Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Science of global warming

2007-03-20T06:01:31Z

Scrap: /* Bias */

== Biased Line ==

"Also, these scientists are mostly liberal athiests, untroubled by the hubris that man can destroy the Earth which God gave him"

Whoever said this you clearly have no idea what you are talking about. source that please!

Can you even pretend to be able to source such an outrageous claim? It's lines like this that open this project to ridicule.--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 22:31, 9 March 2007 (EST)
: Sandbagger and other vandals added those lines. They have been removed and the vandals have been banned. If I am online and I see such lines, with no citations I will report future vandals after they do the same and revert their edits. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 16:49, 12 March 2007 (EDT)

(that he has problems trying to give away)

See Dave3172's comment above, this editorial has the same effect. The implication is that the film won't be seen by anyone. Unfortunately, the reverse is true, the film has been very popular and its success will somewhat stifle true debate of the issue.--[[User:Jasonhc|Jasonhc]] 22:15, 13 March 2007 (EDT)
: How about I change it to (some schools have rejected free copies of it)? --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 10:28, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

== Points ==

=== Point 1 ===
"Point #1 has become very widely accepted in the past few decades, even by conservatives who were once skeptical." -- Not surprisingly there's no citation for this! "Very widely accepted"?? You don't have to look far to find low temperature records being set. Here's one link: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_020507/content/0205071.guest.html [[User:Bwilliston|Bwilliston]] 02:25, 10 March 2007 (EST)
: I added in a few more links showing conservatives agreeing with rising temps. I also added in links that show record low temperatures. I want to try and show both sides of the debates. Because a lot of the data is conflicting or the same data yields different results based on the way it is interpreted, it shows that nobody can really know for sure what the truth is or is not. Yet what I did hope to cover in this article is the global warming scam of selling carbon credits, books, videos, and making profits off of oil stocks by those who are pro-global warming as a motive for why they lie or fabricate information to promote global warming. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 15:48, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
:: The first link says "Excepting the El Nino year of 1998, since about 1979, the Earth's temperature apparently has not been increasing.". It's a link about *not* accepting global warming. The second has a liberal and "ex-liberal" discussing various points. In response to a claim from the liberal that temperatures have been increasing, the "ex-liberal" says: "MANY other physical anthropologists, scientists, and other professionals have refuted that data as well" (with four broken links for citations, so I don't know which refutations he had in mind). And in the third link I see one conservative (Rod Dreher) mentioning "overwhelming scientific evidence" but it's pretty vague, and certainly doesn't justify the claim that the idea of increasing global temperatures is "very widely accepted" by conservatives. [[User:Bwilliston|Bwilliston]] 20:35, 12 March 2007 (EDT)

=== Point 4 ===
I think this is wrong. "Measures to combat global warming/climate change" are what it talks about. It would be like saying you could say communism and mean the Marshall Plan.[[User:Thisisausername|Thisisausername]] 17:43, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
: How do you propose we fix it? Most Wikis have a "fix it yourself" policy, you know. :) I am open to suggestions. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 19:47, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
:: It reads better now, thanks for the edit. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 21:40, 11 March 2007 (EDT)

== FYI ==
The British Conservative party was in the news today concerning climate change.[[User:Thisisausername|Thisisausername]] 17:47, 11 March 2007 (EDT) [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6438685.stm]
: Thanks it has been added. It is good to represent both sides of the issue for a fair and balanced look. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 21:18, 11 March 2007 (EDT)

== Profit Motive ==
While a lot of space is devoted to the idea that proponents of global warming are profiting by it, why isn't the same treatment being given to those who oppose it? Such as the scientists who received funding from the oil companies?--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:15, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
: Probably because I haven't written it yet, trying to revert your vandalism and the vandalism of Sandbagger. It is a work in progress and the more you screw it up the longer it will take me to fix it. I have a headache from the both of you doing nonsense and I have to quit tonight. I'll try to add in more later. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:24, 11 March 2007 (EDT)

::Excuse me? I vandalized nothing, but made an edit that needed editing. Frankly, a lot of your stuff should be wiped for lack of sourcing, but I'm trying real hard to keep in mind what this project is trying to do.--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:29, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::: I provided at least 15 sources since I started contributing to this article. I have done a lot of research on the subject for both sides. You may deny vandalizing, and while you weren't as bad as Sandbagger, that is the reason why I didn't report you. I have you on notice. Now it is you who have to provide the sources for the proponents of global warming profiting from it. I was going to do it myself, but since you claim a lot of my stuff needs wiping, I'll give you the honors. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:36, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::::You want to report me for vandalism? Because I removed one half of a title that was opinion? Go for it.--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:40, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::::: Blanking is vandalism, but you are lucky I gave you the benefit of the doubt. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:43, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::::::Fixing an opinion is not blanking, especially when its explained. You need to take a reality check.--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:45, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::::::: It is you who is having the issues, not me. There are now over 33 citations in the article backing up most of what I had added to it. It is you who has an allergy to the truth, not me. I am not upset over this, I am just tired. I got better things to do than get into a spitting contest with you over this. I apologize if I said you vandalized it, I have had a bad day, and seeing Sandbagger scribble nonsense all over this article kind of got to me, and I guess I sort of lumped you into it with him. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:48, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::::::: I tell you what, I'll leave the citations needed in the conservative view section showing the bias of skeptical scientists up to you. Unlike you, I won't bully you into hurrying up and add them in like you have done to me or question the credibility of the source or any of the other political things you have done to me. Take all the time you need, use whatever resources you can find. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 21:22, 11 March 2007 (EDT)

== Source #16 ==
How can you possibly use a letter to the editor as a source? Especially when said letter had no actual hard evidence in it?--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:32, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
: I have more sources I haven't used yet. They have quotes showing the evidence of the silencing. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:37, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::The problem with your sources (aside from the questionability of their reliability) is that you've attached them to a paragraph discussed the alleged lack of controls in testing. Which none of your sources mention.--[[User:Dave3172|Dave3172]] 20:47, 11 March 2007 (EDT)
::: Actually I did add in one. I was prevented from doing so because you were editing/saving the article, and I had to delay adding it until later. It is in there now. I even added in sources from conservatives who did political actions to fight global warming or say that global warming is a problem. Are you questioning everything I contributed, or just the parts you politically disagree with yet lack the proof to discredit (or at least have not shown me any proof that they should be discredited)? Remember this is not Wikipedia, there is not supposed to be a liberal bias here, and I am one of the few that actually is adding in some parts of the liberal and pro-global warming side of global warming issues. I am putting in what the skeptics are saying and what conservatives are saying, and if you have a problem with that, you can go back to Wikipedia and start your own edits of the global warming article there, maybe they'll put up with you. Your comments about wiping out all of my comments just prove the liberal side wants to silence and censor critics of global warming, and comments of that nature along with your bad attitude are what made me suspect you were a vandal like Sandbagger in the first place. By the way, what is stopping you from adding citations and paraphrasing them in anyway? A Wiki is a community edited web site, why are you trying to force me to do all of your work for you? I don't take away your free speech and threaten to wipe everything you contributed. In fact I encouraged you to add to the article with at least some citations to prove what you have been saying about it in this talk page. Are you just a critic, with no gumption to actually add to articles and back up what you are trying to say? --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 20:52, 11 March 2007 (EDT)

== The whole article ==

The whole thing is a politically motivated hack job. What on earth does Global warming have to do with religion that would lead to such pap passed off as fact on this site?
: Global warming has become a new religion with Al Gore as the Pope of global warming. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 10:27, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

It's responses like this previous one which threaten to keep me coming back to this discussion board... for entertainment purposes, of course. Is this new global warming "religion" similar to Darwinism I've heard about? Many other well recognized and substantially supported scientific ideas have been labeled "religions" or "agendas," etc... I personally believe this points to the dichotamous nature of the conservative mindset, and perhaps a little bit of paranoia too. Folks who disregard science on the basis that it doesn't mix well with their present beliefs are helplessly incapable of understanding science. Now, does the scientist understand religion? Well, that's not a topic for science.

==Did you know...==
Does anyone here know that the polar ice caps have been shrinking considerably during the past three years? Now what on Mars could be doing that?

Yes, you read that correctly: MARS. It has been documented by NASA, National Geographic, the Mars Global Observatory, etc. Now what could be causing the retreat of the Martian ice caps? There's no factories there, no automobiles, no cows expelling gasses in the fields. I want to hear the excuse for it from the global warming supporters as to why the ice caps on Mars are retreating. Hint: there's only one answer. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 21:52, 13 March 2007 (EDT)
: Either it is a natural cycle on Mars, or solar activity increased and is generating more heat. If the later, it disproves pro-global warming scientists. Unless pro-global warming scientists want to claim that Martians are polluting CO2 on Mars to cause global warming, in which there is no evidence of Martians. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 10:27, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

::If it's the sun, and I do think it is, you have to think of how much farther from the sun Mars is as compared to earth. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 16:32, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

== Al Gore is no expert and no saint ==
These lines were removed, but they paint a picture of Al Gore:
In fact, Al Gore does not even follow his own advice and actually made a lot of money with oil stocks, and uses private jets that pollute CO2, instead of using economical flights that pollute less CO2 or electric trains to promote his books and videos. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/editorials/2006-08-09-gore-green_x.htm Plus Al Gore does not have a science degree, but one in government and an undergraduate degree and not a PHD, and Gore scored low in his science tests and classes. http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A37397-2000Mar18 So why is Al Gore the leading expert on global warming if he doesn't even have a degree in science or had good grades in science, rather than a certified and qualified climatologist with the ability to give an academic lecture and follows the scientific method, instead of Gore who just shows pictures.
Furthermore, Gore did nothing to try and halt global warming while he was vice-president, and actually worked with Bill Clinton to reject bills and ideas that would have reduced CO2 and pollution under the Kyoto protocols, that both rejected. http://www.dissidentvoice.org/July06/Frank18.htm
Al Gore is no scientist, and he didn't do anything to halt global warming while in office. I think he does a lot of credibility damage to global warming because of these things. --[[User:Orion Blastar|Orion Blastar]] 10:35, 14 March 2007 (EDT)

==Bias==
Dang, this article is really biased. People need to realise that Earth is changing, and it is being caused by humans. It is sad to see how people are so disrespectful to the work of God. I think that destroying everything great that the Lord has made is a terrible sin and this website should recognise the harm that they are doing to this great gift that God has given us.
--[[User:Flax+|Flax+]] 19:51, 17 March 2007 (EDT)

*I believe there is plenty of evidence, and scientists, who do not adopt the panic-mode of Gore and others. Many believe it is a natural occurrence, perhaps hastened by fossil fuel consumption, but nevertheless something that has occurred hundreds of times, in the life of the planet. It is your job, everyone, as contributors and posters here, to edit the page to strike some balance, rather than dismiss opposing thought as morons, and ignore what others say. ''If this cannot be done, I will lock the page''. I hate to do that, because supposedly adults, thinking people, should be able to arrive at a meaningful compromise. Anything else is intellectual dishonesty. --~ [[User:TK|Terry]] [[User_talk:TK|Talk2Me!]] 01:57, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

::Lots of things are "perfectly natural".... like dying of [[cholera]] at age 28. We do our best to stop that from happening, too. --[[User:Scrap|Scrap]] 02:01, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

::On the other hand, if we render the planet TOTALLY unlivable, Jesus will HAVE to return and save us all!

