [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=87571616 online edition]
* King, Anthony, ed. ''Britain at the Polls: 2001'' (2001)
* Needham, Catherine. "Brand Leaders: Clinton, Blair and the Limitations of the Permanent Campaign." ''Political Studies'' (2005) 53:343-61. Issn: 0032-3217 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]
* Norton, Bruce F. ''Politics in Britain'' (2007) textbook [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Britain-Bruce-F-Norton/dp/0871879247/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195375016&sr=8-13 excerpt and text search]
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003) 260 pp.
* Rubinstein, David. ''The Labour Party and British Society: 1880-2005.'' (2005) 228 pp.
* Williams, Paul. ''British Foreign Policy under New Labour'' (2006) 288pp
* Wilson, Graham K. "A Blair Era? The Political Order of Modern Britain," ''The Forum'' (2007) Vol. 5#3, Article 2. [http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol5/iss3/art2 online edition]
* Wither, James K. "British Bulldog or Bush's Poodle? Anglo-American Relations and the Iraq War," ''Parameters,'' Vol. 33, 2003 [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5002396235 online edition]

==Primary sources==
* King, Anthony, ed. ''British Political Opinion 1937-2000: The Gallup Polls'' (2001)

===Memoirs===
*Campbell, Alastair (2007) ''The Blair Years: The Alastair Campbell Diaries.'' Knopf, ISBN 0307268314. By the controversial Press Secretary to Tony Blair.
*Gould, Philip (1999) ''The Unfinished Revolution: How the Modernisers Saved the Labour Party.'' Abacus, ISBN 0-349-11177-4.

==External links==
* [http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9149782 ''The Economist'' "Tony Blair: How will history judge him?" leader published May 10th 2007 online]
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk_politics/2007/blair_years/default.stm The Blair Years 1997-2007] - BBC articles covering major events of Tony Blair's premiership, with analysis.
*[http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/tony_blair/index.html The New York Times] - Includes short biography and links to ''NY Times'' articles relating to Tony Blair.

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blair, Tony}}
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

John Major

2014-09-23T05:09:52Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=John Major.jpg
|seq=72
|term_start=November 28, 1990
|term_end=May 2, 1997
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=Margaret Thatcher
|next=Tony Blair
|birth_date=March 29, 1943
|birth_place=Carshalton
|spouse=Norma Major
|spouse2=
|religion=[[Anglican]]
}}
'''Sir John Major''', KG, CH, PC (March 29 1943) was the [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from November 1990 to May 1997, succeeding [[Margaret Thatcher]] and succeeded by [[Tony Blair]].

Major was elected leader of the British [[Conservative Party]], and hence Prime Minister, following the resignation of [[Margaret Thatcher]]. He was a relatively unknown figure at the time, but he was seen by many, including Lady Thatcher herself, as being firmly on the right of centre (or, at least, as being more conservative then his relatively [[liberal]] main opponent, [[Michael Heseltine]], the man who had brought Lady Thatcher down). He subsequently disappointed many in his party by his support for the [[Maastricht Treaty]] and the integration of Britain with the [[European Union]] that it brought about. Lady Thatcher criticised Major's European policy both publicly and in private.

Following the Conservatives' surprise victory in the 1992 general election, the popularity both of the party and of Major himself fell dramatically, particularly after a financial crisis in September 1992 known as [[Black Wednesday]], in which the [[Pound]] was forced out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM). Major's approval ratings remained in the doldrums for the remainder of his term in office, and in the May 1997 general election the Conservatives suffered one of their heaviest defeats in history against the newly revamped Labour Party of [[Tony Blair]]. Major was subsequently replaced as Prime Minister by [[Tony Blair]] of the [[Labour Party]] and as leader of the Conservative Party by [[William Hague]].

Although a very competent politician and a capable Prime Minister, Major's most serious mistake was failing to control the political divisions and infighting in his party, which lead to a needlessly heavy defeat in the 1997 election. Assessment of the significance of Major's premiership has gradually risen since he left office. In particular, his role in bringing together the political parties from different traditions is increasingly seen as crucial in creating the conditions for peaceful self-rule in [[Northern Ireland]], while he is recognised to have made substantial progress in making government agencies more accountable to the public. The latter achievements stand in sharp contrast to the subsequent efforts of the [[Tony Blair|Blair]] government to diminish accountability.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Major, John}}
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]

Margaret Thatcher

2014-09-23T05:03:17Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Margaret_Thatcher.jpg
|seq=71
|term_start=May 4, 1979
|term_end=November 28, 1990
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=James Callaghan
|next=John Major
|birth_date=October 13, 1925
|birth_place=Grantham
|death_date=April 8, 2013
|death_place=London
|spouse=[[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt]]
|religion=[[Methodist]]
}}

'''Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts)''', Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925. died April 8, 2013), was [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, the first, and currently, only woman to hold the position. Her leadership permanently moved Britain to the right and reshaped the nation's political environment to stress economic growth and international competitiveness. The [[Labour Party]] in response under [[Tony Blair]] jettisoned their old leftist ideas and followed Thatcher-lite programs. Despite being in power for 13 years from 1997 to 2010 Labour did not remove any of Thatcher's anti-union legislation and has refused to even consider doing so.

Thatcher was chosen to be the leader of the Conservative Party in February 1975, succeeding former Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]. She was opposed to [[socialism]] and excessive union power which had brought down the previous Conservative government in 1974. She led the Conservatives to victory in the May 1979 [[General Election]] and thus became Prime Minister.
{{cquote|'''The economic success of the Western world is a product of its moral philosophy and practice. ''The economic results are better because the moral philosophy is superior.'' Choice is the essence of ethics: if there were no choice, there would be no ethics, no good, no evil; good and evil have meaning only insofar as man is free to choose.''' <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/103336 1977 speech by Margaret Thatcher; Zurich Economic Society]</ref>}}

Thatcher sold many of the UK's nationalized industries back to private investors and made tax cuts. She broke the power of the trade unions which stood in the way of industrial progress, especially in the mining, print and shipbuilding industries and the public sector. Due to her strong standards and her leadership style, she became known as the "[[Iron Lady]]," a term originally coined as an insult in the [[Soviet Union|Soviet Army]] newspaper ''Krasnaya Zvezda'' (Red Star,) but one she adopted enthusiastically. A famous statement of hers was "You turn if you want to, but the lady's not for turning", in reference to calls from within her own party to back down (in the political terminology of the time, "U-turn") on issues that were important to her. Thatcher was always a strong supporter of close relations with the [[United States]] and was a good friend of President [[Ronald Reagan]], uniting with him in actions against the Communists.

She led Britain to victory against [[Argentina]] in a 1982 war over Argentinian aggression against the [[Falkland Islands]]. The United States was allied with both countries, and initially tried to broker a negotiated settlement. When Thatcher rejected the proposed compromise, the U.S. supported Britain with intelligence information and the supply of advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The conflict led to a strong friendship with the Chilean leader [[Augusto Pinochet]] after Chile helped Britain in the conflict. In 1986, she banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools in a piece of legislation known as [[Section 28]].

Thatcher led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections (1979, 1983 and 1987). By 1990, her popularity was waning and there were calls from within her own party for her to step aside. She was challenged for the party leadership and just failed to gain the necessary majority in the first election despite getting more votes than her rival [[Michael Heseltine]]. After being convinced by colleagues that she would narrowly fail to gain the necessary votes she decided not to stand for a second ballot and resigned as party leader on 22 November 1990. [[John Major]] won the party leadership vote, and was subsequently appointed to succeed Thatcher as Prime Minister. Heseltine's reputation was destroyed by his actions and his career in the Conservative Party slowly declined, although he remained in the British government and was Deputy Prime Minister between 1995 and 1997..

''Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister in more than 150 years and, alongside [[Winston Churchill]], is considered to be one of the two most important British political leaders of the twentieth century.''

She fundamentally moved the British economy from factories and mines to services and finance; although manufacturing output grew considerably under her leadership there was an even greater increase in the banking sector. [[Time|Time Magazine]] wrote of Lady Thatcher:
{{cquote|'''She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world — Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her. ''Champion of free minds and markets, she helped topple the welfare state and make the world safer for capitalism and mankind.''''' <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html Time Magazine; Time 100 citation]</ref>}} 

==Career prior to 1979==
The predominant influence in Lady Thatcher's early life was her father, [[Alfred Roberts]]. Roberts was a grocer by occupation who was active in local politics. She attended Somerville College, [[Oxford University|Oxford]], where she read chemistry and became chairman of the university Conservative association. After graduating, she worked for a time as a research chemist before qualifying as a barrister and practicing as a tax lawyer, an indication of her interest in financial matters. In this time period, it was uncommon in Britain for a woman from a background to go to an upper-class university and then to pursue a career in the elitist male world of the Bar.

Lady Thatcher married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman whom she met at a Conservative Party meeting; a quiet man, he kept out of the spotlight. They had two children, twins Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher.

Under the weak and troubled Conservative premiership of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), Thatcher served as Secretary of State for Education during which time her most noted achievement was the withdrawal of a daily milk ration to primary age schoolchildren earning her the nickname Milk-Snatcher. After the Conservatives were defeated in the elections of February and October 1974, Thatcher challenged the more liberal Heath for the leadership of the party. When she went into Heath's office to tell him her decision, he did not even bother to look up. "You'll lose," he said. "Good day to you." [http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

[[Image:503px-Thatcher-loc.jpg|right|thumb|Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Opposition in 1975.]]
Though at the time she was a relatively untested figure (and many in the party were wary of choosing a woman leader), she defeated both Heath and other male rivals in the contest in February 1975. Heath subsequently became a prominent personal and political adversary of Thatcher, drawing accusations of bitterness.

In the 1970s, Thatcher's strongly conservative, pro-capitalist stance resonated with a new mood among the British electorate, many of whom had become dissatisfied with the post-[[World War II]] statist consensus (the "post-war consensus", sometimes also called "Butskellism" after the centrist Conservative politician [[Rab Butler]] and the moderate Labour politician [[Hugh Gaitskell]]). Thatcher and the Conservatives offered a clear alternative vision for an increasingly aspirational society. The Conservative politician Sir [[Keith Joseph]] was the primary intellectual force behind these theories that later became known as ''Thatcherism''. They were strongly influenced by the pro-market intellectuals [[Friedrich von Hayek]] and [[Milton Friedman]].

===Attitude to Abortion===
Thatcher, throughout her parliamentary career, voted in favor of [[Abortion Act of 1967|liberal abortion laws]].[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.html]

==1979 election==
The Labour party under [[James Callaghan]] (prime minister 1976-79) contested the May 1979 election as unemployment passed the one-million mark and unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by Saatchi and Saatchi, showing a dole queue snaking into the distance and it carried the caption "Labour isn't working".

Voters gave Conservatives 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats. People generally voted against Labour rather than for the Conservatives. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When [[Harold Wilson]] won narrowly for Labour in 1964, they had accounted for 63%. Furthermore they were beginning to turn against the trade unions—alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978-9. In contrast, Tory policies stressing wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.

==Prime Ministership==
===Economic policy===
Thatcher's chief goals in power were to reverse Britain's economic decline and to reduce the range of the state as well as standing taller on the international stage. She found a soul-mate in Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 but whom she had met in 1975. Thatcher started by increasing interest rates to drive down inflation which hit the manufacturing sector and caused unemployment to rise sharply and there was a deep recession in the early 1980s blamed on her Government's economic policy. This led to her famous quote: 'the lady is not for turning', and she refused a policy reversal and, despite an open letter from 364 "economists", taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. Although unemployment did not reach 3 million till 1982, a year earlier British cities burned as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration. Inflation was going down though, allowing interest rates to fall, proving those "economists" wrong.

===Falkland Islands===
As the economy started to recover Argentina invaded the Falklands, the first (and unprovoked) invasion of sovereign British territory by a foreign government since the Second World War. This invasion was preceded, and possibly encouraged, by her withdrawal of the Royal Navy's antarctic patrol ship ''HMS Endurance'' from the South Atlantic. Thatcher immediately declared her resolve to recapture the islands in line with the wishes of their inhabitants, and dispatched a naval task force to that end. With help from President [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] of [[Chile]] and, more covertly, [[Ronald Reagan]], the British forces swiftly recaptured the islands. The resulting wave of patriotic enthusiasm as well as her right to buy policy for council homes, and a uselessly divided opposition, meant she got a landslide victory in the June 1983 general election.

===Unions===
The central theme of Thatcher's second term was reducing the power of the trade unions with a series of measures that a number of unions reacted to with industrial action. In particular action was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill, who openly declared the intention of bringing down the elected government. The Tories had prepared for the strike by building up coal reserves and deploying police units fitted out with new riot gear brought in after the disturbances of 1981. The miners responded with violence and very ugly scenes developed on picket lines that split the country. Scargill's failure to hold a ballot for the strike undermined public support and the striker's chant of 'vote with your feet' calling miners to join the strike was turned on them as more and more returned to work over the year of the strike.

===IRA===
In the middle of the strike, on October 12 1984, the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army; a terror group that seeks Irish Reunification) detonated a bomb during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton. Thatcher escaped injury but five people died in the attack and Margaret Tebbit was left paralyzed; the conference went on as normal. Thatcher delivered a speech less than four hours after the explosion.

===Privatization===
Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasized free markets and since gaining power she had experimented in selling off nationalized industries starting with the National Freight company, most of the large utilities followed.

Privatization was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the political economy developed under Thatcher. She privatized long-nationalized corporations (such as the telephone and aerospace firms) and, most important, sold public housing to tenants, all on favorable terms. Theis turned Labour-minded tenants into Conservative-minded property owners and mortgage payers. The policy developed an important electoral dimension during the second Thatcher government (1983-90). It involved more than denationalization: wider share ownership was the second plank of the policy, and this provides an important historical perspective on the relationship between Thatcherism and 20th-century conservatism.<ref> Richard Stevens, "The Evolution of Privatisation as an Electoral Policy, c. 1970-90." ''Contemporary British History'' 2004 18(2): 47-75. Issn: 1361-9462 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Thatcher supported Reagan's [[Cold War]] policies of [[rollback]] of Communism. She supported the stationing of nuclear missiles in Europe and at British bases, ignoring the last-gasp protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She supported the American bombing raid on [[Libya]] from bases in Britain in 1986 and, by refusing to side with a European consortium, in backing the American-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation over a British company Westland. [[Michael Heseltine]] resigned in protest at her style of leadership over this.

In 1984 she visited [[China]] and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with [[Deng Xiaoping]] that agreed the handover of [[Hong Kong]] in 1997. At the Fontainebleau summit in 1984 Thatcher argued that the UK paid far more to the EEC than it received in spending and negotiated a budget rebate using the argument that ‘We want our money back’. In 1985, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for education.

===Reelected 1987===
In 1987, Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister to win three consecutive general elections since [[Lord Liverpool]] (1812-1827).

===Environment===
In the late 1980's Thatcher began to be concerned by environmental policy and in 1988 she made a major speech accepting the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=107346 Speech to the Royal Society, 9/27/1988]</ref>

===Europe===
At Bruges, she made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Communities for a federal structure and increasing centralization of decision-making believing that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition. She was specifically against Economic and Monetary Union, through which a single currency would replace national currencies, and for which the EC was making preparations. In 1989 the economy high interest rates were imposed to stop an unsustainable boom. At the Madrid European summit, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to agree the circumstances in which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union. She took revenge on both by demoting Howe and listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Lawson resigned that October and in November, a so-called ‘stalking horse candidate Sir Anthony Meyer challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In 1989 a new system of local government finance to replace the rates was introduced for Scotland in 1989 and for England and Wales in 1990. Called the 'Community Charge' but known as the Poll Tax was applied at the same amount to every individual resident with only limited discounts. Widespread opposition culminated in a huge [http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/article.php?story=200510081953085 demonstration] in London on March 31 that turned into the largest outbreak of public disorder central London had seen in a century which was followed by millions of people refusing to pay the tax. This along with her government's handling of the economy, her perceived arrogance and a general feeling that she would never retire, made her politically vulnerable. Geoffrey Howe resigned on November 1 and condemned Thatcher's policy on the European Communities then openly invited 'others to consider their own response'. Michael Heseltine's response was a leadership challenge which resulted in a narrow failure, by two votes, for Thatcher to win automatic re-election. After consulting with cabinet colleagues she found a vast majority thought that she could not win on the second ballot. On November 22nd Thatcher announced that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. She supported John Major as her successor, and retired from Parliament at the 1992 election.

==Thatcherism==
[[Thatcherism]] refers to Thatcher's economic policies while prime minister 1979 and 1990.
It consisted of
*[[free market]] [[Supply-side economics|supply-side economics]]
*[[tax]] reduction
*artificial manipulation of the money supply to reduce [[inflation]]
*[[privatization]] of public industry
*reining in of [[labor union|trade union]] influence and power

==Life after being Prime Minister==
After leaving the House of Commons, Thatcher was dubbed '''Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven''' and entered the House of Lords. Denis Thatcher was given a Baronetcy, which ensured that their son, Mark, would inherit the title of "Sir Mark".

She publicly endorsed [[William Hague]] against Kenneth Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 1997. She made many speaking engagements around the world, including very vocal support of former General [[Augusto Pinochet]], whom the new Labour administration extradited to Spain on trumped-up charges of torturing political opponents. In March 2002 she suffered a mild stroke, and made few speeches. In 2004 she attended the funeral of her old friend and political soul-mate, Ronald Reagan. Baroness Thatcher was still seen at Tory party gatherings until nearly the end of her life, and continued endorsing party leaders, such as Iain Duncan Smith. In August 2008, it became known that she was suffering from [[dementia]] and had withdrawn from public life. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm Thatcher suffers from dementia]</ref>
[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html][http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/pages/margaretbiography1.htm][http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp]

==Quick Facts==
[[Image:THATCH~1.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
*Born: 13 October 1925 in [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]]

*First entered Parliament: 8 October 1959

*Became leader of the [[Conservative]] Party in February 1975

*Elected as Prime Minister in May 1979

*Age she became PM: 53 years, 204 days

*Maiden Speech: 5 February 1960 during the second reading of her Private Member's Bill

*Total time as PM: 11 years, 209 days

*Nickname: "The Iron Lady"

*Education: Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Somerville College, Oxford

*Before Thatcher became an MP, she worked as a research chemist for British Xylonite and then Lyons & Company, where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream.

*Family: Margaret Thatcher is the younger of two daughters. She often gave her father as an example of an outstanding citizen. She married [[Sir Denis Thatcher]], and has one son and one daughter.

*Interests: Music, art, opera and reading.

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

==Husband==
Denis Thatcher, ''as the first male PM spouse in history'', was always likely to be the center of media attention - and he didn't disappoint.

When she met him, Baroness Thatcher remarked that "it was clear to me at once that Denis was an exceptional man - he had a certain style and dash." Described as a man of integrity, humor and common sense, he had a strong business background and fought with the Royal Artillery during the war.

It was said that Denis was in 'the Thatcher party not the Tory party'. He once famously remarked, recalling the words of Mark Twain, that: "it's better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt."

When he died in 2003 his wife paid tribute to the man she loved by saying: "Being PM is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be - you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend."

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

== Notable quotes==
*"I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together."

*"The lady is not for turning"

*"I have made it quite clear that a unified Ireland was one solution that is out. A second solution was a confederation of two states. That is out. A third solution was joint authority. That is out-that is a derogation of sovereignty."

*"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left."

*"If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you."

*"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

*" There is no such thing as [[society]]. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate"<ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106689 Interview in ''Woman's Own'']</ref>

*"What Britain needs is an iron lady."

*"Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot, remembered kindly for its noble past."

*"I just owe almost everything to my father [and] it's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election."

*"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."<ref>[http://www.quoteworld.org/authors/margaret-thatcher/1/ Quotes by Margaret Thatcher]</ref>

*"It will be years before a woman either leads the Conservative Party or becomes Prime Minister. I don't see it happening in my time" (in 1970.) This quote was parodied in the 2006 TV series Life on Mars, when DCI Gene Hunt (speaking in 1973) stated "There'll never be a woman Prime Minister as long as I have a hole in my ar*e."

*“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=zac9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA283&dq=fight+the+battle+more+than+once+to+win+it.&ei=3hpnS82IAaSyNNvx1PwN&cd=2 The Routledge dictionary of quotations‎ - Page 283 by Robert Andrews]</ref>

*(Referring to her friend and adviser William Whitelaw) "Every Prime Minister needs a Willie."

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

==External Links==
* [http://www.margaretthatcher.org/ Margaret Thatcher Foundation]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
[[File:Thatcher-pic.jpg|thumb|260px]]

===Biography===
* Blundell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Portrait-Iron-Lady/dp/087586631X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher. Vol. 1: The Grocer's Daughter.'' (2000); ''Margaret Thatcher. vol. 2: Iron Lady'' (2007), 520pp; 913pp; long, detailed authoritative biography
* Clarke, Peter. "Margaret Thatcher's Place in History: Two Views," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 357-368 online at EBSCO
* Geelhoed, Bruce E. and Hobbs, James F. ''Margaret Thatcher's Last Hurrah: In Victory and Downfall, 1987 and 1990.'' (1992). 193 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15091359?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20In%20Victory%20and%20Downfall%2c%201987%20and%201990 online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-Victory-Downfall-1987/dp/0275941485/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823416&sr=8-34 excerpt and text search]
* King, Anthony. "The Outsider as Political Leader: the Case of Margaret Thatcher." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 2002 32(3): 435-454. Issn: 0007-1234 Fulltext: [[CUP]] and [[Jstor]]. Thatcher was a social outsider, psychological outsider and political outsider.
* Thompson, Juliet S., and Wayne C. Thompson. ''Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/read/85710688?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20Prime%20Minister%20Indomitable online edition]
* Young, Hugo. ''The Iron Lady: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.'' (1989). 570 pp. well-written and well researched

===Political studies===
* Adonis, Andrew, and Tim Hames, eds. ''A Conservative Revolution: The Thatcher-Reagan Decade'' (1994), comparative perspective
* Backhouse, Roger E. "The Macroeconomics of Margaret Thatcher," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 313-334 online at EBSCO
* Dellheim, Charles. ''The Disenchanted Isle: Mrs. Thatcher's Capitalist Revolution.'' (1995) 352 pp.
* Evans, Brendan. ''Thatcherism and British Politics, 1975-1997'' (2000)
* Evans, Eric J. ''Thatcher and Thatcherism.'' (2nd ed. 2004). 176 pp [http://www.questia.com/read/107494201?title=Thatcher%20and%20Thatcherism online edition]
* Fry, Geoffrey K. ''Politics of the Thatcher Revolution: An Interpretation of British Politics 1975 - 1990'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Thatcher-Revolution-Interpretation-British/dp/0333751965/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Haseler, Stephen. ''The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals.'' (1990). 195 pp.
* Holmes, Martin. ''The First Thatcher Government, 1979-83: Contemporary Conservatism and Economic Change'' (1985); ''Thatcherism: Scope and Limits, 1983-87.'' (1989). 174 pp. a sympathetic assessment.
* Jenkins, Peter. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Revolution: The Ending of the Socialist Era.'' (1988). 417 pp. critical
* Johnson, Christopher. ''The Grand Experiment: Mrs. Thatcher's Economy and How It Spread.'' (1993). 341 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus?'' (1987). 334 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis, and Anthony Seldon, eds. ''The Thatcher Effect'' (1989), major interpretive essays by experts
* Krieger, Joel. ''Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Decline.'' (1987). 247 pp.
* Moon, Jeremy. ''Innovative Leadership in Democracy: Policy Change under Thatcher.'' (1993). 157 pp.
* Morgan, K.O. ''The People's Peace: British History, 1945-90'' (1990) survey by leading scholar
* Pugliese, Stanislao, ed. ''The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher.'' (2003). 419 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003). 260 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''Tory Radicalism: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-1997.'' (1997). 222 pp.
* Riddell, Peter. ''The Thatcher Decade: How Britain Has Changed during the 1980's.'' (1989). 236 pp.
* Roy, Subroto and Clarke, John, eds. ''Margaret Thatcher's Revolution: How It Happened and What It Meant.'' (2005). 209 pp.
* Savage, S.P., and L. Robbins, eds. ''Public Policy under Thatcher'' (1990), essays by experts
* Sharp, Paul. ''Thatcher's Diplomacy: The Revival of British Foreign Policy.'' (1997). 269 pp.
* Smith, Geoffrey. ''Reagan and Thatcher.'' (1991). 285 pp.
* Waine, Barbara. ''The Rhetoric of Independence: The Ideology and Practice of Social Policy in Thatcher's Britain.'' (1992). 172 pp.
* Wall, Stephen. ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Europe-Britain-Thatcher-Blair/dp/0199284555/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823185&sr=1-26 excerpt and text search]
* Walters, A. A. ''Britain's Economic Renaissance: Margaret Thatcher's Reforms, 1979-1984.'' (1986). 200 pp.
* Wapshott, Nicholas. ''Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage.'' (2007) 329 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Reagan-Margaret-Thatcher-Political/dp/159523053X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Whipple, Amy C. "'Ordinary People': The Cultural Origins of Popular Thatcherism in Britain, 1964-1979." PhD dissertation Northwestern U. 2004. 253 pp. DAI 2004 65(5): 1926-A. DA3132626 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Bibliography-Bibliographies-Statesmen/dp/book-citations/0313282889/ref=sid_dp_av?ie=UTF8&citeType=citing#citing additional books]

===Primary sources===
* Clark, Alan. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Minister: The Private Diaries of Alan Clark.'' (1994). 421 pp.
* Thatcher, Margaret. ''The Path to Power (1995); ''The Downing Street Years.'' (1993). 914 pp., highly detailed memoirs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Margaret}}
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:English people]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

Margaret Thatcher

2014-09-23T04:58:05Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Margaret_Thatcher.jpg
|seq=71
|term_start=May 4, 1979
|term_end=November 28 1990
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=James Callaghan
|next=John Major
|birth_date=October 13 1925
|birth_place=Grantham
|death_date=April 8, 2013
|death_place=London
|spouse=[[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt]]
|religion=[[Methodist]]
}}

'''Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts)''', Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925. died April 8, 2013), was [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, the first, and currently, only woman to hold the position. Her leadership permanently moved Britain to the right and reshaped the nation's political environment to stress economic growth and international competitiveness. The [[Labour Party]] in response under [[Tony Blair]] jettisoned their old leftist ideas and followed Thatcher-lite programs. Despite being in power for 13 years from 1997 to 2010 Labour did not remove any of Thatcher's anti-union legislation and has refused to even consider doing so.

Thatcher was chosen to be the leader of the Conservative Party in February 1975, succeeding former Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]. She was opposed to [[socialism]] and excessive union power which had brought down the previous Conservative government in 1974. She led the Conservatives to victory in the May 1979 [[General Election]] and thus became Prime Minister.
{{cquote|'''The economic success of the Western world is a product of its moral philosophy and practice. ''The economic results are better because the moral philosophy is superior.'' Choice is the essence of ethics: if there were no choice, there would be no ethics, no good, no evil; good and evil have meaning only insofar as man is free to choose.''' <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/103336 1977 speech by Margaret Thatcher; Zurich Economic Society]</ref>}}

Thatcher sold many of the UK's nationalized industries back to private investors and made tax cuts. She broke the power of the trade unions which stood in the way of industrial progress, especially in the mining, print and shipbuilding industries and the public sector. Due to her strong standards and her leadership style, she became known as the "[[Iron Lady]]," a term originally coined as an insult in the [[Soviet Union|Soviet Army]] newspaper ''Krasnaya Zvezda'' (Red Star,) but one she adopted enthusiastically. A famous statement of hers was "You turn if you want to, but the lady's not for turning", in reference to calls from within her own party to back down (in the political terminology of the time, "U-turn") on issues that were important to her. Thatcher was always a strong supporter of close relations with the [[United States]] and was a good friend of President [[Ronald Reagan]], uniting with him in actions against the Communists.

She led Britain to victory against [[Argentina]] in a 1982 war over Argentinian aggression against the [[Falkland Islands]]. The United States was allied with both countries, and initially tried to broker a negotiated settlement. When Thatcher rejected the proposed compromise, the U.S. supported Britain with intelligence information and the supply of advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The conflict led to a strong friendship with the Chilean leader [[Augusto Pinochet]] after Chile helped Britain in the conflict. In 1986, she banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools in a piece of legislation known as [[Section 28]].

Thatcher led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections (1979, 1983 and 1987). By 1990, her popularity was waning and there were calls from within her own party for her to step aside. She was challenged for the party leadership and just failed to gain the necessary majority in the first election despite getting more votes than her rival [[Michael Heseltine]]. After being convinced by colleagues that she would narrowly fail to gain the necessary votes she decided not to stand for a second ballot and resigned as party leader on 22 November 1990. [[John Major]] won the party leadership vote, and was subsequently appointed to succeed Thatcher as Prime Minister. Heseltine's reputation was destroyed by his actions and his career in the Conservative Party slowly declined, although he remained in the British government and was Deputy Prime Minister between 1995 and 1997..

''Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister in more than 150 years and, alongside [[Winston Churchill]], is considered to be one of the two most important British political leaders of the twentieth century.''

She fundamentally moved the British economy from factories and mines to services and finance; although manufacturing output grew considerably under her leadership there was an even greater increase in the banking sector. [[Time|Time Magazine]] wrote of Lady Thatcher:
{{cquote|'''She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world — Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her. ''Champion of free minds and markets, she helped topple the welfare state and make the world safer for capitalism and mankind.''''' <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html Time Magazine; Time 100 citation]</ref>}} 

==Career prior to 1979==
The predominant influence in Lady Thatcher's early life was her father, [[Alfred Roberts]]. Roberts was a grocer by occupation who was active in local politics. She attended Somerville College, [[Oxford University|Oxford]], where she read chemistry and became chairman of the university Conservative association. After graduating, she worked for a time as a research chemist before qualifying as a barrister and practicing as a tax lawyer, an indication of her interest in financial matters. In this time period, it was uncommon in Britain for a woman from a background to go to an upper-class university and then to pursue a career in the elitist male world of the Bar.

Lady Thatcher married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman whom she met at a Conservative Party meeting; a quiet man, he kept out of the spotlight. They had two children, twins Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher.

Under the weak and troubled Conservative premiership of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), Thatcher served as Secretary of State for Education during which time her most noted achievement was the withdrawal of a daily milk ration to primary age schoolchildren earning her the nickname Milk-Snatcher. After the Conservatives were defeated in the elections of February and October 1974, Thatcher challenged the more liberal Heath for the leadership of the party. When she went into Heath's office to tell him her decision, he did not even bother to look up. "You'll lose," he said. "Good day to you." [http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

[[Image:503px-Thatcher-loc.jpg|right|thumb|Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Opposition in 1975.]]
Though at the time she was a relatively untested figure (and many in the party were wary of choosing a woman leader), she defeated both Heath and other male rivals in the contest in February 1975. Heath subsequently became a prominent personal and political adversary of Thatcher, drawing accusations of bitterness.

In the 1970s, Thatcher's strongly conservative, pro-capitalist stance resonated with a new mood among the British electorate, many of whom had become dissatisfied with the post-[[World War II]] statist consensus (the "post-war consensus", sometimes also called "Butskellism" after the centrist Conservative politician [[Rab Butler]] and the moderate Labour politician [[Hugh Gaitskell]]). Thatcher and the Conservatives offered a clear alternative vision for an increasingly aspirational society. The Conservative politician Sir [[Keith Joseph]] was the primary intellectual force behind these theories that later became known as ''Thatcherism''. They were strongly influenced by the pro-market intellectuals [[Friedrich von Hayek]] and [[Milton Friedman]].

===Attitude to Abortion===
Thatcher, throughout her parliamentary career, voted in favor of [[Abortion Act of 1967|liberal abortion laws]].[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.html]

==1979 election==
The Labour party under [[James Callaghan]] (prime minister 1976-79) contested the May 1979 election as unemployment passed the one-million mark and unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by Saatchi and Saatchi, showing a dole queue snaking into the distance and it carried the caption "Labour isn't working".

Voters gave Conservatives 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats. People generally voted against Labour rather than for the Conservatives. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When [[Harold Wilson]] won narrowly for Labour in 1964, they had accounted for 63%. Furthermore they were beginning to turn against the trade unions—alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978-9. In contrast, Tory policies stressing wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.

==Prime Ministership==
===Economic policy===
Thatcher's chief goals in power were to reverse Britain's economic decline and to reduce the range of the state as well as standing taller on the international stage. She found a soul-mate in Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 but whom she had met in 1975. Thatcher started by increasing interest rates to drive down inflation which hit the manufacturing sector and caused unemployment to rise sharply and there was a deep recession in the early 1980s blamed on her Government's economic policy. This led to her famous quote: 'the lady is not for turning', and she refused a policy reversal and, despite an open letter from 364 "economists", taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. Although unemployment did not reach 3 million till 1982, a year earlier British cities burned as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration. Inflation was going down though, allowing interest rates to fall, proving those "economists" wrong.

===Falkland Islands===
As the economy started to recover Argentina invaded the Falklands, the first (and unprovoked) invasion of sovereign British territory by a foreign government since the Second World War. This invasion was preceded, and possibly encouraged, by her withdrawal of the Royal Navy's antarctic patrol ship ''HMS Endurance'' from the South Atlantic. Thatcher immediately declared her resolve to recapture the islands in line with the wishes of their inhabitants, and dispatched a naval task force to that end. With help from President [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] of [[Chile]] and, more covertly, [[Ronald Reagan]], the British forces swiftly recaptured the islands. The resulting wave of patriotic enthusiasm as well as her right to buy policy for council homes, and a uselessly divided opposition, meant she got a landslide victory in the June 1983 general election.

===Unions===
The central theme of Thatcher's second term was reducing the power of the trade unions with a series of measures that a number of unions reacted to with industrial action. In particular action was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill, who openly declared the intention of bringing down the elected government. The Tories had prepared for the strike by building up coal reserves and deploying police units fitted out with new riot gear brought in after the disturbances of 1981. The miners responded with violence and very ugly scenes developed on picket lines that split the country. Scargill's failure to hold a ballot for the strike undermined public support and the striker's chant of 'vote with your feet' calling miners to join the strike was turned on them as more and more returned to work over the year of the strike.

===IRA===
In the middle of the strike, on October 12 1984, the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army; a terror group that seeks Irish Reunification) detonated a bomb during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton. Thatcher escaped injury but five people died in the attack and Margaret Tebbit was left paralyzed; the conference went on as normal. Thatcher delivered a speech less than four hours after the explosion.

===Privatization===
Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasized free markets and since gaining power she had experimented in selling off nationalized industries starting with the National Freight company, most of the large utilities followed.

Privatization was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the political economy developed under Thatcher. She privatized long-nationalized corporations (such as the telephone and aerospace firms) and, most important, sold public housing to tenants, all on favorable terms. Theis turned Labour-minded tenants into Conservative-minded property owners and mortgage payers. The policy developed an important electoral dimension during the second Thatcher government (1983-90). It involved more than denationalization: wider share ownership was the second plank of the policy, and this provides an important historical perspective on the relationship between Thatcherism and 20th-century conservatism.<ref> Richard Stevens, "The Evolution of Privatisation as an Electoral Policy, c. 1970-90." ''Contemporary British History'' 2004 18(2): 47-75. Issn: 1361-9462 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Thatcher supported Reagan's [[Cold War]] policies of [[rollback]] of Communism. She supported the stationing of nuclear missiles in Europe and at British bases, ignoring the last-gasp protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She supported the American bombing raid on [[Libya]] from bases in Britain in 1986 and, by refusing to side with a European consortium, in backing the American-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation over a British company Westland. [[Michael Heseltine]] resigned in protest at her style of leadership over this.

In 1984 she visited [[China]] and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with [[Deng Xiaoping]] that agreed the handover of [[Hong Kong]] in 1997. At the Fontainebleau summit in 1984 Thatcher argued that the UK paid far more to the EEC than it received in spending and negotiated a budget rebate using the argument that ‘We want our money back’. In 1985, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for education.

===Reelected 1987===
In 1987, Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister to win three consecutive general elections since [[Lord Liverpool]] (1812-1827).

