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Liberalism

2010-02-06T17:28:42Z

Linuxboy:

<blockquote>''The following article describes the term "liberalism" as it is used today. For the historical meaning of liberalism, see [[Classical liberalism]].''</blockquote>

'''Liberalism''' can refer to a number of political philosophies. In this article the [[United States of America|American]] political platform referred to as "liberal" within the United States is contrasted with other meanings of the word, particularly in [[Europe]] and in other [[Parliamentary democracy|parliamentary democratic]] systems.

== United States ==

[[Image:Liberal Brain.jpg|thumb|250px|top|<center>A satirical conception of the liberal brain.</center>]]

In the U.S. the word ''liberal'' is usually used to describe the platform espoused by the [[Democratic Party]], that is, support of [[social welfare]] systems, redistribution of wealth, and government regulation of the economy - combined with a certain brand of individual [[libertarianism]], emphasizing social equality, and (to a certain extent) rejection of traditional [[Judaism|Judeo]]-[[Christianity|Christian]] standards of [[morality]] as a proper foundation for [[law]]. Liberals have consistently been proven to be the only problem facing the great nation of the United States.

The [[economic]] aspects of this ideology are to a large extent a product of the [[New Deal]] policies of the [[Great Depression]] era, as well as [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s "[[Great Society]]." The Democratic Party's idea of social liberty and equality, though, came much later, partly as a result of the [[Civil rights movement|civil rights]] and [[counterculture]] movements of the late 20<sup>th</sup> century. It continues to be fueled by various youth movements and the interests of numerous special interest groups.

== Europe and elsewhere ==

In Europe, ''liberalism'' refers to a political position that leans toward greater individual liberties and less government intervention in general. In short, this is the philosophy closest to [[classical liberalism]], and is commonly referred to in the United States as [[libertarianism]]. In Europe and elsewhere, then, the opposite of liberalism is not [[conservatism]], but [[authoritarianism]].

Because of this, the terms "conservative liberalism" and "liberal conservatism", which are seen as contradictory in the U.S., are not so in Europe. "Conservative liberalism" simply refers to a less radical libertarian philosophy, and is often referred to as "law-and-order liberalism." Liberal conservatism is simply a variant of conservatism willing to allow for individual liberties, and, in a way, describes the ideology of the American [[Republican Party]]. Such examples of this obvious line of thought include the [[civil rights movement]], when the Republican Party (and a few southern Democrats) just wanted to maintain the African American's right to have the choice of forced segregation.

{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberalism]]

ObamaCare

2010-02-06T16:17:35Z

Linuxboy:

[[File:ObamaCareSymbol.jpg|right|200px]]
'''Obamacare''' is the term some critics<ref>http://townhall.com/columnists/KevinMcCullough/2009/08/06/welcome_to_gestapo-care</ref> use to describe Congressional [[Democrats]]' and the [[Obama Administration]]'s proposal through legislative mandates to require private citizens to purchase health insurance and involuntarily fund abortions, under the threat of legal sanctions if they do not. The new laws would impose as much as a $1000 fine on citizens for failure to comply.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/02/senate-democrats-trim-cost-health-care/</ref> The [[Congressional Budget Office]] (CBO) estimates the revenue generating device could produce as much as $36 billion over ten years.<ref>[http://allnurses-central.com/world-news-current/proposed-senate-plan-405168.html Proposed Senate Plan Would Involve IRS in Collecting Fines from Non-participants], ALLNURSES CENTRAL, Jul 03, 2009.</ref>

The fines are euphemistically dubbed "shared responsibility payments."<ref>http://www.unitedliberty.org/articles/cbo-reports-entitlements-and-shared-responsibility</ref> Employers would be required to deduct the penalties from employees paychecks.<ref>http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00421</ref>

The [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]] (AAPS) maintains there are no redeeming provisions of Obama's health care plan and offers a number of criticisms of Obama's health care plan. <ref>http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00377</ref> The AAPS maintains that Obama's health care plan will significantly increase the overall cost of health care to United States public plus reduce the quality of care that the system provides.<ref>http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00377</ref> Political analyst and
commentator [[Dick Morris]] has asserted that Obama's health care plan will lead to the significant use of rationing senior health care which will decrease the life span of senior citizens.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsImVGsFlmA</ref>

The State of [[Massachusetts]] has had a similiar program in place for several years.<ref>http://www.aapsonline.org/newsoftheday/00421</ref>

===Mandatory Coverage===

One such proposal would create a system to require adults (over age 19, U.S. citizens, not incarcerated) to enroll themselves and dependent children in a plan through the state-wide Health Help Agency (HHA) unless they provide evidence of enrollment or coverage through Medicare, a health insurance plan offered by the Department of Defense, an employee benefit plan through a former employer (i.e. retiree health plans), a qualified collective bargaining agreement, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the Indian Health Service. There may by a religious exemption under this proposal. Each adult would have the responsibility to enroll each child in a plan. Dependent children include individuals up to age 24 claimed by their parents for deductions in the tax code.
[[File:Penalty.jpg|right|thumbnail|200px|If an individual fails to purchase coverage and does not meet the exceptions or the religious exemption, then under Obamacare a financial penalty may be assessed for non-indigent individuals.]]