Global warming

2007-03-20T05:58:55Z

Scrap:

'''Global Warming''' is the controversial theory that the earth's atmosphere is heating up at a dangerous rate, because of human activities such as [[greenhouse gas]] emissions from burning [[fossil fuels]]. Supporters usually feel that immediate (not to say drastic) action must be taken to reduce these omissions (see [[Kyoto Protocol]]).

The theory enjoys wide political support, but many climatologists and meteorologists employed by the energy and automotive industries disagree with it. The United Nations' climate panel ([[UNIPCC]]) has assessed the theory and found that there is a "scientific consensus" in favor of it. Scientists [[Richard Lindzen]] and John Christy deny that such a consensus exists.

The name is inaccurate, and should be '''Global Climate Change''', as the increasing amount of heat stored in the atmosphere has had disruptive effects leading to colder weather in some areas.

== Scientific background ==

The theory of climate change concerns many varied factors, but one of the most commonly cited is that of 'the greenhouse effect.'

This is what occurs when high energy solar radiation loses energy upon entry to the Earth's atmosphere. It then is 'trapped' inside it, thus heating up the Earth, to the extent of approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit. It cannot escape, however, as it has a lower frequency and thus cannot re-penetrate the atmosphere. This is essential for the survival on life on Earth, but proponents of the Climate Change theory argue that this system is being unbalanced by a human-caused (anthropogenic) increase in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which trap more heat in, raising the overall temperature. They argue that this would have numerous adverse effects; it could cause polar ice to melt, thus raising sea levels, and could cause desertification to already vulnerable regions. <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/evidence/greenhouse_effect_img.shtml</ref>

== History ==
The scientific theory is widely accepted within the scientific community<ref>http://www.ipcc.ch/</ref>. Conservatives who are opposed to the political proposals that flow from acceptance of the theory, are skeptical of the theorists, despite their credentials, and challenge the scientific validity of portions of the theory. The critics of global warming tend to not be scientists, though, and have no valid scientific evidence contradicting global warming, but instead simply look for every possible slip real scientists make. This involves intentionally misinterpreting scientists (e.g. theory, in the context of global warming, is not the layman's definition, or something along the lines of pure speculation, but means something scientists are not 100% sure of yet. In the scientific community, more than 80% likelihood is synonimous with "gauranteed".) Many with their own agendas believe global warming is simply a talking point, aimed at shackling [[money|profitable]] oil and power companies, forcing them to pursue a green agenda that environmentalists agree with. This is clearly not the case, as scientists and environmentalists have never before agreed to this degree on anything, as scientists tend to be quiet skeptics, and environmentalists tend towards radicalism. The phrase "Global Warming" really includes three separate theories.

:1) The theory that we are currently in a period of rapid climate change consisting of increasing temperature, which, if it were to continue, would have important socio-economic consequences well within the next century.

:2) The theory that this change is caused by increasing CO2 gasses and a resulting "greenhouse" effect.

:3) The theory that this change is caused by human activity, mostly industrial emissions of carbon-based "greenhouse gasses."
Much of the discussion of climate change concerns

:4) The proposal that global warming can and should be reversed by taking large-scale international action to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Point #1 has become very widely accepted in the past few decades, even by conservatives who were once skeptical, but argue that the rising temperature is due to other factors. <ref>http://www.nationalcenter.org/WCT012304.html</ref> <ref>http://www.californiaconservative.org/liberals/global-warming-an-ardent-liberal-opens-up/</ref>
<ref>http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/3/5/91239/48194</ref>

Point #1 is argued against by those showing record cold temperatures around the globe. These record cold spells tend to be in isolated locations, and the arctic and antarctic, telling indicators of global temperature trends, are both heating, and fast. <ref>http://www.physorg.com/news2860.html</ref> <ref>http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/productDisplay.php?product=BOSRERBOS</ref> <ref>http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/07/D8EBMGIO0.html</ref>

Points #2 and point #3 are more controversial, although widely accepted by scientists. Points #3 is the one most attacked by global warming skeptics. These skeptics are very rarely

Point #4 is what the political and international debate are about. Both climate change itself, and the very large-scale actions that are proposed to combat it, would have enormous economic effects with identifiable winners and losers, resulting in an intense debate. For example, since the industrialized nations emit most of the CO2, if it were agreed that these emissions needed to be reduced sharply, the burden would fall much more heavily on these nations than on undeveloped nations. {{fact}}

== Al Gore and politics ==
Al Gore, Vice President under President Clinton from 1992 to 2000, is a high profile advocate of the full global warming theory. Promoters of this theory, including many prominent scientists, call for international treaties, like one proposed in Kyoto, Japan, to limit carbon emissions using a combination of conservation and technological innovation.<ref>http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/kyotorpt.html</ref>

The theory is widely accepted within the scientific community because of the vast amount of conclusive evidence {{fact}}, though that is not to say there is unanimity.<ref>Myths of Global Warming[http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.html]</ref><ref>No Evidence for Global Warming[http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed012298b.cfm]</ref> On February 2, 2007, an international panel of hundreds of scientists and representatives of 113 governments issued a report concluding:

The observed widespread warming of the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing, and very likely that is not due to known natural causes alone."<ref>Borenstein, Seth (2007), "Warming 'Likely' Man-Made, Unstoppable." Associated Press, as published by Forbes[http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/02/02/ap3388409.html]</ref>

Al Gore's film [http://imdb.com/title/tt0497116/usercomments?start=60 An Inconvenient Truth] (already available on DVD that was reviewed by experts {{fact}} and in [http://www.amazon.com/Inconvenient-Truth-Planetary-Emergency-Warming/dp/1594865671 book format]) has recently been challenged by an entertaining and informative documentary on Channel 4 in the UK entitled "The Great Global Warming Swindle".<ref> http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/G/great_global_warming_swindle/index.html</ref>. Despite the popularity of the Channel 4 documentary, experts claim it has flaws and scientists appearing in it complained that they have been misled<ref>http://ocean.mit.edu/~cwunsch/papersonline/responseto_channel4.htm</ref>, and are is considering legal action against the documentary makers for misrepresenting him.

The behaviors and actions of Al Gore and other politicians seem to show a so called "political warming", based on all of this evidence. However, Al Gore is not on trial here and to attack him is a predictable deflection from the more important issue of whether mankind should be mindful of the planet they inhabit.

== The conservative view ==
Just as the pro-global warming scientists are benefiting from promoting global warming, the global warming skeptical scientists have had funding from energy companies. <ref>http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2004397,00.html</ref> It can be said that they profit from energy stock, just as well as the pro-global warming scientists. However, the skeptics are not selling carbon credits, but they are profiting from selling alternative energy products and services. {{fact}}

In the UK, Conservatives propose a bill that will tax flights to combat climate change.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6438685.stm</ref> Governor of California [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] signed the Global Warming Solutions Act to try and curb global warming.<ref>http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/4111/</ref> The Pentagon has told [[George W. Bush]] that global warming is a real threat.<ref>http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1153513,00.html</ref> [[George W. Bush]] admits that global warming is a problem, but that there is still some debate about it.<ref>http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,1210402,00.html</ref>

== Evangelical view ==
In Febuary of 2006, eighty-six evangelical church leaders backed an initative to combat global warming.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/national/08warm.html</ref> This call to action acknowledges the growing body of evidence that global warming is happening and acknowledges the pledge in 2004 that humans have "a sacred responsibility to steward the Earth and not a license to abuse the [[creation]] of which we are a part." <ref>http://www.christiansandclimate.org/statement</ref> This stance is not held by all evangelical church leaders; some of whom claim that this is distracting from other social issues.
<ref>http://www.creationcare.org/files/global_warming_briefing.pdf</ref>

A sharp difference of opinion over which issues ought to top the political agenda of Christian conservatives spilled out into the open at a March 8th meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals. Rev. Richard Cizik has been outspoken on the global warming issue, saying in a recent documentary that "to harm this world by environmental degradation is an offense against God." Cizik warned that "if you put the politics first and make it primary, I believe that is a tragic and fateful choice." The NAE has issued a press release which continues to back Cizik. <ref>http://www.abpnews.com/1833.article</ref>

== Conflicting Opinions/Data ==

The global warming theory is a scientific theory, that has been supported by many peer-reviewed journal articles, published in highly respected international scientific journals.

Many scientists who have demonstrated support for the global warming theory have been silenced or censored by United States government officials<ref>http://www.rense.com/general75/oppo.htm</ref><ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53636</ref><ref>http://www.variousandsundry.com/politics/?p=810</ref><ref>http://www.newswithviews.com/metcalf/metcalf205.htm</ref> <ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/11/ngreen211.xml</ref>, such as [[Philip Cooney]]. There have been numerous reports of death threats made by major oil companies against scientists who refuse to take their bribes and speak out that global warming is really happening.