===Environment===
In the late 1980's Thatcher began to be concerned by environmental policy and in 1988 she made a major speech accepting the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=107346 Speech to the Royal Society, 9/27/1988]</ref>

===Europe===
At Bruges, she made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Communities for a federal structure and increasing centralization of decision-making believing that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition. She was specifically against Economic and Monetary Union, through which a single currency would replace national currencies, and for which the EC was making preparations. In 1989 the economy high interest rates were imposed to stop an unsustainable boom. At the Madrid European summit, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to agree the circumstances in which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union. She took revenge on both by demoting Howe and listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Lawson resigned that October and in November, a so-called ‘stalking horse candidate Sir Anthony Meyer challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In 1989 a new system of local government finance to replace the rates was introduced for Scotland in 1989 and for England and Wales in 1990. Called the 'Community Charge' but known as the Poll Tax was applied at the same amount to every individual resident with only limited discounts. Widespread opposition culminated in a huge [http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/article.php?story=200510081953085 demonstration] in London on March 31 that turned into the largest outbreak of public disorder central London had seen in a century which was followed by millions of people refusing to pay the tax. This along with her government's handling of the economy, her perceived arrogance and a general feeling that she would never retire, made her politically vulnerable. Geoffrey Howe resigned on November 1 and condemned Thatcher's policy on the European Communities then openly invited 'others to consider their own response'. Michael Heseltine's response was a leadership challenge which resulted in a narrow failure, by two votes, for Thatcher to win automatic re-election. After consulting with cabinet colleagues she found a vast majority thought that she could not win on the second ballot. On November 22nd Thatcher announced that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. She supported John Major as her successor, and retired from Parliament at the 1992 election.

==Thatcherism==
[[Thatcherism]] refers to Thatcher's economic policies while prime minister 1979 and 1990.
It consisted of
*[[free market]] [[Supply-side economics|supply-side economics]]
*[[tax]] reduction
*artificial manipulation of the money supply to reduce [[inflation]]
*[[privatization]] of public industry
*reining in of [[labor union|trade union]] influence and power

==Life after being Prime Minister==
After leaving the House of Commons, Thatcher was dubbed '''Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven''' and entered the House of Lords. Denis Thatcher was given a Baronetcy, which ensured that their son, Mark, would inherit the title of "Sir Mark".

She publicly endorsed [[William Hague]] against Kenneth Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 1997. She made many speaking engagements around the world, including very vocal support of former General [[Augusto Pinochet]], whom the new Labour administration extradited to Spain on trumped-up charges of torturing political opponents. In March 2002 she suffered a mild stroke, and made few speeches. In 2004 she attended the funeral of her old friend and political soul-mate, Ronald Reagan. Baroness Thatcher was still seen at Tory party gatherings until nearly the end of her life, and continued endorsing party leaders, such as Iain Duncan Smith. In August 2008, it became known that she was suffering from [[dementia]] and had withdrawn from public life. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm Thatcher suffers from dementia]</ref>
[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html][http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/pages/margaretbiography1.htm][http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp]

==Quick Facts==
[[Image:THATCH~1.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
*Born: 13 October 1925 in [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]]

*First entered Parliament: 8 October 1959

*Became leader of the [[Conservative]] Party in February 1975

*Elected as Prime Minister in May 1979

*Age she became PM: 53 years, 204 days

*Maiden Speech: 5 February 1960 during the second reading of her Private Member's Bill

*Total time as PM: 11 years, 209 days

*Nickname: "The Iron Lady"

*Education: Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Somerville College, Oxford

*Before Thatcher became an MP, she worked as a research chemist for British Xylonite and then Lyons & Company, where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream.

*Family: Margaret Thatcher is the younger of two daughters. She often gave her father as an example of an outstanding citizen. She married [[Sir Denis Thatcher]], and has one son and one daughter.

*Interests: Music, art, opera and reading.

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

==Husband==
Denis Thatcher, ''as the first male PM spouse in history'', was always likely to be the center of media attention - and he didn't disappoint.

When she met him, Baroness Thatcher remarked that "it was clear to me at once that Denis was an exceptional man - he had a certain style and dash." Described as a man of integrity, humor and common sense, he had a strong business background and fought with the Royal Artillery during the war.

It was said that Denis was in 'the Thatcher party not the Tory party'. He once famously remarked, recalling the words of Mark Twain, that: "it's better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt."

When he died in 2003 his wife paid tribute to the man she loved by saying: "Being PM is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be - you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend."

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

== Notable quotes==
*"I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together."

*"The lady is not for turning"

*"I have made it quite clear that a unified Ireland was one solution that is out. A second solution was a confederation of two states. That is out. A third solution was joint authority. That is out-that is a derogation of sovereignty."

*"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left."

*"If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you."

*"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

*" There is no such thing as [[society]]. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate"<ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106689 Interview in ''Woman's Own'']</ref>

*"What Britain needs is an iron lady."

*"Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot, remembered kindly for its noble past."

*"I just owe almost everything to my father [and] it's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election."

*"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."<ref>[http://www.quoteworld.org/authors/margaret-thatcher/1/ Quotes by Margaret Thatcher]</ref>

*"It will be years before a woman either leads the Conservative Party or becomes Prime Minister. I don't see it happening in my time" (in 1970.) This quote was parodied in the 2006 TV series Life on Mars, when DCI Gene Hunt (speaking in 1973) stated "There'll never be a woman Prime Minister as long as I have a hole in my ar*e."

*“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=zac9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA283&dq=fight+the+battle+more+than+once+to+win+it.&ei=3hpnS82IAaSyNNvx1PwN&cd=2 The Routledge dictionary of quotations‎ - Page 283 by Robert Andrews]</ref>

*(Referring to her friend and adviser William Whitelaw) "Every Prime Minister needs a Willie."

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

==External Links==
* [http://www.margaretthatcher.org/ Margaret Thatcher Foundation]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
[[File:Thatcher-pic.jpg|thumb|260px]]

===Biography===
* Blundell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Portrait-Iron-Lady/dp/087586631X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher. Vol. 1: The Grocer's Daughter.'' (2000); ''Margaret Thatcher. vol. 2: Iron Lady'' (2007), 520pp; 913pp; long, detailed authoritative biography
* Clarke, Peter. "Margaret Thatcher's Place in History: Two Views," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 357-368 online at EBSCO
* Geelhoed, Bruce E. and Hobbs, James F. ''Margaret Thatcher's Last Hurrah: In Victory and Downfall, 1987 and 1990.'' (1992). 193 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15091359?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20In%20Victory%20and%20Downfall%2c%201987%20and%201990 online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-Victory-Downfall-1987/dp/0275941485/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823416&sr=8-34 excerpt and text search]
* King, Anthony. "The Outsider as Political Leader: the Case of Margaret Thatcher." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 2002 32(3): 435-454. Issn: 0007-1234 Fulltext: [[CUP]] and [[Jstor]]. Thatcher was a social outsider, psychological outsider and political outsider.
* Thompson, Juliet S., and Wayne C. Thompson. ''Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/read/85710688?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20Prime%20Minister%20Indomitable online edition]
* Young, Hugo. ''The Iron Lady: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.'' (1989). 570 pp. well-written and well researched

===Political studies===
* Adonis, Andrew, and Tim Hames, eds. ''A Conservative Revolution: The Thatcher-Reagan Decade'' (1994), comparative perspective
* Backhouse, Roger E. "The Macroeconomics of Margaret Thatcher," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 313-334 online at EBSCO
* Dellheim, Charles. ''The Disenchanted Isle: Mrs. Thatcher's Capitalist Revolution.'' (1995) 352 pp.
* Evans, Brendan. ''Thatcherism and British Politics, 1975-1997'' (2000)
* Evans, Eric J. ''Thatcher and Thatcherism.'' (2nd ed. 2004). 176 pp [http://www.questia.com/read/107494201?title=Thatcher%20and%20Thatcherism online edition]
* Fry, Geoffrey K. ''Politics of the Thatcher Revolution: An Interpretation of British Politics 1975 - 1990'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Thatcher-Revolution-Interpretation-British/dp/0333751965/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Haseler, Stephen. ''The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals.'' (1990). 195 pp.
* Holmes, Martin. ''The First Thatcher Government, 1979-83: Contemporary Conservatism and Economic Change'' (1985); ''Thatcherism: Scope and Limits, 1983-87.'' (1989). 174 pp. a sympathetic assessment.
* Jenkins, Peter. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Revolution: The Ending of the Socialist Era.'' (1988). 417 pp. critical
* Johnson, Christopher. ''The Grand Experiment: Mrs. Thatcher's Economy and How It Spread.'' (1993). 341 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus?'' (1987). 334 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis, and Anthony Seldon, eds. ''The Thatcher Effect'' (1989), major interpretive essays by experts
* Krieger, Joel. ''Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Decline.'' (1987). 247 pp.
* Moon, Jeremy. ''Innovative Leadership in Democracy: Policy Change under Thatcher.'' (1993). 157 pp.
* Morgan, K.O. ''The People's Peace: British History, 1945-90'' (1990) survey by leading scholar
* Pugliese, Stanislao, ed. ''The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher.'' (2003). 419 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003). 260 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''Tory Radicalism: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-1997.'' (1997). 222 pp.
* Riddell, Peter. ''The Thatcher Decade: How Britain Has Changed during the 1980's.'' (1989). 236 pp.
* Roy, Subroto and Clarke, John, eds. ''Margaret Thatcher's Revolution: How It Happened and What It Meant.'' (2005). 209 pp.
* Savage, S.P., and L. Robbins, eds. ''Public Policy under Thatcher'' (1990), essays by experts
* Sharp, Paul. ''Thatcher's Diplomacy: The Revival of British Foreign Policy.'' (1997). 269 pp.
* Smith, Geoffrey. ''Reagan and Thatcher.'' (1991). 285 pp.
* Waine, Barbara. ''The Rhetoric of Independence: The Ideology and Practice of Social Policy in Thatcher's Britain.'' (1992). 172 pp.
* Wall, Stephen. ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Europe-Britain-Thatcher-Blair/dp/0199284555/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823185&sr=1-26 excerpt and text search]
* Walters, A. A. ''Britain's Economic Renaissance: Margaret Thatcher's Reforms, 1979-1984.'' (1986). 200 pp.
* Wapshott, Nicholas. ''Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage.'' (2007) 329 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Reagan-Margaret-Thatcher-Political/dp/159523053X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Whipple, Amy C. "'Ordinary People': The Cultural Origins of Popular Thatcherism in Britain, 1964-1979." PhD dissertation Northwestern U. 2004. 253 pp. DAI 2004 65(5): 1926-A. DA3132626 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Bibliography-Bibliographies-Statesmen/dp/book-citations/0313282889/ref=sid_dp_av?ie=UTF8&citeType=citing#citing additional books]

===Primary sources===
* Clark, Alan. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Minister: The Private Diaries of Alan Clark.'' (1994). 421 pp.
* Thatcher, Margaret. ''The Path to Power (1995); ''The Downing Street Years.'' (1993). 914 pp., highly detailed memoirs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Margaret}}
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:English people]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

Margaret Thatcher

2014-09-23T04:55:57Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Margaret_Thatcher.jpg
|seq=71
|term_start=May 4, 1979
|term_end=November 28 1990
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=James Callaghan
|next=John Major
|birth_date=October 13 1925
|birth_place=Grantham, United Kingdom
|death_date=April 8, 2013
|death_place=London, United Kingdom
|spouse=[[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt]]
|religion=[[Methodist]]
}}

'''Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts)''', Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925. died April 8, 2013), was [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, the first, and currently, only woman to hold the position. Her leadership permanently moved Britain to the right and reshaped the nation's political environment to stress economic growth and international competitiveness. The [[Labour Party]] in response under [[Tony Blair]] jettisoned their old leftist ideas and followed Thatcher-lite programs. Despite being in power for 13 years from 1997 to 2010 Labour did not remove any of Thatcher's anti-union legislation and has refused to even consider doing so.

Thatcher was chosen to be the leader of the Conservative Party in February 1975, succeeding former Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]. She was opposed to [[socialism]] and excessive union power which had brought down the previous Conservative government in 1974. She led the Conservatives to victory in the May 1979 [[General Election]] and thus became Prime Minister.
{{cquote|'''The economic success of the Western world is a product of its moral philosophy and practice. ''The economic results are better because the moral philosophy is superior.'' Choice is the essence of ethics: if there were no choice, there would be no ethics, no good, no evil; good and evil have meaning only insofar as man is free to choose.''' <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/103336 1977 speech by Margaret Thatcher; Zurich Economic Society]</ref>}}

Thatcher sold many of the UK's nationalized industries back to private investors and made tax cuts. She broke the power of the trade unions which stood in the way of industrial progress, especially in the mining, print and shipbuilding industries and the public sector. Due to her strong standards and her leadership style, she became known as the "[[Iron Lady]]," a term originally coined as an insult in the [[Soviet Union|Soviet Army]] newspaper ''Krasnaya Zvezda'' (Red Star,) but one she adopted enthusiastically. A famous statement of hers was "You turn if you want to, but the lady's not for turning", in reference to calls from within her own party to back down (in the political terminology of the time, "U-turn") on issues that were important to her. Thatcher was always a strong supporter of close relations with the [[United States]] and was a good friend of President [[Ronald Reagan]], uniting with him in actions against the Communists.

She led Britain to victory against [[Argentina]] in a 1982 war over Argentinian aggression against the [[Falkland Islands]]. The United States was allied with both countries, and initially tried to broker a negotiated settlement. When Thatcher rejected the proposed compromise, the U.S. supported Britain with intelligence information and the supply of advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The conflict led to a strong friendship with the Chilean leader [[Augusto Pinochet]] after Chile helped Britain in the conflict. In 1986, she banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools in a piece of legislation known as [[Section 28]].

Thatcher led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections (1979, 1983 and 1987). By 1990, her popularity was waning and there were calls from within her own party for her to step aside. She was challenged for the party leadership and just failed to gain the necessary majority in the first election despite getting more votes than her rival [[Michael Heseltine]]. After being convinced by colleagues that she would narrowly fail to gain the necessary votes she decided not to stand for a second ballot and resigned as party leader on 22 November 1990. [[John Major]] won the party leadership vote, and was subsequently appointed to succeed Thatcher as Prime Minister. Heseltine's reputation was destroyed by his actions and his career in the Conservative Party slowly declined, although he remained in the British government and was Deputy Prime Minister between 1995 and 1997..

''Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister in more than 150 years and, alongside [[Winston Churchill]], is considered to be one of the two most important British political leaders of the twentieth century.''

She fundamentally moved the British economy from factories and mines to services and finance; although manufacturing output grew considerably under her leadership there was an even greater increase in the banking sector. [[Time|Time Magazine]] wrote of Lady Thatcher:
{{cquote|'''She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world — Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her. ''Champion of free minds and markets, she helped topple the welfare state and make the world safer for capitalism and mankind.''''' <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html Time Magazine; Time 100 citation]</ref>}} 

==Career prior to 1979==

The predominant influence in Lady Thatcher's early life was her father, [[Alfred Roberts]]. Roberts was a grocer by occupation who was active in local politics. She attended Somerville College, [[Oxford University|Oxford]], where she read chemistry and became chairman of the university Conservative association. After graduating, she worked for a time as a research chemist before qualifying as a barrister and practicing as a tax lawyer, an indication of her interest in financial matters. In this time period, it was uncommon in Britain for a woman from a background to go to an upper-class university and then to pursue a career in the elitist male world of the Bar.

Lady Thatcher married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman whom she met at a Conservative Party meeting; a quiet man, he kept out of the spotlight. They had two children, twins Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher.

Under the weak and troubled Conservative premiership of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), Thatcher served as Secretary of State for Education during which time her most noted achievement was the withdrawal of a daily milk ration to primary age schoolchildren earning her the nickname Milk-Snatcher. After the Conservatives were defeated in the elections of February and October 1974, Thatcher challenged the more liberal Heath for the leadership of the party. When she went into Heath's office to tell him her decision, he did not even bother to look up. "You'll lose," he said. "Good day to you." [http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

[[Image:503px-Thatcher-loc.jpg|right|thumb|Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Opposition in 1975.]]
Though at the time she was a relatively untested figure (and many in the party were wary of choosing a woman leader), she defeated both Heath and other male rivals in the contest in February 1975. Heath subsequently became a prominent personal and political adversary of Thatcher, drawing accusations of bitterness.

In the 1970s, Thatcher's strongly conservative, pro-capitalist stance resonated with a new mood among the British electorate, many of whom had become dissatisfied with the post-[[World War II]] statist consensus (the "post-war consensus", sometimes also called "Butskellism" after the centrist Conservative politician [[Rab Butler]] and the moderate Labour politician [[Hugh Gaitskell]]). Thatcher and the Conservatives offered a clear alternative vision for an increasingly aspirational society. The Conservative politician Sir [[Keith Joseph]] was the primary intellectual force behind these theories that later became known as ''Thatcherism''. They were strongly influenced by the pro-market intellectuals [[Friedrich von Hayek]] and [[Milton Friedman]].

===Attitude to Abortion===
Thatcher, throughout her parliamentary career, voted in favor of [[Abortion Act of 1967|liberal abortion laws]].[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.html]

==1979 election==
The Labour party under [[James Callaghan]] (prime minister 1976-79) contested the May 1979 election as unemployment passed the one-million mark and unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by Saatchi and Saatchi, showing a dole queue snaking into the distance and it carried the caption "Labour isn't working".

Voters gave Conservatives 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats. People generally voted against Labour rather than for the Conservatives. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When [[Harold Wilson]] won narrowly for Labour in 1964, they had accounted for 63%. Furthermore they were beginning to turn against the trade unions—alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978-9. In contrast, Tory policies stressing wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.

==Prime Ministership==
===Economic policy===
Thatcher's chief goals in power were to reverse Britain's economic decline and to reduce the range of the state as well as standing taller on the international stage. She found a soul-mate in Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 but whom she had met in 1975. Thatcher started by increasing interest rates to drive down inflation which hit the manufacturing sector and caused unemployment to rise sharply and there was a deep recession in the early 1980s blamed on her Government's economic policy. This led to her famous quote: 'the lady is not for turning', and she refused a policy reversal and, despite an open letter from 364 "economists", taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. Although unemployment did not reach 3 million till 1982, a year earlier British cities burned as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration. Inflation was going down though, allowing interest rates to fall, proving those "economists" wrong.

===Falkland Islands===
As the economy started to recover Argentina invaded the Falklands, the first (and unprovoked) invasion of sovereign British territory by a foreign government since the Second World War. This invasion was preceded, and possibly encouraged, by her withdrawal of the Royal Navy's antarctic patrol ship ''HMS Endurance'' from the South Atlantic. Thatcher immediately declared her resolve to recapture the islands in line with the wishes of their inhabitants, and dispatched a naval task force to that end. With help from President [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] of [[Chile]] and, more covertly, [[Ronald Reagan]], the British forces swiftly recaptured the islands. The resulting wave of patriotic enthusiasm as well as her right to buy policy for council homes, and a uselessly divided opposition, meant she got a landslide victory in the June 1983 general election.

===Unions===
The central theme of Thatcher's second term was reducing the power of the trade unions with a series of measures that a number of unions reacted to with industrial action. In particular action was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill, who openly declared the intention of bringing down the elected government. The Tories had prepared for the strike by building up coal reserves and deploying police units fitted out with new riot gear brought in after the disturbances of 1981. The miners responded with violence and very ugly scenes developed on picket lines that split the country. Scargill's failure to hold a ballot for the strike undermined public support and the striker's chant of 'vote with your feet' calling miners to join the strike was turned on them as more and more returned to work over the year of the strike.

===IRA===
In the middle of the strike, on October 12 1984, the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army; a terror group that seeks Irish Reunification) detonated a bomb during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton. Thatcher escaped injury but five people died in the attack and Margaret Tebbit was left paralyzed; the conference went on as normal. Thatcher delivered a speech less than four hours after the explosion.

===Privatization===
Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasized free markets and since gaining power she had experimented in selling off nationalized industries starting with the National Freight company, most of the large utilities followed.

Privatization was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the political economy developed under Thatcher. She privatized long-nationalized corporations (such as the telephone and aerospace firms) and, most important, sold public housing to tenants, all on favorable terms. Theis turned Labour-minded tenants into Conservative-minded property owners and mortgage payers. The policy developed an important electoral dimension during the second Thatcher government (1983-90). It involved more than denationalization: wider share ownership was the second plank of the policy, and this provides an important historical perspective on the relationship between Thatcherism and 20th-century conservatism.<ref> Richard Stevens, "The Evolution of Privatisation as an Electoral Policy, c. 1970-90." ''Contemporary British History'' 2004 18(2): 47-75. Issn: 1361-9462 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Thatcher supported Reagan's [[Cold War]] policies of [[rollback]] of Communism. She supported the stationing of nuclear missiles in Europe and at British bases, ignoring the last-gasp protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She supported the American bombing raid on [[Libya]] from bases in Britain in 1986 and, by refusing to side with a European consortium, in backing the American-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation over a British company Westland. [[Michael Heseltine]] resigned in protest at her style of leadership over this.

In 1984 she visited [[China]] and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with [[Deng Xiaoping]] that agreed the handover of [[Hong Kong]] in 1997. At the Fontainebleau summit in 1984 Thatcher argued that the UK paid far more to the EEC than it received in spending and negotiated a budget rebate using the argument that ‘We want our money back’. In 1985, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for education.
===Reelected 1987===
In 1987, Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister to win three consecutive general elections since [[Lord Liverpool]] (1812-1827).
===Environment===
In the late 1980's Thatcher began to be concerned by environmental policy and in 1988 she made a major speech accepting the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=107346 Speech to the Royal Society, 9/27/1988]</ref>

===Europe===
At Bruges, she made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Communities for a federal structure and increasing centralization of decision-making believing that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition. She was specifically against Economic and Monetary Union, through which a single currency would replace national currencies, and for which the EC was making preparations. In 1989 the economy high interest rates were imposed to stop an unsustainable boom. At the Madrid European summit, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to agree the circumstances in which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union. She took revenge on both by demoting Howe and listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Lawson resigned that October and in November, a so-called ‘stalking horse candidate Sir Anthony Meyer challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In 1989 a new system of local government finance to replace the rates was introduced for Scotland in 1989 and for England and Wales in 1990. Called the 'Community Charge' but known as the Poll Tax was applied at the same amount to every individual resident with only limited discounts. Widespread opposition culminated in a huge [http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/article.php?story=200510081953085 demonstration] in London on March 31 that turned into the largest outbreak of public disorder central London had seen in a century which was followed by millions of people refusing to pay the tax. This along with her government's handling of the economy, her perceived arrogance and a general feeling that she would never retire, made her politically vulnerable. Geoffrey Howe resigned on November 1 and condemned Thatcher's policy on the European Communities then openly invited 'others to consider their own response'. Michael Heseltine's response was a leadership challenge which resulted in a narrow failure, by two votes, for Thatcher to win automatic re-election. After consulting with cabinet colleagues she found a vast majority thought that she could not win on the second ballot. On November 22nd Thatcher announced that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. She supported John Major as her successor, and retired from Parliament at the 1992 election.

==Thatcherism==
[[Thatcherism]] refers to Thatcher's economic policies while prime minister 1979 and 1990.
It consisted of
*[[free market]] [[Supply-side economics|supply-side economics]]
*[[tax]] reduction
*artificial manipulation of the money supply to reduce [[inflation]]
*[[privatization]] of public industry
*reining in of [[labor union|trade union]] influence and power

==Life after being Prime Minister==

After leaving the House of Commons, Thatcher was dubbed '''Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven''' and entered the House of Lords. Denis Thatcher was given a Baronetcy, which ensured that their son, Mark, would inherit the title of "Sir Mark".

She publicly endorsed [[William Hague]] against Kenneth Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 1997. She made many speaking engagements around the world, including very vocal support of former General [[Augusto Pinochet]], whom the new Labour administration extradited to Spain on trumped-up charges of torturing political opponents. In March 2002 she suffered a mild stroke, and made few speeches. In 2004 she attended the funeral of her old friend and political soul-mate, Ronald Reagan. Baroness Thatcher was still seen at Tory party gatherings until nearly the end of her life, and continued endorsing party leaders, such as Iain Duncan Smith. In August 2008, it became known that she was suffering from [[dementia]] and had withdrawn from public life. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm Thatcher suffers from dementia]</ref>
[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html][http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/pages/margaretbiography1.htm][http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp]

==Quick Facts==
[[Image:THATCH~1.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
*Born: 13 October 1925 in [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]]

*First entered Parliament: 8 October 1959

*Became leader of the [[Conservative]] Party in February 1975

*Elected as Prime Minister in May 1979

*Age she became PM: 53 years, 204 days

*Maiden Speech: 5 February 1960 during the second reading of her Private Member's Bill

*Total time as PM: 11 years, 209 days

*Nickname: "The Iron Lady"

*Education: Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Somerville College, Oxford

*Before Thatcher became an MP, she worked as a research chemist for British Xylonite and then Lyons & Company, where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream.

*Family: Margaret Thatcher is the younger of two daughters. She often gave her father as an example of an outstanding citizen. She married [[Sir Denis Thatcher]], and has one son and one daughter.

*Interests: Music, art, opera and reading.

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

==Husband==
Denis Thatcher, ''as the first male PM spouse in history'', was always likely to be the center of media attention - and he didn't disappoint.

When she met him, Baroness Thatcher remarked that "it was clear to me at once that Denis was an exceptional man - he had a certain style and dash." Described as a man of integrity, humor and common sense, he had a strong business background and fought with the Royal Artillery during the war.

It was said that Denis was in 'the Thatcher party not the Tory party'. He once famously remarked, recalling the words of Mark Twain, that: "it's better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt."

When he died in 2003 his wife paid tribute to the man she loved by saying: "Being PM is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be - you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend."

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

== Notable quotes==

*"I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together."

*"The lady is not for turning"

*"I have made it quite clear that a unified Ireland was one solution that is out. A second solution was a confederation of two states. That is out. A third solution was joint authority. That is out-that is a derogation of sovereignty."

*"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left."

*"If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you."

*"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

*" There is no such thing as [[society]]. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate"<ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106689 Interview in ''Woman's Own'']</ref>

*"What Britain needs is an iron lady."

*"Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot, remembered kindly for its noble past."

*"I just owe almost everything to my father [and] it's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election."

*"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."<ref>[http://www.quoteworld.org/authors/margaret-thatcher/1/ Quotes by Margaret Thatcher]</ref>

*"It will be years before a woman either leads the Conservative Party or becomes Prime Minister. I don't see it happening in my time" (in 1970.) This quote was parodied in the 2006 TV series Life on Mars, when DCI Gene Hunt (speaking in 1973) stated "There'll never be a woman Prime Minister as long as I have a hole in my ar*e."

*“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=zac9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA283&dq=fight+the+battle+more+than+once+to+win+it.&ei=3hpnS82IAaSyNNvx1PwN&cd=2 The Routledge dictionary of quotations‎ - Page 283 by Robert Andrews]</ref>

*(Referring to her friend and adviser William Whitelaw) "Every Prime Minister needs a Willie."

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

==External Links==
* [http://www.margaretthatcher.org/ Margaret Thatcher Foundation]

==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
[[File:Thatcher-pic.jpg|thumb|260px]]
===Biography===
* Blundell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Portrait-Iron-Lady/dp/087586631X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher. Vol. 1: The Grocer's Daughter.'' (2000); ''Margaret Thatcher. vol. 2: Iron Lady'' (2007), 520pp; 913pp; long, detailed authoritative biography
* Clarke, Peter. "Margaret Thatcher's Place in History: Two Views," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 357-368 online at EBSCO
* Geelhoed, Bruce E. and Hobbs, James F. ''Margaret Thatcher's Last Hurrah: In Victory and Downfall, 1987 and 1990.'' (1992). 193 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15091359?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20In%20Victory%20and%20Downfall%2c%201987%20and%201990 online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-Victory-Downfall-1987/dp/0275941485/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823416&sr=8-34 excerpt and text search]
* King, Anthony. "The Outsider as Political Leader: the Case of Margaret Thatcher." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 2002 32(3): 435-454. Issn: 0007-1234 Fulltext: [[CUP]] and [[Jstor]]. Thatcher was a social outsider, psychological outsider and political outsider.
* Thompson, Juliet S., and Wayne C. Thompson. ''Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/read/85710688?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20Prime%20Minister%20Indomitable online edition]
* Young, Hugo. ''The Iron Lady: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.'' (1989). 570 pp. well-written and well researched

===Political studies===
* Adonis, Andrew, and Tim Hames, eds. ''A Conservative Revolution: The Thatcher-Reagan Decade'' (1994), comparative perspective
* Backhouse, Roger E. "The Macroeconomics of Margaret Thatcher," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 313-334 online at EBSCO
* Dellheim, Charles. ''The Disenchanted Isle: Mrs. Thatcher's Capitalist Revolution.'' (1995) 352 pp.
* Evans, Brendan. ''Thatcherism and British Politics, 1975-1997'' (2000)
* Evans, Eric J. ''Thatcher and Thatcherism.'' (2nd ed. 2004). 176 pp [http://www.questia.com/read/107494201?title=Thatcher%20and%20Thatcherism online edition]
* Fry, Geoffrey K. ''Politics of the Thatcher Revolution: An Interpretation of British Politics 1975 - 1990'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Thatcher-Revolution-Interpretation-British/dp/0333751965/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Haseler, Stephen. ''The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals.'' (1990). 195 pp.
* Holmes, Martin. ''The First Thatcher Government, 1979-83: Contemporary Conservatism and Economic Change'' (1985); ''Thatcherism: Scope and Limits, 1983-87.'' (1989). 174 pp. a sympathetic assessment.
* Jenkins, Peter. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Revolution: The Ending of the Socialist Era.'' (1988). 417 pp. critical
* Johnson, Christopher. ''The Grand Experiment: Mrs. Thatcher's Economy and How It Spread.'' (1993). 341 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus?'' (1987). 334 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis, and Anthony Seldon, eds. ''The Thatcher Effect'' (1989), major interpretive essays by experts
* Krieger, Joel. ''Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Decline.'' (1987). 247 pp.
* Moon, Jeremy. ''Innovative Leadership in Democracy: Policy Change under Thatcher.'' (1993). 157 pp.
* Morgan, K.O. ''The People's Peace: British History, 1945-90'' (1990) survey by leading scholar
* Pugliese, Stanislao, ed. ''The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher.'' (2003). 419 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003). 260 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''Tory Radicalism: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-1997.'' (1997). 222 pp.
* Riddell, Peter. ''The Thatcher Decade: How Britain Has Changed during the 1980's.'' (1989). 236 pp.
* Roy, Subroto and Clarke, John, eds. ''Margaret Thatcher's Revolution: How It Happened and What It Meant.'' (2005). 209 pp.
* Savage, S.P., and L. Robbins, eds. ''Public Policy under Thatcher'' (1990), essays by experts
* Sharp, Paul. ''Thatcher's Diplomacy: The Revival of British Foreign Policy.'' (1997). 269 pp.
* Smith, Geoffrey. ''Reagan and Thatcher.'' (1991). 285 pp.
* Waine, Barbara. ''The Rhetoric of Independence: The Ideology and Practice of Social Policy in Thatcher's Britain.'' (1992). 172 pp.
* Wall, Stephen. ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Europe-Britain-Thatcher-Blair/dp/0199284555/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823185&sr=1-26 excerpt and text search]
* Walters, A. A. ''Britain's Economic Renaissance: Margaret Thatcher's Reforms, 1979-1984.'' (1986). 200 pp.
* Wapshott, Nicholas. ''Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage.'' (2007) 329 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Reagan-Margaret-Thatcher-Political/dp/159523053X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Whipple, Amy C. "'Ordinary People': The Cultural Origins of Popular Thatcherism in Britain, 1964-1979." PhD dissertation Northwestern U. 2004. 253 pp. DAI 2004 65(5): 1926-A. DA3132626 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Bibliography-Bibliographies-Statesmen/dp/book-citations/0313282889/ref=sid_dp_av?ie=UTF8&citeType=citing#citing additional books]
===Primary sources===
* Clark, Alan. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Minister: The Private Diaries of Alan Clark.'' (1994). 421 pp.
* Thatcher, Margaret. ''The Path to Power (1995); ''The Downing Street Years.'' (1993). 914 pp., highly detailed memoirs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Margaret}}
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:English people]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

Margaret Thatcher

2014-09-23T04:55:00Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Margaret_Thatcher.jpg
|seq=71
|term_start=May 4, 1979
|term_end=November 28 1990
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=James Callaghan
|next=John Major
|birth_date=October 13 1925
|birth_place=Grantham, [[United Kingdom]]
|death_date=April 8, 2013
|death_place=London, [[United Kingdom]]
|spouse=[[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt]]
|religion=[[Methodist]]
}}

'''Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts)''', Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925. died April 8, 2013), was [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, the first, and currently, only woman to hold the position. Her leadership permanently moved Britain to the right and reshaped the nation's political environment to stress economic growth and international competitiveness. The [[Labour Party]] in response under [[Tony Blair]] jettisoned their old leftist ideas and followed Thatcher-lite programs. Despite being in power for 13 years from 1997 to 2010 Labour did not remove any of Thatcher's anti-union legislation and has refused to even consider doing so.

Thatcher was chosen to be the leader of the Conservative Party in February 1975, succeeding former Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]. She was opposed to [[socialism]] and excessive union power which had brought down the previous Conservative government in 1974. She led the Conservatives to victory in the May 1979 [[General Election]] and thus became Prime Minister.
{{cquote|'''The economic success of the Western world is a product of its moral philosophy and practice. ''The economic results are better because the moral philosophy is superior.'' Choice is the essence of ethics: if there were no choice, there would be no ethics, no good, no evil; good and evil have meaning only insofar as man is free to choose.''' <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/103336 1977 speech by Margaret Thatcher; Zurich Economic Society]</ref>}}

Thatcher sold many of the UK's nationalized industries back to private investors and made tax cuts. She broke the power of the trade unions which stood in the way of industrial progress, especially in the mining, print and shipbuilding industries and the public sector. Due to her strong standards and her leadership style, she became known as the "[[Iron Lady]]," a term originally coined as an insult in the [[Soviet Union|Soviet Army]] newspaper ''Krasnaya Zvezda'' (Red Star,) but one she adopted enthusiastically. A famous statement of hers was "You turn if you want to, but the lady's not for turning", in reference to calls from within her own party to back down (in the political terminology of the time, "U-turn") on issues that were important to her. Thatcher was always a strong supporter of close relations with the [[United States]] and was a good friend of President [[Ronald Reagan]], uniting with him in actions against the Communists.

She led Britain to victory against [[Argentina]] in a 1982 war over Argentinian aggression against the [[Falkland Islands]]. The United States was allied with both countries, and initially tried to broker a negotiated settlement. When Thatcher rejected the proposed compromise, the U.S. supported Britain with intelligence information and the supply of advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The conflict led to a strong friendship with the Chilean leader [[Augusto Pinochet]] after Chile helped Britain in the conflict. In 1986, she banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools in a piece of legislation known as [[Section 28]].

Thatcher led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections (1979, 1983 and 1987). By 1990, her popularity was waning and there were calls from within her own party for her to step aside. She was challenged for the party leadership and just failed to gain the necessary majority in the first election despite getting more votes than her rival [[Michael Heseltine]]. After being convinced by colleagues that she would narrowly fail to gain the necessary votes she decided not to stand for a second ballot and resigned as party leader on 22 November 1990. [[John Major]] won the party leadership vote, and was subsequently appointed to succeed Thatcher as Prime Minister. Heseltine's reputation was destroyed by his actions and his career in the Conservative Party slowly declined, although he remained in the British government and was Deputy Prime Minister between 1995 and 1997..

''Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister in more than 150 years and, alongside [[Winston Churchill]], is considered to be one of the two most important British political leaders of the twentieth century.''

She fundamentally moved the British economy from factories and mines to services and finance; although manufacturing output grew considerably under her leadership there was an even greater increase in the banking sector. [[Time|Time Magazine]] wrote of Lady Thatcher:
{{cquote|'''She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world — Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her. ''Champion of free minds and markets, she helped topple the welfare state and make the world safer for capitalism and mankind.''''' <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html Time Magazine; Time 100 citation]</ref>}} 

==Career prior to 1979==

The predominant influence in Lady Thatcher's early life was her father, [[Alfred Roberts]]. Roberts was a grocer by occupation who was active in local politics. She attended Somerville College, [[Oxford University|Oxford]], where she read chemistry and became chairman of the university Conservative association. After graduating, she worked for a time as a research chemist before qualifying as a barrister and practicing as a tax lawyer, an indication of her interest in financial matters. In this time period, it was uncommon in Britain for a woman from a background to go to an upper-class university and then to pursue a career in the elitist male world of the Bar.