===Penalty for Failure to Purchase Coverage===

If an individual fails to purchase coverage and does not meet the exceptions or the religious exemption, then a financial penalty will be assessed for non-indigent individuals. Under this particular proposal for mandatory care, the penalty is calculated by multiplying the number of uncovered months times the weighted average of the monthly premium for a plan in the person’s coverage class and coverage area, plus 15 percent.

Fines will be paid to the HHA of the State in which the person resides. That agency also may establish a procedure to waive the penalty if the penalty poses a hardship. Each State would determine appropriate mechanisms to enforce the requirement that individuals be enrolled.<ref> http://wyden.senate.gov/issues/Healthy%20Americans%20Act/HAA_Section_by_Section.pdf</ref>

===Privacy Rights===

Section 163 of the America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 would allow the government real-time access to a person's bank records - including direct access to bank accounts for electronic fund transfers.<ref>[http://www.infowars.com/obama-health-bill-allows-government-real-time-access-to-bank-accounts/ Obama Health Bill Allows Government Real-time Access to Bank Accounts], Kurt Nimmo, Infowars, August 3, 2009.</ref><ref>[http://kfyi.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=118695&article=5824042 Health Care Bill Would Allow Feds To Snoop in Your Checkbook], KFYI News.</ref><ref>http://www.littlegreenfootballs2.com/2009/07/22/inside-the-health-care-bill-aka-hr3200/</ref><ref>http://www.kfyi.com/cc-common/mlib/622/08/622_1249314906.pdf</ref>

===Disinformation===

A webpage at whitehouse.gov entitled "Reality Check" claims that the president's program "would be fully paid for over 10 years, and it would not add one penny to the deficit."<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck/faq</ref> The [[CBO]] is mandated to prepare cost estimates and to show how individual legislative proposals would change spending or revenue levels under current law.<ref>http://www.cbo.gov/aboutcbo/budgetprocess.shtml</ref> A July 15 2009 letter from the CBO made this assessment,
{{Cquote|enacting the proposal would result in a net increase in the federal budget deficits of about $1.0 trillion over the 2010-2019 period."<ref>http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/103xx/doc10310/06-15-HealthChoicesAct.pdf</ref><ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=52306</ref>}}

However, CBO analyses of the House and Senate versions of the health care reform bills show that they would reduce the federal budget deficit by $109 billion <ref>http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=421</ref> and $81 billion <ref>http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=387</ref> respectively.

== Obama Administration health care plan and liberal elitism ==
[[File:arrogant_obama.jpg|right|125px|thumbnail|[[Barack Obama]] ]]
''See also:'' [[Barack Obama and liberal elitism]] and [[Barack Obama and uncharitableness]]

In 2007, when Obama was running for the office of President of the United States, he promised Americans "health care that is as good as the health care that I have as a member of Congress."<ref>http://www.emaxhealth.com/10/18430.html</ref> However, recently when a newspaper reporter pressed Obama on whether he would commit to Americans having the same health care as congressmen, Obama repeatedly refused to commit to his previous promise of Americans having the same coverage as members of Congress.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvzLDb2igKM</ref> President Obama merely claimed Americans would have health care coverage that would "largely match up" with what members of Congress have.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvzLDb2igKM</ref> President Obama also stated he is constantly followed around by a personal physician.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvzLDb2igKM</ref> The Obama administration's [[Liberal Elite|liberal elitism]] is not unusual when it comes to health care. For example, [[Belinda Stronach]], a former Member of the Canadian Parliament, chose to have a surgical treatment in the United States rather than be treated in Canada for her condition ([[Canada]] has a [[socialized medicine]] system of health care).<ref>http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2007/09/14/canadian-official-refuses-canadian-health-care/</ref>

Congressman [[John Fleming]] has offered a legislative amendment that would require United States congressmen and senators to take the same health care plan they try to force on others (under proposed legislation they are curiously exempt). Congressman Fleming is encouraging people to go to his website and sign his petition.<ref>http://fleming.house.gov/index.html</ref>

===Treatment of Elders===
Some critics, including former Vice-Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, have uncovered proof that Obama is planning on setting up "Death Panels" to judge the worthiness and "cost effectiveness" of keeping certain people alive, such as senior citizens.<ref>http://www.theonion.com/content/news/obama_health_care_plan_would_give?utm_source=a-section</ref>