Pro-global warming reports follow scientific method, using both a control and experimental group. Therefore, the majority of scientists today accept global warming as fact. <ref>http://xtronics.com/reference/globalwarming.htm</ref>

== Global warming advocacy sites ==
Many web sites, forms, blogs, and other web sites exist for educating the public about global warming. Here is a list of these web sites:
* [http://www.climatecrisis.net/ Climate Crisis] Educational website that offers information about An inconvenient truth.
* [http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/ Stop Global Warming] Sells books on stopping global warming, has a list of companies selling global warming items.
* [http://www.climateark.org/blog/ Climate Change Blog] Links to other global warming blogs.
* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/topics/global+warming Huffington Post Global Warming Blog] Appears to promote news paper and advertising by promoting global warming.
* [http://www.updebate.org United Political Debate]
* [http://www.realclimate.org Real Climate] Scientific Blogs maintained by scientists in the field

==References==
<references/>

Liberal bias

2007-03-20T05:56:52Z

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{{stub}}
The following persons, television programs or media outlets have frequently been said to express a well known liberal bias.
* ''[[The New York Times]]''
* [[ABC]], [[CBS]]
* [[Dan Rather]]<ref>During a phone conversation, [[Bernard Goldberg]] asked him, "What do you consider the ''New York Times''? Rather answered, "Middle of the road." (''[[Bias (book)|]]'', page 221)</ref>
* [[CNN]]{{fact}}
* [[LA Times]]{{fact}}
* [[Michael Moore]]
* The [[Daily Show]]
* The [[Colbert Report]]
* The [[United Nations]]{{fact}}
* [[Washington Post]]{{fact}}
* [[Hollywood]]{{fact}}
* [[Liberals]]
* [[Europeans]]

CBS insider [[Bernard Goldberg]] wrote the definitive book on liberal bias in the media, simply entitled ''[[Bias]]''.
*He asserts that an "inability to see liberal views as liberal viwes ... is at the heart of the entire problem."
*He wrote: "[[Pauline Kael]], for years the brilliant film critic at the ''New Yorker'', was completely baffled about how [[Richard Nixon]] could have beaten [[George McGovern]] in 1972: 'Nobody I know voted for Nixon.' Never mind that Nixon carried 49 states. She wasn't kidding."<ref>(''[[Bias (book)|]]'', page 222-223)</ref>
He also suggested that liberals don't even see their liberal values as "liberal":
*"Their views on all the big social issues ... aren't liberal views at all. They're simply reasonable views, shared by all the reasonable people the media elites mingle with ..."<ref>(''[[Bias (book)|]]'', page 222)</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

War on Terror

2007-03-20T05:54:29Z

Scrap: Fixed footnotes

{{stub}}

=='''The War on Terror'''==
The War on Terror (or War on Terrorism) refers to the campaign waged by the [[United States of America]] and a coalition of willing allies with the stated goal of ending international terrorism, which is typically understood to refer particularly to radical Islamist terrorism. The war was launched in response to the [[9/11]] [[al-Qaeda]] attacks on the United States.

==Overview==

==Campaigns==

===Afghanistan===

In immediate response to the 9/11 attacks, the United States invaded [[Afghanistan]] to overthrow the [[Taliban]] and deny [[al-Qaeda]] a base of operations.

===Iraq War===

The [[Iraq War]], also known as the Second Persian Gulf War, began in March 2003 when the United States and a "coalition of the willing" invaded [[Iraq ]]to overthrow [[Saddam Hussein]]'s Baathist regime. The close links between Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein was claimed by CNN in 1999.<ref>[http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/meast/9902/13/afghan.binladen/ Bin Laden reportedly leaves Afghanistan, ''[[CNN]]''</ref><ref>[http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/02/07_link.html] Powell Offers Proof of Saddam-Osama Link</ref> More recently, the [[9/11 commission]] disproved any connection between them in the 9/11 attacks.<ref>[http://www.warblogging.com/archives/000536.php]</ref><ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5223932/] 9/11 panel sees no link between Iraq, al-Qaida</ref>

Research using robust surveying techniques has estimated that over 650,000 Iraqis have died<ref>[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v443/n7113/full/443728a.html Iraqi death toll withstands scrutiny], ''[[Nature]]''</ref> since the fall of the [[Ba'athist]] regime.

==References==
<references/>

===Second Lebanon War===

The [[Second Lebanon War]] was fought between [[Israel]] and [[Hezbollah]], primarily in northern Israel and southern Lebanon, in the summer of 2006.

===Waziristan War===

The [[Waziristan War]] (2004-2006) was fought between [[Pakistan]] and [[al-Qaeda]], the [[Taliban]], and sympathetic tribal militias in the [[Waziristan]] province of Pakistan, bordering [[Afghanistan]].

Upton Sinclair's Law

2007-03-20T05:43:16Z

Scrap: New page: '''Upton Sinclair's Law''' is named after the journalist and novelist Upton Sinclair. It states, quite simply, "If a man's paycheck depends on his not understanding something, you can...

'''Upton Sinclair's Law''' is named after the journalist and novelist [[Upton Sinclair]]. It states, quite simply, "If a man's paycheck depends on his not understanding something, you can rely upon his not understanding it."

== See Also ==
* [[Creationism]]
* [[Global Warming]]
* The [[Tobacco Institute]]

Global warming

2007-03-20T05:40:47Z

Scrap: /* Conflicting Opinions/Data */

'''Global Warming''' is a phrase which commonly refers to a scientific theory and political proposals that would follow if the theory is accepted. The theory states that Earth's temperature and CO2 levels are rising at a dangerous rate, and that humans are mainly to blame, because fossil fuel use, and need to take imediate action against this perceived threat.

The name is inaccurate, and should be '''Global Climate Change''', as the increasing amount of heat stored in the atmosphere has had disruptive effects leading to colder weather in some areas.

== Scientific background ==

The theory of climate change concerns many varied factors, but one of the most commonly cited is that of 'the greenhouse effect.'

This is what occurs when high energy solar radiation loses energy upon entry to the Earth's atmosphere. It then is 'trapped' inside it, thus heating up the Earth, to the extent of approximately 25 degrees Fahrenheit. It cannot escape, however, as it has a lower frequency and thus cannot re-penetrate the atmosphere. This is essential for the survival on life on Earth, but proponents of the Climate Change theory argue that this system is being unbalanced by a human-caused (anthropogenic) increase in levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which trap more heat in, raising the overall temperature. They argue that this would have numerous adverse effects; it could cause polar ice to melt, thus raising sea levels, and could cause desertification to already vulnerable regions. <ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/climate/evidence/greenhouse_effect_img.shtml</ref>

== History ==
The scientific theory is widely accepted within the scientific community<ref>http://www.ipcc.ch/</ref>. Conservatives who are opposed to the political proposals that flow from acceptance of the theory, are skeptical of the theorists, despite their credentials, and challenge the scientific validity of portions of the theory. The critics of global warming tend to not be scientists, though, and have no valid scientific evidence contradicting global warming, but instead simply look for every possible slip real scientists make. This involves intentionally misinterpreting scientists (e.g. theory, in the context of global warming, is not the layman's definition, or something along the lines of pure speculation, but means something scientists are not 100% sure of yet. In the scientific community, more than 80% likelihood is synonimous with "gauranteed".) Many with their own agendas believe global warming is simply a talking point, aimed at shackling [[money|profitable]] oil and power companies, forcing them to pursue a green agenda that environmentalists agree with. This is clearly not the case, as scientists and environmentalists have never before agreed to this degree on anything, as scientists tend to be quiet skeptics, and environmentalists tend towards radicalism. The phrase "Global Warming" really includes three separate theories.

:1) The theory that we are currently in a period of rapid climate change consisting of increasing temperature, which, if it were to continue, would have important socio-economic consequences well within the next century.

:2) The theory that this change is caused by increasing CO2 gasses and a resulting "greenhouse" effect.

:3) The theory that this change is caused by human activity, mostly industrial emissions of carbon-based "greenhouse gasses."
Much of the discussion of climate change concerns

:4) The proposal that global warming can and should be reversed by taking large-scale international action to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Point #1 has become very widely accepted in the past few decades, even by conservatives who were once skeptical, but argue that the rising temperature is due to other factors. <ref>http://www.nationalcenter.org/WCT012304.html</ref> <ref>http://www.californiaconservative.org/liberals/global-warming-an-ardent-liberal-opens-up/</ref>
<ref>http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2007/3/5/91239/48194</ref>

Point #1 is argued against by those showing record cold temperatures around the globe. These record cold spells tend to be in isolated locations, and the arctic and antarctic, telling indicators of global temperature trends, are both heating, and fast. <ref>http://www.physorg.com/news2860.html</ref> <ref>http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/productDisplay.php?product=BOSRERBOS</ref> <ref>http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/12/07/D8EBMGIO0.html</ref>

Points #2 and point #3 are more controversial, although widely accepted by scientists. Points #3 is the one most attacked by global warming skeptics. These skeptics are very rarely

Point #4 is what the political and international debate are about. Both climate change itself, and the very large-scale actions that are proposed to combat it, would have enormous economic effects with identifiable winners and losers, resulting in an intense debate. For example, since the industrialized nations emit most of the CO2, if it were agreed that these emissions needed to be reduced sharply, the burden would fall much more heavily on these nations than on undeveloped nations. {{fact}}

== Al Gore and politics ==
Al Gore, Vice President under President Clinton from 1992 to 2000, is a high profile advocate of the full global warming theory. Promoters of this theory, including many prominent scientists, call for international treaties, like one proposed in Kyoto, Japan, to limit carbon emissions using a combination of conservation and technological innovation.<ref>http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/kyoto/kyotorpt.html</ref>

The theory is widely accepted within the scientific community because of the vast amount of conclusive evidence {{fact}}, though that is not to say there is unanimity.<ref>Myths of Global Warming[http://www.ncpa.org/ba/ba230.html]</ref><ref>No Evidence for Global Warming[http://www.heritage.org/Press/Commentary/ed012298b.cfm]</ref> On February 2, 2007, an international panel of hundreds of scientists and representatives of 113 governments issued a report concluding:

The observed widespread warming of the atmosphere and ocean, together with ice-mass loss, support the conclusion that it is extremely unlikely that global climate change of the past 50 years can be explained without external forcing, and very likely that is not due to known natural causes alone."<ref>Borenstein, Seth (2007), "Warming 'Likely' Man-Made, Unstoppable." Associated Press, as published by Forbes[http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/02/02/ap3388409.html]</ref>

Al Gore's film [http://imdb.com/title/tt0497116/usercomments?start=60 An Inconvenient Truth] (already available on DVD that was reviewed by experts {{fact}} and in [http://www.amazon.com/Inconvenient-Truth-Planetary-Emergency-Warming/dp/1594865671 book format]) has recently been challenged by an entertaining and informative documentary on Channel 4 in the UK entitled "The Great Global Warming Swindle".<ref> http://www.channel4.com/science/microsites/G/great_global_warming_swindle/index.html</ref>. Despite the popularity of the Channel 4 documentary, experts claim it has flaws and scientists appearing in it complained that they have been misled<ref>http://ocean.mit.edu/~cwunsch/papersonline/responseto_channel4.htm</ref>, and are is considering legal action against the documentary makers for misrepresenting him.