Lady Thatcher married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman whom she met at a Conservative Party meeting; a quiet man, he kept out of the spotlight. They had two children, twins Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher.

Under the weak and troubled Conservative premiership of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), Thatcher served as Secretary of State for Education during which time her most noted achievement was the withdrawal of a daily milk ration to primary age schoolchildren earning her the nickname Milk-Snatcher. After the Conservatives were defeated in the elections of February and October 1974, Thatcher challenged the more liberal Heath for the leadership of the party. When she went into Heath's office to tell him her decision, he did not even bother to look up. "You'll lose," he said. "Good day to you." [http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

[[Image:503px-Thatcher-loc.jpg|right|thumb|Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Opposition in 1975.]]
Though at the time she was a relatively untested figure (and many in the party were wary of choosing a woman leader), she defeated both Heath and other male rivals in the contest in February 1975. Heath subsequently became a prominent personal and political adversary of Thatcher, drawing accusations of bitterness.

In the 1970s, Thatcher's strongly conservative, pro-capitalist stance resonated with a new mood among the British electorate, many of whom had become dissatisfied with the post-[[World War II]] statist consensus (the "post-war consensus", sometimes also called "Butskellism" after the centrist Conservative politician [[Rab Butler]] and the moderate Labour politician [[Hugh Gaitskell]]). Thatcher and the Conservatives offered a clear alternative vision for an increasingly aspirational society. The Conservative politician Sir [[Keith Joseph]] was the primary intellectual force behind these theories that later became known as ''Thatcherism''. They were strongly influenced by the pro-market intellectuals [[Friedrich von Hayek]] and [[Milton Friedman]].

===Attitude to Abortion===
Thatcher, throughout her parliamentary career, voted in favor of [[Abortion Act of 1967|liberal abortion laws]].[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.html]

==1979 election==
The Labour party under [[James Callaghan]] (prime minister 1976-79) contested the May 1979 election as unemployment passed the one-million mark and unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by Saatchi and Saatchi, showing a dole queue snaking into the distance and it carried the caption "Labour isn't working".

Voters gave Conservatives 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats. People generally voted against Labour rather than for the Conservatives. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When [[Harold Wilson]] won narrowly for Labour in 1964, they had accounted for 63%. Furthermore they were beginning to turn against the trade unions—alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978-9. In contrast, Tory policies stressing wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.

==Prime Ministership==
===Economic policy===
Thatcher's chief goals in power were to reverse Britain's economic decline and to reduce the range of the state as well as standing taller on the international stage. She found a soul-mate in Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 but whom she had met in 1975. Thatcher started by increasing interest rates to drive down inflation which hit the manufacturing sector and caused unemployment to rise sharply and there was a deep recession in the early 1980s blamed on her Government's economic policy. This led to her famous quote: 'the lady is not for turning', and she refused a policy reversal and, despite an open letter from 364 "economists", taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. Although unemployment did not reach 3 million till 1982, a year earlier British cities burned as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration. Inflation was going down though, allowing interest rates to fall, proving those "economists" wrong.

===Falkland Islands===
As the economy started to recover Argentina invaded the Falklands, the first (and unprovoked) invasion of sovereign British territory by a foreign government since the Second World War. This invasion was preceded, and possibly encouraged, by her withdrawal of the Royal Navy's antarctic patrol ship ''HMS Endurance'' from the South Atlantic. Thatcher immediately declared her resolve to recapture the islands in line with the wishes of their inhabitants, and dispatched a naval task force to that end. With help from President [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] of [[Chile]] and, more covertly, [[Ronald Reagan]], the British forces swiftly recaptured the islands. The resulting wave of patriotic enthusiasm as well as her right to buy policy for council homes, and a uselessly divided opposition, meant she got a landslide victory in the June 1983 general election.

===Unions===
The central theme of Thatcher's second term was reducing the power of the trade unions with a series of measures that a number of unions reacted to with industrial action. In particular action was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill, who openly declared the intention of bringing down the elected government. The Tories had prepared for the strike by building up coal reserves and deploying police units fitted out with new riot gear brought in after the disturbances of 1981. The miners responded with violence and very ugly scenes developed on picket lines that split the country. Scargill's failure to hold a ballot for the strike undermined public support and the striker's chant of 'vote with your feet' calling miners to join the strike was turned on them as more and more returned to work over the year of the strike.

===IRA===
In the middle of the strike, on October 12 1984, the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army; a terror group that seeks Irish Reunification) detonated a bomb during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton. Thatcher escaped injury but five people died in the attack and Margaret Tebbit was left paralyzed; the conference went on as normal. Thatcher delivered a speech less than four hours after the explosion.

===Privatization===
Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasized free markets and since gaining power she had experimented in selling off nationalized industries starting with the National Freight company, most of the large utilities followed.

Privatization was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the political economy developed under Thatcher. She privatized long-nationalized corporations (such as the telephone and aerospace firms) and, most important, sold public housing to tenants, all on favorable terms. Theis turned Labour-minded tenants into Conservative-minded property owners and mortgage payers. The policy developed an important electoral dimension during the second Thatcher government (1983-90). It involved more than denationalization: wider share ownership was the second plank of the policy, and this provides an important historical perspective on the relationship between Thatcherism and 20th-century conservatism.<ref> Richard Stevens, "The Evolution of Privatisation as an Electoral Policy, c. 1970-90." ''Contemporary British History'' 2004 18(2): 47-75. Issn: 1361-9462 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Thatcher supported Reagan's [[Cold War]] policies of [[rollback]] of Communism. She supported the stationing of nuclear missiles in Europe and at British bases, ignoring the last-gasp protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She supported the American bombing raid on [[Libya]] from bases in Britain in 1986 and, by refusing to side with a European consortium, in backing the American-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation over a British company Westland. [[Michael Heseltine]] resigned in protest at her style of leadership over this.

In 1984 she visited [[China]] and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with [[Deng Xiaoping]] that agreed the handover of [[Hong Kong]] in 1997. At the Fontainebleau summit in 1984 Thatcher argued that the UK paid far more to the EEC than it received in spending and negotiated a budget rebate using the argument that ‘We want our money back’. In 1985, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for education.
===Reelected 1987===
In 1987, Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister to win three consecutive general elections since [[Lord Liverpool]] (1812-1827).
===Environment===
In the late 1980's Thatcher began to be concerned by environmental policy and in 1988 she made a major speech accepting the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=107346 Speech to the Royal Society, 9/27/1988]</ref>

===Europe===
At Bruges, she made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Communities for a federal structure and increasing centralization of decision-making believing that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition. She was specifically against Economic and Monetary Union, through which a single currency would replace national currencies, and for which the EC was making preparations. In 1989 the economy high interest rates were imposed to stop an unsustainable boom. At the Madrid European summit, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to agree the circumstances in which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union. She took revenge on both by demoting Howe and listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Lawson resigned that October and in November, a so-called ‘stalking horse candidate Sir Anthony Meyer challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In 1989 a new system of local government finance to replace the rates was introduced for Scotland in 1989 and for England and Wales in 1990. Called the 'Community Charge' but known as the Poll Tax was applied at the same amount to every individual resident with only limited discounts. Widespread opposition culminated in a huge [http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/article.php?story=200510081953085 demonstration] in London on March 31 that turned into the largest outbreak of public disorder central London had seen in a century which was followed by millions of people refusing to pay the tax. This along with her government's handling of the economy, her perceived arrogance and a general feeling that she would never retire, made her politically vulnerable. Geoffrey Howe resigned on November 1 and condemned Thatcher's policy on the European Communities then openly invited 'others to consider their own response'. Michael Heseltine's response was a leadership challenge which resulted in a narrow failure, by two votes, for Thatcher to win automatic re-election. After consulting with cabinet colleagues she found a vast majority thought that she could not win on the second ballot. On November 22nd Thatcher announced that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. She supported John Major as her successor, and retired from Parliament at the 1992 election.

==Thatcherism==
[[Thatcherism]] refers to Thatcher's economic policies while prime minister 1979 and 1990.
It consisted of
*[[free market]] [[Supply-side economics|supply-side economics]]
*[[tax]] reduction
*artificial manipulation of the money supply to reduce [[inflation]]
*[[privatization]] of public industry
*reining in of [[labor union|trade union]] influence and power

==Life after being Prime Minister==

After leaving the House of Commons, Thatcher was dubbed '''Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven''' and entered the House of Lords. Denis Thatcher was given a Baronetcy, which ensured that their son, Mark, would inherit the title of "Sir Mark".

She publicly endorsed [[William Hague]] against Kenneth Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 1997. She made many speaking engagements around the world, including very vocal support of former General [[Augusto Pinochet]], whom the new Labour administration extradited to Spain on trumped-up charges of torturing political opponents. In March 2002 she suffered a mild stroke, and made few speeches. In 2004 she attended the funeral of her old friend and political soul-mate, Ronald Reagan. Baroness Thatcher was still seen at Tory party gatherings until nearly the end of her life, and continued endorsing party leaders, such as Iain Duncan Smith. In August 2008, it became known that she was suffering from [[dementia]] and had withdrawn from public life. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm Thatcher suffers from dementia]</ref>
[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html][http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/pages/margaretbiography1.htm][http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp]

==Quick Facts==
[[Image:THATCH~1.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
*Born: 13 October 1925 in [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]]

*First entered Parliament: 8 October 1959

*Became leader of the [[Conservative]] Party in February 1975

*Elected as Prime Minister in May 1979

*Age she became PM: 53 years, 204 days

*Maiden Speech: 5 February 1960 during the second reading of her Private Member's Bill

*Total time as PM: 11 years, 209 days

*Nickname: "The Iron Lady"

*Education: Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Somerville College, Oxford

*Before Thatcher became an MP, she worked as a research chemist for British Xylonite and then Lyons & Company, where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream.

*Family: Margaret Thatcher is the younger of two daughters. She often gave her father as an example of an outstanding citizen. She married [[Sir Denis Thatcher]], and has one son and one daughter.

*Interests: Music, art, opera and reading.

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

==Husband==
Denis Thatcher, ''as the first male PM spouse in history'', was always likely to be the center of media attention - and he didn't disappoint.

When she met him, Baroness Thatcher remarked that "it was clear to me at once that Denis was an exceptional man - he had a certain style and dash." Described as a man of integrity, humor and common sense, he had a strong business background and fought with the Royal Artillery during the war.

It was said that Denis was in 'the Thatcher party not the Tory party'. He once famously remarked, recalling the words of Mark Twain, that: "it's better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt."

When he died in 2003 his wife paid tribute to the man she loved by saying: "Being PM is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be - you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend."

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

== Notable quotes==

*"I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together."

*"The lady is not for turning"

*"I have made it quite clear that a unified Ireland was one solution that is out. A second solution was a confederation of two states. That is out. A third solution was joint authority. That is out-that is a derogation of sovereignty."

*"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left."

*"If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you."

*"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

*" There is no such thing as [[society]]. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate"<ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106689 Interview in ''Woman's Own'']</ref>

*"What Britain needs is an iron lady."

*"Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot, remembered kindly for its noble past."

*"I just owe almost everything to my father [and] it's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election."

*"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."<ref>[http://www.quoteworld.org/authors/margaret-thatcher/1/ Quotes by Margaret Thatcher]</ref>

*"It will be years before a woman either leads the Conservative Party or becomes Prime Minister. I don't see it happening in my time" (in 1970.) This quote was parodied in the 2006 TV series Life on Mars, when DCI Gene Hunt (speaking in 1973) stated "There'll never be a woman Prime Minister as long as I have a hole in my ar*e."

*“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=zac9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA283&dq=fight+the+battle+more+than+once+to+win+it.&ei=3hpnS82IAaSyNNvx1PwN&cd=2 The Routledge dictionary of quotations‎ - Page 283 by Robert Andrews]</ref>

*(Referring to her friend and adviser William Whitelaw) "Every Prime Minister needs a Willie."

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

==External Links==
* [http://www.margaretthatcher.org/ Margaret Thatcher Foundation]

==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
[[File:Thatcher-pic.jpg|thumb|260px]]
===Biography===
* Blundell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Portrait-Iron-Lady/dp/087586631X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher. Vol. 1: The Grocer's Daughter.'' (2000); ''Margaret Thatcher. vol. 2: Iron Lady'' (2007), 520pp; 913pp; long, detailed authoritative biography
* Clarke, Peter. "Margaret Thatcher's Place in History: Two Views," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 357-368 online at EBSCO
* Geelhoed, Bruce E. and Hobbs, James F. ''Margaret Thatcher's Last Hurrah: In Victory and Downfall, 1987 and 1990.'' (1992). 193 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15091359?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20In%20Victory%20and%20Downfall%2c%201987%20and%201990 online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-Victory-Downfall-1987/dp/0275941485/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823416&sr=8-34 excerpt and text search]
* King, Anthony. "The Outsider as Political Leader: the Case of Margaret Thatcher." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 2002 32(3): 435-454. Issn: 0007-1234 Fulltext: [[CUP]] and [[Jstor]]. Thatcher was a social outsider, psychological outsider and political outsider.
* Thompson, Juliet S., and Wayne C. Thompson. ''Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/read/85710688?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20Prime%20Minister%20Indomitable online edition]
* Young, Hugo. ''The Iron Lady: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.'' (1989). 570 pp. well-written and well researched

===Political studies===
* Adonis, Andrew, and Tim Hames, eds. ''A Conservative Revolution: The Thatcher-Reagan Decade'' (1994), comparative perspective
* Backhouse, Roger E. "The Macroeconomics of Margaret Thatcher," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 313-334 online at EBSCO
* Dellheim, Charles. ''The Disenchanted Isle: Mrs. Thatcher's Capitalist Revolution.'' (1995) 352 pp.
* Evans, Brendan. ''Thatcherism and British Politics, 1975-1997'' (2000)
* Evans, Eric J. ''Thatcher and Thatcherism.'' (2nd ed. 2004). 176 pp [http://www.questia.com/read/107494201?title=Thatcher%20and%20Thatcherism online edition]
* Fry, Geoffrey K. ''Politics of the Thatcher Revolution: An Interpretation of British Politics 1975 - 1990'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Thatcher-Revolution-Interpretation-British/dp/0333751965/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Haseler, Stephen. ''The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals.'' (1990). 195 pp.
* Holmes, Martin. ''The First Thatcher Government, 1979-83: Contemporary Conservatism and Economic Change'' (1985); ''Thatcherism: Scope and Limits, 1983-87.'' (1989). 174 pp. a sympathetic assessment.
* Jenkins, Peter. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Revolution: The Ending of the Socialist Era.'' (1988). 417 pp. critical
* Johnson, Christopher. ''The Grand Experiment: Mrs. Thatcher's Economy and How It Spread.'' (1993). 341 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus?'' (1987). 334 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis, and Anthony Seldon, eds. ''The Thatcher Effect'' (1989), major interpretive essays by experts
* Krieger, Joel. ''Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Decline.'' (1987). 247 pp.
* Moon, Jeremy. ''Innovative Leadership in Democracy: Policy Change under Thatcher.'' (1993). 157 pp.
* Morgan, K.O. ''The People's Peace: British History, 1945-90'' (1990) survey by leading scholar
* Pugliese, Stanislao, ed. ''The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher.'' (2003). 419 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003). 260 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''Tory Radicalism: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-1997.'' (1997). 222 pp.
* Riddell, Peter. ''The Thatcher Decade: How Britain Has Changed during the 1980's.'' (1989). 236 pp.
* Roy, Subroto and Clarke, John, eds. ''Margaret Thatcher's Revolution: How It Happened and What It Meant.'' (2005). 209 pp.
* Savage, S.P., and L. Robbins, eds. ''Public Policy under Thatcher'' (1990), essays by experts
* Sharp, Paul. ''Thatcher's Diplomacy: The Revival of British Foreign Policy.'' (1997). 269 pp.
* Smith, Geoffrey. ''Reagan and Thatcher.'' (1991). 285 pp.
* Waine, Barbara. ''The Rhetoric of Independence: The Ideology and Practice of Social Policy in Thatcher's Britain.'' (1992). 172 pp.
* Wall, Stephen. ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Europe-Britain-Thatcher-Blair/dp/0199284555/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823185&sr=1-26 excerpt and text search]
* Walters, A. A. ''Britain's Economic Renaissance: Margaret Thatcher's Reforms, 1979-1984.'' (1986). 200 pp.
* Wapshott, Nicholas. ''Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage.'' (2007) 329 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Reagan-Margaret-Thatcher-Political/dp/159523053X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Whipple, Amy C. "'Ordinary People': The Cultural Origins of Popular Thatcherism in Britain, 1964-1979." PhD dissertation Northwestern U. 2004. 253 pp. DAI 2004 65(5): 1926-A. DA3132626 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Bibliography-Bibliographies-Statesmen/dp/book-citations/0313282889/ref=sid_dp_av?ie=UTF8&citeType=citing#citing additional books]
===Primary sources===
* Clark, Alan. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Minister: The Private Diaries of Alan Clark.'' (1994). 421 pp.
* Thatcher, Margaret. ''The Path to Power (1995); ''The Downing Street Years.'' (1993). 914 pp., highly detailed memoirs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Margaret}}
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:English people]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

Margaret Thatcher

2014-09-23T04:53:11Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Prime Minister
|image=Margaret_Thatcher.jpg
|seq=71
|term_start=May 4, 1979
|term_end=November 28 1990
|party=Conservative Party
|previous=James Callaghan
|next=John Major
|birth_date=October 13 1925
|birth_place=Grantham, [[United Kingdom]]
|death_date=April 8, 2013
|birth_place=London, [[United Kingdom]]
|spouse=[[Denis Thatcher|Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt]]
|religion=[[Methodist]]
}}

'''Margaret Hilda Thatcher (née Roberts)''', Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925. died April 8, 2013), was [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]] from 1979 to 1990, the first, and currently, only woman to hold the position. Her leadership permanently moved Britain to the right and reshaped the nation's political environment to stress economic growth and international competitiveness. The [[Labour Party]] in response under [[Tony Blair]] jettisoned their old leftist ideas and followed Thatcher-lite programs. Despite being in power for 13 years from 1997 to 2010 Labour did not remove any of Thatcher's anti-union legislation and has refused to even consider doing so.

Thatcher was chosen to be the leader of the Conservative Party in February 1975, succeeding former Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]. She was opposed to [[socialism]] and excessive union power which had brought down the previous Conservative government in 1974. She led the Conservatives to victory in the May 1979 [[General Election]] and thus became Prime Minister.
{{cquote|'''The economic success of the Western world is a product of its moral philosophy and practice. ''The economic results are better because the moral philosophy is superior.'' Choice is the essence of ethics: if there were no choice, there would be no ethics, no good, no evil; good and evil have meaning only insofar as man is free to choose.''' <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/103336 1977 speech by Margaret Thatcher; Zurich Economic Society]</ref>}}

Thatcher sold many of the UK's nationalized industries back to private investors and made tax cuts. She broke the power of the trade unions which stood in the way of industrial progress, especially in the mining, print and shipbuilding industries and the public sector. Due to her strong standards and her leadership style, she became known as the "[[Iron Lady]]," a term originally coined as an insult in the [[Soviet Union|Soviet Army]] newspaper ''Krasnaya Zvezda'' (Red Star,) but one she adopted enthusiastically. A famous statement of hers was "You turn if you want to, but the lady's not for turning", in reference to calls from within her own party to back down (in the political terminology of the time, "U-turn") on issues that were important to her. Thatcher was always a strong supporter of close relations with the [[United States]] and was a good friend of President [[Ronald Reagan]], uniting with him in actions against the Communists.

She led Britain to victory against [[Argentina]] in a 1982 war over Argentinian aggression against the [[Falkland Islands]]. The United States was allied with both countries, and initially tried to broker a negotiated settlement. When Thatcher rejected the proposed compromise, the U.S. supported Britain with intelligence information and the supply of advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles. The conflict led to a strong friendship with the Chilean leader [[Augusto Pinochet]] after Chile helped Britain in the conflict. In 1986, she banned the promotion of homosexuality in schools in a piece of legislation known as [[Section 28]].

Thatcher led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections (1979, 1983 and 1987). By 1990, her popularity was waning and there were calls from within her own party for her to step aside. She was challenged for the party leadership and just failed to gain the necessary majority in the first election despite getting more votes than her rival [[Michael Heseltine]]. After being convinced by colleagues that she would narrowly fail to gain the necessary votes she decided not to stand for a second ballot and resigned as party leader on 22 November 1990. [[John Major]] won the party leadership vote, and was subsequently appointed to succeed Thatcher as Prime Minister. Heseltine's reputation was destroyed by his actions and his career in the Conservative Party slowly declined, although he remained in the British government and was Deputy Prime Minister between 1995 and 1997..

''Thatcher was the longest serving British Prime Minister in more than 150 years and, alongside [[Winston Churchill]], is considered to be one of the two most important British political leaders of the twentieth century.''

She fundamentally moved the British economy from factories and mines to services and finance; although manufacturing output grew considerably under her leadership there was an even greater increase in the banking sector. [[Time|Time Magazine]] wrote of Lady Thatcher:
{{cquote|'''She was the catalyst who set in motion a series of interconnected events that gave a revolutionary twist to the century's last two decades and helped mankind end the millennium on a note of hope and confidence. The triumph of capitalism, the almost universal acceptance of the market as indispensable to prosperity, the collapse of Soviet imperialism, the downsizing of the state on nearly every continent and in almost every country in the world — Margaret Thatcher played a part in all those transformations, and it is not easy to see how any would have occurred without her. ''Champion of free minds and markets, she helped topple the welfare state and make the world safer for capitalism and mankind.''''' <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html Time Magazine; Time 100 citation]</ref>}} 

==Career prior to 1979==

The predominant influence in Lady Thatcher's early life was her father, [[Alfred Roberts]]. Roberts was a grocer by occupation who was active in local politics. She attended Somerville College, [[Oxford University|Oxford]], where she read chemistry and became chairman of the university Conservative association. After graduating, she worked for a time as a research chemist before qualifying as a barrister and practicing as a tax lawyer, an indication of her interest in financial matters. In this time period, it was uncommon in Britain for a woman from a background to go to an upper-class university and then to pursue a career in the elitist male world of the Bar.

Lady Thatcher married Denis Thatcher, a successful businessman whom she met at a Conservative Party meeting; a quiet man, he kept out of the spotlight. They had two children, twins Mark Thatcher and Carol Thatcher.

Under the weak and troubled Conservative premiership of [[Edward Heath]] (1970-1974), Thatcher served as Secretary of State for Education during which time her most noted achievement was the withdrawal of a daily milk ration to primary age schoolchildren earning her the nickname Milk-Snatcher. After the Conservatives were defeated in the elections of February and October 1974, Thatcher challenged the more liberal Heath for the leadership of the party. When she went into Heath's office to tell him her decision, he did not even bother to look up. "You'll lose," he said. "Good day to you." [http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

[[Image:503px-Thatcher-loc.jpg|right|thumb|Margaret Thatcher as Leader of the Opposition in 1975.]]
Though at the time she was a relatively untested figure (and many in the party were wary of choosing a woman leader), she defeated both Heath and other male rivals in the contest in February 1975. Heath subsequently became a prominent personal and political adversary of Thatcher, drawing accusations of bitterness.

In the 1970s, Thatcher's strongly conservative, pro-capitalist stance resonated with a new mood among the British electorate, many of whom had become dissatisfied with the post-[[World War II]] statist consensus (the "post-war consensus", sometimes also called "Butskellism" after the centrist Conservative politician [[Rab Butler]] and the moderate Labour politician [[Hugh Gaitskell]]). Thatcher and the Conservatives offered a clear alternative vision for an increasingly aspirational society. The Conservative politician Sir [[Keith Joseph]] was the primary intellectual force behind these theories that later became known as ''Thatcherism''. They were strongly influenced by the pro-market intellectuals [[Friedrich von Hayek]] and [[Milton Friedman]].

===Attitude to Abortion===
Thatcher, throughout her parliamentary career, voted in favor of [[Abortion Act of 1967|liberal abortion laws]].[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1988thatcher.html]

==1979 election==
The Labour party under [[James Callaghan]] (prime minister 1976-79) contested the May 1979 election as unemployment passed the one-million mark and unions became more aggressive. The Conservatives used a highly effective poster created by Saatchi and Saatchi, showing a dole queue snaking into the distance and it carried the caption "Labour isn't working".

Voters gave Conservatives 43.9% of the vote and 339 seats to Labour's 269, for an overall majority of 43 seats. People generally voted against Labour rather than for the Conservatives. Labour was weakened by the steady long-term decline in the proportion of manual workers in the electorate. Twice as many manual workers normally voted Labour as voted Conservative, but they now constituted only 56% of the electorate. When [[Harold Wilson]] won narrowly for Labour in 1964, they had accounted for 63%. Furthermore they were beginning to turn against the trade unions—alienated, perhaps, by the difficulties of the winter of 1978-9. In contrast, Tory policies stressing wider home ownership, which Labour refused to match. Thatcher did best in districts where the economy was relatively strong and was weaker where it was contracting.

==Prime Ministership==
===Economic policy===
Thatcher's chief goals in power were to reverse Britain's economic decline and to reduce the range of the state as well as standing taller on the international stage. She found a soul-mate in Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980 but whom she had met in 1975. Thatcher started by increasing interest rates to drive down inflation which hit the manufacturing sector and caused unemployment to rise sharply and there was a deep recession in the early 1980s blamed on her Government's economic policy. This led to her famous quote: 'the lady is not for turning', and she refused a policy reversal and, despite an open letter from 364 "economists", taxes were increased in the middle of a recession. Although unemployment did not reach 3 million till 1982, a year earlier British cities burned as thousands took to the streets to demonstrate their frustration. Inflation was going down though, allowing interest rates to fall, proving those "economists" wrong.

===Falkland Islands===
As the economy started to recover Argentina invaded the Falklands, the first (and unprovoked) invasion of sovereign British territory by a foreign government since the Second World War. This invasion was preceded, and possibly encouraged, by her withdrawal of the Royal Navy's antarctic patrol ship ''HMS Endurance'' from the South Atlantic. Thatcher immediately declared her resolve to recapture the islands in line with the wishes of their inhabitants, and dispatched a naval task force to that end. With help from President [[Augusto Pinochet|Pinochet]] of [[Chile]] and, more covertly, [[Ronald Reagan]], the British forces swiftly recaptured the islands. The resulting wave of patriotic enthusiasm as well as her right to buy policy for council homes, and a uselessly divided opposition, meant she got a landslide victory in the June 1983 general election.

===Unions===
The central theme of Thatcher's second term was reducing the power of the trade unions with a series of measures that a number of unions reacted to with industrial action. In particular action was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers led by Arthur Scargill, who openly declared the intention of bringing down the elected government. The Tories had prepared for the strike by building up coal reserves and deploying police units fitted out with new riot gear brought in after the disturbances of 1981. The miners responded with violence and very ugly scenes developed on picket lines that split the country. Scargill's failure to hold a ballot for the strike undermined public support and the striker's chant of 'vote with your feet' calling miners to join the strike was turned on them as more and more returned to work over the year of the strike.

===IRA===
In the middle of the strike, on October 12 1984, the Provisional IRA (Irish Republican Army; a terror group that seeks Irish Reunification) detonated a bomb during the Conservative Party conference in Brighton. Thatcher escaped injury but five people died in the attack and Margaret Tebbit was left paralyzed; the conference went on as normal. Thatcher delivered a speech less than four hours after the explosion.

===Privatization===
Thatcher's political and economic philosophy emphasized free markets and since gaining power she had experimented in selling off nationalized industries starting with the National Freight company, most of the large utilities followed.

Privatization was perhaps the most enduring legacy of the political economy developed under Thatcher. She privatized long-nationalized corporations (such as the telephone and aerospace firms) and, most important, sold public housing to tenants, all on favorable terms. Theis turned Labour-minded tenants into Conservative-minded property owners and mortgage payers. The policy developed an important electoral dimension during the second Thatcher government (1983-90). It involved more than denationalization: wider share ownership was the second plank of the policy, and this provides an important historical perspective on the relationship between Thatcherism and 20th-century conservatism.<ref> Richard Stevens, "The Evolution of Privatisation as an Electoral Policy, c. 1970-90." ''Contemporary British History'' 2004 18(2): 47-75. Issn: 1361-9462 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]</ref>

===Foreign policy===
Thatcher supported Reagan's [[Cold War]] policies of [[rollback]] of Communism. She supported the stationing of nuclear missiles in Europe and at British bases, ignoring the last-gasp protests by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. She supported the American bombing raid on [[Libya]] from bases in Britain in 1986 and, by refusing to side with a European consortium, in backing the American-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation over a British company Westland. [[Michael Heseltine]] resigned in protest at her style of leadership over this.

In 1984 she visited [[China]] and signed the Sino-British Joint Declaration with [[Deng Xiaoping]] that agreed the handover of [[Hong Kong]] in 1997. At the Fontainebleau summit in 1984 Thatcher argued that the UK paid far more to the EEC than it received in spending and negotiated a budget rebate using the argument that ‘We want our money back’. In 1985, the University of Oxford voted to refuse her an honorary degree in protest against her cuts in funding for education.
===Reelected 1987===
In 1987, Thatcher became the first British Prime Minister to win three consecutive general elections since [[Lord Liverpool]] (1812-1827).
===Environment===
In the late 1980's Thatcher began to be concerned by environmental policy and in 1988 she made a major speech accepting the problems of global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain. <ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=107346 Speech to the Royal Society, 9/27/1988]</ref>

===Europe===
At Bruges, she made a speech in which she outlined her opposition to proposals from the European Communities for a federal structure and increasing centralization of decision-making believing that the role of the EC should be limited to ensuring free trade and effective competition. She was specifically against Economic and Monetary Union, through which a single currency would replace national currencies, and for which the EC was making preparations. In 1989 the economy high interest rates were imposed to stop an unsustainable boom. At the Madrid European summit, Nigel Lawson and Geoffrey Howe forced Thatcher to agree the circumstances in which she would join the Exchange Rate Mechanism, a preparation for monetary union. She took revenge on both by demoting Howe and listening more to her adviser Sir Alan Walters on economic matters. Lawson resigned that October and in November, a so-called ‘stalking horse candidate Sir Anthony Meyer challenged Thatcher for the leadership of the Conservative Party. In 1989 a new system of local government finance to replace the rates was introduced for Scotland in 1989 and for England and Wales in 1990. Called the 'Community Charge' but known as the Poll Tax was applied at the same amount to every individual resident with only limited discounts. Widespread opposition culminated in a huge [http://newsfilm.bufvc.ac.uk/article.php?story=200510081953085 demonstration] in London on March 31 that turned into the largest outbreak of public disorder central London had seen in a century which was followed by millions of people refusing to pay the tax. This along with her government's handling of the economy, her perceived arrogance and a general feeling that she would never retire, made her politically vulnerable. Geoffrey Howe resigned on November 1 and condemned Thatcher's policy on the European Communities then openly invited 'others to consider their own response'. Michael Heseltine's response was a leadership challenge which resulted in a narrow failure, by two votes, for Thatcher to win automatic re-election. After consulting with cabinet colleagues she found a vast majority thought that she could not win on the second ballot. On November 22nd Thatcher announced that she would not be a candidate in the second ballot. She supported John Major as her successor, and retired from Parliament at the 1992 election.

==Thatcherism==
[[Thatcherism]] refers to Thatcher's economic policies while prime minister 1979 and 1990.
It consisted of
*[[free market]] [[Supply-side economics|supply-side economics]]
*[[tax]] reduction
*artificial manipulation of the money supply to reduce [[inflation]]
*[[privatization]] of public industry
*reining in of [[labor union|trade union]] influence and power

==Life after being Prime Minister==

After leaving the House of Commons, Thatcher was dubbed '''Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven''' and entered the House of Lords. Denis Thatcher was given a Baronetcy, which ensured that their son, Mark, would inherit the title of "Sir Mark".

She publicly endorsed [[William Hague]] against Kenneth Clarke for the Conservative leadership in 1997. She made many speaking engagements around the world, including very vocal support of former General [[Augusto Pinochet]], whom the new Labour administration extradited to Spain on trumped-up charges of torturing political opponents. In March 2002 she suffered a mild stroke, and made few speeches. In 2004 she attended the funeral of her old friend and political soul-mate, Ronald Reagan. Baroness Thatcher was still seen at Tory party gatherings until nearly the end of her life, and continued endorsing party leaders, such as Iain Duncan Smith. In August 2008, it became known that she was suffering from [[dementia]] and had withdrawn from public life. <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7579352.stm Thatcher suffers from dementia]</ref>
[http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html][http://www.fandmpublications.co.uk/pages/margaretbiography1.htm][http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp]

==Quick Facts==
[[Image:THATCH~1.JPG|right|thumb|250px]]
*Born: 13 October 1925 in [[Grantham]], [[Lincolnshire]]

*First entered Parliament: 8 October 1959

*Became leader of the [[Conservative]] Party in February 1975

*Elected as Prime Minister in May 1979

*Age she became PM: 53 years, 204 days

*Maiden Speech: 5 February 1960 during the second reading of her Private Member's Bill

*Total time as PM: 11 years, 209 days

*Nickname: "The Iron Lady"

*Education: Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School and Somerville College, Oxford

*Before Thatcher became an MP, she worked as a research chemist for British Xylonite and then Lyons & Company, where she helped develop methods for preserving ice cream.

*Family: Margaret Thatcher is the younger of two daughters. She often gave her father as an example of an outstanding citizen. She married [[Sir Denis Thatcher]], and has one son and one daughter.

*Interests: Music, art, opera and reading.

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

==Husband==
Denis Thatcher, ''as the first male PM spouse in history'', was always likely to be the center of media attention - and he didn't disappoint.

When she met him, Baroness Thatcher remarked that "it was clear to me at once that Denis was an exceptional man - he had a certain style and dash." Described as a man of integrity, humor and common sense, he had a strong business background and fought with the Royal Artillery during the war.

It was said that Denis was in 'the Thatcher party not the Tory party'. He once famously remarked, recalling the words of Mark Twain, that: "it's better to keep my mouth shut and be thought a fool rather than open it and remove all doubt."

When he died in 2003 his wife paid tribute to the man she loved by saying: "Being PM is a lonely job. In a sense, it ought to be - you cannot lead from a crowd. But with Denis there I was never alone. What a man. What a husband. What a friend."

[http://www.pm.gov.uk/output/Page126.asp][http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/thatcher.html]

== Notable quotes==

*"I like Mr Gorbachev, we can do business together."

*"The lady is not for turning"

*"I have made it quite clear that a unified Ireland was one solution that is out. A second solution was a confederation of two states. That is out. A third solution was joint authority. That is out-that is a derogation of sovereignty."

*"I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left."

*"If you lead a country like Britain, a strong country, a country which has taken a lead in world affairs in good times and in bad, a country that is always reliable, then you have to have a touch of iron about you."

*"I do not know anyone who has got to the top without hard work. That is the recipe. It will not always get you to the top, but should get you pretty near."

*" There is no such thing as [[society]]. There is living tapestry of men and women and people and the beauty of that tapestry and the quality of our lives will depend upon how much each of us is prepared to take responsibility for ourselves and each of us prepared to turn round and help by our own efforts those who are unfortunate"<ref>[http://www.margaretthatcher.org/speeches/displaydocument.asp?docid=106689 Interview in ''Woman's Own'']</ref>

*"What Britain needs is an iron lady."

*"Unless we change our ways and our direction, our greatness as a nation will soon be a footnote in the history books, a distant memory of an offshore island, lost in the mists of time like Camelot, remembered kindly for its noble past."

*"I just owe almost everything to my father [and] it's passionately interesting for me that the things that I learned in a small town, in a very modest home, are just the things that I believe have won the election."

*"Democratic nations must try to find ways to starve the terrorist and the hijacker of the oxygen of publicity on which they depend."<ref>[http://www.quoteworld.org/authors/margaret-thatcher/1/ Quotes by Margaret Thatcher]</ref>

*"It will be years before a woman either leads the Conservative Party or becomes Prime Minister. I don't see it happening in my time" (in 1970.) This quote was parodied in the 2006 TV series Life on Mars, when DCI Gene Hunt (speaking in 1973) stated "There'll never be a woman Prime Minister as long as I have a hole in my ar*e."