== Also See ==
[[File:MedSybolBlog.jpg|right|160px]]
[[File:Obama Wants You w-tag.jpg|right|160px]]
* [[Socialized Medicine]]
* [[Obamunism]]
* [[Essay:47 million Americans without health insurance lie]]

== External Links ==
*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvzLDb2igKM The Obama health care press conference: The Public Option]
*[http://www.cato.org/dailypodcast/podcast-archive.php?podcast_id=653 Collectivism and Obama, McCain] featuring David Boaz, [[CATO Institute]] Daily Podcast, June 10, 2008.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Totalitarianism]]
{{Liberalism}}
[[Category: Obama Administration]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Socialism]]
[[Category: Health]]

Vegetarianism

2010-02-06T16:10:51Z

Linuxboy:

[[Image:Fruits.jpg|right]]
'''Vegetarianism''' is the practice of abstaining from [[meat]] consumption. Somebody who practices vegetarianism is referred to as a ''vegetarian''. Vegitarians often suffer from a host of diseases due to their lack of proper nutrition.

==Reasons for Vegetarianism==

Vegetarianism is a common theme among the [[Dharmic religion]]s, such as [[Hinduism]], [[Buddhism]], [[Sikhism]] and [[Jainism]]. This stems from the belief that all higher animal life is sacred (in Jainism, ''all'' life is considered sacred), one of the core concepts of all of these religions. For more than 130 years Seventh-day Adventists (SDAs) have practiced a vegetarian dietary lifestyle because of their belief in the wholistic nature of people.<ref>[http://www.andrews.edu/NUFS/veggiediet.html Andrews University Nutrition Department]</ref> [[Pythagoras|Pythagoreanism]] also required its followers to abstain from meat, fish, and beans. It was also a central tenet of the [[Essene]] branch of Judaism.

Many people outside of these religions also choose to be vegetarians because of various other beliefs, such as abstinence from contributing to inhumane farming methods practiced by the meat production industry, or to lessen their environmental impact. Health is sometimes provided as another reason to adopt vegeterianism, though its health advantages are debatable. The section below provides more on the nutritional concerns.

Most non-religious vegetarians are [[college]] students or [[teenager]]s, for whom the vegeterianism is usually a short-lived fad or mode of rebellion from their parents and other adults. Once their idealism becomes tempered with maturity, they often return to eating meat. The major exception to this are teens who adopt vegetarianism as a personal form of animal activism. Lucy Watkins, editor of vegetarianteen.com, was interviewed on the matter:
{{cquote|Young people, especially girls, tend to be very loving and softhearted. [Lucy] Watkins says that, although sometimes teens become vegetarians because it's the latest fad, animal activism is often a spark for young people to become vegetarians. When it's done for "faddish" reasons, they usually don't stick with it. The animal rights kids tend to stay the course.<ref>http://www.preteenagerstoday.com/resources/articles/vegetarian.htm</ref>}}
The fad of vegetarianism among teenage girls has troubled many [[dietitian]]s, because in their eagerness to adopt the fad, teenage girls often underestimate the responsibilities and consequences of a vegetarian lifestyle.<ref>[http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/feb2006pg58.shtml] "Most dietitians I spoke with who have teenage vegetarian clients agree that teens avoiding meat is becoming a trend or fad and that the vegetarian teenagers (mostly girls aged 14 to 17) they counsel usually come from meat-eating families."</ref><ref>[http://www.annecollins.com/teen-weight-loss-advice.htm] "Quite a few girls turn to vegetarian diets in their mid or late teens. As a way of eating, vegetarianism has a lot to recommend it. Trouble is, most teens don't realise that giving up meat makes it much more difficult to eat a healthy diet. The point is, meat is a very convenient source of important vitamins and minerals, especially iron. So if you stop eating meat, you need to eat a wide range of vegetarian foods to compensate for this deficiency. Unfortunately, vegetarian teenagers are not famous for doing this."</ref> In contrast, teenage boys, who have many exertions from [[sport]]s and other activities, need meat almost daily, so there are far fewer teenage boys than girls that have taken up the fad of vegetarianism. They also display rebellion in other ways and are not as soft-hearted towards animals.

==Forms of Vegetarianism==
*'''[[Vegan]]''' - A vegan diet excludes all food and ingredients that comes from animals. This excludes animal meat, animal products such as milk, cheese, eggs or honey, and byproducts such as gelatin. Effort is needed to make a vegan diet healthy.<ref>http://www.vegan.org/going_vegan/eating_vegan/index.html Vegan regimen</ref> "Vegan" can refer both to the diet and the dieter.
*'''Lactovegetarian''' - Someone who eats a plant-based diet but also eats animal produced foods (that do not result in the death of the animal) such as milk and cheese. Lacto vegetarians can relatively easily remain healthy.
*'''Ovo-lactovegetarian''' (or '''lacto-ovo-vegetarian''') - Similar to the Lactovegetarian but also consumes eggs.
*'''Pescatarian''' - This form of vegetarianism includes the consumption of [[fish]], but no other varieties of meat. [[Egg]]s and dairy may be part of this diet. Since fish are still living animals, stricter vegetarians (especially those who are vegetarians for moral reasons) are likely to feel that pescatarians are not true vegetarians.