The behaviors and actions of Al Gore and other politicians seem to show a so called "political warming", based on all of this evidence. However, Al Gore is not on trial here and to attack him is a predictable deflection from the more important issue of whether mankind should be mindful of the planet they inhabit.

== The conservative view ==
Just as the pro-global warming scientists are benefiting from promoting global warming, the global warming skeptical scientists have had funding from energy companies. <ref>http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2004397,00.html</ref> It can be said that they profit from energy stock, just as well as the pro-global warming scientists. However, the skeptics are not selling carbon credits, but they are profiting from selling alternative energy products and services. {{fact}}

In the UK, Conservatives propose a bill that will tax flights to combat climate change.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6438685.stm</ref> Governor of California [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] signed the Global Warming Solutions Act to try and curb global warming.<ref>http://gov.ca.gov/index.php?/press-release/4111/</ref> The Pentagon has told [[George W. Bush]] that global warming is a real threat.<ref>http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1153513,00.html</ref> [[George W. Bush]] admits that global warming is a problem, but that there is still some debate about it.<ref>http://www.people.com/people/article/0,26334,1210402,00.html</ref>

== Evangelical view ==
In Febuary of 2006, eighty-six evangelical church leaders backed an initative to combat global warming.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/08/national/08warm.html</ref> This call to action acknowledges the growing body of evidence that global warming is happening and acknowledges the pledge in 2004 that humans have "a sacred responsibility to steward the Earth and not a license to abuse the [[creation]] of which we are a part." <ref>http://www.christiansandclimate.org/statement</ref> This stance is not held by all evangelical church leaders; some of whom claim that this is distracting from other social issues.
<ref>http://www.creationcare.org/files/global_warming_briefing.pdf</ref>

A sharp difference of opinion over which issues ought to top the political agenda of Christian conservatives spilled out into the open at a March 8th meeting of the National Association of Evangelicals. Rev. Richard Cizik has been outspoken on the global warming issue, saying in a recent documentary that "to harm this world by environmental degradation is an offense against God." Cizik warned that "if you put the politics first and make it primary, I believe that is a tragic and fateful choice." The NAE has issued a press release which continues to back Cizik. <ref>http://www.abpnews.com/1833.article</ref>

== Conflicting Opinions/Data ==

The global warming theory is a scientific theory, that has been supported by many peer-reviewed journal articles, published in highly respected international scientific journals.

Many scientists who have demonstrated support for the global warming theory have been silenced or censored by United States government officials<ref>http://www.rense.com/general75/oppo.htm</ref><ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53636</ref><ref>http://www.variousandsundry.com/politics/?p=810</ref><ref>http://www.newswithviews.com/metcalf/metcalf205.htm</ref> <ref>http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/11/ngreen211.xml</ref>, such as [[Philip Cooney]]. There have been numerous reports of death threats made by major oil companies against scientists who refuse to take their bribes and speak out that global warming is really happening.

Pro-global warming reports follow scientific method, using both a control and experimental group. Therefore, the majority of scientists today accept global warming as fact. <ref>http://xtronics.com/reference/globalwarming.htm</ref>

== Global warming advocacy sites ==
Many web sites, forms, blogs, and other web sites exist for educating the public about global warming. Here is a list of these web sites:
* [http://www.climatecrisis.net/ Climate Crisis] Educational website that offers information about An inconvenient truth.
* [http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/ Stop Global Warming] Sells books on stopping global warming, has a list of companies selling global warming items.
* [http://www.climateark.org/blog/ Climate Change Blog] Links to other global warming blogs.
* [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/topics/global+warming Huffington Post Global Warming Blog] Appears to promote news paper and advertising by promoting global warming.
* [http://www.updebate.org United Political Debate]
* [http://www.realclimate.org Real Climate] Scientific Blogs maintained by scientists in the field

==References==
<references/>

Philip Cooney

2007-03-20T05:38:25Z

Scrap: New page: '''Philip Cooney'' was chief of staff of the White House Council on Environmental Quality during the George W. Bush administration. In 2005, he left that job to work for [[Exx...

'''Philip Cooney'' was chief of staff of the [[White House]] [[Council on Environmental Quality]] during the [[George W. Bush]] administration. In 2005, he left that job to work for [[Exxon Mobil]]. Previously, he had worked as a [[lobbyist]] for the [[oil industry]]. He has recently come under scrutiny by [[Liberals]] for editing government climate reports to over-emphasize the uncertainty in the scientific community about [[Global warming]].<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/19/AR2007031901327.html] Official Defends Editing Climate Papers, Associated Press</ref>

== References ==
<references />

User talk:Kiowa

2007-03-20T05:30:08Z

Scrap:

Kiowa...if you work in the sciences, even in the United States, you use SI units. Kilometers isn't anti-American. Wouldn't you prefer '''not''' to use the length of a kings foot as our basic unit of measurement?? --[[User:Brewer13210|Todd]]

LOL. :) --[[User:Scrap|Scrap]] 01:30, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

Terrorist

2007-03-20T05:29:41Z

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{{stub}}

'''Terrorism''' is defined by the US Department of Defense as "the unlawful use of -- or threatened use of -- force or violence against individuals or property to coerce or intimidate governments or societies, often to achieve political, religious, or ideological objectives."

By this very definition, however, the United States government is the biggest and most active terrorist cell in the world, using force and threats to coerce not only foreign societies<ref>http://www.comcast.net/news/politics/index.jsp?cat=POLITICS&fn=/2007/03/20/614490.html</ref> but domestic citizens as well<ref>http://bcsia.ksg.harvard.edu/publication.cfm?program=CORE&ctype=article&item_id=1373</ref>. It is unknown whether or not the State Department had this in mind when it came up with the definition, but smart money is on ''probably not''. See [[Shock and Awe]].

This definition is also the same as the definition for [[War]].

== '''Terrorist''' ==

Someone who overpowers with terror. Someone who uses intimidation or fear to overpower another.

== '''Terrorism''' ==
The use of terror, violence, and intimidation to achieve an end. Fear and subjugation produced by this. A system of government that uses terror to rule. is a term used to describe violence or other harmful acts committed (or threatened) against civilians by groups or persons for political or ideological goals.

--[[User:Nelly2387|Nelly2387]] 23:29, 19 March 2007 (EDT)
God Bless

==See also==
*[[September 11, 2001 attacks]]
*[[Osama Bin Laden]]

==References==

<references/>

Bill Clinton

2007-03-20T05:26:49Z

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[[Image:billclinton.jpg|thumb|right|300px|United States President Bill Clinton]]
'''William''' "Bill" '''Jefferson Clinton''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served as the 42nd [[President of the United States of America]] from 1993-2001, following [[George H. W. Bush]] and preceding [[George W. Bush]].

== Early Life ==

Clinton was born William Jefferson Blythe III on August 19, 1946 AD in Hope, Arkansas. His father, William Jefferson Blythe Jr. died in a car accident while his mother was pregnant with him. Clinton's mother later married Roger Clinton, and the four year-old William was given his stepfather's name.[http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html]

Clinton was active in high school, participating in various student government organizations as well as playing the saxophone. Roger Clinton, however, made Bill's family life unpleasant by repeatedly abusing Clinton's mother and her children.'''(sources needed)''' Bill Clinton would eventually stand up to his stepfather in high school, forcing him to stop beating his mother and kicking him out of the house. '''(sources needed)''' After Roger Clinton underwent alcohol rehabiliation, he would eventually rejoin the family.

Clinton attended [[Georgetown University]], then [[Oxford University]] after winning a [[Rhodes Scholarship]], and finally earned a Juris Doctorate from [[Yale University]] in 1973 ADE. At Yale he met [[Hillary Rodham]], whom he would later marry [http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/bc42.html].

== Early Political Career and Whitewater Scandal ==

After returning to live in Arkansas, Clinton was elected [[Attorney General]] of Arkansas in 1976 AD. Two years later, he was elected Governor of Arkansas, becoming the youngest governor in the country as a 32 year-old. Though defeated in 1980 AD, Clinton won back the governorship in 1982 AD and held it until becoming President in 1992 AD. Some business transactions he while made were extensively investigated for years (the [[Whitewater]] scandal).

== Presidency and Impeachment==

Despite never winning a majority of the popular vote during either of his elections, President Clinton was a very popular president, particularly during his second term.[http://www.pollingreport.com/clinton-.htm] Clinton won in 1992 with 43% of the popular vote versus President [[George H. W. Bush's]] 37%, capitalizing on public discontent with a weak economy and public displeasure with Bush's proposed tax increases, and Ross Perot, a popular third candidate. In his first two years in office, 1993 through 1994, Clinton was unable to "reform" health-care in the United States by some sort of government-backed universal health-care insurance, which many conservatives felt would result in effective government control of the health care system. '''(sources needed)''' His approach consisted of appointing a planning committee with secret members to reshape this important sector of the economy. '''(sources needed)''' The [[Association of American Physicians and Surgeons]] successfully sued to force disclosure of the committee members, and Clinton ultimately failed to pass the program.'''(sources needed)'''

In 1994, voters expressed their high disapproval of Clinton by giving a victory to Republicans in Congress, where Republicans won 49.9% of the popular vote (compared to the Democrat's 44%). This event was tagged the "Republican Revolution," and began a series of showdowns with the Republican-led Congress.'''(sources needed)''' These showdowns were epitomized by the budget conflict with then-Speaker of the House [[Newt Gingrich]] in 1995. Gingrich refused to pass Clinton's budget proposal, and the latter threatened to shut down the government if he did not have his way. '''(sources needed)'''When Clinton called his bluff, Gingrich caused the federal government to shut down for several days.'''(sources needed)''' Clinton did not cave, however, and eventually had his budget passed [http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/commentprint082800d.html]. This showdown backfired for the Republicans, as it reinvigorated Clinton's flagging approval ratings, which would remain above 60% for most of his presidency[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Clinton_approval_rating.JPG].