*“You may have to fight the battle more than once to win it.” <ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=zac9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA283&dq=fight+the+battle+more+than+once+to+win+it.&ei=3hpnS82IAaSyNNvx1PwN&cd=2 The Routledge dictionary of quotations‎ - Page 283 by Robert Andrews]</ref>

*(Referring to her friend and adviser William Whitelaw) "Every Prime Minister needs a Willie."

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

==External Links==
* [http://www.margaretthatcher.org/ Margaret Thatcher Foundation]

==References==
{{reflist}}
==Bibliography==
[[File:Thatcher-pic.jpg|thumb|260px]]
===Biography===
* Blundell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher: A Portrait of the Iron Lady'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Portrait-Iron-Lady/dp/087586631X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, John. ''Margaret Thatcher. Vol. 1: The Grocer's Daughter.'' (2000); ''Margaret Thatcher. vol. 2: Iron Lady'' (2007), 520pp; 913pp; long, detailed authoritative biography
* Clarke, Peter. "Margaret Thatcher's Place in History: Two Views," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 357-368 online at EBSCO
* Geelhoed, Bruce E. and Hobbs, James F. ''Margaret Thatcher's Last Hurrah: In Victory and Downfall, 1987 and 1990.'' (1992). 193 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/15091359?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20In%20Victory%20and%20Downfall%2c%201987%20and%201990 online edition]; also [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Margaret-Thatcher-Victory-Downfall-1987/dp/0275941485/ref=sr_1_34?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823416&sr=8-34 excerpt and text search]
* King, Anthony. "The Outsider as Political Leader: the Case of Margaret Thatcher." ''British Journal of Political Science'' 2002 32(3): 435-454. Issn: 0007-1234 Fulltext: [[CUP]] and [[Jstor]]. Thatcher was a social outsider, psychological outsider and political outsider.
* Thompson, Juliet S., and Wayne C. Thompson. ''Margaret Thatcher: Prime Minister Indomitable'' (1994) [http://www.questia.com/read/85710688?title=Margaret%20Thatcher%3a%20Prime%20Minister%20Indomitable online edition]
* Young, Hugo. ''The Iron Lady: A Biography of Margaret Thatcher.'' (1989). 570 pp. well-written and well researched

===Political studies===
* Adonis, Andrew, and Tim Hames, eds. ''A Conservative Revolution: The Thatcher-Reagan Decade'' (1994), comparative perspective
* Backhouse, Roger E. "The Macroeconomics of Margaret Thatcher," ''Journal of the History of Economic Thought'' 2002 24(3): 313-334 online at EBSCO
* Dellheim, Charles. ''The Disenchanted Isle: Mrs. Thatcher's Capitalist Revolution.'' (1995) 352 pp.
* Evans, Brendan. ''Thatcherism and British Politics, 1975-1997'' (2000)
* Evans, Eric J. ''Thatcher and Thatcherism.'' (2nd ed. 2004). 176 pp [http://www.questia.com/read/107494201?title=Thatcher%20and%20Thatcherism online edition]
* Fry, Geoffrey K. ''Politics of the Thatcher Revolution: An Interpretation of British Politics 1975 - 1990'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Politics-Thatcher-Revolution-Interpretation-British/dp/0333751965/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Haseler, Stephen. ''The Battle for Britain: Thatcher and the New Liberals.'' (1990). 195 pp.
* Holmes, Martin. ''The First Thatcher Government, 1979-83: Contemporary Conservatism and Economic Change'' (1985); ''Thatcherism: Scope and Limits, 1983-87.'' (1989). 174 pp. a sympathetic assessment.
* Jenkins, Peter. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Revolution: The Ending of the Socialist Era.'' (1988). 417 pp. critical
* Johnson, Christopher. ''The Grand Experiment: Mrs. Thatcher's Economy and How It Spread.'' (1993). 341 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis. ''Thatcherism and British Politics: The End of Consensus?'' (1987). 334 pp.
* Kavanagh, Dennis, and Anthony Seldon, eds. ''The Thatcher Effect'' (1989), major interpretive essays by experts
* Krieger, Joel. ''Reagan, Thatcher, and the Politics of Decline.'' (1987). 247 pp.
* Moon, Jeremy. ''Innovative Leadership in Democracy: Policy Change under Thatcher.'' (1993). 157 pp.
* Morgan, K.O. ''The People's Peace: British History, 1945-90'' (1990) survey by leading scholar
* Pugliese, Stanislao, ed. ''The Political Legacy of Margaret Thatcher.'' (2003). 419 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''The Thatcher Revolution: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and Tony Blair, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-2001.'' (2003). 260 pp.
* Reitan, Earl A. ''Tory Radicalism: Margaret Thatcher, John Major, and the Transformation of Modern Britain, 1979-1997.'' (1997). 222 pp.
* Riddell, Peter. ''The Thatcher Decade: How Britain Has Changed during the 1980's.'' (1989). 236 pp.
* Roy, Subroto and Clarke, John, eds. ''Margaret Thatcher's Revolution: How It Happened and What It Meant.'' (2005). 209 pp.
* Savage, S.P., and L. Robbins, eds. ''Public Policy under Thatcher'' (1990), essays by experts
* Sharp, Paul. ''Thatcher's Diplomacy: The Revival of British Foreign Policy.'' (1997). 269 pp.
* Smith, Geoffrey. ''Reagan and Thatcher.'' (1991). 285 pp.
* Waine, Barbara. ''The Rhetoric of Independence: The Ideology and Practice of Social Policy in Thatcher's Britain.'' (1992). 172 pp.
* Wall, Stephen. ''A Stranger in Europe: Britain and the EU from Thatcher to Blair'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Stranger-Europe-Britain-Thatcher-Blair/dp/0199284555/ref=sr_1_26?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212823185&sr=1-26 excerpt and text search]
* Walters, A. A. ''Britain's Economic Renaissance: Margaret Thatcher's Reforms, 1979-1984.'' (1986). 200 pp.
* Wapshott, Nicholas. ''Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher: A Political Marriage.'' (2007) 329 pp. [http://www.amazon.com/Ronald-Reagan-Margaret-Thatcher-Political/dp/159523053X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256981278&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Whipple, Amy C. "'Ordinary People': The Cultural Origins of Popular Thatcherism in Britain, 1964-1979." PhD dissertation Northwestern U. 2004. 253 pp. DAI 2004 65(5): 1926-A. DA3132626 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Margaret-Thatcher-Bibliography-Bibliographies-Statesmen/dp/book-citations/0313282889/ref=sid_dp_av?ie=UTF8&citeType=citing#citing additional books]
===Primary sources===
* Clark, Alan. ''Mrs. Thatcher's Minister: The Private Diaries of Alan Clark.'' (1994). 421 pp.
* Thatcher, Margaret. ''The Path to Power (1995); ''The Downing Street Years.'' (1993). 914 pp., highly detailed memoirs

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thatcher, Margaret}}
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:British Politics]]
[[Category:Cold War]]
[[Category:Conservatives]]
[[Category:English people]]
[[Category:United Kingdom Prime Ministers]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]

Liberal

2014-09-23T04:42:14Z

Lincolnrep:

[[File:President Barack Obama.jpg|thumbnail|right|180px|President [[Barack Obama]] advocates the use of unsuccessful [[Keynesian economics|Keynesian economic concepts]]. He is considered to be the most liberal president in history.]]

A '''liberal''' is someone who supports '''liberalism''', which is a [[politics|political philosophy]] on the left of the political spectrum. Liberals favor an increase in [[government]] spending, power, and control, as in [[ObamaCare]]. Most liberals also support the [[censorship]] and [[denial]] of [[Christianity]] because of its strong moral values<ref>http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-times/article.php?articleid=2062</ref>. Liberals who are a part of the [[secular left]] prefer the [[atheism|atheist religion]] over the Christian faith, as atheism has no objective morality to hinder their big government plans. This lack of an objective morality, or [[moral relativism]], was used as one of the main justifications for crimes against humanity by the [[Nazi Party|Nazis]] and the [[Communism|Communists]], both of whom were [[Similarities_between_Communism,_Nazism_and_liberalism|liberal]]. Increasingly, liberals side with the [[homosexual agenda]], including supporting [[same-sex marriage|homosexual "marriage"]]. Most<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2014/05/23/reform-conservatives-tackle-the-failed-liberal-welfare-state/</ref> liberals favor a [[welfare state]] where people receive endless entitlements without working. Liberals are often anti-[[Christian]], or otherwise disagree with moral or social principles held by many American Christians. The liberal ideology has worsened over the years and degenerated into economically unsound views and intolerant ideology. Most liberals simply support, in knee-jerk fashion, the opposite of [[conservative]] principles, while lacking an actual ideology or values of their own.

Polling data has consistently shown that a increasingly large percentage of Americans identify as conservative, rather than as liberal, currently by 38% to 21%.<ref>http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1042/winds-of-political-change-havent--shifted-publics-ideology-balance</ref>

'''A liberal supports many of the following political positions and practices''':

* Spending money on government programs (the significant economic problems in the [[Eurozone]] due to government debt will no doubt increasingly discredit this aspect of liberal ideology and make things more difficult for advocates of liberal economic ideologies)
* Denial of science<ref>http://www.postlibertarian.com/2012/09/why-do-liberals-hate-science/</ref> (especially [[creation science]])
* Government's ability to solve economic problems<ref>http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs</ref>
* The belief that terrorism is not a huge threat, and that the main reason for Muslim extremists' hostility towards America is because of bad foreign policy <ref>http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs</ref>
* Brainwashing voters with propaganda
* Taxpayer-funded and/or legalized [[abortion]]
* Censorship<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/07/watch-what-you-say-the-new-liberal-power-elite-won-t-tolerate-dissent.html</ref>
* Socialism<ref>http://famguardian.org/subjects/Politics/Articles/Liberals.htm</ref>
* Unsuccessful Keynesian economics as opposed to sound free market economics
* Cessation of teacher-led [[prayer]] in classrooms and school/state-sponsored religious events.
* [[Gun control]]
* [[Elitism]]
* Pseudo-intellectualism<ref>http://eljam.blogspot.com/2005/09/i-hate-pseudo-intellectuals.html</ref>
* [[Anti-Americanism]]
* Affirmative action<ref>http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs</ref>
* Opposition to government regulation or restriction of obscenity, pornography and violence in video games as a [[First Amendment]] right<ref>The [[Warren Court]], led by [[liberal]] Justices [[William O. Douglas]], [[Hugo Black]], [[Abe Fortas]], [[William Brennan]] and Chief Justice [[Earl Warren]] issued 36 decisions granting [[First Amendment]] rights to obscenity and pornography. These decisions remain fully supported by liberals today.</ref>
* Authoritarian government<ref>http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2014/07/liberal_authori.html</ref>
* Government-funded medical care, such as [[Obamacare]]
* [[evolution and liberalism|Belief in evolution]]
* Destroying the Christian foundations on which America was built on.
* Taxpayer-funded and government-controlled [[public education]]
* Limiting personal freedom<ref>http://conservative.wikia.com/wiki/Democratic_Party</ref>. Liberal support for gun control is an example of this.
* High progressive taxes<ref>http://www.ijreview.com/2014/07/157256-course-lower-state-taxes-helps-growth-studys-results-prove/</ref> as a form of class warfare against wealthy business owners<ref>http://www.conservapedia.com/Progressive_taxation</ref>.
* Placement of men and women in the same jobs in the [[military]]
* Slowly eroding the U.S. through [[Progressivism]].<ref>http://americanprogressivism.wordpress.com/</ref>
* Legalized [[same-sex marriage]] and homosexual adoption
* [[Tax and spend]] economics
* Rejection of Biblical standards
* Economic sector regulations<ref>http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs</ref>
* Denial of conservative roles in history. For example, liberals frequently claim<ref>http://www.deism.com/washington.htm</ref> that George Washington was a deist when he was actually a devout Episcopalian.
* Spreading of [[political correctness]]
* Destroying [[liberty]]
* Ending Western morality
* Non-syndicalist [[labor union|labor unions]]
* Encouraging promiscuity through sexual education (the teaching of safe sex) rather than teaching [[abstinence]] from premarital sex<ref> [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286671,00.html Democrats Aim To Kill Abstinence-Only Program Funding], [[Fox News]], Monday, June 25, 2007</ref>
* A "[[living Constitution]]" that is reinterpreted as liberals prefer, rather than how it is thought to have been intended.
* Government programs to [[rehabilitate criminals]]
* Bestiality as a human right<ref>http://www.peterheck.com/libtree/liberty_tree/view/1677/liberals_repeal_ban_on_bestiality_in_the_military</ref>
* Abolition of the [[death penalty]]
* [[Environmentalism]]<ref> and environmental organizations, for example [[Greenpeace]]</ref>
* [[Globalism]]
* Constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.
* Opposition to full private property rights.<ref> For example, the liberal wing of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] issued the 5-4 [[Kelo v. City of New London]] decision authorizing the taking of private property by government in order to give the property to another private entity rather than convert it to a public use.</ref>
* Reinstatement of the [[Fairness Doctrine]]
* Opposition to domestic wire-tapping as authorized in the [[Patriot Act]]
* Regulation of business rather than a laissez-faire capitalist economy
* Opposition to the Constitution. Liberals seek to expand federal power at the expense of local government and silence the conservatives who hold them back, violating the 10th and 1st Amendments respectively.
* [[Liberal Denial|Denial]] of traditional [[gender roles]]
* Support of financially irresponsible policies
* Advocating policies which are proven to be incorrect
* Destroying conservative family values and replacing them with immoral [[Hollywood values]], such as drug use, narcissism, and abortion
* Encouragement of [[Global Warming|global warming alarmism]]
* Rejection of logical<ref>http://www.pjstar.com/article/20140711/OPINION/140719804/2011/OPINION</ref> standards
* Persecution of [[Christianity]] [[Islam and tolerance|with deference to other religions, such as Islam.]]
Liberals currently use two Clauses of the Constitution to try to expand their power: the Commerce Clause and the General Welfare Clause. The General Welfare Clause mentions "promoting the general welfare". This to a liberal means taxing the rich at increased rates and redistributing that money. The Commerce Clause, on the other hand, says that Congress has the power to regulate trade with foreign nations, between the states and with the Indian tribes. Since the days of FDR this Clause has been interpreted very loosely and has resulted in the federal government expanding its power. The latest example is The Affordable Care Act (ACA), better know as [[Obamacare]]. In the ACA, the liberals justify the individual mandate by saying it regulates commerce between the states.

The decline in liberal principles can be illustrated by how [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] opposed and condemned public sector unions, stating that the idea of collective bargaining can't be transferred from the private to the public sector, as that would result in the government being unable to carry out its duties. Yet today, decades later, [[Democrats]] and liberals are in lock-step with public sector unions, as they "donate" money to the reelection campaign in exchange for more taxpayer money in their wallets and fluffed up pensions.

Current dictionaries describe the liberal ideology by pretending that a liberal is "a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties" or "a person who favors an economic theory of laissez-faire and self-regulating markets,"<ref>http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=liberal&sub=Search+WordNet&o2=&o0=1&o7=&o5=&o1=1&o6=&o4=&o3=&h=00</ref> or "open-minded or tolerant, especially free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc." or "favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties."<ref>http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/liberal</ref> In practical usage, the term "liberal" is more closely synonymous with "radical," "immoral," "anti-freedom," "elitist," or "bad."

==Liberals and Uncharitableness==
[[Image:228130875 35181424e3.jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[United States|American]] Liberals have been observed to give less to charity than American conservatives.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/conservatives_more_liberal_giv.html</ref> In addition, [[per capita]] [[atheism|atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] in the United States [[Atheism and charity|give significantly less to charity than theists even when church giving is not counted for theists]].[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians][http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_200310/ai_n9340592/][http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=2682730&page=2] ]]
''For more information please see'': [[Liberals and uncharitableness]] and [[Atheism and charity]]

In March of 2008, [[George Will]] wrote at [[RealClearPolitics]] concerning the [[United States]]:
{{cquote|Sixteen months ago, [[Arthur C. Brooks]], a professor at [[Syracuse University]], published "Who Really Cares: The Surprising Truth About Compassionate Conservatism." The surprise is that liberals are markedly less charitable than [[conservative]]s....

If many conservatives are liberals who have been mugged by reality, Brooks, a registered independent, is, as a reviewer of his book said, a social scientist who has been mugged by data. They include these findings:

-- Although liberal families' incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give, on average, 30 percent more to charity than the average liberal-headed household ($1,600 per year vs. $1,227).

-- Conservatives also donate more time and give more blood.<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/03/conservatives_more_liberal_giv.html</ref>}}
[[Atheism|Atheists]] and [[agnosticism|agnostics]] often reject [[Bible|Biblical]] [[morality]] (and therefore [[conservative Christianity]] ) and hold to [[moral relativism]].<ref>http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=152</ref> Therefore, it is not surprising that [[per capita]] atheists and agnostics in [[United States|America]] [[Atheism and charity|give significantly less to charity than theists even when church giving is not counted for theists]].[http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/12-faithspirituality/102-atheists-and-agnostics-take-aim-at-christians][http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3647/is_200310/ai_n9340592/][http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=2682730&page=2]

=== Liberal politicians and uncharitableness ===
The political magazine the [[American Spectator]] featured an article which focused on [[liberal politicians and uncharitableness]] exposing the hypocrisy of the liberal politicians it featured.<ref>http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1c5_1238044128&c=1</ref>

In addition, [[Barack Obama]] has been criticized concerning [[Barack Obama and uncharitableness|his lack of charitable giving]].

== Liberal Christianity and marital infidelity ==

''See also:'' [[Liberal Christianity and marital infidelity]] and [[Liberal Christianity]]

According to a 2007 study reported in the ''Journal of Family Issues'', adherents of [[liberal Christianity]] are more likely to engage in marital infidelity than theologically [[Conservative Christianity|conservative Christians]].<ref>[http://www.sagepub.com/hillhsstudy/articles/Chapter10_Article%2001.pdf Are There Religious Variations in Marital Infidelity?]</ref>

As noted above, liberals are [[Evolution and liberalism|more likely]] to adhere to evolutionary belief than conservatives. A study conducted by the Australian National University, revealed that belief in evolution is associated with moral permissiveness.<ref>[http://creation.com/morals-decline-linked-to-belief-in-evolution Morals decline linked to evolution]</ref>

== Liberalism and bestiality ==

See also: [[Liberalism and bestiality]]

[[File:Peter-Singer.jpg|right|thumbnail|260px|The [[atheist]] philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of [[bestiality]] (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]]). Despite holding these immoral views the liberal and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]].<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
*[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref> See: [[Atheism and bestiality]] ]]
[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal. The [[atheist]] philosopher [[Peter Singer]] defends the practice of bestiality (as well as [[abortion]], infanticide and [[euthanasia]])<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
*[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref>. Despite holding these immoral views the liberal and pro-[[evolution]] academic establishment rewarded his views with a bioethics chair at [[Princeton University]] (Princeton University is a very liberal school - see: [[Liberalism and bestiality]]).<ref>
*[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview - Creation Ministries International]
*[http://creation.com/answer-to-philosophy-religion-professor-on-biblical-exegesis-and-the-problem-of-evil CMI answers philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil]
*[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref> Peter Singer was installed as the Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University in 1999 and in 2006 it was reported that he still worked part-time in that capacity. <ref>[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview]</ref> In 2006, it was also reported that Singer worked part-time as Laureate Professor at the University of Melbourne in the Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics since 2005.<ref>[http://creation.com/the-basis-of-a-christian-worldview The Basis of a Christian Worldview]</ref>

Joe Carter's ''[[First Things]]'' article entitled ''The Dangerous Mind'' declares concerning Peter Singer declared:
{{cquote|Singer has spent a lifetime justifying the unjustifiable. He is the founding father of the [[Animal rights|animal liberation movement]] and advocates ending “the present speciesist bias against taking seriously the interests of nonhuman animals.” He is also a defender of killing the aged (if they have dementia), newborns (for almost any reason until they are two years old), necrophilia (assuming it’s consensual), and bestiality (also assuming it’s consensual).<ref>[http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2011/06/the-dangerous-mind-of-peter-singer ''The Dangerous Mind''] by Joe Carter, ''[[First Things]]''</ref>}}

On October 5, 2011, the British newspaper The Telegraph wrote an article which discussed how homosexuality "rights" have emboldened individuals to ask for so called bestiality "rights" (see: [[Homosexuality and bestiality]]).<ref>[http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100108943/the-gay-rights-movement-has-emboldened-americas-bestiality-advocates/ The dark side of sexual freedom: American 'zoophiles' take on the language of equality - October 5, 2011 - The Telegraph]</ref>

In 2010, the liberal state of [[Washington]] has the highest number of reported cases of bestiality in the United States even though it was merely the 13th most populous state according to the 2010 United States census. (for more information please see: [[Washington state and bestiality]]).<ref>[http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/cruelty_database/statistics/state_ranking.php?year=2010&search=go Pet Abuse -2010]</ref><ref>[http://2010.census.gov/2010census/data/apportionment-pop-text.php 2010 United States Census data]</ref><ref>[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/25/new-poll-identifies-most-liberal-and-conservative-states/ 2011 Political map - CNN]</ref>

In 2005, four legislators in the liberal state of [[Massachusetts]] tried to soften its bestiality laws.<ref>[Massachusetts bill to repeal fornication, adultery, and blasphemy, and to soften bestiality laws]</ref>
[[File:NBC Tower.jpg|thumbnail|200px|[[LifeSiteNews]] reported:"In 46 hours of programming, [[NBC]] contained only one reference to marital sex, but 11 references to non-marital sex and one reference to [[adultery]] were made. References to incest, pedophilia, partner swapping, prostitution, threesomes, transsexuals/transvestites, [[bestiality]], and necrophilia combined outnumbered references to sex in marriage on NBC by a ratio of 27 to 1.<ref>[http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/ldn/2008/aug/08080602 Study Finds TV Treats Marital Sex as Burdensome, Adultery as Positive]</ref> See also: [[Liberalism and bestiality]] ]]
The Bible says that bestiality is a perversion and, under the [[Old Testament]] [[Pentateuch|Jewish Law]], punishable by death (Exodus 22:19, Leviticus 18:23, Leviticus 20:15 and Deuteronomy 27:21). The atheistic worldview does not lend itself to the establishment of morality within society and individuals (see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and deception]]). The atheistic worldview does not lend itself to the establishment of morality within society and individuals (see: [[Atheism and morality]] and [[Atheism and deception]]).

A study found that "Psychiatric patients were found to have a statistically significant higher prevalence rate (55%) of bestiality than the control groups (10% and 15% respectively)."<ref>[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1778686 A prevalence study of bestiality (zoophilia) in psychiatric in-patients, medical in-patients, and psychiatric staff - Int J Psychosom. 1991;38(1-4):45-7.]</ref> The atheist population [[Atheism and suicide|has a higher suicide rate]] and [[Atheism and marriageability|lower marriage rates]] than the general population (see: [[Atheism and suicide]] and [[Atheism and marriageability]] and [[Atheism and health]]). However, these are anecdotes and may not represent the liberal group as a whole as there is little (if any) research or statistical data available as of 2014.

For more information please see:

*[[Atheism and bestiality]]

*[[Evolutionary belief and bestiality]]

*[[Liberalism and bestiality]]

*[[Homosexuality and bestiality]]

*[[Liberal American entertainment industry and bestiality]]

*[[Geographic areas where bestiality is posing a notable problem]]

*[[Wikipedia on bestiality]]

*[[Skeptic Skatje Myers' comments on bestiality]]

*[[Joseph Stalin's ape-men experiments]]
=== Occupy Wall Street and bestiality chant ===

''See also:'' [[Occupy Wall Street and bestiality chant]]

[[Bestiality]] is the act of engaging in sexual relations with an animal. A crowd at Occupy Wall Street was led to repeat various chants which included a chant involving bestiality and the incident was videotaped.<ref>[http://rightwingnews.com/john-hawkins/the-10-greatest-moments-from-the-occupy-wall-street-protests-so-far/ The 10 Greatest Moments From The Occupy Wall Street Protests So Far]</ref>

Below is an excerpt of the chant:
{{cquote|Everything seems to be possible. [Crowd Parrot Chant] You can travel to the moon. [CPC] You can become immortal [CPC] by biogenetics. You can have sex with animals, or whatever. [CPC].<ref>[http://rightwingnews.com/john-hawkins/the-10-greatest-moments-from-the-occupy-wall-street-protests-so-far/ The 10 Greatest Moments From The Occupy Wall Street Protests So Far]</ref>}}

==Liberals and Superstition==
[[Image:2384975035_230a0eac30.jpg‎‎|right|150px]]

The [[Wall Street Journal]] reported: "A comprehensive new study released by Baylor University, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. <ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html]</ref>

Also, in September of 2008, the [[Wall Street Journal]] reported:
{{cquote|The reality is that the [[New Atheism|New Atheist]] campaign, by discouraging [[religion]], won't create a new group of intelligent, skeptical, enlightened beings. Far from it: It might actually encourage new levels of mass superstition. And that's not a conclusion to take on faith — it's what the empirical data tell us.

"What Americans Really Believe," a comprehensive new study released by Baylor University yesterday, shows that [[Conservative Christianity|traditional Christian religion]] greatly decreases belief in everything from the efficacy of palm readers to the usefulness of [[astrology]]. It also shows that the irreligious and the members of more liberal Protestant denominations, far from being resistant to superstition, tend to be much more likely to believe in the paranormal and in pseudoscience, such as evolution than evangelical Christians....

This is not a new finding. In his 1983 book "The Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener," skeptic and science writer Martin Gardner cited the decline of traditional religious belief among the better educated as one of the causes for an increase in [[pseudoscience]], cults and superstition. He referenced a 1980 study published in the magazine Skeptical Inquirer that showed irreligious college students to be by far the most likely to embrace paranormal beliefs, while born-again Christian college students were the least likely.<ref>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122178219865054585.html</ref>}}

== Liberalism in the United States Today ==
[[File:Smear merchants.jpg|right|200px]]
[[Democrats]] and most media outlets in the [[U.S.]] are blatantly liberal.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrc.org/biasbasics/biasbasics1.asp|title=Media Bias basics|publisher=Media Research Center}}</ref> Liberalism in North America today practices three primary tactics to attack the Republican Party, and sometimes to attack American values in general. These three liberal tactics can be pronounced using the following [[acronym]]: SIN. Liberals (1) '''s'''hift the subject, they (2) '''i'''gnore the facts, and they (3) '''n'''ame call.<ref>Scott Baker. [http://www.theblaze.com/stories/did-herman-cain-give-the-dont-miss-speech-at-cpac/ Did Herman Cain Give the ‘Don’t Miss’ Speech at CPAC?], ''[[The Blaze]], February 12, 2011.</ref><ref>[[YouTube]]. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-N3-j3HM7-A& Herman Cain: "Stupid People Are Ruining America"], February 11, 2011.</ref>

* Liberals typically support a "mixed" economy, a policy similar to that of [[fascism]]. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://fora.tv/2008/01/30/Liberal_Traits_of_Fascism|title=Video discussion about how modern liberalism is actually fascist by author Jonah Goldberg.}}</ref>

* Liberals claimed a monopoly on [[compassion]], [[decency]], and [[social justice]] (as defined by themselves), posing as the sole defenders of [[civic virtue]] against a horde of backwoodsmen, racists, and religious fanatics. [http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/03/the_disgrace_of_liberalism.html]
{{cquote|There's another goal, from my point of view, which is to try to lay the groundwork for a radical political force which would conceive of itself as distinctly to the left of moderate, reformist American liberals. And that has two aspects. One is to try to change that liberalism, to transform it by analysis, critique, and activism; the second is to build a radical movement which would be an autonomous force in its own right, which would be distinct from the traditional American liberal consensus. This radical part of the program involves not simply supporting the liberal students against conservative students and conservative professors, but trying to act on them, to push them to the left. It also involves trying to find and support, even trying to help create, networks of radical students in law school and of radical professors around the country — students and teachers who see themselves as wanting to go a lot further than most people want to go. <ref> [http://66.218.69.11/search/cache?ei=UTF-8&p=liberal+teachers&fr=yfp-t-501&fp_ip=MX&u=duncankennedy.net/documents/Liberal%2520Values%2520in%2520Legal%2520Education.pdf&w=liberal+liberals+teachers+teacher&d=BNZFhPReRjC1&icp=1&.intl=us Liberal Values in Legal Education] Duncan Kennedy (professor at Harvard Law School)</ref>}}

===Liberal Rankings of Congress Members===

The National Journal compiles the votes of each congress member each year and uses the information to create rankings<ref>http://nationaljournal.com/voteratings/index.htm</ref> of how liberal each member of the United States [[Congress]] is. In addition to showing the voting records of each member and given an overall all ranking of liberalness, the National Journal also ranks congress members by liberalness in the areas of social, economic, and foreign policy.

=== American liberalism, demographics and expected tipping point in the decline of American liberalism ===
''
See also:'' [[American atheism]] and [[Decline of atheism]] and [[Global atheism]]

Due to the explosive growth of [[global Christianity]] in traditional cultures and their influence on Western [[Christianity]] and the higher birth rate of [[Conservative Christianity|conservative Christians]] and religious conservatives, social conservatism is expected to rise.

The Birkbeck College, University of London professor Eric Kaufman wrote in his 2010 book ''Shall the Righteous Inherit the Earth?'' concerning America:
{{cquote|High evangelical fertility rates more than compensated for losses to liberal Protestant sects during the twentieth century. In recent decades, white secularism has surged, but Latino and Asian religious immigration has taken up the slack, keeping secularism at bay. Across denominations, the fertility advantage of religious fundamentalists of all colours is significant and growing. After 2020, their demographic weight will to tip the balance in the [[Culture War|culture wars]] towards the conservative side, ramping up pressure on hot-button issues such as abortion. By the end of the century, three quarters of America may be pro-life. Their activism will leap over the borders of the 'Redeemer Nation' to evangelize the world. Already, the rise of the World Congress of Families has launched a global religious right, its arms stretching across the bloody lines of the War on Terror to embrace the entire Abrahamic family.<ref>[http://questionevolution.blogspot.com/2012/05/why-are-years-2012-and-2020-key-years.html Why are 2012 and 2020 key years for Christian creationists and pro-lifers?]</ref>}}

==Liberalism in Europe today==

In Europe, on the other hand, parties that call themselves ''liberal'' are moderate in outlook, ranging from centre-left to centre-right, promote typically economic and business freedom. The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe<ref>http://www.alde.eu</ref> is a party of the European Parliament that represents most ''liberal'' parties from European countries. Similar policies are promoted by many ''liberal'' parties throughout the world,<ref>http://www.liberal-international.org/</ref> such as the Liberal Party of Australia.<ref>[http://www.liberal.org.au/]</ref>

Trade unions and socialist parties often criticize politicians for promoting lower taxes on business, or more flexible hiring and firing laws, by calling them "liberals" or [[neoliberal|neoliberals]]. Thus, just as in the US, "liberal" may occasionally be used as a term of abuse. But when someone is called "liberal" in Europe, it has an entirely different meaning than in the US. In fact, the US meaning of liberal is more similar to the politics of European [[socialist]] or [[social democracy|social democratic]] parties.<ref>[http://www.pes.org]</ref>

==Historical Liberalism ==
In history, the word "liberal" has meant different things at different times, and was associated with individual liberty in prior centuries. In the postwar period, liberals supported government intervention in the economy and welfare state policies, as well as peaceful coexistence with the communist block, which are not liberal policies in the sense of classical liberalism. After the end of the cold war, with the demise of socialism and communism, many liberals embraced some ideas from economic neo-liberalism, and coined it the "Third Way". In the area of national security and foreign policy liberals in the [[U.S.]] failed to define a consistent stance, even after the events of 9/11 and the beginning of the war in Iraq. Liberals generally support affirmative action, gay marriage, and abortion.<ref>"Political liberals tend, for whatever reason, to be ardent supporters of both gay rights and pro-choice programs." Greenberg and Bailey [http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/TS/Bailey/Greenberg-Bailey/Homosexual%20Eugenics.pdf] </ref>

==Original meaning: Classical Liberalism==
Liberalism is a political philosophy with freedom as its core value. The term was originally applied to supporters of individual liberties and equal rights, but, in America, the term has come to represent a movement of social change that often conflicts with [[conservative]] values such as moral values and traditions derived from Northern European Protestantism.

See [[Classical Liberal|Classical Liberalism]]. Compare [[Libertarianism]].

== Notable liberal "intellects" ==

''See also:'' [[Infamous liberals]]

* [[Margaret Sanger]]

* [[King George III]]

* [[Barack Hussein Obama]]<ref>http://www.businessinsider.com/cheney-obama-is-the-worst-president-of-my-lifetime-2014-7</ref>

* [[John Maynard Keynes]]

* [[Adolf Hitler]]

* [[Joseph Stalin]]

* [[Al Gore]]

* [[Karl Marx]]

* [[Kim Jong-un]]

* [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]]

* [[Mao Zedong]]

* [[Benito Mussolini]], the inventor of fascism

* [[Pol Pot]]

* [[Margaret Thatcher]] - Conservative by UK standards, but decriminalized homosexuality.