==Nutritional Issues==

Some nutritionists have argued that vegetarianism is an unsustainable diet. It can be difficult to regularly get all of your daily required [[nutrient]]s without eating animal products every day. [[Soy]], [[nut]]s and [[bean]]s are often used as a source of protein and a substitute for meat, but nonetheless many vegetarians have to take vitamin supplements or eat enriched foods.<ref>According to Olivant, the most useful supplements for the vegetarians contain nutrients that may be limited in their diet, such as omega-3. [http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?n=65255-vegetarian-supplements]</ref> Nutrionist Dr. Ray Sahelian warns "Those who eat very little meat, fish and foul and ... may be missing, or getting very little, crucial nutrients for optimal health such as [[vitamin B12]], [[iron]], [[creatine]], [[carnitine]], and several other [[nutrient]]s"<ref>[http://www.raysahelian.com/vegetarian.html Dr. Ray Sahelian]</ref> Vegetarians suffer from higher rates of certain diseases, such as [[osteoporosis]], [[anemia]], [[bulimia]], and [[thyroid]] problems due to the lack of [[calcium]] and other nutrients in their diets. Recently, scientists discovered that a vegetable-heavy diet can actually cause [[brain]] shrinkage.<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/HealthSci/Eating_veggies_shrinks_the_brain/articleshow/3480629.cms Times of India] Eating Veggie Shrinks the Brain</ref>

In contrast, the American Dietetic Association and the Dietitians of Canada have taken the position that properly planned vegetarian diets can be nutritious, healthy, and provide benefits in helping prevent and treat some diseases, possibly with the help of nutritional supplements.<ref>[http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada/hs.xsl/advocacy_933_ENU_HTML.htm Vegetarian Diets]</ref> Also, in Daniel 1:4-15, Daniel and his companions declined to eat Babylonian royal food and instead requested fresh water and vegetables. At the end of ten days, they were healthier than those who ate the rich food.

==Famous Vegetarians==
[[Image:H G Wells 2.jpg|right|H G Wells, science fiction writer and vegetarian]]
*[[Adam and Eve]], at least while in Eden <ref>(Genesis 1:29)</ref>
*[[Bob Barker]] - Game Show Host, most notably [[The Price is Right]] <ref>Bob Barker [http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/b/bobbarker179450.html]</ref>
*[[Albert Einstein]] - Scientist, famous for [[Theory of Relativity]]. He became a vegetarian a year before his death. <ref>History of Vegetarianism [http://www.ivu.org/history/northam20a/einstein.html]</ref>
*[[Thomas Edison]] - inventor <ref>History of Vegetarianism [http://www.ivu.org/history/northam20a/edison.html]</ref>
*[[Ralph Waldo Emerson]] - writer and philosopher in [[Transcendentalism]].
*[[Benjamin Franklin]] - Statesman, scientist, author and diplomat. <ref>PBS.org [http://www.pbs.org/benfranklin/l3_wit_self.html]</ref>
*[[Mohandas K. Gandhi]] - activist and political leader
*[[Siddhartha Gautama]] - founder of [[Buddhism]]
*[[Adolf Hitler]] - dictator
*[[Henry Heimlich]] - Inventor of the [[Heimlich Maneuver]]<ref>www.famousveggie.com[http://www.famousveggie.com/peoplenew.cfm]</ref>
*[[Mahavira]]
*[[Paul McCartney]] - singer/bassist for [[The Beatles]]
*[[Shania Twain]] - country singer
*[[Henry A. Wallace]] - Vice President of the U.S. 1941-1945; Presidential candidate 1948
*[[H. G. Wells]] - Famous Science Fiction author, works include [[The War of Worlds]]
*[[John Wesley]] - Founder of [[Methodism]].

== Further reading ==
* Foer, Jonathan Safran. ''Eating Animals''. Little, Brown, 2009.

==References==
<references/>

== See also ==
*[[Naturopathy]]
*[[Adrian Vander]]
*[[Meatarianism]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/appendixC.htm USDA Dietary Guidelines]
* [http://www.vegsoc.org/ The Vegetarian Society ]
* [http://www.britishmeat.com/49.htm 49 good reasons to be a vegetarian]
* [http://www.westonaprice.org/mythstruths/mtvegetarianism.html The Myths of Vegetarianism by Stephen Byrnes]

[[Category:Health]]
[[Category:Vegetarianism]]