Clinton was reelected in 1996 with 49.2% of the popular vote against Republican candidate ([[Robert Dole | Bob Dole]]), who won 41%, and "populist" candidate, [[H. Ross Perot]], who won 8%. Clinton spent a lot of the remainder of his presidency combating scandals. '''(sources needed)''' A special prosecutor was named to investigate Clinton for allegations of impropriety in the Whitewater real-estate scandal, an investment of Clinton's in a failed real estate venture. '''(sources needed)''' Although no charges against Clinton came out of this investigation, and it turned out that Clinton actually lost money on his investment, one of the results of the investigation was that the special prosecutor turned to investigating other Clinton activities, one of which (the [[Monica Lewinsky]] scandal) resulted in his impeachment and eventual loss of his license to practice law for a period of 5 years.'''(sources needed)''' The main charge was that he lied about a sexual relationship with an employee in an attempt to avoid paying damages to another employee for sexual harassment. After a brief trial, the Senate acquitted Clinton of all charges.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/12/impeachment/</ref>

Clinton became just the second sitting president to be impeached by the US House of Representatives during his second term for lying in grand jury testimony connected to the Paula Jones lawsuit.'''(sources needed)''' However, the US Senate voted not to remove him from office, although he later lost his law license in Arkansas. His term also saw an increase in terrorism directed at the United States. '''(sources needed)''' These incidents included the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, the Alfred P. Murrah building bombing in Oklahoma City in 1995, the bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and the attack on the USS Cole in 2000. '''(sources needed)''' Clinton responded by striking back at [[al Qaeda]], the organization responsible for the attacks. '''(sources needed)''' He launched cruise missile strikes aimed to kill al Qaeda's leader [[Osama bin Laden]] [http://www.cnn.com/US/9808/20/us.strikes.01/], and began planning to invade [[Afghanistan]] in order to capture bin Laden and overthrow the [[Taliban]] government[http://www.wsws.org/articles/2001/nov2001/afgh-n20.shtml].

Clinton also signed into law the [[Violence Against Women Act]], which opened the federal courts to claims of domestic disputes between men and women, which had always been handled under state rather than federal law. '''(sources needed)''' A key provision of this law was later ruled unconstitutional in [[United States v. Morrison]].<ref>http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/99-5.ZS.html</ref>

Clinton devoted much time during his two terms to the peace process in Northern Ireland. '''(sources needed)''' He made interventions including 3 trips to Ireland during periods of stagnation in negotiations which coincided in major breakthroughs which ensured the province didn't slide back to the violence of the 70's and 80's. '''(sources needed)'''

== After the Presidency ==

Clinton has spent much of time since leaving office working for charitable causes such as support and fundraising for the victims of AIDS and the Asian tsunami.

Bill Clinton's wife, [[Hillary_Rodham_Clinton|Hillary Clinton]], was elected Senator to New York in 2000. Reelected in 2006, she is now running for president in 2008.

Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff was John Podesta between 1998-2001.

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Ronald Wilson Reagan

2007-03-20T05:25:42Z

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[[Image:Gorbachev reagan bush.gif|right|250px|thumb]]
'''Ronald Wilson Reagan '''(February 6, 1911- June 5, 2004), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the fortieth [[President of the United States of America]] from 1981 to 1989, following [[Democrat]] [[Jimmy Carter]] and preceding [[Republican]] [[George H. W. Bush]]. Considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, Ronald Reagan is credited with leading America peacefully through the Cold War, lowering taxes (despite supporting tax increases in the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Highway Revenue Act), promoting a free economy, and staunchly opposing [[socialism]] and [[communism]]. He was known affectionately to Americans as "The Gipper", harking back to a film where he was cast as All-American George Gip.)[http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett200310290853.asp]

In one of his most famous challenges to Soviet communism in Europe, Reagan gave a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin in which he said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Reagan's economic policies became known as "Reaganomics" based the idea tax cuts will spur savings and investment. Reagan was strongly opposed to the concept of big government, advocating a reduction in the size and budget of the federal government. During his terms in office, he faced a divided government split between Republican and Democratic control for six of his eight years as President. Even then, when the Democrats gained control of the House and Senate, he was known for forging alliances with the Democratic Speaker, [[Tip O'Neill]], among others, to effectively pass legislation.

==Early Life==
Reagan was born and raised in Illinois and attended Eureka College, where he quickly developed a reputation as a "jack of all trades", excelling in the areas of athletics and theater. In his first year at Eureka, the president of the college tried to cut back the faculty. He graduated Eureka with a degree in economics. Reagan immediately helped organize a student strike. He became a radio sports announcer after graduation, and then a famous actor, leading the Screen Actors Guild. Ironically, Reagan was thus the only president to ever lead a [[labor union]], traditionally considered bastions of liberalism. (It should be noted that Reagan considered himself a liberal, and was a registered Democrat well into the 1950's. Reagan enlisted in the military during World War II, but his eyesight was not good enough for combat duty. He used his acting skills to make military training films and promote the sale of "War Bonds. <ref>http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/06/05/reagan.obit/index.html</ref>. Peggy Noonan, wrote: ''Even in his zeal to purge the communist influence from Hollywood, he fought those who engaged in witch hunts and defended those who had been falsely accused of involvement.'' Reagan met his second wife, actress Nancy Davis, when she ended up on the "Black List" and came to him for help. [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DavidLimbaugh/2001/11/17/noonan_when_character_was_king]

==Governor of California==
In 1966, he was elected the 33rd Governor of California. In 1970, he was re-elected. But in 1974, he chose not to seek a third term. Achievements during his terms included:

*Fighting the People's Park protests, and restoring order to California's chaotic University campuses.

*Led a massive revision of California's massive public assistance programs, actually increasing benefits to the needy.

*Working well with the Democrats to forge consensus on a variety of issues.

*Opposing the Dos Rios Dam

==Presidency==
In 1968, Reagan ran for president in the Republican primaries. However, [[Richard Nixon]] easily beat him. In 1976, he briefly challenged Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination, before withdrawing his name from consideration. Reagan knew if he continued, he would take the nomination away from Ford, and forever be branded as a Party spoiler. This he did not want, so he signaled his wish to be removed from consideration, and gave a very effective speech at the convention in support of Ford. Then, in 1980, he beat [[George H. W. Bush]] in the Republican primaries, and went on to oppose [[Jimmy Carter]] (incumbent) in the general election with G.H.W. Bush as his running mate. A poor economy and the incumbents failing to deal with several international crisis's aided Reagan. As he put it, "I'm told I can't use the word depression. Well, I'll tell you the definition. A recession is when your neighbor loses his job; depression is when you lose your job. Recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his." In the general election, he received 50.75% of the popular vote and 90.9% of the electoral.

Once in office, Reagan showed he was playing hardball. When the [[Federal Air Traffic Controllers]] struck illegally, Reagan gave them 48 hours before he fired all who hadn't gone back to work (11,359).

In 1984, Reagan won 49 out of 50 states' electoral votes, and the largest public vote in almost 100 years, 58.77%. During his second term, he helped end the [[Cold War]], with the help of [[Mikhail Gorbachev]], and [[Pope John Paul II]] by recognizing the weakness of the Soviet economy, and simply spending them out of existence.

==Presidential Legacy==

Reagan's 1983 Strategic Defense Initiative became popularly known as "Star Wars," the name given to it by critics because they thought it was pure fantasy like the popular George Lucas films. This plan was never actually fully instituted. Although billions of dollars have been spent on development, no space-based missile defense was tested successfully until 2006. While supporters of Reagan claim SDI gave the United States a large amount of leverage in its standoff with the [[Soviet Union]], many political scientists and historians note that Star Wars played a secondary role in the calculus of Soviet policy-making, where internal structural problems were paramount, but it should be noted that the threat the Soviet Union felt from the initiative was instrumental in making them step-up negoiations, according to many involved with diplomacy at the time. [[Henry Kissinger]] wrote: ''I know it's an axiomatic view of the Left around the world that missile defense is sinful, and that it's desirable to keep each nation as vulnerable as possible. But that's a debatable premise. The U.S. must defend itself against whoever has missiles that would threaten the United States. And you don't have to be able to name an enemy.'' [http://www.doublestandards.org/dreifus1.html]

Upon his death, Margaret Thatcher commented: ''As Prime Minister, I worked closely with Ronald Reagan for eight of the most important years of all our lives. We talked regularly both before and after his presidency. And I have had time and cause to reflect on what made him a great president. Ronald Reagan knew his own mind. He had firm principles - and, I believe, right ones. He expounded them clearly, he acted upon them decisively. When the world threw problems at the White House, he was not baffled, or disorientated, or overwhelmed. He knew almost instinctively what to do. When his aides were preparing option papers for his decision, they were able to cut out entire rafts of proposals that they knew 'the Old Man' would never wear. When his allies came under Soviet or domestic pressure, they could look confidently to Washington for firm leadership. And when his enemies tested American resolve, they soon discovered that his resolve was firm and unyielding. Yet his ideas, though clear, were never simplistic. He saw the many sides of truth. Yes, he warned that the Soviet Union had an insatiable drive for military power and territorial expansion; but he also sensed it was being eaten away by systemic failures impossible to reform. Yes, he did not shrink from denouncing Moscow's 'evil empire'. But he realised that a man of goodwill might nonetheless emerge from within its dark corridors. So the President resisted Soviet expansion and pressed down on Soviet weakness at every point until the day came when communism began to collapse beneath the combined weight of these pressures and its own failures. And when a man of goodwill did emerge from the ruins, President Reagan stepped forward to shake his hand and to offer sincere cooperation. Nothing was more typical of Ronald Reagan than that large-hearted magnanimity - and nothing was more American.'' [http://reagan2020.us/eulogies/thatcher.asp]

===Economy===

Fueled by an over spending Congress that steadfastly refused Reagan's budget proposals, the national debt increased 160% during his two terms in office. The economic growth that resulted from tax cuts made deficits as a percentage of GDP lower than what they had been in during the previous decade of stagflation.