*[[John Wayne Gacy]] - In an interview where he denied killing any of his victims, [[serial killer]] John Wayne Gacy said he was [[bisexuality|bisexual]] and "very liberal".<ref>http://s151.photobucket.com/albums/s151/candypop_02/Serial%20Killers/John%20Wayne%20Gacy/?action=view&current=SERIAL_KILLER_John_Wayne_Gacy_In-1.mp4</ref> Gacy was also a [[Democratic Party]] activist who had his picture taken with [[Rosalynn Carter]].<ref>http://www.digitaljournal.com/image/45527</ref>

==Liberal Organizations of thought==
*[[AARP|AARP - American Association of Retired People]]
*[[ACLU|ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union]]
*[[ACORN|ACORN - Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now]]
*[[AFL-CIO|AFL-CIO - American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations]]
*[[Amnesty International|AI - Amnesty International]]
*[[A.N.S.W.E.R.|ANSWER - Act Now to Stop War and End Racism]]
*[[CAIR|CAIR - Council on American-Islamic Relations]]
*[[Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism]]
*[[Democratic National Committee]]
*[[Greenpeace]]
*[[MoveOn.org]]
*[[NARAL|NARAL - National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League]]
*[[NAACP|NAACP - National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]]
*[[National Committee for an Effective Congress]]
*[[National Education Association]]
*[[National Organization of Women|NOW - National Organization of Women]]
*[[PETA|PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]]
*[[Planned Parenthood|Planned Parenthood Federation of America]]
*[[Progressives for Obama]]
*[[Rainbow/PUSH Coalition]]
*[[SEIU|SEIU - Service Employees International Union]]
*[[U.S. Peace Council]]
Source: [http://www.politixgroup.com/lo.htm The Politix Group]

==Quotes on Liberals==
"I never use the words [[Democrats]] and [[Republicans]]. It's [[liberals]] and [[Americans]]." -James Watt, Secretary of the Interior under [[Ronald Reagan]]

"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so." -[[Ronald Reagan]]

“Liberals see racism where it doesn't exist, fabricate it when they can't find it and ignore it within their own ranks.” ―[[Michelle Malkin]]

"Words mean nothing to liberals. They say whatever will help advance their cause at the moment, switch talking points in a heartbeat, and then act indignant if anyone uses the exact same argument they were using five minutes ago." -[[Ann Coulter]]<ref>http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2010/11/23/the_25_best_quotes_about_liberals</ref>

"The reason any conservative's failing is always major news is that it allows liberals to engage in their very favorite taunt: Hypocrisy! Hypocrisy is the only sin that really inflames them. Inasmuch as liberals have no morals, they can sit back and criticize other people for failing to meet the standards that liberals simply renounce. It's an intriguing strategy. By openly admitting to being philanderers, draft dodgers, liars, weasels and cowards, liberals avoid ever being hypocrites." -Ann Coulter

"If you can somehow force a liberal into a point-counterpoint argument, his retorts will bear no relation to what you've said -- unless you were in fact talking about your looks, your age, your weight, your personal obsessions, or whether you are a fascist. In the famous liberal two-step, they leap from one idiotic point to the next, so you can never nail them. It's like arguing with someone with Attention Deficit Disorder." -[[Ann Coulter]]

"Inside many liberals is a totalitarian screaming to get out. They don't like to have another point of view in the room that they don't squash and the way they try to squash it is by character assassination and name calling." -David Horowitz

"End results that work that don't involve government threaten liberals." -[[Rush Limbaugh]]

==Quotes by Liberals==
"The number one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S." -[[Joe Biden]]

"There is no reason the nation of Africa cannot, and should not, join the ranks of the worlds most prosperous nations." -Joe Biden<ref>https://www.facebook.com/StupidStuffDemocratsSay</ref>

"Romney wants to give EIGHT HUNDRED MILLION BILLION in tax breaks to the rich." -Joe Biden

"Will the Mars Rover be able to show the flag the astronauts planted there before?" -Sheila Jackson Lee

"Isn't it a little racist to call it Black Friday?" -Joy Behar

"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet." -[[Al Gore]]

"The center of the earth is about a million degrees." -Al Gore

"A zebra does not change its spots." -Al Gore

"The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color. The government lied." -[[Jeremiah Wright]]

"Every month that we do not have an economic recovery package 500 million Americans lose their jobs." -[[Nancy Pelosi]]

"Why can't I just eat my waffle?" -[[Barack Hussein Obama]]

"Over the last 15 months, we’ve traveled to every corner of the United States. I’ve now been in 57 states? I think one left to go." -[[Barack Hussein Obama]]

"My fear is that the whole island (of Guam) will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize." -Democrat Congressman Hank Johnson<ref>http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2013/08/17/the-25-stupidest-liberal-quotes-of-the-last-decade-n1666619</ref>

"Winnie the Pooh seems to me to be a fundamental text on national security." -Obama foreign policy adviser Richard Danzig

"If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate." -Former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry<ref>http://conservative.wikia.com/wiki/Hilarious_Liberal_Quotes</ref>

"What right does Congress have to go around making laws just because they deem it necessary?" -Marion Barry

"My appetite is so good that I can eat the table cloth right off the chair." -Democratic Congressman Joe Moakley

"Those who died in the earthquake, their lives will never be the same again." -Barbara Boxer

"I dare you, you little fruitcake!" -Democratic Congressman Pete Stark

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

==See Also==

* [[Conservative resources]]
* [[Conservapedia:Articles about liberals|Articles about liberals]]
* [[Classical liberal]]
* [[Drinking Liberally]]
* [[Godless liberal]]
* [[Last wordism]]
* [[Essay:Liberal celebrity obsession|Liberal celebrity obsession]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Behavior on Conservapedia|Liberal Behavior on Conservapedia]]
* [[Liberal Christianity]]
* [[Liberal Christianity and marital infidelity]]
* [[Liberal Democrats]]
* [[Liberal Elite]]
* [[Essay: Liberal Falsehoods|Liberal Falsehoods]]
* [[Liberal Fascism]]
* [[Liberal friendship]]
* [[Liberal Gloss]]
* [[Liberal grading]]
* [[Liberal hypocrisy]]
* [[Essay:Liberal hysteria|Liberal hysteria]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Intellectualism|Liberal Intellectualism]]
* [[Liberal labels]]
* [[Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right|Liberal Lies About the American Right]]
* [[Liberal logic]]
* [[The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness|Liberal Mind]]
* [[Liberal Party]]
* [[Liberal supremacist]]
* [[Massachusetts liberal]]
* [[Progressives]]
* [[Scientific Illiteracy and Liberals]]
* [[European Liberalism]]
* [[Liberal and conservative]]
* [[Liberal anger]]
* [[Liberal competitiveness]]
* [[Liberal concealment]]
* [[Liberal conscience]]
* [[Liberal dislikes]]
* [[Liberal excuses]]
* [[Liberal fear]]
* [[Liberal gossip]]
* [[Liberal guilt]]
* [[Liberal confusion]]
* [[Liberal hedonism]]
* [[Liberal hyperbole]]
* [[Liberal infiltration]]
* [[Liberal media hype]]
* [[Liberal opinion]]
* [[Liberal relativism]]
* [[Liberal revisionists]]
* [[Liberal self-righteousness]]
* [[Liberalism-ism]]
* [[Liberals and conservatives]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Intelligence]]
* [[Essay:Incoherence of liberal thought]]
* [[Essay:Liberal Predictions of the Decade]]

==Further Information==
* [[Best_New_Conservative_Words#New_Liberal_Terms|New Liberal Terms]]
* [[Conservative Links]]
* http://www.studentnewsdaily.com/conservative-vs-liberal-beliefs/

{{liberalism}}

[[Category:Political Ideologies]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category: Liberals]]

List of dictators

2014-09-23T03:57:45Z

Lincolnrep:

: ''See also the [[#See also|related lists]] at the end of this article.''
The following is a list of national leaders ([[Head of state|heads of state]] and/or [[Head of government|heads of government]]) commonly regarded as modern [[dictator]]s. This usage usually carries a pejorative sense and refers to a ruler who:

* Rules by decree, via an [[Enabling Act]] or similar laws passed by a legislature allowing him to do so;
* is an [[absolute ruler]] of a [[state|sovereign state]], usually appointed, but without hereditary ascension;
* governs outside the otherwise accepted [[rule of law]];
* commonly (but not necessarily) gaining power through [[fraud]], a [[coup d'état]], resorting to either again to continue in power;
* may develop a [[cult of personality]];
* may be autocratic, oppressive, despotic or tyrannical.

Some so-called "[[Dictator#"The benevolent dictator"|benevolent dictators]]" may be viewed as beneficial and their leadership seen as a "necessary evil".
The modern usage of the term 'dictator' developed largely in response to instances of autocratic rule in [[republic]]s, so traditional [[monarch]]s are not usually described as dictators in historical commentary. Also excluded from this list are those who held [[absolute power]] during national [[State of emergency|emergencies]], but restored the rule of law soon thereafter. Otherwise those included have been widely cited by historians or described by the [[Mass media|media]] as dictators. Any controversy surrounding such characterisation is mentioned in the notes.

The list is sorted according to when each dictator began their years in power. This refers to any years in office as a head of state, government or the like before their dictatorship was established. Any years of elected and judicial rule may be indicated parenthetically.

==Africa==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Gamal Abdel Nasser]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 1954–1970 || Prime Minister of Egypt 1954-1962; President of Egypt 1956-1970. Part of a group of officers in control of Egypt after the coup against British supported [[Farouk of Egypt|King Farouk]] in 1952; In February 1954, Nasser forced {{fact}} President [[Muhammad Naguib]] to appoint him prime minister and give up most practical power to him; later in that year Naguib resigned and Nasser became president by self-appointment; elected by popular vote (as only candidate) in 1956, and subsequently. Many personalistic elements to Nasser's rule, but nominal parliamentary system under Nasser's 1956-1970 presidency {{fact}}, until his death in 1970.
|-
|align=center|[[Ahmed Sékou Touré]] ||align=center| [[Guinea]] ||align=center| 1958–1984 || President of Guinea. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog/DIAINS.html], [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/awards2003/profile_jazz.shtml]) with estimates of up to 50,000 extra-judicial killings during his rule (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/warstat6.htm]) and 250,000 Guineans fleeing his rule ([http://www.africanet.com/africanet/country/guinea/history.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[David Dacko]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 1979–1981 || President of the Central African Republic. Banned opposition (see [http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad36]); Gained power by coup in 1979, though subsequently stood for election (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Kwame Nkrumah]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1960–1966 || Created an single-party-system. Described himself as "African [[Lenin]]".
|-
|align=center|[[Modibo Keita]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1960–1968 || Schoolteacher and first president of Mali. Forced socialization and extensive protectionism severely harmed the economy and continued the country's dependence on aid donors. Discontent with these policies led Keita to implement his own "Cultural Revolution" and establish a network of people's militias to inform on and punish dissent. In the last few years of his presidency, full powers were vested in an extralegal "National Committee for Defense of the Revolution". He was deposed in a military coup.
|-
|align=center|[[François (Ngarta) Tombalbaye|François Tombalbaye]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1960–1975 || Head of State 1960-1962; President of Chad 1962-1975. Never fought a contested election; imprisoned opposition leaders. Launched a "Cultural Revolution" in the early 1970s encouraging ''[[authenticité]]''.
|-
|align=center|[[Félix Houphouët-Boigny]] ||align=center| [[Côte d'Ivoire]] ||align=center| 1960–1993 || President of Côte d'Ivoire. Ruled until 1990 with all opposition banned, but not considered particularly repressive. Relocated the official capital to his home village of [[Yamoussoukro]] and constructed the [[Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro]], the largest religious structure in Africa.
|-
|align=center|[[Milton Obote]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1962–1972 1980–1985 || Prime Minister of Uganda 1962-1966; President of Uganda 1966-1971 and 1980-1985. Suspended the constitution and declared himself President and Prime Minister in 1966.
|-
|align=center|[[Hastings Kamuzu Banda]] ||align=center| [[Malawi]] ||align=center| 1963–1994 || Prime Minister of Malawi 1963-1966; President of Malawi 1966-1994. Banned all opposition in 1966; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1971; exiled and killed opposition leaders. Ordered that a letter bomb be sent to exiled opposition leader [[Attati Mpakati]]; suspected of being involved in the car crash deaths of senior Congress Party leaders; violently crushed an attempted rebellion. Aged 98, he allowed and lost a free election in 1994.
|-
|align=center|[[Kenneth Kaunda]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| 1964–1991 || President of the Republic of Zambia 1964-1991.Elected 1964, banned all political parties in Zambia, viewed himself as "WAMUYAYA" (eternal President).Accused of torturing political opponents.Defeated by Frederick Chiluba in 1991.
|-
|align=center|[[Houari Boumediene]] ||align=center| [[Algeria]] ||align=center| 1965–1978 || 
President of Algeria from June 19, 1965 to his death, (December 27, 1978); Chairman of the Revolutionary Council until December 12, 1976). In June 1965, Boumédienne seized power in a bloodless coup. Initially lacking a personal power base, he was seen as a weak ruler. But after a botched coup attempt against him by military officers in 1967 he tightened his rule, and then remained Algeria's undisputed ruler until his death in 1978.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Bédel Bokassa]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1966–1979 || President of the Central African Republic 1966-1976; Emperor Bokassa I of the Central African Empire 1976-1979. Bokassa overthrew the autocratic Dacko in a swift coup d'état and assumed power as president of the Republic and head of the sole political party, the Mouvement pour l'évolution sociale de l'Afrique Noire (MESAN). Bokassa abolished the constitution of 1959 on January 4 and began to rule by decree. He proclaimed himself emperor in 1976 (see [http://www.african-geopolitics.org/show.aspx?ArticleId=3638]).
|-
|align=center|[[Gnassingbé Eyadéma]] ||align=center| [[Togo]] ||align=center| 1967–2005 || President of Togo. Gained power in a coup; never fought a contested election until 1998; banned, tortured and killed opposition. Fostered a cult of personality that was reinforced after he was the sole survivor of an airplane crash in 1974. In late 1991, troops loyal to Eyadéma closed a constitutional conference that had shifted most executive power to a new transitional government and banned Eyadéma's RPT party. January 1993 saw a mass exodus of residents to neighboring states after security forces fired on pro-democracy demonstrators. Further repression followed a purported 1994 coup attempt (see[http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/togoewechro.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Bongo]] ||align=center| [[Gabon]] ||align=center| 1967–2009 || As vice president, he acceded to the presidency following the death of President [[Léon M'ba]]. In 1968, Bongo decreed a one-party state under his [[Gabonese Democratic Party]] and was thrice elected unopposed in the 1970s and 1980s. He became very wealthy during the country's oil boom. Open elections were held in 1990 and Bongo was re-elected in 1993, 1998 and 2005. Observers have criticized the elections as unfair and corruption watchdogs have accused the president of [[nepotism]]. Riots resulting from the mysterious death in 1990 of prominent dissident [[Joseph Rendjambe]] in a government hotel room were put down by French troops.
|-
|align=center|[[Moussa Traoré]] ||align=center| [[Mali]] ||align=center| 1968–1991 || Chairman of the Military National Liberation Committee 1968-1969; Head of State 1969-1979; President of Mali 1979-1991. Seized power in a coup; banned all opposition; installed a police state; established one-party state in 1979.
|-
|align=center|[[Francisco Macías Nguema]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| 1968–1979 || President of Equatorial Guinea 1968-1979. Elected in 1968 but declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1972; "extreme personality cult"; over a third of population fled his regime. Banned fishing and sanctioned the deaths of most of his pre-independence political rivals, including ex-prime minister [[Bonifacio Ondó Edu]] and foreign minister [[Atanasio Ndongo Miyone]]. Declared an atheist state by Spanish dictator [[Francisco Franco]]. As many as 50,000 civilians were killed, in particular those of the [[Bubi]] ethnic [[minority]] on [[Bioko]] associated with relative wealth and [[intellectual]]ism.
|-
|align=center|[[Gaafar Nimeiry]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| 1969–1985 || Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council 1969-1971; President of Sudan 1971-1985. Gained power in a military coup, banned opposition, dissolved southern Sudanese government, imposed sharia law. Executed several leading communists (the most prominent being [[Abdel Khaliq Mahjub]] and [[Joseph Garang]]) after a botched 1971 coup attempt.
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Siad Barre]] ||align=center| [[Somalia]] ||align=center| 1969–1991 || Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Council 1969-1976; President of Somalia 1976-1991. In 1969, during the power vacuum following the assassination of President Abdirashid Ali Shermarke, the military staged a coup and took over. Barre was to rule for the next twenty-two years. He attempted to develop a personality cult; large posters of him were common in the capital Mogadishu during his reign, many of which can still be seen today. He dreamed of a "[[Greater Somalia]]" and tried unsuccessfully to annex the [[Ogaden]]—legally Ethiopian territory—in 1977 to realize this end (see [[Ogaden War]]).
|-
|align=center|[[Idi Amin]] ||align=center| [[Uganda]] ||align=center| 1971–1979 || [[President of Uganda]], later (1976) declared as [[President for Life|for Life]]. Deposed in 1979 after declaring war on [[Tanzania]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mengistu Haile Mariam]] ||align=center| [[Ethiopia]] ||align=center| 1974–1991 || Chairman of the Provisional Military Administrative Council ([[Derg]]) in 1974 and 1977-1987; President of Ethiopia 1987-1991. One-party state; repression of opposition; tens of thousands of extra-judicial killings.
|-
|align=center|[[Olusegun Obasanjo]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1976-1979 || Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria between 1976 and 1979. Elected President of Nigeria in 1999. Chairman of the [[African Union]] 2004-2006.
|-
|align=center|[[Jean-Baptiste Bagaza]] ||align=center| [[Burundi]] ||align=center| 1976–1987 || President of Burundi. Widely described as a military dictator (see [http://www.africanews.com/article265.html], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/burundi.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Albert René]] ||align=center| [[Seychelles]] ||align=center| 1977–2004 || President of Seychelles. Deposed the elected president Sir [[James Mancham]] and promulgated a one-party constitution after a period of rule by decree. Created the [[National Youth Service]] (NYS), a compulsory educational institution that included traditional curricula interlaced with political indoctrination and paramilitary training.
|-
|align=center|[[Daniel arap Moi]] ||align=center| [[Kenya]] ||align=center| 1978–2002 || President of Kenya. Changed constitution to establish a ''de jure'' one-party state; resorted to repressive rule, including torture and imprisonment without trial.
|-
|align=center|[[Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo]] ||align=center| [[Equatorial Guinea]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || Chairman of the Supreme Military Council 1979-1982; President of Equatorial Guinea 1982-present. Deposed his uncle in a violent coup; opposition is banned in all but name.
|-
|align=center|[[José Eduardo dos Santos]] ||align=center| [[Angola]] ||align=center| '''1979–present''' || President of Angola. One-party state; did not stand for election until 1992 (see [http://www.cpj.org/Briefings/2000/Angola_Marques_00/Angola_Marques_00.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[João Bernardo Vieira]] ||align=center| [[Guinea-Bissau]] ||align=center| 1980-1984 (dictator) 2005-2009 (democratically elected) || become president by a coup. killing and exiled opposition. faoumes for the [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]].
|-
|align=center|[[Samuel K. Doe]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1980–1990 || Chairman of the People's Redemption Council 1980-1984; President of Liberia 1984-1990. Gained power in a military coup that killed President [[William R. Tolbert, Jr.]], a [[Reform movement|reformer]]. Promoted [[Krahn]] chauvinism and "died a multi-millionaire and proud owner of mansions and estates" (see[http://www.theperspective.org/2004/oct/bookpeople.html]).
|-
|align=center|[[Robert Mugabe]] ||align=center| [[Zimbabwe]] ||align=center| '''1980–present''' ||
Gained power through election, and repeatedly re-elected, but criticized for steps used to maintain power. From 1999 on, used police and militant groups like the War Veterans Association and [[Border Gezi Youth]] to enforce [[ZANU-PF]] policies and to prevent opponents from voting; called "king" by his aides.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1709488.stm] Arrested and tortured opponents and human rights activists; gave amnesty to murderers of his political opponents in 2000; ignores court rulings.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,410850,00.html]
|-
|align=center|[[Jerry Rawlings]] ||align=center| [[Ghana]] ||align=center| 1981-1992 || Gained power in a military coup during 1979 but handed it over. Re-took power in another coup of 1981. Elected President in 1992 and again in 1996 before standing aside as per the constitution.
|-
|align=center|[[André Kolingba]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 1981–1993 || Chairman of the Military Committee of National Recovery 1981-1985; President of the Central African Republic 1985-1993. Gained power in a coup; persecuted opposition; allowed (and lost) free elections in 1993. Attempted second coup in 2001.
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Biya]] ||align=center| [[Cameroon]] ||align=center| '''1982–present''' || He served under President Ahmadou Ahidjo and became Prime Minister in 1975. Ahidjo resigned on November 6, 1982 and Biya became president. After years of totalitarian rule, he allowed the creation of opposition parties in 1990 but his re-elections have been marked by widespread fraud and intimidation.
|-
|align=center|[[Hissène Habré]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| 1982–1990 || Chairman of the Council of State 1982; President of Chad 1982-1990. Gained power in a coup; abolished post of Prime Minister; executed opposition leaders.
|-
|align=center|[[Thomas Sankara]] ||align=center| [[Burkina Faso]] ||align=center| 1983-1987 || President of Upper Volta 1983-1984; President of Burkina Faso 1984-1987. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime. Overthrown and killed in coup.
|-
|align=center|[[Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 1984–2005 || Deposed the military head of state, [[Mohamed Khouna Ould Haidalla]], on December 1984 and declared himself Chairman of the Military Committee for National Salvation. Deposed by [[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] in a bloodless coup d'état. 
|-
|align=center|[[Ibrahim Babangida]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1985-1993 || Annulled the most free and fair presidential election in the history of Nigeria, leading to the death of the presidenstial candidate [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]].
|-
|align=center|[[Zine El Abidine Ben Ali]] ||align=center| [[Tunisia]] ||align=center| 1987–2011 || President of Tunisia. Although he announced [[Pluralism#Plualism in politics|political pluralism]] in 1992, his Democratic Constitutional Rally (formerly Neo-Destour party) continues to dominate the national politics and there is no genuine open political debate. In 1999, although two unknown alternative candidates were permitted for the first time to stand in the presidential elections, Ben Ali was re-elected with 99.66% of the vote. A controversial constitutional referendum in 2002 allowed him to seek re-election and contemplate the possibility of remaining in office until 2014. On October 24, 2004, he was again re-elected, officially taking 94.48% of the vote. Certain books, periodicals and internet sites are banned or blocked. The [http://www.tunisiatv.com National Television] frequently show his actions during a week, but often the President only appears in passing on television. In 2011 he was forced from power after mass protests.
|-
|align=center|[[Omar Hasan Ahmad al-Bashir]] ||align=center| [[Sudan]] ||align=center| '''1989–present''' || President of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation 1989-1993; President of Sudan 1993-present. Took power in a military coup and increasingly centralized power into himself. Widely believed to be implicated in the [[Darfur]] [[Janjaweed]] [[pogrom]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Idriss Déby]] ||align=center| [[Chad]] ||align=center| '''1990–present''' || Head of State 1990-1991; President of Chad 1991 to date. Gained power in a coup; continues to suppress opposition and press (see [http://web.amnesty.org/report2005/tcd-summary-eng]).
|-
|align=center|[[Sani Abacha]] ||align=center| [[Nigeria]] ||align=center| 1993–1998 || Chairman of the Provisional Ruling Council 1993-1998. Seized power in a coup; persecuted opposition; never stood for election. Jailed Chief [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola]], the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election; presided over execution of activist [[Ken Saro-Wiwa]].
|-
|align=center|[[Paul Kagame]] || align=center|[[Rwanda]] || align=center|'''1994-present''' || Vice-President of Rwanda 1994-2000; President 2000-Present. Brouhgt to power by a guerilla movement which plunged the country into bloodshed and led to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Responsible of the the killings of innocent civilians, women and children in Kibeho refugee camp. Responsible of the killings of 4 millions congolese. Responsible of the killings of Priests and Archbishops in Kabgayi.
|-
|align=center|[[Yahya Jammeh]] ||align=center| [[The Gambia]] ||align=center| '''1994-Present''' || President of The Gambia. Gained power in coup d'état. Right to the press and free speech supressed. Stood for three elections (1996, 2001, and 2006); last election deemed unfair by opposition.
|-
|align=center|[[Laurent-Désiré Kabila]] ||align=center| [[Congo-Kinshasa]] ||align=center| 1997–2001 || President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overthrew [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in coup. No elections held during ongoing, interstate [[First Congo War|First]] and [[Second Congo War]]s.
|-
|align=center|[[Charles G. Taylor]] ||align=center| [[Liberia]] ||align=center| 1997–2003 || President of Liberia 1997-2003. Elected, but widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/sierra/article/0,2763,221878,00.html], [http://www.cij.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewNews&newsID=9], [http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2003/127/48.0.html]). Linked to "[[blood diamonds]]" and illegal arms trading. Believed to have interfered frequently in the internal affairs of neighboring states while a [[warlord]], before his election to the presidency.
|-
|align=center|[[François Bozizé]] ||align=center| [[Central African Republic]] ||align=center| 2003–2013 || President of the Central African Republic 2003 to date. Gained power in a coup and suspended the constitution, though he has restored some democracy (see [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/28/1456242]).
|-
|align=center|[[Ely Ould Mohamed Vall]] ||align=center| [[Mauritania]] ||align=center| 2005-2007 || Chairman of the Military Council for Justice and Democracy. Gained power via a military coup. Though he has said to relinquish power to an elected government in 2007.
|-
|align=center|[[Michael Sata]] ||align=center| [[Zambia]] ||align=center| '''2011–present''' || Elected President of Zambia. Sata shut down the opposition and maintains relationships with [[Robert Mugabe]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mohamed Morsi]] ||align=center| [[Egypt]] ||align=center| 2012–2013 || Supported by the Muslim Brotherhood. Described Jews as "apes and pigs". Massively expanded his presidential authority upon being elected, giving himself unlimited powers.
|}

==The Americas==
===North America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Agustín de Iturbide]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1822 - 1823 || Shortly after the Mexican War of Independence, he was declared Emperor of Mexico in 1822. Repressive, cracked down on free speech and any opposition. Desposed when popular opposition forced him to abdicate.
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio López de Santa Anna|Antonio López de Santa Anna]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1833 - 1855 (intermittent) || President or Provisional President of Mexico 1833-1837, then 1841 to February 1844, June to December 1844, March to September 1847 and finally 1853-1855. When [[Anastasio Bustamante]] led a coup overthrowing and killing President [[Vicente Guerrero]], Santa Anna seized power and then was elected President in 1833. At first he gave a free hand to his vice-president [[Valentín Gómez Farías]], a liberal reformer. Later he dismissed Gómez Farías, declared the Constitution suspended, disbanded the Congress and worked to concentrate power in the central government. He was overthrown and restored to power several times before his final overthrow in 1855.
|-
| align=center|[[Porfirio Díaz]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1879 - 1910 || Interim president 1876-1877; President of Mexico 1877-1880, 1884-1911. ''De facto'' ruler 1880-1884. Gained power in a coup, after his Revolution of Tuxtepac overthrew his predecessor, Lerdo. He did not run for reelection after his first term in order to keep his one-term promises that he made during his revolution. However, he retook the presidency a few years later and did not leave from power until the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution of 1910]] kicked him from the Presidency. His rule saw the rapid modernization of Mexico, progress mainly caused by Diaz's encouragement of foreign investment in the country's infrastructure. However, the poor became quite miserable during this time. Political opposition was squelched and rebellions were put down by the ''rurals'', Diaz's personal guard. He was eventually overthrown by the [[Mexican Revolution|Revolution]] which lasted 10 years.
|-
| align=center|[[Victoriano Huerta]] || align=center|[[Mexico]] || align=center|1913 - 1914 || Appointed president, established a military dictatorship for about a year, and then was forced to resign.
|}

===Central America===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Carrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1844–1848 1851–1865 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a coup; styled himself [[President for Life]].
|-
|align=center|[[William Walker]] ||align=center| [[Nicaragua]] ||align=center| 1856-1857 || An american fillibuster takes over and proclaims himself President of Nicaragua. Tried to conquer several central american countries. Eventually executed.
|-
| align=center|[[Justo Rufino Barrios]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1873–1885 || President of Guatemala. Gained power in a bloody coup, but introduced reforms.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Estrada Cabrera]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1898–1920 || President of Guatemala. Never elected; subverted constitution; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9033093], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761558775/Estrada_Cabrera_Manuel.html]). Constructed numerous large [[Ancient Greece|Hellenic]]-style temples as monuments to his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Maximiliano Hernández Martínez]] || align=center|[[El Salvador]] || align=center|1931–1934 1935–1944 || Acting President 1931-1934; President of El Salvador 1935-1944. Gained power in a coup; suppressed opposition; oversaw massacre of between ten and forty thousand suspected opponents. Presided over ''[[1932 Salvadoran peasant uprising|La Matanza]]'' in 1932, a massacre (genocide) of communists, suspected communists, [[campesinos]] and [[Pipil]] Indians (see [http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/7.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Ubico]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1931–1944 || President of Guatemala. Elected, but suppressed opposition and "assumed dictatorial powers".
|-
| align=center|[[Tiburcio Carías Andino]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1933–1949 || President of Honduras. Banned opposition and set up a [[Rubberstamp (politics)|rubber-stamp]] congress; suppressed unions (see[http://countrystudies.us/honduras/19.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Castillo Armas]] || align=center|[[Guatemala]] || align=center|1954–1957 || Junta Chairman, 1954; President of Guatemala 1954-1957. Gained power in a coup; banned the popular [[Guatemalan Party of Labour|Communist party]]; purged trade unions of leftist influence; declared himself president in 1956. Assassinated.
|-
| align=center|[[Oswaldo López Arellano]] || align=center|[[Honduras]] || align=center|1963–1971 1972–1975 || Head of Military Government 1963-1965; President of Honduras 1965-1971; Head of State 1972-1975. Military officer who allowed elections in 1971 before re-seizing power the next year. According to Clara Nieto in ''Masters of War: Latin America and United States Aggression from the Cuban Revolution through the Clinton years'', p. 114 (ISBN 1-58322-545-5): "During this second term (1972-1975) López governed without a congress and by decree."
|-
| align=center|[[Omar Torrijos]] || align=center|[[Panama]] || align=center|1968–1981 || Commander of the National Guard. Gained power in a coup; banned opposition, unions and free press.
|-
| align=center|[[Daniel Ortega]] || align=center|[[Nicaragua]] || align=center|1979-1990 '''2006–present''' || Came in power by a coup, with his Leftist [[Sandinista|Sandinistas]]. Hold false elections.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Noriega]] || align=center|[[Panama]]|| align=center|1983–1989 || Commander of the National Guard and ''de facto'' military leader, widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9056130], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761561240/Noriega_Moreno_Manuel_Antonio.html], [http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/8155061.htm]).
|}

===South America===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1813-1814 and 1814-1840 ||gained power in election. Outlawed all opposition. Installed a police state. Cult of personality; citizens forced to raise their hats or a brim when he passed by; styled himself with the position name "El Supremo". 
|-
| align=center| [[Simón Bolívar]] || align=center| [[Gran Columbia]] || align=center| 1821-1830 || Though an admirer of classical liberal democracy, the founder and president of Gran Colombia proclaimed himself dictator in 1828 after an unsuccessful constitutional convention. Resigned eighteen months later.
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1835–1852 || Governor of Buenos Aires 1829-1832, 1835-1852; Supreme Chief of the Argentine Confederation 1851-1852. Assumed dictatorial powers; exiled opponents.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Antonio López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1841–1862 || First Consul 1841-1844; President of Paraguay 1844-1862. 
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Belzu]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1848–1855 || Provisional President of Bolivia 1848-1850; President of Bolivia 1850-1855. Unelected military ruler; ''[[caudillo]]''. A populist and nationalist who voluntarily relinquished power after 1855 elections, described in (ISBN 0-13-524356-4), p.131, as the "cleanest ever held" in (early) Bolivian history.
|-
| align=center|[[Francisco Solano López]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1862–1869 || President of Paraguay. Inherited power from his father; had himself awarded immense powers by a congress he had packed with supporters. Killed in the [[War of the Triple Alliance]] (which Lopez had caused by invading Brazil), along with 90 per cent of the Paraguayan adult (age 14+) male population.
|-
| align=center|[[Mariano Melgarejo]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1864–1871 || Provisional President 1864-1870; President of Bolivia 1870-1871. Gained power in a coup and ruthlessly suppressed opposition. In 1869 he sent the army to suppress an uprising by [[Huaichu]] Indians attempting to regain land privileges they enjoyed under President Belzu (see ISBN 1-55753-324-5).
|-
| align=center|[[Antonio Guzmán Blanco]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1870–1888 || Acting President of Venezuela 1863, 1865; General-in-chief April-July 1870; Provisional President of Venezuela 1870-1873; President of Venezuela 1873 - 1877; Supreme Director 1879; Provisional President of Venezuela 1879 - 1880; President of Venezuela 1880 -1884, 1886 -1888. Described, perhaps inaccurately, as a "benevolent despot"; other sources mention his "long dictatorship" (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:ghIhQZ7WhgUJ:www.normangall.com/artigos/Church_Militant.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Cipriano Castro]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1899–1909 || Supreme Chief 1899-1901; Provisional President 1901 - 1902, 1904 - 1905; President of Venezuela 1902 - 1904, 1905 - 1909. Took over in a military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:kdvql1ZK2-4J:www.sg.inter.edu/revista-ciscla/volume29/singh.pdf+Antonio+Guzm%C3%A1n+Blanco+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Reyes]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1904–1909 || President 1904 - 1909, as a military ruler representing the Conservatives. "In the course of his regime, Reyes improved the country’s finances, expanded roads and railroads, and encouraged increased coffee production. Large U.S. investments and purchases of coffee and minerals contributed to Colombia’s economic growth. However, Reyes ruled as a dictator. He dissolved the congress and replaced it with a handpicked legislature, jailed and exiled political opponents, and declared martial law." (''Colombia'', [[Encarta|Microsoft Encarta]] 2003)
|-
| align=center|[[Juan Vicente Gómez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1909–1914 1922–1929 1931–1935 || Provisional President 1909-1910; President of Venezuela 1910-1914, 1922-1929, 1931-1935. Gained power in a coup; never elected; kleptocrat; widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9037322], [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=156078], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761563557/Juan_Vicente_Gomez.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Óscar Benavides]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1914–1915 1933–1939 || Junta Chairman 1914; President of Peru 1914-1915, 1933-1939. Twice gained power by coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto B. Leguía y Salcedo|Augusto Leguía]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || 1919–1930 || President of Peru. Gained power in a coup; ignored constitution; suppressed and exiled opposition.
|-
| align=center|[[Carlos Ibáñez del Campo]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1927–1931 || Acting President 1927, President 1927 - 1931. Democratically elected to a six-year term in 1952.
|-
| align=center|[[Getúlio Vargas]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1930–1934 1937–1945 || Head of provisional government 1930-1934 after revolution; indirectly elected as Constitutional President 1934-1937; launched a coup in 1937 and became dictator 1937-1945; democratically-elected President of Brazil 1950-1954.
|-
| align=center|[[Gabriel Terra]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1931–1938 || President of Uruguay. Suspended congress and dissolved constitution in 1933. 
|-
| align=center|[[Higinio Morínigo]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1940–1948 || Provisional president 1940-1943; President of Paraguay 1943-1948. Seized absolute power; ruled by [[diktat]] until 1946.
|-
| align=center|[[Manuel Odría]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1948–1956 || Chairman of military junta 1948 - 1950; President of Peru 1950 - 1956. Gained power in a coup; restricted civil rights; allowed election in 1956.
|-
| align=center|[[Marcos Pérez Jiménez]] || align=center|[[Venezuela]] || align=center|1948–1958 || Member of military junta 1948 - 1952; Provisional president 1952 -1953; President of Venezuela 1953 - 1958. Never elected; pursued opposition violently; credited with improvements to the country's infrastructure.
|-
| align=center|[[Gustavo Rojas Pinilla]] || align=center|[[Colombia]] || align=center|1953–1957 || President of Colombia. Gained power in a coup.
|-
| align=center|[[Alfredo Stroessner]] || align=center|[[Paraguay]] || align=center|1954–1989 || President of Paraguay. He took over in a military coup (see[http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19890301faessay5951/riordan-roett/paraguay-after-stroessner.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:vqkaVDmcvaIJ:www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/apsa_krutz.pdf+Stroessner+dictator],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:qfMgvA6bakgJ:users.ox.ac.uk/~newc1465/Proudman%2520-%2520SoftPowerMeetsHard.pdf+Stroessner+dictator]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco|Humberto Castelo Branco]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1964–1967 || President of Brazil. Gained power in a coup; abolished most opposition; subsequently appointed by congress.
|-
| align=center|[[René Barrientos]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1964–1969 || Chairman of the military junta, 1964-January 1966 (jointly with [[Alfredo Ovando]] 1965-1966); President of Bolivia, August 1966 - 1969. Gained power in military coup; kleptocrat; responsible for [[Catavi massacre]] and execution of [[Che Guevara]] (ISBN 0-85345-991-6), p.136.
|-
| align=center|[[Forbes Burnham]] || align=center|[[Guyana]] || align=center|1966–1985 || Prime Minister 1966 - 1980; President 1980 - 1985. Elected, but became increasingly dictatorial; held dubious elections and encouraged leftist religious cults (such as the [[Peoples Temple]]) to settle in the Guyanese interior (see [http://www.jagan.org/janet_jagan29.htm], [http://www.hardbeatnews.com/editor/RTE/my_documents/my_files/details.asp?newsid=4498&title=Politics]).
|-
| align=center|[[Artur da Costa e Silva]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1967–1969 || President of Brazil 1967-1969. Elected in 1966, but centralised power; closed the Congress; banned opposition; suspended free press. Decreed [[Institutional Act No. 5]], described as "the most unconstitutional, anti-democratic, arbitrary, and repressive decree in Brazil's history." (ISBN 1-58322-545-5), p.167.
|-
| align=center|[[Emílio Garrastazu Médici]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1969–1974 || President of Brazil. Appointed by congress, but instituted a military government; suppressed press and opposition (see[http://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/62/index.rtf]).
|-
| align=center|[[Juan María Bordaberry]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1972–1976 || President of Uruguay 1972 - 1976. Elected, but installed a military government, dissolved Congress, suspended civil liberties and banned unions.
|-
| align=center|[[Augusto Pinochet]] || align=center|[[Chile]] || align=center|1973–1990 || Chairman of military junta 1973-1974; Supreme Head of the Nation 1974; President of Chile 1974-1990. Gained power in a coup; suppressed and exiled opposition; over 3000 "[[Forced disappearance|disappearances]]" and 28,000 tortured.
|-
| align=center|[[Ernesto Geisel]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. The fourth of the military dictators; party and union freedom were still inexistent during his term; had oppositionists like journalist [[Wladimir Herzog]] and factory worker [[Manoel Fiel Filho]] tortured and murdered.
|-
| align=center|[[Jorge Rafael Videla]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1976–1981 || President of Argentina. Gained power in a coup; never elected; between ten and thirty thousand opponents killed.
|-
| align=center|[[João Baptista de Oliveira Figueiredo]] || align=center|[[Brazil]] || align=center|1979-1985 || Congress-appointed President of Brazil. Society won some democratic measures these years, but there was still a major fraud during 1982 State government elections. His government was responsible for the 1983 bomb in the Riocentro.
|-
| align=center|[[Dési Bouterse]] || align=center|[[Suriname]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Chairman of the National Military Council 1980-1988. Gained power in a coup; never elected; widespread misrule. Most infamous atrocity is the ''[[Decembermoorden]]''.
|-
| align=center|[[Luis García Meza Tejada]] || align=center|[[Bolivia]] || align=center|1980–1981 || President of Bolivia. Gained power in the "Cocaine Coup" aided by [[Klaus Barbie]]; highly repressive; over 1,000 killed.
|-
| align=center|[[Gregorio Conrado Álvarez]] || align=center|[[Uruguay]] || align=center|1981–1985 || President of Uruguay. Ignored constitution; extensive human rights abuses (see [http://www.rulers.org/indexa2.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Leopoldo Galtieri]] || align=center|[[Argentina]] || align=center|1981–1982 || President of Argentina 1981-1982. Gained power in a coup (see[http://www.guardian.co.uk/argentina/story/0,,873601,00.html], [http://english.pravda.ru/world/2003/01/14/41968.html]). Deposed after failed [[Falklands War|invasion of the Falkland Islands]] in 1982.
|-
|align=center| [[Alberto Fujimori]] || align=center|[[Peru]] || align=center|1992-1993 || President of Peru 1990-2000, widely critizised for his political authoritarism. [http://www.fpif.org/briefs/vol5/v5n34peru_body.html][http://www.aprodeh.org.pe/fujimori/delitos-eng.htm] [http://www.cverdad.org.pe/ingles/pagina01.php]. After enjoying a certain degree of popular support, Fujimori was forced from office following controvertial third term re-election[http://archives.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/05/29/peru.elections.04/]. In 2000 political opponent Mario Vargas Llosa called Fujimori a "dictator" [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/741841.stm]. His government was also marked by the influence of the director of the SIN, [[Vladimiro Montesinos]] [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2005.00165.x?cookieSet=1&journalCode=goop][http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB37/]. Currently in Peru, Fujimori is in trial for presumed charges ranging from corruption to participation in crimes against humanity. [http://www.hrw.org/backgrounder/americas/peru-qna-1030.htm].
|-
|align=center|[[Hugo Chávez]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center|1999-2013 || Appointed special powers, nationalized the media and oil companies,Shut down opposition media and banned "The Simpsons."
|-

|align=center|[[Nicolás Maduro]] ||align=center| [[Venezuela]] ||align=center|'''2013-present''' || Continues the corrupt ideology of Hugo Chavez, which destroys the economy of Venezuela.
|-
|}

===Caribbean===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Jacques Dessalines]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1804-1806 || Governor-General of Haiti 1804; Emperor of Haiti (as Jacques I) 1804 - 1806. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Henry Christophe]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] (northern)|| align=center|1806-1820 || Provisional Chief of the Haitian Government 1806-1807; President of Haiti 1807-1811; King of Haiti (as Henry I) 1811-1820. Ruled autocratically.
|-
| align=center|[[Pedro Santana]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1844-1848, 1853-1856, 1858-1861 || Never elected; suppressed opposition; widely considered a dictator.
|-
| align=center|[[Buenaventura Báez]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1849-1878 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic five times. Gained power following coups; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Ulises Heureaux]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1882-1899 (intermittent) || President of the Dominican Republic three times. Never elected; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.marcusgarvey.com/wmview.php?ArtID=507], [http://countrystudies.us/dominican-republic/8.htm], [http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-7709.2004.00452.x]).
|-
| align=center|[[Gerardo Machado]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1925-1933 || President of Cuba. A follower of [[Benito Mussolini]], he is widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=672], [http://www.highbeam.com/ref/doc0.asp?docid=1E1:MachadoG]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rafael Trujillo]] || align=center|[[Dominican Republic]] || align=center|1930-1961 || President of the Dominican Republic 1930 - 1938, 1942 - 1952; ''de facto'' ruler 1930-1961. Gained power in a coup; cult of personality (renamed the capital [[Ciudad Trujillo]]); promoted racism against Haitians and ordered the massacre of 20,000 blacks.
|-
| align=center|[[Paul Magloire]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1950-1956 || President of Haiti. Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[François Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1957-1971 || President of Haiti. Elected in 1957, but banned opposition; declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1964; highly repressive.
|-
| align=center|[[Fidel Castro]] || align=center|[[Cuba]] || align=center|1959-2006 || Prime Minister of Cuba 1959-1976; President of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers from 1976. Gained power after [[Cuban Revolution|revolution]]. Castro was elected President [[Elections in Cuba|after 1976]], but within a one-party [[Communist state]]. Retired due to his poor health.
|-
| align=center|[[Jean-Claude Duvalier]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1971-1986 || President of Haiti. Inherited presidency aged 19 from his father; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Eric Gairy]] || align=center|[[Grenada]] || align=center|1974-1979 || Prime Minister of Grenada 1967-1979. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.factbites.com/topics/Eric-Gairy], [http://www.paradise-inn-carriacou.com/grenada_revolution.php], [http://counterpunch.org/gibson06052004.html]). 
|-
| align=center|[[Raoul Cédras]] || align=center|[[Haiti]] || align=center|1991-1994 || ''De facto'' ruler for a relatively short period of time. Gained power in a coup (see [http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/infamous.htm]).
|-
|align=center|[[Raul Castro]] ||align=center| [[Cuba]] ||align=center|'''2006-present''' || Appointed successor by his brother of the Communist Party of Cuba.
|-
|}

==Asia==

===Western Asia ("Middle East")===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Karim Qassem]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1958–1963 || Gained power by coup; viewed by some as benevolent (see [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/03/18/wisad18.xml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Abdul Salam Arif]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1963–1966 || Gained power in a coup; military ruler.
|-
| align=center|[[Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1968–1979 || Gained power in a coup; never elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Hafez al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|1970–2000 ||Gained power in a coup; totalitarian;{{fact}} cult of personality; oversaw [[Hama massacre]] yielding twenty to forty thousand dead (see [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012197]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ruhollah Khomeini]] || align=center|[[Iran]] || align=center|1979–1989 || As [[Supreme Leader of Iran|Supreme Leader]], held ultimate and uncontested authority over all government matters under the principle of [[Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists|Guardianship]]. Created the extra-constitutional [[Special Clerical Court]] system in 1987, accountable only to the Supreme Leader and used principally for suppression of political dissent. Instituted routine torture, beheadings for children.
|-
| align=center|[[Saddam Hussein]] || align=center|[[Iraq]] || align=center|1979–2003 || Pressured Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr to resign in 1979 and formally became president. Repressive; developed extensive personality cult; deposed by [[United States]] and coalition forces in an invasion.
|-
| align=center|[[Ali Khamenei|Ayatollah Ali Khamenei]]||align=center| [[Iran]] ||align=center|'''1989-present''' || Continues Khomeini's [[Islamist]] path & uses religion as a tool, cracks down on all authentic dissent, tortures, and has given orders that permit killings like that of [[Akbar Mohammadi]] and [[Zahra Kazemi]]. Only permitts [[government-organized demonstrations]]. Allows a multi-party government but disallows the candidacy of true moderates.[http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=9940][http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1527919/][http://www.nationalreview.com/ledeen/ledeen200505310823.asp][http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1154652871.shtml][http://isd.georgetown.edu/demo_0102.pdf][http://www.boycottliberalism.com/liberalcelebrity.htm]ISBN 0-16-074590-X
|-
| align=center|[[Bashar al-Assad]] || align=center|[[Syria]] || align=center|'''2000–present''' || No opposition permitted in election following death of his father; widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110007449], [http://memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP92405], [http://www.freeman.org/m_online/feb04/pasko.htm]).
|}

===Central Asia===

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Askar Akayev]] || align=center|[[Kyrgyzstan]] || align=center|1990–2005 || Appointed but became increasingly authoritarian; widely described as a dictator (see [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4542783.stm], [http://www.villagevoice.com/blogs/bushbeat/archive/000935.php], [http://www.eurasianet.org/resource/kazakhstan/hypermail/200507/0023.shtml]).
|-
| align=center|[[Islam Karimov]] || align=center|[[Uzbekistan]] || align=center|'''1991–present''' || Described as authoritarian who is increasingly centralizing power (see [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/search/expand?pub=infobike://bell/soviet/2003/00000019/00000004/art00002&unc=], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:uuOVzdj_xBoJ:www1.dogus.edu.tr/dogustru/journal/sayi_6/M00073.PDF+%22Islam+Karimov%22+%22dictator%22]). Elections essentially uncontested and unmonitored. Opposition repressed. 
|-
| align=center|[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|1991–2006 || Declared [[President for Life]] in 1999; [[cult of personality]]; his book ''[[Ruhnama]]'' is to be treated with reverence (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:blnbM3mP0eAJ:www.eurasianet.org/turkmenistan.project/files2/050603Turkmenreport.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Ie2QfLuR_ysJ:www.ndu.edu/ctnsp/tamerlane/Tamerlane-Chapter2.pdf+%22Niyazov%22+%22dictatorship%22]).
|
| align=center|[[Muhammed Omar]] || align=center|[[Afghanistan]] || align=center|1996–2001 || Considered a Theocratic Dictator who excercized strict sharia laws; allowed the persecution of Hazaras; gave Al Qaeda refuge in Afghanistan. (see[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881088.html][http://www.afghan-web.com/bios/today/momar.html]).
|-
| align=center|[[Ilham Aliyev]] || align=center|[[Azerbaijan]] || align=center|'''2003–present''' || Dubious election; opposition suppressed (see[http://www.underreported.com/print.php?sid=1241]).
|-
| align=center| [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow]] || align=center|[[Turkmenistan]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Unelected, appointed as successor upon Niyazov's death. Turkemnistan still continues to be oppresive and a single-party state.
|}

===South Asia===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center|[[Ayub Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1958–1969 || Gained power in a coup. Subsequent elections considered dubious (see[http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A069], [http://www.indianexpress.com/messages.php?content_id=71414]).
|-
| align=center|[[Yahya Khan]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1969–1971 || Military ruler, gaining power from coup (see [http://presidentyahya.com],[http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/pakistantimeline.html], [http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/kpsgill/terrorism/04Jan10Pio.htm]).
|-
| align=center|[[Maumoon Abdul Gayoom]] || align=center|[[Maldives]] || align=center|1978–2008 || [[Autocracy|Autocrat]]; widely considered to be a dictator; no opposition or free press allowed.
|-
| align=center|[[Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq]] || align=center|[[Pakistan]] || align=center|1978–1988 || Took over following coup. Claimed government to be legitimate because it was Islamic (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:dcmhb0vRS4wJ:smartech.gatech.edu:8282/dspace/bitstream/1853/6901/1/kulkarni_nikhil_v_200505_ms.pdf+%22Muhammad+Zia%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Rahimuddin Khan]] || align=center|[[Balochistan (Pakistan)]] || align=center|1978–1984 || Appointed supreme Martial Law Governor of Balochistan by central Pakistani military government following coup. (see [http://www.answers.com/rahimuddin%20khan]).
|-
|align=center|[[Hossain Mohammad Ershad]] || align=center|[[Bangladesh]] || align=center|1982–1990 ||Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; never elected.
|}

===Eastern Asia ("Far East")===
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in   power !! Notes
|-
|align=center|[[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] || align=center|[[Japan]] || align=center|1600-1616 || Shogun of [[Japan]] and founder of the long reigning [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. Gained power by unifying the warring clans during [[Japan]]'s long period of civil unrest. He also created an "alternate attendance" system to pacify the [[daimyo]] warlords, as well as closing and isolating trade and the economy, in order to retain his power. His rule was also marked by persecution of european missionaries and japanese christians.
|-
|align=center|[[Yuan Shikai]] || align=center|[[Republic of China]] || align=center|1912–1916 || [[President of the Republic of China]], self-proclaimed [[Emperor of China]], 1916. Ignored legislative consent as defined by the [[Constitution of the Republic of China|Constitution]]; dissolved the [[National Assembly of the Republic of China|National Assembly]]; assassinated [[Song Jiaoren]]; disbanded the [[Kuomintang]].
|-
| align=center|[[Roman von Ungern-Sternberg]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1921 || 
Born, Baron Roman Nicolaus von Ungern-Sternberg (Роман Фёдорович Унгерн фон Штернберг), in Graf, Austria of Prussian nobility, von Ungern-Sternberg fought, against his own Prussians, in the Imperial Russian Army during World War I and fought the [[Bolsheviks]], in [[Siberia]], after 1917. A rabid [[monarchist]], von Ungern-Sternberg soon thereafter became an independent [[warlord]] with the intention of establishing an independent Russo-Sino-Mongolian monarchy in [[Urga]] under the nominal rule of [[Bogd Khaan]] (the [[Living Buddha]]). Although considered the paragon of bravery, von Ungern-Sternberg was reckless, brutal and mentally unstable.

After a savage battle against occupying [[Chinese republic]]an forces, on March 13, 1921, [[Mongolia]] was proclaimed an independent [[monarchy]], and Ungern von Sternberg became Mongolian [[dictator]]. His brief rule of Mongolia was characterised by looting, raping and a reign of terror by his army. Eventually, the [[Bolsheviks]] invaded Mongolia and after a series of battles, von Ungern-Sternberg was defeated in a August 1921, captured by his own soldiers, and handed over to the [[Red Army]] on August 21, 1921.

|-
| align=center|[[Horloogiyn Choybalsan]] || align=center|[[Mongolia]] || align=center|1936–1952 || Unelected; opponents purged; cult of personality.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Il-sung]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1948–1994 || Appointed prime minister in 1948; purged rivals in the [[Workers' Party of Korea]] to consolidate power in 1956 (see [http://muse.jhu.edu/cgi-bin/access.cgi?uri=/journals/korean_studies/v026/26.1lankov.pdf]); introduced "[[Juche]]" ideology demanding absolute loyalty to him and the party; created most pervavise cult of personality in recent history. Declared "Eternal President" on his death.
|-
|align=center|[[Ho Chi Minh]] ||align=center| [[North Vietnam]] ||align=center|1945-1969 || Unelected; killed thousands of political rivals in the 1940s; killed tens of thousands more during the land reforms of the 1950s; presided over a one-party state.
|-
|align=center| [[Sukarno]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1949-1966 ||First President of Indonesia. Consolidated his powers, and got proclaimed President for LIfe. Was overthrown by the then Dictator of Indonesia, Suharto.
|-
|align=center|[[Mao Zedong]] || align=center|[[People's Republic of China]] || align=center|1949–1976 || Chairman of the PRC (1949–1959), Chairman of the [[Communist Party of China]] (1945–1976), Chairman of the [[Central Military Commission]] (1936–1976). Immense cult of personality; purged members of government; silenced opposition. Circumvented Communist Party hierarchy after the 1966 [[Cultural Revolution]]; imprisoned head of state [[Liu Shaoqi]]. Millions of Chinese citizens killed or murdered as a result of his policies and repression.
|-
| align=center|[[Ngo Dinh Diem|Ngô Ðình Diệm]] || align=center|[[South Vietnam]] || align=center|1955–1963 || Unelected; autocratic; oppressed Buddhists (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9055646?tocId=9055646&ref=news0905arc]).
|-
| align=center|[[Park Chung Hee]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1961–1979 || Took power in 1961 coup. Although initially welcomed by much of the population, he suspended the constitution in 1971 and introduced a new constitution that greatly increased his power.
|-
| align=center|[[Ne Win]] || align=center|[[Burma]] || align=center|1962–1988 || Seized power in a coup; instituted extreme repression (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:rSAOt9c_lU0J:www.iseas.edu.sg/62003.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:yqkmuBoqlnYJ:www.asiapacificms.com/papers/pdf/burma_india_china.pdf+%22Ne+Win%22+%22dictator%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Thanom Kittikachorn]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|1963–1973 || Military dictator, known as one of Thailand's so-called "Three Tyrants". Oppressed student-led uprisings in October 1973 and 1976.
|-
| align=center|[[Suharto]] || align=center|[[Indonesia]] || align=center|1966–1998 || His ''[[New Order (Indonesia)|New Order]]'' imprisoned Communists and alleged Communists; repressed Chinese inhabitants; made existing parties subordinate. Also a cleptocrat (with personal and family's assets at least worth US$ 15 billion, based on [[Time]] Magazine investigation in 1998). Described as a dictator in many sources (see[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:Bbh_caM50o4J:www.aut.ac.nz/depts/commstud/journ/docs/reviewscronau.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:128rEIvvRD4J:www.civiced.org/research/pdfs/RisingTide.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:_233mw5azNkJ:cmbc.ucsd.edu/content/1/docs/laurance2004.pdf+%22Suharto+dictatorship%22]).
|-
| align=center|[[Lon Nol]] || align=center|[[Cambodia]] || align=center|1972–1975 || Gained power by coup; not elected.
|-
| align=center|[[Pol Pot]] || align=center|[[Democratic Kampuchea]] || align=center|1975–1979 || Unelected; led a [[Khmer Rouge]] dictatorship; responsible for deaths of at least 1 million Cambodian citizens during his rule.
|-
| align=center|[[Chun Doo Hwan]] || align=center|[[South Korea]] || align=center|1980–1988 || Gained power in a coup; declared martial law; oversaw [[Gwangju Massacre]].
|-
|align=center|[[Mahathir bin Mohamad]] ||align=center| [[Malaysia]] ||align=center|1981-2003 || Authoritarian; suppresed opposition, media.
|-
| align=center|[[Khamtai Siphandon]] || align=center|[[Laos]] || align=center|1992–2006 || Unelected; one-party state (see[http://www.arthuredelstein.org/worlddictators]).
|-
| align=center|[[Than Shwe]] || align=center|[[Myanmar]] || align=center|1992–2011 || Unelected; persecution of minorities (especially [[Karenni]] and [[Rohingya]] groups [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51506.htm]) leading 250,000 to flee, either becoming [[IDP]]s or moving across the border to Thailand; consolidated power into himself from the [[SPDC]] - he moved to a new capital in Kyat Pyay in 2006 , &renamed it as Nay Pyi Daw ,i.e the Royal Palace City"; gained power via a military [[coup]] and announced that he would not hand over the power to [[Aung San Suu Kyi]]'s Elected Party (the [[NLD]]); no free press (see [http://www.bbc.co.uk/burmese/forum/story/2004/10/041020_khin_nyunt_ousted.shtml]). Released Aung San Suu Kyi in 2010.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-il]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|1994–2011 || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his father's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
| align=center|[[Sonthi Boonyaratglin]] || align=center|[[Thailand]] || align=center|2006–2008 || Army chief seized power while Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] was out of the country. A state of martial law was declared, parliament was dissolved and the constitution abrogated. Instituted press censorship and restrictions on protests. The first Muslim in charge of the mostly Buddhist army.
|-
| align=center|[[Kim Jong-un]] || align=center|[[North Korea]] || align=center|'''2011-present''' || Became General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and Chairman of the National Defense Commission (the highest state offices) on his father's death. Continues his grandpa's "[[Juche]]" ideology.
|-
|}

==Europe==

{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Oliver Cromwell]] || align=center| [[Commonwealth of England]] || align=center|1649-1658 || A [[Puritan]] general in the [[English Civil War]] who quickly rose through the ranks to become ''de facto'' head of the Parliamentary forces. After the Royalist defeat and the execution of [[Charles I]] the newly constituted [[Rump Parliament]] was overthrown by Cromwell who refused the Crown, choosing instead the title of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland, and Ireland. After his death the monarchy was reinstated. [http://www.olivercromwell.org/].
|-
| align=center| [[Maximilien Robespierre]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center|1793–1794 || Head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. To purge french society of "Counter Revolutionaries", he instituted the heavily repressive Reign of Terror, a period which killed thousands of french citizens, many of those killed were simply killed under mere suspicion, with little or no proof. Desposed when the National Convention declared him an outlaw.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]]|| align=center|1799–1814 || First Consul, 1799-1804. Emperor of the French 1804-1814. Declared himself "First Consul for Life" in 1802 and then Emperor in 1804.
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Chłopicki|Józef Grzegorz Chłopicki]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center|1830–1831 || Held official title of dictator for one year only.
|-
| align=center| [[Napoleon III of France|Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte]] || align=center| [[France]] || align=center| 1848–1870 || President of France from 1848 to 1852. In 1851 he launched a coup against the legislature, making himself absolute ruler. From 1852 to 1870 he styled himself Emperor of the French under the name Napoléon III from 1852 to 1870. Later during his reign constitutional liberties were gradually restored. In 1870 he was captured during the abortive [[Franco-Prussian War]] and deposed in his absence by the [[Third Republic]] of France.
|-
| align=center| [[Romuald Traugutt]] || align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center|1863–1864 || Held official title of dictator for one year. Succeeded [[Marian Langiewicz]] who had declared himself dictator previously, but only lasted less than a year in 1863. 
|-
|align=center|[[Nicholas II]] ||align=center| [[Russia]] ||align=center|1894-1917 || Ruthless, overthrown by the "October Revolution" and the newly established communist government. The last Tsar of Russia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vladimir Lenin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1917-1924 || Head of Bolshevik Revolution took power in 1917. Secured victory in the Russian civil war. Headed effort to transform the Russian economy to a socialist model.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/lenin_vladimir.shtml] 
|-
| align=center|[[Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]] || align=center|[[Turkey]] || align=center|1918-1938 || Led the Turkish national movement. Transformed Turkey into a secular republic through broad authoritarian reforms.
|-
| align=center| [[Benito Mussolini]] || align=center| [[Italy]] || align=center|1922–1943, and in part of the country 1943-1945 || Prime Minister of Italy 1922-1943; head of the so-called [[Italian Social Republic]] until 1945. "He introduced strict censorship and altered the methods of election so that in 1925–1926 he was able to assume dictatorial powers and dissolve all other political parties" (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:0PFM13qC39YJ:www.ablongman.com/history_rh_bridge/assets/0321025865_ch15.pdf+%22Italian+dictator+Benito+Mussolini%22],[http://doi.contentdirections.com/mr/greenwood.jsp?doi=10.1336/0275979377]).
|-
| align=center| [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center|1923–1930 || Prime Minister of Spain. Gained power in a coup; suspended the constitution; established martial law; imposed strict censorship; banned all political parties. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9061388], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/pr/PrimRivM.html], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565186/Miguel_Primo_de_Rivera.html]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Aleksandar Tsankov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center|1923-1926 || Established Right wing nationalist, anti communist coup against [[Stamboliyski]]’s democratic elected [[Agrarians]]. Forced out of power by Tsar [[Boris III]]. [http://www.bartleby.com/65/ts/TsankovA.html]. 
|-
| align=center| [[Joseph Stalin]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1924–1953 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, 1922-1953; Premier of the Soviet Union 1941-1953. Never elected; cult of personality; heavily repressive; responsible for deaths of millions of Soviet citizens (see [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9108469], [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761559200/Stalin_Joseph.html],[http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/shared/minitextlo/prof_josephstalin.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ahmet Bej Zogu]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center|1925–1939 || Originally elected Prime Minister of Albania 1922-1924 and 1925; President of Albania 1925-1928; crowned himself King of the Albanians (as Zog I) 1928-1939. Described as a dictator (see[http://www.albanian.com/information/history/independ.html], [http://www.diplom.org/manus/talossa/?lingo=&page=Statute&act=25RZ13], [http://www.electionworld.org/history/albania.htm]). Forced to flee with his wife, Queen Geraldine, the imminent takeover of the country by Italy under [[Benito Mussolini]].
|-
| align=center| [[José Mendes Cabeçadas]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center|1926 || Leader of [[Ditadura Nacional]] during the first part of June immediately after the [[28th May 1926 coup d'état]]
|-
| align=center| [[Gomes da Costa]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center|1926 || Succeeded Cabeçadas as head of the [[Ditadura Nacional]] for less than a month
|-
| align=center| [[António Óscar Carmona]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center|1926-1928 || Head of [[Ditadura Nacional]]
|-
| align=center| [[Józef Piłsudski]]|| align=center| [[Poland]] || align=center|1926–1935 || Polish Head of State 1918-1922, but regained power in 1926 via coup. Prime Minister of Poland 1926-1928 and 1930; Commander in Chief of the Army 1926-1935. Initiated authoritarian [[Sanacja]] government; often described as a "benevolent dictator".
|-
| align=center| [[Antanas Smetona]] || align=center| [[Lithuania]] || align=center|1926–1940 || President of Lithuania. Seized power in a 1925 military coup (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:wEZn53dBGtoJ:www.gla.ac.uk/departments/dcees/Duvold.pdf+Antanas+Smetona+%22dictatorship%22]); authoritarian rule. His description as a dictator is common (see[http://www.encyclopedia.com/searchpool.asp?target=@DOCKEYWORDS%20balthistbio&unkey=balthistbio&clientIp=216%2E63%2E197%2E211&userAgent=Mozilla%2F4%2E0+%28compatible%3B+MSIE+6%2E0%3B+Windows+NT+5%2E1%3B+SV1%3B+%2ENET+CLR+1%2E1%2E4322%29]), but not universal.
|-
| align=center| [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center|1928–1968 || Prime Minister of Portugal. Established an anti-democratic, anti-parliamentarian, ultra-[[Clericalism|clericalist]], [[Corporativism|corporativist]], extremely conservative, repressive and authoritarian dictatorship, connoted with the Italian fascism, highly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Longest right-wing dictatorship ever (four complete decades).
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander I of Yugoslavia|Alexander I]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center|1929-1934 || King of Yugoslavia from 1921. On January 6, 1929 he abolished the constitution, prorogued parliament and established the so-called "January 6 Dictatorship." A new constitution in 1931 left all significant political power in the hands of the King.
|-
| align=center| [[Engelbert Dollfuss]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center|1933–1934 || Chancellor of Austria 1932-1934. Suspended parliament indefinitely in March 1933, governing thereafter by decree. Rule sometimes compared to Mussolini or Franco (see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:PUVNNLui6y4J:www3.la.psu.edu/hrsweb/majmin/Theses/Houlihan/Thesis.pdf+%22dictator%22+%22Dollfuss%22]).
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Päts]] || align=center| [[Estonia]] || align=center|1933–1940 || State Elder 1933 - 1937; State Protector 1937 - 1938; President of Estonia 1938-1940. Established authoritarian rule following a coup. Allowed (and won) election in 1938.
|-
| align=center| [[Adolf Hitler]] || align=center| [[Nazi Germany]] || align=center|1933–1945 || Chancellor of Germany 1933-1945; ''Führer'' (Leader) 1934-1945. The 1933 [[Enabling Act]] suspended most of the constitution and allowed Hitler to [[rule by decree]]. Heavily repressive; ordered imprisonment of millions of political opponents and members of ethnic minorities in concentration camps, where they were abused and killed.
|-
| align=center| [[Kimon Georgiev]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center|1934 || Took power in coup. Overthrown by Tsar Boris III. 
|-
| align=center| Tsar [[Boris III]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center|1934-1943 || Overthrew Kimon Geogiev. Took power him self ruled through puppet Prime Ministers Georgi Kyoseivanov. His Regime banned all opposition parties. Took Bulgaria into alliance with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. 
|-
| align=center| [[Kurt Schuschnigg]] || align=center| [[Austria]] || align=center|1934–1938 || Chancellor of Austria. Maintained his predecessor Dollfuss' oppressive rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Karlis Ulmanis|Kārlis Ulmanis]] || align=center| [[Latvia]] || align=center|1934–1940 || Prime Minister of Latvia 1934-1940; President of Latvia 1936 - 1940. Gained power in a coup and dissolved parliament; generally viewed as a "benevolent dictator" (see [http://www.ltn.lv/~krz/latvia/lat_history.html], [http://www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/karlis_ulmanis], [http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/Latvia.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ioannis Metaxas]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center|1936–1941 || Prime Minister of Greece. Never elected; banned political parties; arrested opponents; criminalized unions; censored media. Widely described as a dictator (see[http://www.bartleby.com/65/pa/PapandrG.html], [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9052304], [http://www.ahistoryofgreece.com/biography/metaxas.htm]). 
|-
| align=center| [[Francisco Franco]] || align=center| [[Spain]] || align=center|1936–1975 || Prime Minister of Spain 1938-1975 and Head of State 1939 - 1975 (in the Nationalist Zone, both only to 1939). Purged opposition; often referred to as a dictator or ''caudillo'' (see[http://www.policyreview.org/jun03/diamond.html], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:B1Mmefo38twJ:www.personal.psu.edu/mlb300/spainsocprob.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22],[http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:NsfbKjiVUowJ:www.acad.carleton.edu/curricular/POSC/faculty/montero/Spain%2520Paper%25201.pdf+%22dictator+Francisco+Franco%22], [http://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&lr=&safe=active&q=cache:9ZzXaMENcm8J:www.artcult.org/cst/spain_prepack_participants.pdf+%22Francisco+Franco%22+%22dictatorship%22]). Strongly supported by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] worldwide.

|-
| align=center| [[Jozef Tiso]] || align=center| [[Slovakia]] || align=center|1939–1945 || President of [[Slovak Republic (1939-1945)|WWII Slovak Republic]]. Led a partly Roman Catholic clerical, partly pro-Nazi, one-party state. Described by some as a dictator (see [http://www.adl.org/PresRele/HolNa_52/3578_52.asp], [http://dominican-republic.asinah.net/en/wikipedia/j/jo/jozef_tiso.html], [http://www.ce-review.org/00/19/vaknin19.html]).
|-
| align=center| [[Ion Antonescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center|1940–1944 || Prime Minister of Romania. Two days after his appointment, forced King Carol II (see above) to abdicate in favor of his son, Mihai. Named himself ''Conducător'' (Leader), assumed dictatorial powers and relegated monarchy to decorative role.
|-
| align=center| [[Philippe Pétain]] || align=center| [[Vichy France]] || align=center|1940–1944 || Prime Minister of France 1940 - 1942; Head of State 1940 - 1944. The ''Assemblée Nationale'' of Vichy France suspended the [[Third Republic]] and granted Pétain dictatorial power, although ultimately he was answerable to the German Nazi hierarchy.
|-
| align=center| [[Ante Pavelic|Ante Pavelić]] || align=center| [[Croatia]] || align=center|1941–1945 ||''Poglavnik'' ("Leader") of Croatia. Not elected; ordered massacres of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissidents; hundreds of thousands slaughtered; led the genocial, devoutly Roman Catholic Ustase (see [http://users.erols.com/mwhite28/tyrants.htm], [http://www.cuttingedge.org/articles/RC130.html], [http://emperors-clothes.com/vatican/cpix.htm]). Supported by most, if not all, of the Roman Catholic church in Croatia.
|-
| align=center| [[Vidkun Quisling]] || align=center| [[Norway]]|| align=center|1942–1945 || Minister President of Norway between 1942-1945, and founder of the fascist "National Unity" party . Traitor to his country. Executed by firing squad. Described as being the Hitler of Norway.
|-
| align=center| [[Ferenc Szálasi]] (Szálasi Ferenc) || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center|1944–1945 || Leader of the [[fascist]] [[Arrow Cross]] party, Szálasi was installed as a fascist ruler by the [[Nazis]] following their overthrow of [[regent]] [[Miklós Horthy]].
|-
| align=center| [[Josip Broz Tito]] || align=center| [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center|1944–1980 || Secretary-General of the Yugoslav Communist Party 1937 - 1963; Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1945–1953; Premier of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1963; President of Yugoslavia 1953 - 1980; President of the ''Presidium of the League of Communists'' from 1963 until 1980. Declared himself [[President for Life]] in 1963. Viewed favorably in Yugoslavia despite authoritarian rule.
|-
| align=center| [[Enver Hoxha]] || align=center| [[Albania]] || align=center|1944-1985 || General Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult; Declared his nation to be the world's only officially atheist state and banned all practice of religion in 1967.
|-
| align=center| [[Mátyás Rákosi]] || align=center| [[Hungary]] || align=center|1949-1953 || General Secretary of the [[Hungarian Workers Party]] and Prime Minister of the [[Hungarian People's Republic]]. Leader of single-party Communist state; nicknamed "Stalin's best Hungarian disciple"; Invented the phrase "[[salami tactics]]" to describe piecemeal assumption of power.
|-
| align=center| [[Nikita Khrushchev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1953-1964 || First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1953-1964. Allowed limited liberalisation in the arts and media later on. 
|-
| align=center| [[Todor Zhivkov]] || align=center| [[Bulgaria]] || align=center|1956-1989 || Head of pro soviet communist regimen in Bulgaria. Became party secretary in 1956 and prime minister in 1962. Forced out of power in 1989 by communist party to comply with demands of protesters.
|-
| align=center| [[Antonín Novotný]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center|1957-1968 || Antonín Novotný, the First Secretary of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, was leader of Czechoslovakia during the Stalinisation of the country, resulting in the replacement of the Czechoslovakian democracy by a one-party communist state. His dictatorship centralized power and used force to protect his regime which lasted fifteen years.
|-
| align=center| [[Walter Ulbricht]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center|1950/1960-1971 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1950-1971 and Head of State 1960-1973.
|-
| align=center| [[Leonid Brezhnev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1964–1982 || First/General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1964-1982. Formed a [[cult of Personality]] later on.
|-
| align=center| [[Nicolae Ceauşescu]] || align=center| [[Romania]] || align=center|1965–1989 || General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party, 1965-1989; President of Romania, 1974-1989. Leader of single-party Communist state; extensive personality cult developed during the 1970s. Lived lavish lifestyle while country was still using donkey carts.
|-
| align=center| [[George Papadopoulos]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center|1967–1973 || Prime Minister of Greece 1967 - 1973; Regent 1972 - 1973; President of Greece 1973. Gained power in a coup; lead military regime. Widely described as a dictator (see [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0778782.html], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/379334.stm], [http://www.hellas.net]).
|-
| align=center| [[Marcelo Caetano]] || align=center| [[Portugal]] || align=center|1968–1974 || Prime Minister of Portugal 1968 - 1974; Upon the death of [[António de Oliveira Salazar]] he continued the dictatorial regime. Some liberties were improved but the situation of the country and the [[Portuguese Colonial War|colonial wars]] lead to the [[Carnation Revolution]].
|-
| align=center| [[Gustáv Husák]] || align=center| [[Czechoslovakia]] || align=center|1969-1987 || Came into power through soviets, Crushed the Prague spring. Headed brutal secret police stepped down from power in 1987 two years before communism fell. 
|-
| align=center| [[Erich Honecker]] || align=center| [[German Democratic Republic]] || align=center|1971-1989 || General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany 1971-1989 and Head of State 1976-1989.
|-
| align=center| [[Phaedon Gizikis]] || align=center| [[Greece]] || align=center|1973-1974 || President of Greece 1973-1974. Gained power in coup. Lead millitary regime installed by previous head of state.
|-
| align=center| [[Wojciech Jaruzelski]] || align=center|[[Poland]] || align=center|1981-1990 || Imposed martial law in Poland in 1981 in response to Solidarity party led strikes. Made himself head of the "Commission for National Salvation." Stated his actions were taken in order to prevent a Soviet invasion of Poland. Was President of Poland until his resignation in 1990. 
|-
| align=center| [[Yuri Andropov]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1982-1984 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1982-1984. Early signs of [[Perestroika]] and [[Glasnost]].
|-
| align=center| [[Konstantin Chernenko]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1984-1985 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between 1984-1985. Ailing stop-gap leader. 
|-
| align=center| [[Mikhail Gorbachev]] || align=center| [[Soviet Union]] || align=center|1985-1991 || General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991 when the Soviet Union collapsed and the CPSU was banned. Oversaw democratisation in the Soviet Union, but was never directly elected as leader.
|-
| align=center| [[Slobodan Milošević]] || align=center| [[Serbia]], [[Yugoslavia]] || align=center|1989-2000 || In 1984 he became the head of the local Communist party in Belgrade and adopted a populist style, the party's leader. He successfully took over as head of the Serbian Communist party in 1987. He challenged the federal government, championed Serbian control of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina, and advocated stridently socialist economic policy. By 1988, he had replaced party leaders in Kosovo and Vojvodina, and in 1989 he became president of Serbia. However, in September 1990, a new democratic constitution was passed allowing direct, multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections. Milosevic was elected president of Serbia for the first time in December 1990, although allegations persist of electoral fraud during the Milosevic years.
|-
| align=center| [[Alexander Lukashenko]] || align=center| [[Belarus]] || align=center| '''1994-present''' || President of Belarus. Said to have an "authoritarian ruling style". Lack of democratic standards. Human rights violations. Referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship."
|}

==Oceania==
{|class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Country !! Years in power !! Notes
|-
| align=center| [[Sitiveni Rabuka]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|1987–1992 || Twice gained power through coup, allowed elections in 1992, which he won.
|-
| align=center| [[Frank Bainimarama]] || align=center|[[Fiji]] || align=center|'''2006-present''' ||Launched a coup d'etat in December 2006 after weeks of threats against the elected government.
|}

==See also==
* [[Constitutional crisis]]
* [[Cult of personality]]
* [[List of political leaders who held active military ranks in office]]
* [[List of political leaders who suspended the constitution]]
* [[List of successful coups d'état]]
* [[President for Life]]
* [[Single-party state]]

==External links==
*[http://www.thedictatorship.com The Dictatorship]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Dictators_and_Non-Democratic_Governments Dictators and Non-Democratic Governments]
*[http://www.lkwdpl.org/schools/horacemann/dictators/ Modern dictators and Human Rights Violations]
*[http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Oppressive_Regimes Oppressive Regimes]
*[http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_01-22-2006/Dictators The World’s 10 Worst Dictators]

[[Category:Lists|dictators]]
[[Category:Totalitarianism]]

Andrew Cuomo

2014-09-20T06:52:58Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-December 31, 2010
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=[[Eric Schneiderman]]
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997–January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He legalized [[gay marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" politicians who are "[[Anti-abortion|right-to-life]], pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay" had no places in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Andrew Cuomo

2014-09-20T06:51:26Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-Present
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997 – January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He legalized [[gay marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" who are "[[Anti-abortion|right-to-life]], pro-assault-weapon, anti-gay" had no places in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Andrew Cuomo

2014-09-20T06:49:59Z

Lincolnrep:

{{Officeholder
|name=Andrew Cuomo
|image=
|party=[[Democrat]]
|spouse=Kerry Kennedy (1990-2003)
|religion=[[Roman Catholic]]
|offices=
{{Officeholder/governor
|state=New York
|number=56th
|terms=January 1, 2011-Present
|preceded=[[David Paterson]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/attorneygeneral
|jurisdiction=New York
|number=64th
|deputy=n
|governor=[[Eliot Spitzer]] [[David Patterson]]
|terms=January 1, 2007-Present
|preceded=[[Eliot Spitzer]]
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
{{Officeholder/secretary (cabinet)
|of=Housing and Urban Development
|number=11th
|deputy=n
|president=[[Bill Clinton]]
|terms=January 29, 1997 – January 20, 2001
|preceded=[[Henry Cisneros]]
|former=y
|succeeded=[[Mel Martinez]]
}}
}}
'''Andrew Mark Cuomo''' (born December 6, 1957, in [[Queens]], [[New York]]) has been the Governor of New York since January 1, 2011. He was previously the Attorney General of New York, having been elected in 2006 with 58% of the vote, and before that he served as [[Secretary of Housing and Urban Development]] in the [[Bill Clinton|Clinton administration]]. His Lieutenant Governor is former Rochester mayor [[Robert Duffy]]. He is the son of former New York Governor [[Mario Cuomo]].