===Other events===

In 1985, after Reagan won reelection to his second term, the focus turned from reviviing the domestic economy to several foreign policy matters which had been lingering throughout the decade. One such matter involved Iran, a long time ally of the Western Allies since 1941 that had experienced an Islamic Revolution in 1979 after President Carter announced [[Human Rights]] had superseded [[Containment]] as the primary focus of American foreign policy. Since 1980 Iran had been enmeshed in a brutal trench war with neighboring Iraq which was emerging as a potent military threat in the region to other allies. Members of the National Securirty Council staff, along with CIA Director [[William Casey]], persuaded Reagan much could be gained and several problems could be addressed simulataneousluy with an overture to Iran to restore relations.

The objective of the plan was fourfold (1) takes step to restore good relations with the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]] which was becoming increasingly hostile to the West; (2) takes measures to convince Iran that Isreal could become a friend and ally; (3) insurance against Iraq becoming too strong which could become a threat to [[Kuwait]] and [[Saudi Arabia]]; (4) provide funding for other operations to continue the policy of containment in the Western Hemisphere, most notably Nicaragua, and the threat the Soviet/Cuban/Nicaragua connection was creating in [[El Salvador]] and [[Honduras]].

There were humanitarian aspects to the proposal as well; (1) the Iran-Iraq War had stalemated for nearly six years and Reagan was advised that he was in the unique position as President to help facilitate bringing a senseless war with much suffering to an end (2) the suffering of the people of the Central American Republics at the hands of Soviet inspired subversion which had finally in the decade of the 80s established a beachhead in North America; (3) Iran perhaps could be persuaded to use its good office to influence hostage takers in Lebanon who had held several Western prisoners, many of the Christian Missionaries, for several years.

===Cold War victory===
Reagan is credited for ending the Cold War in victory for the United States. Historian Tony Judt in ''Postwar'' credits Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, while the political scientist Jan Kubik presents a viewpoint that credits [[Pope John Paul II]][http://praguepost.com/articles/2007/02/28/letters-to-the-editor.php]. Other historians contend structural weaknesses within the Communist bloc meant Reagan's actions were inconsequential to the end of communism. This is the view adopted by Russians themselves, and many political historians, citing [''perestroika''] and [''glasnost''] as beginning an inevitable slow fading of central power, and a collapse by irreconcilable differences between the central Soviet [[Politburo]] and the constituent republics, especially the [[Ukraine]].<ref>David Remnick, "Lenin's Tomb</ref> In the end, the consensus seems to point to all of the above, that hastened the demise of the Soviet Union; Internal factors, religious pressure brought by the Pope, Gorbachev's "Perestrokia" and the united front of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, leading NATO and the West to imbed a missle defense system in Western Europe.

Political Commentator Cal Thomas wrote about it like this: ''He proved he was right about the big things. Faced with editorial denunciations at home and massive demonstrations in Europe against his plan to put missiles there to offset a Soviet threat, Reagan went ahead and did it anyway. The Soviets could not keep pace with the buildup or Reagan's proposed missile defense system (derided by critics as "Star Wars"). When those critics could not bring themselves to admit they were wrong, they unpersuasively claimed the Soviet Union fell under its own weight. More accurately, Reagan pushed it onto "the ash heap of history," with the able assistance of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II. What Reagan did more than anything else - and it will be his lasting legacy - is replace despair with hope. Most people, even his detractors, felt a glow from being in his presence. He was the kindest, most gracious president I have met, and I have met them all since JFK. In his presence you felt he was interested in you and not himself. He was a good man.'' [http://www.townhall.com/columnists/CalThomas/2004/06/07/ronald_reagans_wonderful_life]

Brian Mulroney, the Canadian Prime Minister, said of Reagan: ''"Some in the West during the early 1980s believed communism and democracy were equally valid and viable. This was the school of "moral equivalence." In contrast Ronald Reagan saw Soviet communism as a menace to be confronted in the genuine belief that its squalid underpinning would fall swiftly to the gathering winds of freedom. Provided, as he said, that NATO and the industrialized democracies stood firm and united. They did. And we know now who was right."'' [http://reagan2020.us/eulogies/mulroney.asp]

==Miscellaneous Facts==

*The first, and so far only, divorced president.

*Reagan's 1994 announcement that he had Alzheimer's Disease brought large amounts of public attention to the disease.

*Reagan was a lifeguard for seven years growing up, and was said to have saved 77 people <ref>http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2004/reagan/stories/bio.part.one/index.html</ref>.

*The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is located in Simi Valley, California <ref>http://www.reaganfoundation.org/visitorguide/hours_directions.asp</ref>.

*Was the first American President to have ever led a Labor Union, the AFL-CIO allied Screen Actors Guild.

*Reagan was the first president to break the "[[Curse of Tippecanoe]]"

*At 69, Reagan was the oldest man elected to the presidency.

*Reagan loved jelly beans <ref>http://www.jellybelly-uk.com/pages/q&a/trivia.shtml</ref>. The blueberry flavour was made in his honor. [[Jelly Belly]] even created a [http://www.jellybelly-uk.com/pages/q&a/bean_art_gallery.shtml Ronald Reagan portrait out of jelly beans].

==References==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101040614-646317,00.html Time Magazine Article on ''The All-American President'']
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/rr40.html White House Official Page]
*[http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/ Reagan's Presidential Library]
*[http://imdb.com/name/nm0001654/ Actor Bio At IMDB]
*[http://www.ronaldreaganmemorial.com/ Official Memorial]

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Jimmy Carter

2007-03-20T05:24:43Z

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Jimmy Carter was the 39th [[President of the United States of America]] following [[Gerald Ford]] and preceding [[Ronald Reagan]]. He was a [[Democrat]] who served from 1977-1981, after being the Governor of Georgia. During his presidency he experienced many trying problems such as inflation, energy crisis and worst of all,, the taking of American citizens as hostages by [[Iran]].

In 2002 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for peace. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

==Notes==
<references/>

==See also==
[[Carter Doctrine]]

[[Category:Biographies]]

Gerald Ford

2007-03-20T05:24:07Z

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'''Gerald Rudolph Ford''' (1913-2006), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to January 1977. He was the only American president who was not elected to the position and was not elected Vice-President. A Republican, Ford also served as U.S. Representative, 1948-73, and was the House Minority Leader in 1964. He major decision was to pardon former President [[Richard Nixon]] of any crimes for the good of the nation. Nixon had appointed Ford to become Vice President and ultimately succeed Nixon.

Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska, but did not live there long, as his mother fled with Gerald within a month due to domestic abuse. He was raised in Michigan, and attended the University of Michigan, where he was a football star. After this, he attended graduate school at Yale, then served in the Navy during [[World War II]]. <ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html</ref>

Gerald Ford in his own words:

Upon assuming the presidency afer President Nixon's resignation:

I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your President by your ballots, and so I ask you to confirm me as your President with your prayers. And I hope that such prayers will also be the first of many ....

Our Constitution works; our great Republic is a Government of laws and not of men. Here the people rule. But there is a Higher Power, by whatever name we honor Him, who ordains not only righteousness but love, not only justice but mercy.

As we bind up the internal wounds ... let us restore the Golden Rule to our political process, and let brotherly love purge our hearts of suspicion and of hate. In the beginning, I asked you to pray for me. Before closing, I ask again your prayers, for Richard Nixon and his family. May our former President, who brought peace to millions, find it for himself. May God bless and comfort his wonderful wife and daughters, whose love and loyalty will forever be a shining legacy to all who bear the lonely burdens of the White House ...

I now solemnly reaffirm my promise I made to you last December 6; to uphold the Constitution, to do what is right as God gives me to see the right, and to do the very best I can for America. God helping me, I will not let you down.

Upon announcing his decision to pardon Richard Nixon:

To procrastinate, to agonize, and to wait for a more favorable turn of events that may never come or more compelling external pressures that may as well be wrong as right, is itself a decision of sorts and a weak and potentially dangerous course for a President to follow. I have promised to uphold the Constitution, to do what is right as God gives me to see the right, and to do the very best that I can for America. I have asked your help and your prayers, not only when I became President but many times since.

The Constitution is the supreme law of our land and it governs our actions as citizens. Only the laws of God, which govern our consciences, are superior to it. As we are a Nation under God, so I am sworn to uphold our laws with the help of God. And I have sought such guidance and searched my own conscience with special diligence to determine the right thing for me to do ....

I do believe, with all my heart and mind and spirit, that I, not as President, but as a humble servant of God, will receive justice without mercy if I fail to show mercy.

A Christmas message delivered by President Ford:

As our Bicentennial Year comes to a close, it is especially appropriate to gather once more around the traditional symbol of family ties and friendly reunions, our Nation's Christmas tree. In doing so, we combine our year-long celebration of historical events with a personal rededication to timeless values.

The message of Christmas has not changed over the course of 20 centuries. Peace on Earth, good will towards men-that message is as inspiring today as it was when it was first proclaimed to the shepherds near Bethlehem. It was first proclaimed, as we all know, then. In 1976 America has been blessed with peace and a significant restoration of domestic harmony.

But true peace is more than an absence of battle. It is also the absence of prejudice and the triumph of understanding. Brotherhood among all peoples must be the solid cornerstone of lasting peace. It has been a sustaining force for our Nation, and it remains a guiding light for our future.

The celebration of the birth of Jesus is observed on every continent. The customs and traditions are not always the same, but feelings that are generated between friends and family members are equally strong and equally warm.

In a few moments I will turn the switch that lights up our national Christmas tree. As beautiful as that tree is, it will be only a symbol if its light is not matched by the glow of love in our hearts. It is my personal prayer on this Christmas of 1976 that the tree which I light tonight is only the beginning, that each of you will also light a flame of love-love that is reflected in the eyes of all our brothers and sisters across the Nation and around the world. Now, Betty joins me in wishing you all a very, very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you, and God bless you.