Cuomo was elected as Governor of New York in 2010 with 62% of the vote. Like his father, Cuomo is [[pro-abortion]] and pro-gay rights. He legalized [[gay marriage]] in 2011.

In January 2014, during the radio interview he commented that the "extreme conservatives" had no places in the State of New York.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cuomo, Andrew}}

[[Category:Democratic Governors]]
[[Category:New York Governors]]
[[Category:Homosexual Agenda]]
[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]

Daniel Ortega

2014-09-20T06:43:07Z

Lincolnrep:

'''Daniel Ortega''' (b. 1945) came to power in [[Nicaragua]] by overthrowing the [[Somoza dynasty]] and enforcing a [[Communist]] regime on the country.<ref>As one of the leading commanders of the Sandinista forces that ousted Nicaraguan president [[Anastasio Somoza Debayle]] in July 1979, he became head of the ruling junta in the subsequent leftist regime. In disputed elections in November 1984, he was elected president. [http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cold.war/episodes/18/interviews/ortega/ (CNN)] </ref>
The [[Contras]] rose up to defy his socialist dictatorship and were supported by United States President [[Ronald Reagan]] including covertly diverting funds to their cause that created the [[Iran-Contra affair]].

After seizing power in Nicaragua, the Sandinista regime instituted dictatorial rule as early as December 1979, and formally announced a State of Emergency in 1982.
Under the new "Law for the Maintenance of Order and Public Security" the "Tribunales Populares Anti-Somozistas" allowed for the indefinite holding of suspected counter-revolutionaries without trial. The State of Emergency, however, most notably affected rights and guarantees contained in the "Statute on Rights and Guarantees of Nicaraguans. Many civil liberties were curtailed or canceled such as the freedom to organize demonstrations, the inviolability of the home, freedom of the press, freedom of speech and, the freedom to strike. <ref>West, W. Gordon. "The Sandista Record on Human Rights in Nicaragua (1979-1990)" http://www.reds.msh-paris.fr/publications/revue/pdf/ds22/ds022-03.pdf (PDF). Réseau Européen Droit et Société. Retrieved 2009-03-30.</ref>
All independent news program broadcasts were suspended. In total, twenty-four programs were cancelled. In addition, Sandinista censor Nelba Cecilia Blandón issued a decree ordering all radio stations to hook up every six hours to government radio station, La Voz de La Defensa de La Patria.<ref>Chomorro Cardenal, Jaime (1988). La Prensa, The Republic of Paper. University Freedom House. p. 20.</ref>
The rights affected also included certain procedural guarantees in the case of detention including habeas corpus.<ref>West, W. Gordon, ibid.</ref> The State of Emergency was not lifted during the 1984 elections. There were many instances where rallies of opposition parties were physically broken up by Sandinsta youth or pro-Sandinista mobs. Opponents to the State of Emergency argued its intent was to crush resistance to the FSLN. James Wheelock justified the actions of the Directorate by saying "... We are annulling the license of the false prophets and the oligarchs to attack the revolution.” <ref>"Behind the State of Emergency". Envío. November 1985. http://www.envio.org.ni/articulo/3413. Retrieved 2008-02-16.</ref>

Jamie Glazov describes human rights under this goverment as follows: "All Nicaraguans had to take part in the Marxist experiment. Thus, in perfect Khmer Rouge style, the Sandinistas inflicted a ruthless forcible relocation of tens of thousands of Indians from their land. Like Stalin, they used state-created famine as a weapon against these "enemies of the people." The Sandinista army committed myriad atrocities against the Indian population, killing and imprisoning approximately 15,000 innocent people. The crimes included not only mass murders of innocent natives themselves, but a calculated liquidation of their entire leadership – as the Soviet army had perpetrated against the Poles in Katyn in 1943. According to the Nicaraguan Commission of Jurists, the Sandinistas carried out over 8,000 political executions within three years of the revolution. The number of "anti-revolutionary" Nicaraguans who had "disappeared" in Sanadinista hands or had died "trying to escape" were numbered in the thousands. By 1983, the number of political prisoners in the Sandinistas' ruthless tyranny were estimated at 20,000. Torture was institutionalized. Numerous human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Commission, have documented the atrocious record of Sandinista human rights abuses, which stood as the worst in Latin America. Political prisoners in Sandinista prisons, such as in Las Tejas, were consistently beaten, deprived of sleep and tortured with electric shocks. They were routinely denied food and water and kept in dark cubicles that had a surface of less than one square meter, known as chiquitas (little ones). These cubicles were too small to sit up in, were completely dark and had no sanitation and almost no ventilation.”<ref>http://97.74.65.51/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=25257</ref>

The Sandinistas sent Soviet helicopter gunships and elite army units to attack the Indians; carried out mass arrests, jailings and torture; burned down 65 Indian communities; inflicted ethnic cleansing on 70,000 Indians; and tried to starve the Indians by cutting off food supplies. The Sandinistas boasted that they were “ready to eliminate the last Miskito Indian to take Sandinism to the Atlantic Coast.” <ref>Roger Miranda and William Ratliff, The Civil War in Nicaragua (Transaction Publishers, 1993), pp253-4.</ref>

For decades, Nicaragua had experienced some of the fastest economic growth in the hemisphere. Within a few years of Sandinista rule, wages had been fixed below poverty level and there was mass unemployment. There were shortages of nearly all basic goods, with inflation at 30,000%. Government studies found that three-quarters of schoolchildren suffered from malnutrition, while living standards were lower than Haiti. The World Bank found that Nicaragua was on the economic level of Somalia.

An inability of the Sandanistas to defeat the Contras caused Ortega to call the first free and open elections in Nicaragua since the Communists seized power for 1990. Although he was heavily favored to win, in a shocking turn of events he was defeated in an election for the Presidency of Nicaragua by [[Violetta Chamorro]] in 1990. Ortega stepped down with the defeat, but left much of his power structure behind that would make it difficult for the new government.

His regime was responsible for the deaths of as many as 50,000 people.

Ortega never completely left the political scene and ran and lost again for President in 1996 and 2001, but 16 years later after his initial defeat, he became president of Nicaragua again, this time democratically, after winning the election held on November 5th, 2006. He was aided by a change to the rules that a candidate only needed 35% of the vote to avoid a runoff instead of the previous 45%. He campaigned as the candidate of peace and that land grabbing and attacking the church would no longer be a part of his future as it was his past.<ref>Max Blumenthal, "The Kinder, Gentler Daniel Ortega," http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070205/blumenthal</ref>

Soon after Ortega assumed the presidency it was discovered that his ways had stayed the same. Under Ortega, Nicaragua established close ties with the terroristic regime of Iran<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6261721.stm Iran and Nicaragua vow close ties - BBC]</ref> and Hugo Chavez's tyrannical government.<ref>[http://blog.american.com/2011/06/ortegas-nicaragua-to-chavez-please-dont-die-please/ Nicaragua and Venezuela’s Well-Oiled Relationship - The American Enterprise Institute]</ref> Ortega has also used voter fraud in order to help his party win mayoralities during the 2008 municipal elections and had judges loyal to him use [[judicial activism]] in order to disregard the Nicaraguan constitution allow him to run for president again in the upcoming November 2011 elections.<ref>[http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/10/nicaraguas-presidential-elections-how-daniel-ortega-could-shame-democracy Nicaragua’s Presidential Elections: How Daniel Ortega Could Shame Democracy - The American Heritage Foundation]</ref>He was re-elected with a 62% popular vote.

== References ==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ortega,Daniel}}

[[Category:Current Heads of State]]
[[Category:Dictators]]
[[Category:Nicaragua]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:Communist Revolutionaries]]

Anwar Sadat

2014-09-20T06:40:17Z

Lincolnrep:

[[Image:Anwar Sadat.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Anwar Sadat]]
'''Anwar Sadat''' was the president and dictator of [[Egypt]] until he was assassinated by Islamic extremists in 1981 during an Egyptian military parade.

He took over as ruler of Egypt after the death of [[Nasser]] in 1970. Although he fought the [[Yom Kippur War]] with [[Israel]] in 1973, he was also the first Arab ruler to come to talk to Israel and, after a series of meetings, the first to sign a peace deal with Israel, the [[Camp David Accords]] in 1979 officially ending three decades of war.

However, his character was not completely savory (to say the least) as evidenced by his past admiration of [[Hitler]].[http://www.cdn-friends-icej.ca/antiholo/meincov.html]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadat, Anwar}}

[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:Nobel laureates in Peace]]
[[Category:Egypt]]
[[Category:Reagan Era]]
[[Category:Middle East]]
[[Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom award winners]]
[[Category:Dictators]]

Hosni Mubarak

2014-09-20T06:37:54Z

Lincolnrep:

[[File:Obama Netanyahu and Mubarak.jpg|thumb|Sept. 1, 2010, during the Middle East negotiations; The Oval Office.]]
'''Hosni Mubarak''' was the longtime president and dictator of [[Egypt]] from 1981-2011, and the fourth man to hold the office. He assumed office in October 1981 after the assassination of [[Anwar Sadat]] and maintained the peace with [[Israel]] established under his predecessor at the [[Camp David Accords]]. The [[Muslim]] [[terrorist]] organization [[CAIR]] actively lobbied against Mubarak.<ref>http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=259409</ref>

Mubarak has been criticized for his persecution of the [[Coptic Church]], and for his government's twenty nine year state of emergency, which allows him to imprison and hold his political opponents indefinitely without trial and cancel elections. During the presidency of [[George W. Bush]], Secretary of State [[Condoleeza Rice]] called for the state of emergency to be lifted and the Mubarak regime to commit itself to democracy.

Since [[Barack Hussein Obama]] has become president, the United States has been less willing to criticize Egypt's lack of democracy.

==2011 Protests==
In January 25, 2011, protests began against Mubarak's rule. [[Liberal]]s claim that [[Mohammed ElBaradei]], one of the protest leaders, is a moderate, but many experts fear that the rebellion aims to install [[Sharia]] law and a government opposed to [[Israel]] and the [[United States]]. Although the Brotherhood's terrorist military wing, al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya, took part in the protests, U.S. Secretary of State [[Hillary Clinton]] gave speeches supporting the protests. <ref>http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=261069</ref>

[[George Soros]]' [[International Crisis Group]] and [[Barack Obama]] may have had a hand in the beginning of the protests. Obama's unwillingness to support a U.S. ally, the Mubarak's government, may show that in private Obama supports the radical Islamist protestors. In fact, Obama and Soros may even be attempting to install pro-Iran Muslim regimes in the Middle East and destabilize Israel, "[ceding] the power of the Judaeo-Christian west to Islamic tyrants."<ref>http://www.michaelsavage.wnd.com/files/filesSavage/Savage-ObamaGivingMiddleEastToIslamistRadicals-Rev03.pdf"</ref>

The ICG, which also supports dialogue with the terrorist organization [[Hamas]], in 2008 urged Mubarak to allow the radicals in the Muslim Brotherhood to establish a political party. <ref>http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=261337</ref> Clearly, it is likely that Soros' goal is to legitimize radical Islam and make it the main political force in the Middle East, destabilizing the region and removing Western influence.{{cite}}

On February 10, 2011, the protesters succeeded in toppling Mubarak. Egypt is now ruled by the [[Muslim Brotherhood]].

==See also==
*[[Arab Spring]]

==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mubarak, Hosni}}

[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:Egypt]]
[[Category:Dictators]]

Chiang Kai-shek

2014-09-20T06:36:49Z

Lincolnrep:

'''Chiang Kai-shek'''<ref>His family name is Chiang. Kai-shek is given name. The English-language spelling is irregular and based Cantonese (i.e. Hong Kong) pronunciation.</ref> (1887-1975) was the leader of China from 1928 until 1949. In 1949, Chiang's Nationalist Party, or [[KMT]], was defeated by the communists and fled to Taiwan. The U.N. and the non-Communist world recognized "Nationalist China" as China's only legitimate government until 1971. Chiang remained head of the KMT regime on Taiwan until his death in 1975.

Chiang served in the Japanese army from 1909 to 1911. He returned to China after receiving news of the 1911 revolution. He joined the KMT, then led by [[Sun Yat-sen]], in 1918. In command of the KMT armies, he unified China (except Manchuria) in 1927-29. Chiang converted to Christianity and married [[Soong Mei-ling]], a [[Methodist]] educated in the U.S. The husband and wife became widely popular in the U.S., and under Chiang's leadership China received very strong American support during World War II in order to fight the Japanese who seized most of China in 1937.
{{language box
|t=蔣介石
|s=蒋介石
|p=Jiǎng Jièshí
|w=Chiang Chieh-shih
|j=Zoeng2 Gaai3 Sek6
}}
Although Chiang was nominally in charge of the "China-Burma-India" theater, actual command was held by American and British generals, especially [[Joseph Stilwell]]. Relatively little fighting took place in China. Nevertheless, Chiang gained world stature, and China was given a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 1945. Chiang became an ardent opponent of Communism in the late 1920s, but lost to [[Mao Zedong]] in the Chinese civil war, fleeing with his government and army to Taiwan in 1949. In Taiwan he built a modern Chinese nation--much smaller than the mainland of course--but proved that rapid, modernization, fast economic growth--and democracy--was possible in a Chinese nation. In 1947 he repressed traditional Taiwanese natives who hated to be overrun and ruled by the elites from the mainland, and to this day his reputation is controversial on Taiwan.

American conservatives greatly admired and supported Chiang and his wife. Long derided by liberals, his reputation has been improving among scholars. For eighty years the Chinese history has unfolded in the rivalry of Chiang and Mao. In recent years Mao's reputation has collapsed, as China has discarded socialism, embraced capitalism, and taken off to economic prosperity--following the model of the much smaller Taiwan. Meanwhile the Chinese are embracing the vision that Chiang espoused: the vision of a China achieving modernity in its economy, parity in military prowess, and building political stability on a basis of traditional nationalism. Taylor (2009) argues that, far from being incompetent, Chiang was a farsighted, disciplined and canny strategist who repeatedly predicted major geopolitical events and worked effectively for China, given its poverty. Chiang laid the foundation not only for Taiwan's prosperity, but also for its transformation into the only democracy in the Chinese-speaking world, and one of the few in Asia. Even the mainland, where he was the great enemy for a half century, Chiang is now widely regarded as a national patriot who made valuable contributions to the modernization of China. The Communist leaders in Beijing have looked to Taiwan as a model for what a prosperous and free Chinese society might be like. Some mainstream Chinese scholars are suggesting that the country might have been better off had Chiang triumphed in 1949 instead of Mao.<ref>Jonathan D. Spence, "The Enigma of Chiang Kai-shek," [http://www.nybooks.com/articles/article-preview?article_id=23175 ''New York review of Books,'' Volume 56, Number 16 (Oct. 22, 2009) excerpt online] </ref>

=== Early life ===

Chiang was born in the port city of Ningbo in 1887, and like many educated and patriotically-minded youths in the dying days of the [[Qing]] dynasty chose to follow a military career. He studied at a military academy in Japan between 1908 and 1910, where Chiang joined the Tongmenghui (United League) - which was shortly to merge with other revolutionary groups to become the Kuomintang, usually called the KMT or Nationalist Party. At the time of the 1911 revolution Chiang was based in [[Shanghai]] and at that time became involved with the local secret societies and gangs who were to aid him later in his career. During the 'Second Revolution' of 1913 (against the reactionary rule of [[Yuan Shikai]]) Chiang led an attack on an arsenal in Shanghai but the bungled operation was a disastrous failure and Chiang was forced to flee. He attached himself to the entourage of the KMT leader [[Sun Yat-sen]] and to the ramshackle KMT government which Sun set up in the southern metropolis of Canton. When Sun concluded an alliance with the [[Comintern]] in 1923, brokered by the Soviet agent Adolph Joffe (the 'Sun-Joffe Agreement'), Chiang was appointed commandant of the Whampoa Military Academy at Canton, established with Soviet aid and with Soviet and other foreign communist advisers. The purpose of the Academy was to train a Nationalist army capable of uniting China under KMT rule.

=== Northern Expedition ===

As commandant of the Whampoa Military Academy, Chiang had to work closely with Soviet advisors and [[Chinese Communist Party]] (CCP) officials (the KMT and the CCP had formed a "united front" as a result of the Sun-Joffe Agreement). Communist leader [[Chou En-lai]] was a senior political commissar at the academy. However, Chiang was very suspicious of his Communist allies. Following the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925, Chiang became the most powerful individual KMT leader, and on March 11 1926 launched a limited purge of communists in Canton (the "Canton Coup"), as a result of which all his Soviet advisors were expelled from China. However, he did not dissolve the [[united front]], and the CCP, under orders from Moscow, also continued to maintain the status quo.

===Northern Expedition, 1926-1927===
On July 1, 1926, Chiang launched the Northern Expedition. His armies marched north from Canton in a bid to free China from the warring warlord factions which had been the sole fluctuating authority in the country since the death of [[Yuan Shikai]] in 1916, and to unify the country under KMT rule. However, Chiang was aided by the 'Guangxi Clique' of nationally-minded warlords; and the northern progress of the expedition was aided by carefully-timed popular uprisings planned by the CCP against local warlords.

By September 1926 his KMT armies had captured [[Wuhan]] on the middle [[Yangtse]], and a KMT government was established there. Instead of continuing to press north, Chiang turned east and in March 1927 occupied [[Nanjing]], which was to become the Nationalist's capital city, and [[Shanghai]]. "Gui clique" (Guangxi warlords) in 1929 depended mainly on his successful military strategy. Before the war broke out he sought to settle the dispute peacefully, insisting on striking only after the enemy had struck first, leaving the impression that he was forced to accept a challenge. This bought him time to prepare for military action and won the support of the people. Just before the outbreak of hostilities he took well-thought-out steps to deploy troops, strengthen discipline, win over friendly forces, and split the enemy forces. After the war broke out he applied flexible strategy and tactics, effectively containing [[Feng Yuxiang]]'s intended attack on [[Wuhan]] and thereby safeguarding the security of the city. These steps created favorable conditions for the armies from [[Hunan]] and Canton to eventually occupy the Gui clique's base in [[Guangxi]].

After destroying the Communists' main base of power in Shanghai in April 1927, Chiang was now the undisputed leader of the Kuomintang and the most powerful man in China. In 1928 two northern warlords, [[Yan Xishan]] and Feng Yuxiang, pledged their loyalty to him, and Yan's troops drove the last major warlord opponent, [[Zhang Zuolin]], out of [[Beijing]]. The Northern Expedition was over, and Chiang was master of China.

=== President of the Republic of China ===

The period of the 'Nanjing Republic' (1928-37) was too short and too troubled to enable a full assessment of what established Kuomintang rule might have brought China. Chiang was faced by a series of serious internal and external problems:

Although President of China, his direct rule only extended to the lower Yangtse provinces; the rest of China continued to be ruled by warlords expressing greater or lesser degrees of loyalty to Chiang. In 1929-30 his erstwhile allies Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan rebelled against him and his rule was saved by the intervention of [[Zhang Xueliang]], heir of the assassinated north-eastern warlord Zhang Zuolin.

Chiang married into the wealthy Soong family, his wife, Song Meiling (1897-2003), was the American-educated Methodist sister of Sun Yat-sen's leftist widow, Song Qingling (1892-1981)). One brother in law, T.V. Soong, was to become Chiang's Finance Minister and chief negotiator with the U.S.

===Dealing with the Communists===
On April 12, 1927 Chiang again turned on the communists in the 'Shanghai Coup'. Chiang's troops and police, assisted by police of the foreign concessions in Shanghai and gunmen of the city's notorious 'Green Gang', rounded up and executed hundreds, probably thousands of communists and trade unionists.

Throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s the KMT was engaged in a Civil War with the Communist Party of China and its Red Army. Chiang Kai-shek used as system of repeated encirclement of the communists to try to eliminate them, only for the communists to out-maneuver and escape the snare each time.

The Communists, defeated in Shanghai April 1927 and in a number of ill-planned urban uprisings later that year, regrouped in the countryside and established a number of "base areas" (most notably that of Mao Zedong in southern [[Chiangxi]] province). These bases were expanding, and efforts to eliminate the Chiangxi Soviet in a series of "encirclement campaigns" in the early 1930s had failed. However Chiang's fifth encirclement campaign of 1933-34 succeeded in destroying the Chiangxi base, and the communist Red Army went into retreat on the "Long March"; only a fraction of the Communists survived. Mao Zedong now became the leader of the Communists.

In December 1936, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, two KMT generals, kidnapped Chiang Kai-shek in Xi’an. This has since been referred to as the "Xi’an Incident." At the beginning of the incident, the Communist leaders planned to kill Chiang but Stalin intervened and forced the Communists to cooperate with him, in hopes a united China would tie down Japanese forces and thus reduce the threat to the Soviet Union.<ref>[http://en.epochtimes.com/news/4-12-13/24830.html ''On the Beginnings of the Chinese Communist Party''], The Epoch Times, Dec 13, 2004.</ref> The Red Army was soon turned into the Eighth Route Army and grew bigger and more powerful than before.

When Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, Chiang gave precedence to defeating the internal threat posed by the Chinese communists over resisting the Japanese invasion. In any case he had no army or base that could challenge Japan, and appealed instead to the [[League of Nations]], which was also powerless. Chiang argued that "communism was a disease of the internal organs, the Japanese a disease of the skin," and that to build a strong China it was necessary to defeat communism first.

In December 1936, Chiang was captured by General Chang Hsüeh-liang in what is now called the [[Xi'an Incident]]. The captors tried to force Chiang to stop fighting the Communists and to unite with them in fighting Japan. After lengthy negotiations, Chiang was released. The [[Second United Front]] between KMT and Communist leaders was formed soon afterward. This tentative truce between to the two parties was always uneasy and actual cooperation on a united military front was rare.

===Rural policies===
Chiang took an instrumentalist view of rural cooperatives. He saw these rural institutions as mechanisms of political control on the one hand, and as social engineering instruments for mitigating [[class conflict]] in rural society on the other. Rooted in these views, the rural cooperative movement promoted by Chiang and the KMT government, from 1927 onward was aimed at countering the influence of the land reform policies implemented by the Chinese Communists in the areas under their control.

===Relations with Japan===
After the [[Mukden Incident]] of September 18, 1931 and Japan's rapid seizure of Manchuria, Chiang realized that the vast disparity in national strength and military power between China and Japan put China at great risk. Therefore he rejected advice to fight back by people who called him an appeaser and did his best to avoid all-out war, using "peace" as a way to postpone war. On the other hand, he gathered allies widely, adjusted policies, maintained domestic order, built "national defense strongholds," organized a southwestern base area, and prepared to fight against Japan. However, the Japanese began negotiating with regional Chinese leaders and promoted a "north China autonomy movement" for the five northern provinces that weakened Nationalist control. <ref>Stephen G. Craft, "Opponents of Appeasement: Western-educated Chinese Diplomats and Intellectuals and Sino-Japanese Relations, 1932-37." ''Modern Asian Studies'' 2001 35(1): 195-216. Issn: 0026-749x [http://www.jstor.org/pss/313092 in Jstor ] </ref>

Full scale war — the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] began at the Marco Polo bridge near Peking in July 1937.

==1937-1948==
Chiang was in full charge of the KMT after 1927, with the title of "generalissimo"; he thus ruled that part of China controlled by the KMT. With the Japanese gaining more Chinese territory, the policy of "trading space for time" (Chinese: 以空間換取時間) was adopted. Chiang moved, not only his government, but much of China's industrial production, several hundred miles west to the interior city of Chunking, in the remote mountains of [[Sichuan]] province.

In September 1943, Chiang Kai-shek formally became president of the central executive committee of the KMT, and was recognized as the head of state and head of government of free China. In November 1943 Chiang attended the [[Cairo Conference]], where he, President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], and Prime Minister [[Winston Churchill]] drafted the Cairo declaration proclaiming Allied war objectives for the Far East. China was assured a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council when it formed in 1945.<Ref> Chiang and his son controlled the seat until 1970, when the UN voted to give it to the Communist regime.</ref>

Chiang was elected tsung-tsai (director-general) of the Kuomintang on May 17, 1945. After 1927 he never had a serious contender who might threaten his control of the party.
===Support from U.S.===
The U.S. was eager to use China to defeat Japan. The idea was that millions of Chinese soldiers, equipped and trained by the U.S. Army and heavily funded by the U.S. Treasury, would eventually overrun the Japanese invaders. The strategy never came close to working. Chiang was far too weak to fight the much stronger Japanese army, and he lacked even basic supplies. Chiang expected the Americans would defeat the Japanese without his help (as in fact they did), while Chiang saved up his resources for the coming showdown with the Communists.

President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and his top advisers, such as Treasury Secretary [[Henry Morgenthau]] and [[Lend-Lease]] administrator [[Harry Hopkins]], were strongly committed to support China against Japan. Public opinion was strongly hostile to Japan; isolationism (opposition to war in Europe) played little role. [[Lend Lease]] aid in began in 1940 with the goal of building a large powerful Chinese army that would hold down most of the Japanese army, and after the war play a role as a major world power in the United Nations. That goal was highly unrealistic, as Japan controlled the financial, economic and transportation centers in China, and most of the people, leaving the Nationalists in control in poor, remote mountainous regions, with their capital in Chungking. In addition, the Communists controlled their own remote sphere in the northwest. China was unable to feed or clothe its soldiers, who lacked equipment, discipline, and skilled sergeants, junior officers, and senior officers. Nevertheless, cost was no object and dollars poured in. After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. and Britain agreed to set up a [[CBI|China-Burma-India theater]], with Chiang as supreme commander, and an American as chief of staff, and in command of American forces in China and Lend Lease supplies. The U.S. sent in General [[Joseph Stilwell]], an energetic fighter who spoke Chinese but lacked diplomatic skills. Stilwell feuded incessantly with Chiang, and with his air commander Air Force Major General [[Claire Chennault]], head of the Flying Tigers operation. Chiang supported Chennault.

[[Image:58742big.jpg|thumb|350px|Japanese expansion into China, 1931-45]]

The American strategy was to build up air power in China, but not send significant numbers of American combat troops because they could not be easily supplied. Japan had long since cut off the coastline, and in March 1942 it cut the only overland road into China, the [[Burma Road]]. Supplies had to be flown in "over the Hump" (over the Himalayan mountains) from India at fantastic cost until the [[Ledo Road]] cutoff could be built and the Burma Road reopened. The British, meanwhile, had a low opinion of China's capabilities and gave minimal cooperation to Chiang and Stilwell. They considered Burma important not because it was a link to China, but because Japanese conquest threatened India. The British therefore conducted numerous large-scale campaigns in Burma, as did Stilwell. Coordination was weak. All were failures before the summer of 1944.

Chiang in 1942 gave Stilwell command of two Chinese divisions, while often overuling Stilwell. The recovery of Burma became an obsession for Stilwell, and he began to think of himself as the one man who could save China. With few American ground troops available Stilwell decided to rebuild the Chinese army and use it to attack the Japanese in Burma. He demanded, with scant success, that airlifted supplies go to these operations, and not to Chennault's Air Force. The Chinese government desperately needed American aid just to survive, and realized that only the Americans could defeat Japan. Indeed, Chiang and his KMT saw that after the Japanese were defeated then the Communists would be their main foe, and they sought to hoard their military resources. In Burma Stilwell was badly defeated by Japanese and barely managed to escape to India. Chiang sent to India new Chinese divisions which were be supplied with American equipment. Stilwell set out to systematically retrain them along American lines, with the long-term goal of eventually recruiting, training, and equipping sixty divisions in China, but they never were an effective army.

Time and again Stilwell was frustrated and vehemently angry with Chiang (whom he ridiculed--calling Chiang "peanut" in messages to Washington) and with the Chinese government. Chiang refused to provide Stilwell any more Chinese soldiers and instead supported Chennault's plans. Chennault indeed obtained long-range [[B-29]] bombers, and they started making raids on Japanese cities. The Japanese response, as Stilwell had long predicted, was an overland campaign (code-named "ICHI-GO") inside China to overrun Chennault's air bases in late summer 1944. Chiang finally forced the U.S. to recall Stilwell, who left in disgust in October, 1944, and was replaced by General Albert Wedemeyer (1897-1989), who got along much better with Chennault and Chiang.

=== Conclusion of the Chinese Civil War ===

General [[George C. Marshall]] was sent in late 1945 by President Truman to resolve the Chinese civil war, hopefully by creating a new shared power arrangement between the Communists and Chiang's Nationalists. His specific instructions from Secretary of State [[James Byrnes]] were to insist on a coalition government as a condition for continued aid to the Nationalists. <ref>Forrest C. Pogue, ''George C. Marshall, Statesman, 1945-1959'', (1987), p. 61.</ref> Communist leader Mao Zedong had already said publicly in April 1945 that a coalition government with the Chinese Nationalists would result in the defeat of "reactionary American imperialism." <ref>"On Coalition Government," address to the April 1945 Seventh National Convention of the Chinese Communist Party, quoted in Anthony Kubek, ''How the Far East Was Lost'', (1963), p. 238.</ref> In the summer of 1946, Truman told Chiang to be more willing to compromise. Chiang replied that first the Communists must abandon "their policy to seize political power through the use of armed force, to overthrow the government and to install a [[totalitarian]] regime such as those with which [[Eastern Europe]] is now being engulfed." <ref>Tang Tsou, ''America's Failure in China, 1941-1945'', (1964), p. 429.</ref>

American policy in China was largely being shaped by the so-called "China Hands" in the U.S. State Department: [[John Stewart Service]], [[John Paton Davies]], [[John Carter Vincent]], and others. Because they knew the Chinese language and had been in China for years, their recommendations carried much weight, and they played a major part in the fall of China.

The [[U.S. War Department]] however, had more realistic and clearer view of the situation. In July 1945, a memorandum entitled, ''The Chinese Communist Movement'', gave a depiction of the true nature of the Communist movement. The report stated the Maoists were more rigidly controlled than the KMT, allowed no opposition groups to exist in their areas (in contrast to the KMT), and were part of the [[Comintern|international Communist]] movement. <ref>Anne W. Carroll, [http://www.ewtn.com/library/HOMELIBR/FR89102.TXT ''Who Lost China''], 1996. Retrieved from www.ewtn com/library/ August 16, 2007.</ref>

Without committing U.S. combat troops and without supporting a coalition government, the [[Truman Doctrine]] saved Greece from Communism. Greece received weapons and financial support and, most importantly, operational advisers at the battalion level, who ensured that American aid was used effectively. Marshall himself testified that similar aid might have worked in China, but General David Barr's military mission to China was specifically instructed not to supply this kind of assistance. <ref>Military Situation in the Far East, Hearings before the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, 82nd Congress (Washington, 1951), p. 558.</ref> General [[Albert C. Wedemeyer]] recommended this approach in his report on his 1947 fact-finding mission, but Marshall personally suppressed the report. <ref>Tang Tsou, ''America's Failure in China, 1941-1945'', Chicago 1964, pg. 457.</ref> Chiang believed that the Truman Doctrine to [[Containment|contain]] the spread of International Communism directed from Moscow would be extended to China, and ordered an offensive as soon as word of the new policy reached him. <ref>Richard C. Thornton, ''China: A Political History, 1917-1980'', (1982), pg. 208.</ref> Truman however, made no effort to save China from Communism.

Chiang was forced from the Chinese mainland to the island of [[Taiwan]] in 1949, where he resumed his position as president, albeit of a massively reduced territory.

== Poetry ==

Chiang was also known for his poetry. He wrote a poem expressing exultation after his victory over the Communist Party, in 1928:

The yellow crane has long since gone away, 
All that here remains is Yellow Crane Tower. 
The yellow crane once gone does not return, 
White clouds drift slowly for a thousand years.

==see also==
* [[Kuomintang]]
==Bibliography==
===Biography===
* Boorman, Howard L. "Chiang Kai-shek" in Howard L. Boorman, ed. ''Biographical Dictionary of Republican China'' (1967) 1: 319-38; excellent starting place.
* Fenby, Jonathan. ''Chiang Kai-shek: China's Generalissimo and the Nation He Lost'' (2004), 592pp [http://www.amazon.com/Chiang-Kai-Shek-Chinas-Generalissimo/dp/B000T9VO2U/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214082451&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]
* Huang, Grace C. "Chiang Kai-shek's Uses of Shame: An Interpretive Study of Agency in Chinese Leadership." PhD dissertation U. of Chicago 2005. 282 pp. DAI 2005 66(6): 2370-A. DA3181356 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses ] ]
* Li, Laura Tyson. ''Madame Chiang Kai-shek: China's Eternal First Lady'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Madame-Chiang-Kai-shek-Chinas-Eternal/dp/0802143229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214082451&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Taylor, Jay. ''The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-Shek and the Struggle for Modern China'' (2009), 722 pp. highly favorable scholarly biography
* Taylor, Jay. ''The Generalissimo's Son: Chiang Ching-kuo and the Revolutions in China and Taiwan. '' (2000). 496 pp.
* Weinberg, Gerhard L. ''Visions of Victory: The Hopes of Eight World War II Leaders. '' (2005), chapter on Chiang.

===National studies===
* Bergere, Marie-Claire. ''Sun Yat-Sen'' (1998), 480pp, the standard biography
* Boorman, Howard L., ed. ''Biographical Dictionary of Republican China.'' (Vol. I-IV and Index. 1967-1979). 600 short scholarly biographies [http://books.google.com/books?id=r3AJFusMHJwC&dq=+Biographical+Dictionary+of+Republican+China&pg=PP1&ots=2vo5nw0qS0&sig=fxzwBb475KIbQBr8KGRDrkVSvl8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA1,M1 excerpt and text search]
* Botjer, George. ''A Short History of Nationalist China, 1919–1949'' (1979). 312pp
* Chu, Shao-Kang. "On Chiang Kai-shek's Position on Resisting Japan: An Analysis of `Domestic Stability Takes Precedence over Resisting Foreign Invasion' Policy, 1928-1936." PhD dissertation U. of British Columbia (2000). 234 pp. DAI 2000 61(5): 1989-A. DANQ48621 Fulltext: [[ProQuest Dissertations & Theses]]
* Coble, Parks. ''Facing Japan: Chinese Politics and Japanese Imperialism, 1931-1937.'' (1992) 475pp
* Dorn Frank. ''The Sino-Japanese War, 1937-41 '' (1971). 477pp
* Dreyer, Edward L. ''China at War, 1901-1949.'' (1995). 422 pp.
* Eastman, Lloyd. ''The Abortive Revolution: China under Nationalist Rule, 1927-1937'' (1974); and ''Seeds of Destruction: Nationalist China in War and Revolution, 1937- 1945.'' (1984)
* Eastman Lloyd et al. ''The Nationalist Era in China, 1927-1949'' (1991) [http://www.amazon.com/Nationalist-Era-China-1927-1949/dp/0521385911/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204422788&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* Fairbank, John K., ed. ''The Cambridge History of China, Vol. 12, Republican China 1912-1949. Part 1.'' (1983). 1001 pp. ; Fairbank, John K. and Feuerwerker, Albert, eds. ''The Cambridge History of China. Vol. 13: Republican China, 1912-1949, Part 2.'' (1986). 1092 pp.
* Ch'i, Hsi-sheng. ''Nationalist China at War: Military Defeats and Political Collapse, 1937–1945'' (1982), 309pp
* Hsiung, James C. and Steven I. Levine, eds. ''China's Bitter Victory: The War with Japan, 1937-1945'' (1992), essays by scholars; [http://www.questia.com/library/book/chinas-bitter-victory-the-war-with-japan-1937-1945-by-james-c-hsiung-steven-i-levine.jsp online from [[Questia]]]; also [http://www.amazon.com/Chinas-Bitter-Victory-Japan-1937-1945/dp/156324246X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195984482&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Hsü, Immanuel Chung-yueh. ''The Rise of Modern China,'' 6th ed. (1999), detailed coverage [http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Modern-China-Immanuel-Hsu/dp/0195125045/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197238178&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Jordan Donald A. ''The Northern Expedition: China's National Revolution of 1926-1928.'' (1976).
* Liu F. F. ''A Military History of Modern China, 1924-1949.'' (1956).
* Morley, James William, ed. ''The China Quagmire: Japan's Expansion on the Asian Continent, 1933-1941.'' (1983).
* Rubinstein, Murray A., ed. ''Taiwan: A New History'' (2006), 560pp
* Shiroyama, Tomoko. ''China during the Great Depression: Market, State, and the World Economy, 1929-1937'' (2008)
* Spence, Jonathan D. ''The Search for Modern China'' (1991), 876pp; well written survey from 1644 to 1980s [http://www.amazon.com/Search-Modern-China-Jonathan-Spence/dp/0393307808/ref=pd_sim_b_title_2 excerpt and text search]; [http://www.questia.com/read/98946348 complete edition online at [[Questia]]]
* Sun, Youli. ''China and the Origins of the Pacific War, 1931-1941.'' (1993).
* Ven, Hans van de. ''War and Nationalism in China: 1925-1945'' (2003), negative on Stilwell [http://www.questia.com/read/107990148?title=War%20and%20Nationalism%20in%20China%201925-1945 online edition]
* Westad, Odd Arne. ''Decisive Encounters: The Chinese Civil War, 1946-1950. '' (2003). 413 pp. the standard history
===Relations with U.S.===
* Byrd Martha. ''Chennault: Giving Wings to the Tiger.'' (1987).
* Ch'i, Hsi-sheng. "Chiang Kai-shek and Franklin D Roosevelt," in C. A. van Minnen and J. F. Sears, eds. ''FDR and his contemporaries'' (1992)
*Levine, Steven I. "A New Look at American Mediation in the Chinese Civil War: the Marshall Mission and Manchuria." ''Diplomatic History'' 1979 3(4): 349-375. Issn: 0145-2096
* Liang, Chin-Tun. ''Gen. Stilwell in China, 1942-1944'' (1972), a pro-Chiang view
*May, Ernest R. "1947-48: When Marshall Kept the U.S. out of War in China." ''Journal of Military History'' 2002 66(4): 1001-1010. Issn: 0899-3718 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0899-3718%28200210%2966%3A4%3C1001%3A1WMKTU%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T in Jstor]
* Romanus, Charles F. and Riley Sunderland. ''Stilwell's Mission to China'' (1953), official U.S. Army history [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-CBI-Mission/index.html online edition]
* Romanus, Charles F. and Riley Sunderland. ''Stilwell's Command Problems'' (1956) [http://www.ibiblio.net/hyperwar////USA/USA-CBI-Command/index.html online edition]
* Schaller Michael. ''The U.S. Crusade in China, 1938-1945.'' (1979). [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-us-crusade-in-china-1938-1945-by-michael-schaller.jsp online edition]
* Tsou, Tang ''America's Failure in China, 1941-50'' (1963).
* Tuchman, Barbara. ''Stilwell and the American Experience in China, 1911-45,'' (1972), 624pp; Pulitzer prize (The British edition is titled ''Against the Wind: Stilwell and the American Experience in China 1911-45,'') [http://www.amazon.com/Stilwell-American-Experience-China-1911-45/dp/0802138527/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214005449&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search], very hostile to Chiang
* Young, Arthur N. ''China and the Helping Hand, 1937-1945.'' (1963).
* Young, Arthur N. ''China's Wartime Finance and Inflation, 1937-1945.'' (1965).

===Memory and historiography===
* Gordon, David M. ''The China-Japan War, 1931–1945.'' ''The Journal of Military History'' v70#1 (2006) 137-182; major historiographical overview of all important books and interpretations; in [[Project Muse]]
* Jespersen, T. Christopher. ''American Images of China, 1931-1949.'' (1996).
* Lee, Lloyd, ed. ''World War II in Asia and the Pacific and the War's aftermath, with General Themes: A Handbook of Literature and Research.'' (1998) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/world-war-ii-in-asia-and-the-pacific-and-the-wars-aftermath-with-general-themes-a-handbook-of-literature-and-research-by-loyd-e-lee.jsp online edition]
* Li, Laura Tyson. ''Madame Chiang Kai-shek: China's Eternal First Lady'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Madame-Chiang-Kai-shek-Chinas-Eternal/dp/0802143229/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214082451&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Taylor, Jeremy E. "The Production of the Chiang Kai-shek Personality Cult, 1929-1975." ''China Quarterly'' 2006 (185): 96-110. Issn: 0305-7410
* Ven, Hans Van De. "Stilwell in the Stocks: the Chinese Nationalists and the Allied Powers in the Second World War." ''Asian Affairs'' 2003 34(3): 243-259. Issn: 0306-8374 Fulltext: [[Ebsco]], revisionist argument that Stilwell was incompetent, had no command training or experience, and did not appreciate air power. Ven suggests that Roosevelt's needs in the presidential election of 1944, the strategic decision to defeat the Nazi menace in Europe before giving full attention to Japan, and the unwise yielding to the needs of the Soviet Union during World War II all led to the defeat of the Chinese Nationalists.
===Primary Sources===
* Chiang Kai-shek. ''The Collected Wartime Messages of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek, 1937-1945,'' (1946) [http://www.questia.com/read/79830145?title=The%20Collected%20Wartime%20Messages%20of%20Generalissimo%20Chiang%20Kai-Shek%2c%201937-1945 online edition]
* Chiang Kai-shek. ''All We Are and All We Have: Speeches and Messages since Pearl Harbor'' (1948) [http://www.questia.com/read/9750466?title=All%20We%20Are%20and%20All%20We%20Have%3a%20Speeches%20and%20Messages%20since%20Pearl%20Harbor online edition]
* Marshall, George Catlett. ''The Papers of George Catlett Marshall. Vol. 5: "The Finest Soldier," January 1, 1945-January 7, 1947.'' ed. by Larry I. Bland and Sharon Ritenour Stevens, (2003). 822 pp. [http://76.7.58.34/gsdl274/cgi-bin/library?e=d-00000-00---off-0themarsh--00-1--0-10-0---0---0prompt-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---01-3-1-00-0-0-11-1-0utfZz-8-00&a=d&c=themarsh&cl=CL2.5 online]
* Stilwell, Joseph Warren. ''The Stilwell papers'' edited by Theodore H. White, (1958).
* United States Department of State. ''United States Relations with China: With Special Reference to the Period 1944-1949'' (1949) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/united-states-relations-with-china-with-special-reference-to-the-period-1944-1949-by-united-states-department-of-state.jsp online edition]

==Online resources==
* [http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~asiactr/sino-japanese/sinojapaperbib2.pdf Steven Phillips, "English-Language Sources on China at War, 1937-1945: Bibliography"]
* [http://hua.umf.maine.edu/China/republic.html "The Republican Era: 1911-1949"], comprehensive bibliography
====notes====
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiang, Kai-shek}}

[[Category:Heads of State]]
[[Category:Chinese History]]
[[Category:World War II Commanders]]
[[Category:Dictators]]

Fifth Party System

2014-09-20T04:15:59Z

Lincolnrep:

The '''Fifth Party System''', also called the '''New Deal Party System''', refers to the system of politics in the United States that began in 1933 with a realignment caused by the [[Great Depression, U.S.|Great Depression in the U.S.]]. The [[New Deal Coalition]] was forged by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and kept his [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] in power most of the time until 1968<ref> Political scientists prefer the term "Fifth Party System"; historians call it the "New Deal System". The [[Party System]] model dates to the early 20th century. The numbering of the systems was introduced in 1967 by William N. Chambers and Walter D. Burnham, eds. ''American Party Systems'' (1967)</ref>. It followed the [[Fourth Party System]], (usually called the [[Progressive Era]] by historians). Experts debate whether it ended in the mid-1960s and was replaced by the '''Sixth Party System''', or continues to the present. Paulson (2006) argues that a decisive realignment took place in the late 1960s.

==Partisanship==
The System was heavily Democratic through 1964 and heavily Republican at the presidential level since 1968, with the Senate switching back and forth after 1980. The Democrats usually controlled the House except that the Republicans won in 1946, 1952, and 1994 through 2004 elections. Both Houses went Democratic in 2006. Of the nineteen presidential elections since 1932, the Democrats won 7 of the first 9 (through 1964), while the GOP won 7 of the 10 since 1968. Down to 1964 Democratic control of Congress was the norm, but the [[Conservative coalition]] had effective veto power; since 1966 divided government has been the norm.

With Republican promises of prosperity discredited by the [[Great Depression]], the four consecutive elections, 1932-36-40-44 of Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] gave the Democrats dominance, though in domestic issues the [[Conservative coalition]] generally controlled Congress from 1938 to 1964. The activist [[New Deal]] promoted [[American liberalism]], anchored in a [[New Deal Coalition]] that dominated the [[Democratic party]]. The party was dominated by liberal groups, especially ethno-religious minorities (Catholics, Jews, African Americans), white Southerners, well-organized labor unions, big city machines, intellectuals, and liberal farm groups. Opposition [[Republican Party|Republicans]] were split between a conservative wing, led by Senator [[Robert A. Taft]], and a more successful moderate wing led by President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].

==New rules==
New rules took effect that changed the political universe. The most important was the enfranchisement of the blacks in the South, thanks to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In addition, poll taxes were abolished, 18 year old were given the right to vote, and the role of women was informally expanded inside both parties. At the same time the old big city machines, with their neighborhood structures, collapsed in nearly every city. Communications media changes with the rise of television after 1960 as the dominant medium for political discourse and campaign advertising.

==Collapse of 5th Party System==
The period climaxed with [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s smashing electoral defeat of [[conservative]] Republican presidential candidate [[Barry Goldwater]] in 1964; in no other election since 1944 has the Democratic party received more than 50.1% of the popular vote for President.<ref>See, for example, the election pages at [http://www.presidentelect.org/index.html presidentelect.org]</ref> The Democratic coalition divided in 1948 and 1968, in the latter election allowing the Republican candidate [[Richard Nixon]] to take the White House. Democrats kept control of the House until the 1994 election. For the next twelve years the [[Republican Party|GOP]] was in control with small majorities, until the Democrats recaptured the House in 2006. The Democrats held the Senate until 1980; since then the two parties have traded control of the Senate back and forth with small majorities.

==Sixth Party System==
The Sixth Party System is variously dated by scholars, usually from 1968 or 1980. Shafer (2007) calls it the "Late New Deal System." The 6th System was characterized by a Republican dominance, with the GOP winning 7 of 10 presidential elections from 1968 through 2004. Control of Congress was split. The dominant leader of the 6th Party System was [[Ronald Reagan]], with Republicans using his as their standard of proper politics into the late 21st century.

New voter coalitions included the emergence of the "religious right" -- a combination of Catholics and fundamentalist Protestants united on opposition to abortion and gay rights. On the left, to a lesser degree, Democrats augmented their coalition with well educated voters, gays, and non-religious seculars. The Hispanic population grew very rapidly, reaching 15% of the population, but turnout was so low they were not a major factor in voting, except in California. Although [[George W. Bush]] made a special effort to reach Hispanics, their negative reaction to Republican nativism on the issue of immigration strengthened the Democratic affiliations of those Hispanics who voted.

New rules changes involved campaign financing, as very large sums were raised and candidates spent much of their energy focused on raising money behind the scenes. New campaign technologies involved the Internet, but television advertising continued to grow in importance, overshadowing the Internet as a campaign tool. [[Howard Dean]] in 2004 demonstrated that the Internet could be used to organize and finance a crusade, and this model was followed by most of the candidates for the 2008 election, with [[Barack Obama]] and [[Ron Paul]] the most successful.

==New Deal Coalition: voting %D 1948-1964==

{| class="wikitable"
|
% Democratic vote in major groups, presidency 1948-1964
|-
|
|
1948
|
1952
|
1956
|
1960
|
1964
|-
|
all voters
|
50
|
45
|
42
|
50
|
61
|-
|-
|
White
|
50
|
43
|
41
|
49
|
59
|-
|
Black
|
50
|
79
|
61
|
68
|
94
|-
|-
|
College
|
22
|
34
|
31
|
39
|
52
|-
|
High School
|
51
|
45
|
42
|
52
|
62
|-
|
Grade School
|
64
|
52
|
50
|
55
|
66
|-
|-
|
Professional & Business
|
19
|
36
|
32
|
42
|
54
|-
|
White Collar
|
47
|
40
|
37
|
48
|
57
|-
|
Manual worker
|
66
|
55
|
50
|
60
|
71
|-
|
Farmer
|
60
|
33
|
46
|
48
|
53
|-
|-
|
Union member
|
76
|
|
51
|
62
|
77
|-
|
Not union
|
42
|
|
35
|
44
|
56
|-
|-
|
Protestant
|
43
|
37
|
37
|
38
|
55
|-
|
Catholic
|
62
|
56
|
51
|
78
|
76
|-
|-
|
Republican
|
|
8
|
4
|
5
|
20
|-
|
Independent
|
|
35
|
30
|
43
|
56
|-
|
Democrat
|
|
77
|
85
|
84
|
87
|-
|-
|
East
|
48
|
45
|
40
|
53
|
68
|-
|
Midwest
|
50
|
42
|
41
|
48
|
61
|-
|
West
|
49
|
42
|
43
|
49
|
60
|-
|
South
|
53
|
51
|
49
|
51
|
52
|-
|-
|
|}
Source: Gallup Polls in Gallup (1972)

==see also==
*[[United States presidential election, 1932]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1936]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1940]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1944]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1948]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1952]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1956]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1960]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1964]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1968]]

== Bibliography==
* Aldrich, John H. "Political Parties in a Critical Era," ''American Politics Research,'' vol 27#1 (1999) [http://apr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/1/9 online abstract] speculates on emergence of Seventh Party System
* Allswang, John M. ''New Deal and American Politics'' (1978), statistical analysis of votes
* Andersen, Kristi. ''The Creation of a Democratic Majority, 1928-1936'' (1979), statistical analysis of polls
* Bell, Jonathan. ''The Liberal State on Trial: The Cold War and American Politics in the Truman Years,'' (2004), 404pp; detailed analysis of impact of foreign policy on key elections 1946-48-50 [http://www.amazon.com/Liberal-State-Trial-American-Contemporary/dp/0231133561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211910249&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Bibby, John F. "Party Organizations, 1946-1996," in Byron E. Shafer, ed. ''Partisan Approaches to Postwar American Politics,'' (1998)
* Bullock, Charles S., Donna R. Hoffman, and Ronald Keith Gaddie. "Regional Variations in the Realignment of American Politics, 1944–2004," ''Social Science Quarterly,'' 87 (Sept. 2006), 494–518.
* Campbell, Angus, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, Donald Stokes. ''The American Voter'' (1964), highly influential study by [[Michigan School]] of voter psychology in 1950s. [http://www.amazon.com/American-Voter-Angus-Campbell/dp/0226092542/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195198915&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, Angus, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, Donald Stokes. ''Elections and the Political Order'' (1966) influential study of voters in early 1960s by Michigan School.
* Campbell, James E. "Party Systems and Realignments in the United States, 1868–2004," ''Social Science History,'' 30 (Fall 2006), 359–86.
* Campbell, James E. ''American Campaign: U.S. Presidential Campaigns and the National Vote'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/American-Campaign-Presidential-Presidency-Leadership/dp/089096940X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195198915&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, Tracy. ''Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition-1742-2004'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Deliver-Vote-Election-Political-Tradition-1742-2004/dp/078671591X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product excerpt and text search]
* Donaldson, Gary A. ''The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960'' (2007), the standard scholarly history
* Fraser, Steve, and Gary Gerstle, eds. ''The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order, 1930-1980'' (1990), essays on broad topics.
* Geer, John G. "New Deal Issues and the American Electorate, 1952-1988," ''Political Behavior,'' 14#1 (Mar., 1992), pp. 45-65 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0190-9320%28199203%2914%3A1%3C45%3ANDIATA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T online at JSTOR]
* Gershtenson, Joseph. "Mobilization Strategies of the Democrats and Republicans, 1956-2000," ''Political Research Quarterly'' Vol. 56, No. 3 (Sep., 2003), pp. 293-308 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=1065-9129%28200309%2956%3A3%3C293%3AMSOTDA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H in JSTOR]
* Green, John C. and Paul S. Herrnson. [http://polisci.wisc.edu/~party/apsa2000green.pdf "Party Development in the Twentieth Century: Laying the Foundations for Responsible Party Government?"] (2000) 
* Hamby, Alonzo. ''Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush'' (1992).
* Jensen, Richard. "The Last Party System: Decay of Consensus, 1932-1980," in ''The Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' (Paul Kleppner et al. eds.) (1981) pp 219-225,
* Keller, Morton. ''America's Three Regimes: A New Political History'' (2007) 384pp.
* Ladd Jr., Everett Carll with Charles D. Hadley. ''Transformations of the American Party System: Political Coalitions from the New Deal to the 1970s'' 2nd ed. (1978).
* Leuchtenburg, William E. ''In the Shadow of FDR: From Harry Truman to George W. Bush'' (2001)
* Levine, Jeffrey; Carmines, Edward G.; and Huckfeldt, Robert. "The Rise of Ideology in the Post-New Deal Party System, 1972-1992." ''American Politics Quarterly'' (1997) 25(1): 19-34. Issn: 0044-7803 Argues that the social basis of the New Deal party system has weakened. The result is ideology shapes partisan support.
* Manza, Jeff and Clem Brooks; ''Social Cleavages and Political Change: Voter Alignments and U.S. Party Coalitions,'' (1999), quantitiative
* Manza, Jeff; "Political Sociological Models of the U.S. New Deal" ''Annual Review of Sociology,'' 2000 pp 297+
* Milkis, Sidney M. and Jerome M. Mileur, eds. ''The New Deal and the Triumph of Liberalism'' (2002)
* Milkis, Sidney M. ''The President and the Parties: The Transformation of the American Party System Since the New Deal'' (1993)
* Paulson, Arthur. ''Electoral Realignment and the Outlook for American Democracy'' (2006)
* Perlstein, Rick. ''Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus'' (2002) very well written narrative of politics 1960-64 [http://www.amazon.com/Before-Storm-Goldwater-Unmaking-Consensus/dp/0809028581/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211911045&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Perlstein, Rick. ''Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America'' (2008) very well written narrative of politics 1964-68
* Robinson, Edgar Eugene. ''They Voted for Roosevelt: The Presidential Vote, 1932-1944'' (1947) tables of votes by county
* Sabato, Larry J., and Howard R. Ernst. ''Encyclopedia Of American Political Parties And Elections'' (2006) comprehensive coverage of politics since 1945.
* Shafer, Byron E. "Where Are We in History? Political Orders and Political Eras in the Postwar U.S.," ''The Forum'' (2007) Vol. 5#3, Article 4. http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol5/iss3/art4 online edition]
* Shafer, Byron E. and Anthony J. Badger, eds. ''Contesting Democracy: Substance and Structure in American Political History, 1775-2000'' (2001)
* Sternsher, Bernard. "The New Deal Party System: A Reappraisal," ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History'' v.15#1 (Summer, 1984), pp. 53-81 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-1953%28198422%2915%3A1%3C53%3ATNDPSA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-I JSTOR]
* Sternsher, Bernard. "The Emergence of the New Deal Party System: A Problem in Historical Analysis of Voter Behavior," ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History'', v.6#1 (Summer, 1975), pp. 127-149 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-1953%28197522%296%3A1%3C127%3ATEOTND%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3 online at JSTOR]
* Sundquist, James L. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=29223022 ''Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States''], (1983)
* Wilentz, Sean. ''The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008'' (2008), major narrative history

===Primary sources===
* Cantril, Hadley and Mildred Strunk, eds. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98754501 ''Public Opinion, 1935-1946'' (1951)]. A massive compilation of public opinion polls.
* Gallup, George. ''The Gallup Poll: Public opinion, 1935-1971'' (3 vol 1972), summarizes each poll

====Footnotes====
<references/>

[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:United States Political Terms]]
[[Category:1960s]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[category:1950s]]

Fifth Party System

2014-09-20T04:11:45Z

Lincolnrep:

The '''Fifth Party System''', also called the '''New Deal Party System''', refers to the system of politics in the United States that began in 1933 with a realignment caused by the [[Great Depression, U.S.|Great Depression in the U.S.]]. The [[New Deal Coalition]] was forged by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] and kept his [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] in power most of the time until 1968<ref> Political scientists prefer the term "Fifth Party System"; historians call it the "New Deal System". The [[Party System]] model dates to the early 20th century. The numbering of the systems was introduced in 1967 by William N. Chambers and Walter D. Burnham, eds. ''American Party Systems'' (1967)</ref>. It followed the [[Fourth Party System]], (usually called the [[Progressive Era]] by historians). Experts debate whether it ended in the mid-1960s and was replaced by the '''Sixth Party System''', or continues to the present. Paulson (2006) argues that a decisive realignment took place in the late 1960s.

==Partisanship==
The System was heavily Democratic through 1964 and heavily Republican at the presidential level since 1968, with the Senate switching back and forth after 1980. The Democrats usually controlled the House except that the Republicans won in 1946, 1952, and 1994 through 2004 elections. Both Houses went Democratic in 2006. Of the nineteen presidential elections since 1932, the Democrats won 7 of the first 9 (through 1964), while the GOP won 7 of the 10 since 1968. Down to 1964 Democratic control of Congress was the norm, but the [[Conservative coalition]] had effective veto power; since 1966 divided government has been the norm.

With Republican promises of prosperity discredited by the [[Great Depression]], the four consecutive elections, 1932-36-40-44 of Democrat [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] gave the Democrats dominance, though in domestic issues the [[Conservative coalition]] generally controlled Congress from 1938 to 1964. The activist [[New Deal]] promoted [[American liberalism]], anchored in a [[New Deal Coalition]] that dominated the [[Democratic party]]. The party was dominated by liberal groups, especially ethno-religious minorities (Catholics, Jews, African Americans), white Southerners, well-organized labor unions, big city machines, intellectuals, and liberal farm groups. Opposition [[Republican Party|Republicans]] were split between a conservative wing, led by Senator [[Robert A. Taft]], and a more successful moderate wing led by President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]].
==New rules==
New rules took effect that changed the political universe. The most important was the enfranchisement of the blacks in the South, thanks to the 1965 Voting Rights Act. In addition, poll taxes were abolished, 18 year old were given the right to vote, and the role of women was informally expanded inside both parties. At the same time the old big city machines, with their neighborhood structures, collapsed in nearly every city. Communications media changes with the rise of television after 1960 as the dominant medium for political discourse and campaign advertising.
==Collapse of 5th Party System==
The period climaxed with [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s smashing electoral defeat of [[conservative]] Republican presidential candidate [[Barry Goldwater]] in 1964; in no other election since 1944 has the Democratic party received more than 50.1% of the popular vote for President.<ref>See, for example, the election pages at [http://www.presidentelect.org/index.html presidentelect.org]</ref> The Democratic coalition divided in 1948 and 1968, in the latter election allowing the Republican candidate [[Richard Nixon]] to take the White House. Democrats kept control of the House until the 1994 election. For the next twelve years the [[Republican Party|GOP]] was in control with small majorities, until the Democrats recaptured the House in 2006. The Democrats held the Senate until 1980; since then the two parties have traded control of the Senate back and forth with small majorities.
==Sixth Party System==
The Sixth Party System is variously dated by scholars, usually from 1968 or 1980. Shafer (2007) calls it the "Late New Deal System." The 6th System was characterized by a Republican dominance, with the GOP winning 7 of 10 presidential elections from 1968 through 2004. Control of Congress was split. The dominant leader of the 6th Party System was [[Ronald Reagan]], with Republicans using his as their standard of proper politics into the late 21st century.

New voter coalitions included the emergence of the "religious right" -- a combination of Catholics and fundamentalist Protestants united on opposition to abortion and gay rights. On the left, to a lesser degree, Democrats augmented their coalition with well educated voters, gays, and non-religious seculars. The Hispanic population grew very rapidly, reaching 15% of the population, but turnout was so low they were not a major factor in voting, except in California. Although [[George W. Bush]] made a special effort to reach Hispanics, their negative reaction to Republican nativism on the issue of immigration strengthened the Democratic affiliations of those Hispanics who voted.

New rules changes involved campaign financing, as very large sums were raised and candidates spent much of their energy focused on raising money behind the scenes. New campaign technologies involved the Internet, but television advertising continued to grow in importance, overshadowing the Internet as a campaign tool. [[Howard Dean]] in 2004 demonstrated that the Internet could be used to organize and finance a crusade, and this model was followed by most of the candidates for the 2008 election, with [[Barack Obama]] and [[Ron Paul]] the most successful.

==New Deal Coalition: voting %D 1948-1964==

{| class="wikitable"
|
% Democratic vote in major groups, presidency 1948-1964
|-
|
|
1948
|
1952
|
1956
|
1960
|
1964
|-
|
all voters
|
50
|
45
|
42
|
50
|
61
|-
|-
|
White
|
50
|
43
|
41
|
49
|
59
|-
|
Black
|
50
|
79
|
61
|
68
|
94
|-
|-
|
College
|
22
|
34
|
31
|
39
|
52
|-
|
High School
|
51
|
45
|
42
|
52
|
62
|-
|
Grade School
|
64
|
52
|
50
|
55
|
66
|-
|-
|
Professional & Business
|
19
|
36
|
32
|
42
|
54
|-
|
White Collar
|
47
|
40
|
37
|
48
|
57
|-
|
Manual worker
|
66
|
55
|
50
|
60
|
71
|-
|
Farmer
|
60
|
33
|
46
|
48
|
53
|-
|-
|
Union member
|
76
|
|
51
|
62
|
77
|-
|
Not union
|
42
|
|
35
|
44
|
56
|-
|-
|
Protestant
|
43
|
37
|
37
|
38
|
55
|-
|
Catholic
|
62
|
56
|
51
|
78
|
76
|-
|-
|
Republican
|
|
8
|
4
|
5
|
20
|-
|
Independent
|
|
35
|
30
|
43
|
56
|-
|
Democrat
|
|
77
|
85
|
84
|
87
|-
|-
|
East
|
48
|
45
|
40
|
53
|
68
|-
|
Midwest
|
50
|
42
|
41
|
48
|
61
|-
|
West
|
49
|
42
|
43
|
49
|
60
|-
|
South
|
53
|
51
|
49
|
51
|
52
|-
|-
|
|}
Source: Gallup Polls in Gallup (1972)

==see also==
*[[United States presidential election, 1932]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1936]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1940]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1944]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1948]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1952]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1956]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1960]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1964]]
*[[United States presidential election, 1968]]

== Bibliography==
* Aldrich, John H. "Political Parties in a Critical Era," ''American Politics Research,'' vol 27#1 (1999) [http://apr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/27/1/9 online abstract] speculates on emergence of Seventh Party System
* Allswang, John M. ''New Deal and American Politics'' (1978), statistical analysis of votes
* Andersen, Kristi. ''The Creation of a Democratic Majority, 1928-1936'' (1979), statistical analysis of polls
* Bell, Jonathan. ''The Liberal State on Trial: The Cold War and American Politics in the Truman Years,'' (2004), 404pp; detailed analysis of impact of foreign policy on key elections 1946-48-50 [http://www.amazon.com/Liberal-State-Trial-American-Contemporary/dp/0231133561/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211910249&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
* Bibby, John F. "Party Organizations, 1946-1996," in Byron E. Shafer, ed. ''Partisan Approaches to Postwar American Politics,'' (1998)
* Bullock, Charles S., Donna R. Hoffman, and Ronald Keith Gaddie. "Regional Variations in the Realignment of American Politics, 1944–2004," ''Social Science Quarterly,'' 87 (Sept. 2006), 494–518.
* Campbell, Angus, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, Donald Stokes. ''The American Voter'' (1964), highly influential study by [[Michigan School]] of voter psychology in 1950s. [http://www.amazon.com/American-Voter-Angus-Campbell/dp/0226092542/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195198915&sr=8-5 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, Angus, Philip Converse, Warren Miller, Donald Stokes. ''Elections and the Political Order'' (1966) influential study of voters in early 1960s by Michigan School.
* Campbell, James E. "Party Systems and Realignments in the United States, 1868–2004," ''Social Science History,'' 30 (Fall 2006), 359–86.
* Campbell, James E. ''American Campaign: U.S. Presidential Campaigns and the National Vote'' (2000) [http://www.amazon.com/American-Campaign-Presidential-Presidency-Leadership/dp/089096940X/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1195198915&sr=8-9 excerpt and text search]
* Campbell, Tracy. ''Deliver the Vote: A History of Election Fraud, an American Political Tradition-1742-2004'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Deliver-Vote-Election-Political-Tradition-1742-2004/dp/078671591X/ref=si3_rdr_bb_product excerpt and text search]
* Donaldson, Gary A. ''The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960'' (2007), the standard scholarly history
* Fraser, Steve, and Gary Gerstle, eds. ''The Rise and Fall of the New Deal Order, 1930-1980'' (1990), essays on broad topics.
* Geer, John G. "New Deal Issues and the American Electorate, 1952-1988," ''Political Behavior,'' 14#1 (Mar., 1992), pp. 45-65 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0190-9320%28199203%2914%3A1%3C45%3ANDIATA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T online at JSTOR]
* Gershtenson, Joseph. "Mobilization Strategies of the Democrats and Republicans, 1956-2000," ''Political Research Quarterly'' Vol. 56, No. 3 (Sep., 2003), pp. 293-308 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=1065-9129%28200309%2956%3A3%3C293%3AMSOTDA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H in JSTOR]
* Green, John C. and Paul S. Herrnson. [http://polisci.wisc.edu/~party/apsa2000green.pdf "Party Development in the Twentieth Century: Laying the Foundations for Responsible Party Government?"] (2000) 
* Hamby, Alonzo. ''Liberalism and Its Challengers: From F.D.R. to Bush'' (1992).
* Jensen, Richard. "The Last Party System: Decay of Consensus, 1932-1980," in ''The Evolution of American Electoral Systems'' (Paul Kleppner et al. eds.) (1981) pp 219-225,
* Keller, Morton. ''America's Three Regimes: A New Political History'' (2007) 384pp.
* Ladd Jr., Everett Carll with Charles D. Hadley. ''Transformations of the American Party System: Political Coalitions from the New Deal to the 1970s'' 2nd ed. (1978).
* Leuchtenburg, William E. ''In the Shadow of FDR: From Harry Truman to George W. Bush'' (2001)
* Levine, Jeffrey; Carmines, Edward G.; and Huckfeldt, Robert. "The Rise of Ideology in the Post-New Deal Party System, 1972-1992." ''American Politics Quarterly'' (1997) 25(1): 19-34. Issn: 0044-7803 Argues that the social basis of the New Deal party system has weakened. The result is ideology shapes partisan support.
* Manza, Jeff and Clem Brooks; ''Social Cleavages and Political Change: Voter Alignments and U.S. Party Coalitions,'' (1999), quantitiative
* Manza, Jeff; "Political Sociological Models of the U.S. New Deal" ''Annual Review of Sociology,'' 2000 pp 297+
* Milkis, Sidney M. and Jerome M. Mileur, eds. ''The New Deal and the Triumph of Liberalism'' (2002)
* Milkis, Sidney M. ''The President and the Parties: The Transformation of the American Party System Since the New Deal'' (1993)
* Paulson, Arthur. ''Electoral Realignment and the Outlook for American Democracy'' (2006)
* Perlstein, Rick. ''Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus'' (2002) very well written narrative of politics 1960-64 [http://www.amazon.com/Before-Storm-Goldwater-Unmaking-Consensus/dp/0809028581/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1211911045&sr=1-2 excerpt and text search]
* Perlstein, Rick. ''Nixonland: The Rise of a President and the Fracturing of America'' (2008) very well written narrative of politics 1964-68
* Robinson, Edgar Eugene. ''They Voted for Roosevelt: The Presidential Vote, 1932-1944'' (1947) tables of votes by county
* Sabato, Larry J., and Howard R. Ernst. ''Encyclopedia Of American Political Parties And Elections'' (2006) comprehensive coverage of politics since 1945.
* Shafer, Byron E. "Where Are We in History? Political Orders and Political Eras in the Postwar U.S.," ''The Forum'' (2007) Vol. 5#3, Article 4. http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol5/iss3/art4 online edition]
* Shafer, Byron E. and Anthony J. Badger, eds. ''Contesting Democracy: Substance and Structure in American Political History, 1775-2000'' (2001)
* Sternsher, Bernard. "The New Deal Party System: A Reappraisal," ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History'' v.15#1 (Summer, 1984), pp. 53-81 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-1953%28198422%2915%3A1%3C53%3ATNDPSA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-I JSTOR]
* Sternsher, Bernard. "The Emergence of the New Deal Party System: A Problem in Historical Analysis of Voter Behavior," ''Journal of Interdisciplinary History'', v.6#1 (Summer, 1975), pp. 127-149 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-1953%28197522%296%3A1%3C127%3ATEOTND%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3 online at JSTOR]
* Sundquist, James L. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=29223022 ''Dynamics of the Party System: Alignment and Realignment of Political Parties in the United States''], (1983)
* Wilentz, Sean. ''The Age of Reagan: A History, 1974-2008'' (2008), major narrative history
===Primary sources===
* Cantril, Hadley and Mildred Strunk, eds. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=98754501 ''Public Opinion, 1935-1946'' (1951)]. A massive compilation of public opinion polls.
* Gallup, George. ''The Gallup Poll: Public opinion, 1935-1971'' (3 vol 1972), summarizes each poll

====Footnotes====
<references/>
[[Category:New Deal]]
[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:United States Political Terms]]
[[Category:1960s]]
[[Category:Republican Party]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[category:1950s]]