'''Sources:''' <references/>

[[Category:Presidents of the United States|Ford, Gerald]]
[[Category:Vice Presidents of the United States|Ford, Gerald]]

Richard Nixon

2007-03-20T05:23:30Z

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[[Image:Richard_nixon.gif|right|thumb|The 37th President of the United States, Richard Nixon]]

'''Richard Milhous Nixon''' (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 37th [[President of the United States of America]], serving from 1969 to 1974. He was the 36th [[Vice President of the United States of America]] from 1953 to 1961, in the administration of [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]]. As a [[Congressman]] from [[California]], he investigated [[Communists]] and instigated the successful prosecution of [[Alger Hiss]]. Nixon served as Vice President under President Eisenhower from 1953 to 1961, and lost his first presidential race to [[John F. Kennedy]] by a tiny margin. In 1968 he was elected president, and was reelected in 1972 by a landslide, but resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974 due to a threat of impeachment by Congress for the [[Watergate scandal]]. The main impeachment charge was that Nixon obstructed justice by telling employees to mislead FBI investigators about the Watergate burglary. Other charges included lying to the American public.

President Nixon established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and was the first President to visit the People's Republic of China. He appointed a conservative (William Rehnquist), two moderates (Warren Burger and Lewis Powell) and a liberal (Harry Blackmun) to the U.S. Supreme Court. Nixon was from a Quaker family. His foreign policy as president was marked by détente with the [[Soviet Union]] and the opening of diplomatic relations between the United States and the [[People's Republic of China]]. His centrist domestic policies combined conservative rhetoric and liberal action in civil rights, environmental and economic initiatives. As a result of the Watergate scandal, Nixon resigned the presidency in the face of likely impeachment by the United States [[House of Representatives]]. His successor, [[Gerald Ford]], issued a controversial [[pardon]] that allowed Nixon to avoid prosecution.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Lyndon B. Johnson

2007-03-20T05:22:36Z

Scrap: New page: '''Lyndon B. Johnson''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, assumed the office after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He held that position from 19...

'''Lyndon B. Johnson''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, assumed the office after the assassination of [[John F. Kennedy]]. He held that position from 1963 until 1969, when he decided not to seek re-election due to the unpopularity of the [[Vietnam War]].

John F. Kennedy

2007-03-20T05:20:54Z

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[[Image:John_kennedy.jpg|right|thumb|John F. Kennedy]]

'''John Fitzgerald Kennedy''' was the 35th [[American]] president. He died in 1963 when he was shot by [[Lee Harvey Oswald]]. He authorized the de-segregation of Federal housing and proposed the civil rights bill, passed after his assassination. He successfully faced down the [[Soviet Union]]'s plans to station nuclear missiles in [[Cuba]] and faced down a number of hawks in his own administration during that [[Cuban Missile Crisis|crisis]]. He also pledged the USA to put a man on the moon before the end of the 1960s. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Dwight D. Eisenhower

2007-03-20T05:19:47Z

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'''Dwight D. "Ike" Eisenhower''' (1890-1969), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during [[World War II]], and went on to serve as 34th [[President of the United States of America]].

==Early Life==
Eisenhower was born in Texas, but was raised in Kansas. Eisenhower attended West Point, which put him somewhat at odds with his upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness <ref>http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/listofholdingshtml/listofholdingsJ/jehovahwitnessesabilenecongregation.pdf</ref>. (Eisenhower later became baptized into the Presbyterian church, the timing of which made him the firstpresident to become baptized while in office <ref>http://www.classroomhelp.com/lessons/Presidents/eisenhower.html</ref>.) Eisenhower was stationed in Texas during World War I, where he met his future wife, Mamie Geneva Doud.

==First Term==
After [[Harry Truman]] decided against running for a third term in 1952. Eisenhower ran on the [[Republican]] ticket. Due to his popularity as a [[General]] in [[World War II]], he won the election.

During this term, the [[Korean War]] was ended after a treaty was signed. Eisenhower's term in office is also notable for the creation of the Interstate Highway System, which was funded by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 <ref>http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/programadmin/interstate.html</ref>.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

==References==
<references/>

Harry S Truman

2007-03-20T05:19:23Z

Scrap: New page: '''Harry S Truman''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served from 1945 to 1953. It was on his decision that the first atomic bombs were dropped on th...

'''Harry S Truman''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served from 1945 to 1953. It was on his decision that the first [[atomic bomb]]s were dropped on the Japanese cities of [[Hiroshima]] and [[Nagasaki]].

There is no period after his middle initial, because it doesn't stand for anything, it's just a "S".

Franklin D. Roosevelt

2007-03-20T05:17:38Z

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Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 32nd president of the United States of America, following [[Herbert Hoover]] and preceding [[Harry Truman]]. He was elected four times and served a few months longer than 3 terms, from 1933-1945, the longest any one man has been president of the United States. He was elected amidst the uncertainty of the [[Great Depression]]. After the Japanese attack on [[Pearl Harbor]], he entered the United States into the Second World War on the side of the Allied Forces. Finally, in April 12, 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage, due partly to the crippling disease, [[polio]]myelitis, which physically disabled him during his presidency.<ref>http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/fr32.html</ref>

Franklin D. Roosevelt, commonly known as "FDR", said this about the Bible in an address on October 6, 1935:

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

:Where we have been the truest and most consistent in obeying its precepts, we have attained the greatest measure of contentment and prosperity.

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

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

As World War II began to break out in Europe, FDR warned:

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

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

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

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Biographies]]

Herbert Hoover

2007-03-20T05:16:52Z

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Herbert Hoover (1874-1964) was the 31st [[President of the United States of America]] following [[Calvin Coolidge]] and preceding [[Franklin Roosevelt]] and was the [[United States Secretary of Commerce]] under President [[Calvin Coolidge]], his predecessor.
==Election to Presidency==
[[Calvin Coolidge]] decided against running for reelection in 1928. As a member of his Cabinet, Hoover was nominated to the [[Republican]] ticket. He was able to use the popularity of the Coolidge Administration to win election.

He held office from 1929 to 1933 during the [[Great Depression]]. Hoover had very little to no success in fighting the economic disaster that was upon the US during his presidency, and that cost him his popularity as well as reelection. He was a [[Republican]], and is now considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.
[[Category:Biographies]]

Calvin Coolidge

2007-03-20T05:16:15Z

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Calvin Coolidge was the [[Vice President of the United States of America]] (1921-1923) and was the 24th [[President of the United States of America]] (1923-1929). He was famous for being a man of few words, leading to the nickname ''Silent Cal''.
==Accession to the Presidency==
Cal was at his father's house when news arrived of President [[Warren G. Harding]]'s death. His father, a notary public, administered the oath of office. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

Coolidge and [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] are the only two Presidents not to have been sworn in by the [[Chief Justice of the United States of America]]. Johnson was sworn in by [[Sarah T. Hughes]] on [[Air Force One]] prior to leaving [[Dallas]], [[Texas]] for [[Washington]], [[DC]] on November 22, 1963

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:Vice Presidents of the United States]]

Warren G. Harding

2007-03-20T05:15:49Z

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Warren Harding (b November 2, 1865, d August 2, 1923), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was an Ohio Senator and the 29th President of the [[United States of America]]. His presidency, although recently maligned in the [[mainstream media]], helped transition the nation from a war to a peacetime posture. Mr. Harding and his running mate Calvin Coolidge were elected by a large majority over James Cox and [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], in a large part because of the American people's rejection of the internationalist policies of former President Woodrow Wilson, particularly the League of Nations. <ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=atb037b09&templatename=/article/article.html</ref>

== Key Accomplishments ==

=== Immigration Control ===

Mr. Harding signed into law the [[Emergency Quota Act]] which sought to control runaway immigration following [[World War I]] and preserve the distinctive American culture by ensuring the majority of immigrants came from the historically compatible cultures of Northern Europe. This law aimed to bring wages of hard working Americans under control by limiting immigration to 3% of the 1910 census. It was so successful that it was followed on by a similar act in 1924, after Mr. Harding's death.<ref>http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/faculty/hodgson/Courses/so11/Race/quota_acts.htm</ref>

=== Tulsa Race Riot ===

Harding sought to calm race relations during the [[Tulsa Race Riot]] and events that followed. His wise words helped to calm the nation especially in the Tulsa area at this time of disturbance. His press secretary also sent a telegram to the [[National Association for the Advancement of Colored People]] offering the president's support. <ref>http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3812/is_199911/ai_n8854233</ref>

=== Justice ===

Harding pardoned the [[socialist]] Eugene Debs who was wrongly imprisoned during World War I for opposing the war. Despite their political differences, Harding was cordial to him and met with him in the White House, "I have heard so damned much about you, Mr Debs, that I am very glad to meet you personally."<ref>http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/vodebs.htm</ref>

Harding defined the Supreme Court for two decades, appointing four solidly [[conservative]] justices. Harding's appointments included former President [[William Howard Taft]] to be Chief Justice (1921), [[George Sutherland]] (1922), [[Pierce Butler]] (1923) and [[Edward Terry Sanford]] (1923). Two of these justices (Taft and Sanford) served until 1930. The other two (Sutherland and Butler) served until the late 1930s and stood up to the [[liberal]] policies of President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]].

In particular, Sutherland and Butler were the core of the conservative [[Four Horsemen]] who invalidated key aspects of the [[New Deal]] and drove President Roosevelt to propose his [[court-packing scheme]], which caused him to lose his credibility with Congress and the public.

In selecting Pierce, Harding broke with tradition by picking a conservative Democrat even though Harding was a Republican.

=== Fiscal ===

Harding created the Bureau of the Budget, restrained the federal budget, reduced wartime armaments and helped to stimulate the economy helping lead to the period of prosperity experienced in the United States during the 1920s. Shortly after taking office, Harding also successfully passed promotion of US Agriculture, repeal of the wartime "excess profits" tax and reduction of rail rates.<ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0193620-00</ref> Due in part to Mr. Harding's conservative economic policies, the US experienced a period of profound economic growth in the early 1920s that continued through most of the decade.

=== Military ===

While Harding did lack the vision to continue aggressive military spending in preparation for future defense, he did preside over modernization of the U.S. forces including the addition of the experimental aircraft carrier Langley and the T-2 submarine as well as the creation of a merchant marine which was critical in early US involvement in WWII via the [[Lend-Lease Act]].<ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0193620-00</ref>

=== Diplomatic ===

Harding avoided entangling alliances that lead to war and defended US interests. Mr. Harding outlined his policy in his inaugural address: "...every commitment must be made in the exercise of our national sovereignty. Since freedom impelled, and independence inspired, and nationality exalted, a world supergovernment is contrary to everything we cherish and can have no sanction by our Republic. This is not selfishness, it is sanctity. It is not aloofness, it is security. It is not suspicion of others, it is patriotic adherence to the things which made us what we are." <ref>http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/print.php?pid=25833</ref>

Supported by his conservative colleagues in congress as well as the American people, Harding succeeded at continuing to keep the United States out of the League of Nations. <ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=atb037b09&templatename=/article/article.html</ref>

== Failings ==

=== Labor interests ===
Mr. Harding's administration errantly helped bring about the 40-hour work week which restricted the economic output of the US and restricted small, medium and large businesses alike. Still this reactionary event did help calm a period of increased labor tension.

=== Teapot Dome incident ===
Mr. Harding, in a quest to help re-privatize land taken from the American people and industry by their own government, appointed Senator Albert B. Fall of New Mexico as his Secretary of the Interior. While Falls efforts to open reserves for private exploration are commendable, he misappropriated this effort for his own gain in an abuse of the public trust. In revenge, Democrats in congress, lead by Senator [[Thomas J. Walsh]] and Republican Senator [[Robert M. LaFollette]] (a former progressive), began an investigation with the support of the [[conservationist]] interests that backed them. They found that Fall had used his privatization efforts to benefit himself to the tune of over $400,000. Mr. Fall also had entangled other businessmen and politicians into his wrongdoing which lead to other indictments of both Democrats and Republicans and continued into the Coolidge administration. While Mr. Harding did not know about these dealings until shortly before his death, he was indirectly at fault as it was his appointee behind them. In later years the petroleum reserves would prove to be less valuable than initially overestimated by the government. <ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0380900-00</ref>

== Death ==

Mr. Harding's death was most unexpected and sudden although Mr. Harding did not eat well or exercise, and suffered from high blood pressure. While wild speculation and many books have been written about the subject, most of the evidence suggest he either died of natural causes or the negligent practices of his doctor who subscribed to a form or homeopathic herbal medicine. <ref>http://american-presidents.blogspot.com/search/label/Warren%20G.%20Harding</ref>

== Trivia ==

* Out of all of the Presidents of the U.S. he had the largest feet.
* He was the first president to visit Alaska.
* He was the first President to speak on the radio and the first to have a radio in the White House.
* He is the only president to have a PHD.

== Assault in the MSM ==

Recently liberals have maligned Harding so far as to cast him as being one of the worst U.S. Presidents. They point to a dubious assortment of allegations as to the president's respect for his marriage. They go so far as to blame him for setting into place policies that helped bring about the [[Great Depression]] despite Mr Harding's death nearly 7 years before its start. A number have suggested that he was a "do nothing" president and overlook his accomplishments. Much of this is due to a liberal bias that government should do more which opposes Mr. Harding's conservative Republican beliefs that there should be less government in business and more business in government.

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Woodrow Wilson

2007-03-20T05:15:21Z

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Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 28th president of United States. He was president from 1913 to 1921. In 1917 he led the United States' entrance in to [[World War I]].

Woodrow Wilson was the son of a preacher who grew up in the south after the [[civil war]], because of this he knew a great deal about the humiliation, economic ruin and shame that the loser of a war experiences and the hatred that grows from this. This insight helped him make a forgiving plan for peace called the [[Fourteen Points]].

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

==External Links==
*[http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ww28.html Biography of Woodrow Wilson]

William Howard Taft

2007-03-20T05:14:48Z

Scrap: New page: '''William Howard Taft''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was President from 1909 to 1913.

'''William Howard Taft''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was President from 1909 to 1913.

Theodore Roosevelt

2007-03-20T05:14:11Z

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'''Theodore Roosevelt''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 26th [[President of the United States]]. He was born on October 27, 1858 at 28 East 20th Street in New York city. Although he had asthma he managed to work over it and become strong. He worked in both the Police Department and the Navy Department. When the [[Spanish-American War]] started he became a rough rider. Because of his well known assault on San Juan Hill and other patriotic acts he was nominated for Vice-President with incumbent William McKinley. When President McKinley was shot by a [[polish]] [[anarchist]], Roosevelt automatically became President. Because of his success in the presidency he was renominated by the Republican party to run for President. He successfully beat Democratic candidate Alton B. Parker in the election of 1904. When his term was up he supported Republican candidate William H. Taft. But later he expressed disapproval of Taft's handling of the presidency and ran against him. He lost the Republican nomination to Taft but ran as an independent on the Bull Moose Progressive party. Both he and Taft lost to Woodrow Wilson in the election of 1912. He never ran for President again. He died age, 60 4 o'clock AM January 6, 1919.</ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents Theodore Roosevelt]] By Zachary Kent, Chicago Press

William McKinley

2007-03-20T05:12:43Z

Scrap: New page: '''William McKinley''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served in office from 1897 until 1901.

'''William McKinley''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American [[Presidents]], served in office from 1897 until 1901.

Benjamin Harrison

2007-03-20T05:11:48Z

Scrap: New page: '''Benjamin Harrison''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served from 1889-1893.

'''Benjamin Harrison''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served from 1889-1893.

Grover Cleveland

2007-03-20T05:10:56Z

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'''Grover Steven Cleveland''' was the 22nd and 24th [[President of the United States]], and was very uniquely the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms. He was the only [[Democrat]] elected to the Presidency in the Republican dynasty that lasted from 1850s to when [[Roosevelt]] was President, as a result of the Democratic failure to win the [[American Civil War]]. Many contemporary politicians praise him for his commitment to [[conservative]] thinking. Much like modern conservatives he opposed imperialism, corruption, patronage, corporate subsidies, taxes and inflation. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

Cleveland was famous for busting the union train saboteurs during the Pullman strike of 1892 which angered unions very much. He was also a big supporter of gold and a sworn enemy of silver. Unions and silver people kicked him out of the party, eventually, signifying a drastic shift of the Democrats to the left and leading to the nomination of William Jennings Bryan.

==Early Days==

Cleveland was born in Ohio. He had five brothers and four sisters. His father was a [[Presbyterian]] clergyman, and moved around a lot. His second brother was hanged for murder in Utah in 1882.

He dodged the draft in the Civil War by hiring somebody else to take his place.

He graduated from Princeton and became a lawyer in [[Buffalo]], he became very noted in many ways. After being a lawyer, he was elected sheriff of [[Erie]] in 1870 and hunged many people while in office personally. He was a very very strong supporter of the Death Penalty.

He was a big friend of [[Franklin Roosevelt]]. When he was 40 he ran for Mayor of Buffalo and won. Many people praised his honesty and he was very popular. In 1884, he was elected Governor.

==As President==
Both Democrats and Republicans voted for Cleveland for President because his oponent was corrupt.

A key part in the campaign was because his opponet had nothing to use on him, he would shout about Cleveland "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa?", because Cleveland had an illegitimate daughter.

When Cleveland won the election his opponents shouted, "Ma, Ma, where's my Pa? Gone to the White House! Ha Ha Ha!"

===Personal life===
Grover Cleveland in June 1884 was married to Frances Folsom Cleveland in the [[white hosue]]. This was the second President married in office, and also married in the White House itself. Some were offended that Celveland was marrying somebody who was 21 years old and his legal guardian too. The Clevelands had many children while in office.

===Actions as President===
Cleveland voted against many spending bills and Government ideas, making him the first modern [[Conservative]]. He vetoed a bill to give $10,000 to distribute seed grain among drought-stricken farmers in Texas, and said: "Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character...." He also blocked funding to Civil War veterans, which some said was good but some said went too far. Cleveland used the veto a lot but said he did not like Presidential power and thought the best thing he could do was to stop congress from doing bad things.

In 1884 Geronimo was captured by Grover Cleveland, ending the Indian wars.

IThe same year in October Cleveland finished the [[Statue of Liberty]] in [[New York]] and read its dedication in fluent French, as a tribute to its creator, Jean Renoir.

Critics criticizing Cleveland criticize him for signing the Interstate Commerce Act this term, the first critical attempt at Federal regulation.

===Against Tarrifs===
In 1884 Clevland began to battle the tariff. Unlike today [[Republicans]] claimed a high tariff made for high wages, high profits, and fast economic expansion. Cleveland was not able to kill the tariff, and was defeated in 1880 because of it.

===Military Buildup===
A very conservative man, Cleveland did not think the United States should invade in any contry for any reason. However, Cleveland also was in favor of having a strong national defense, and built up the U.S. navy to a huge extent. [[Franklin Roosevelt]] was his secretary of the Navy.

==1888 campaign==
Cleveland lost in 1888 to Republican [[Benjamin Herrison|Benjamin Harrison]], one of the few times the Republican was less conservative than the Democrat. Harrison won the Electoral College by a 204-197 margin, but Cleveland won more votes. This was the last election where this happened.

==2nd Presidency==
Cleveland campaigned to reduce the tariff and stopping the silver people which had lessened the gold reserves of the U.S. Treasury. Cleveland became the only person ever elected president twice when he was elected again in 1892.

===As President===
Like [[George W. Bush]], Cleveland was beset by a stock market crash shortly after becoming president. Also like Bush he successfully navigated the country out of that crisis.

1884 was the year of the famous Pullman strike in Chicago, where workers tried to stop delivering the mail. He sent the army to Chicago to battle the unionizers, saying that "If it takes the entire army and navy of the United States to deliver a postcard in Chicago that card will be delivered."

===Seconf Tarrif War==
Again he tried to kill the tariff in 1893. The "Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act" was very good at first, but when it went through the Senate it became very bad and filled with loopholes. However, the bill eventually was passed and the tarrif was partially killed, but not enough so that Cleveland refuswed to sing the bill.

Liberals took over the Democrats in 1896 and with the help of liberal firebrand William Jennings Bryan tried to end the use of gold and profectionism. Jeenings lost the Presidency in 1896 and 1900, but in 1904 conservatives and Cleveland came back, and nominated successful candidate (although he did not win because of the strong candidacy of Theodore Franklin Roosevelt) Alton Parker.

==Military==
Cleveland was good at pushing around the English without evoking war, and did a lot of stuff with the power of his Navy, which he continued to build. This Navy was so strong it defeated the powerful Spanish armada during the Spanish-American war in 1884.

Cleveland also supported the revolutionairies in Hawaii who in 1894 overthrew the queen and established a Democracy, although he did not support use of troops in this conflict or any other.

===Death and Later Life===

Cleveland, nicknamed 'the Growler', retired to [[Princeton]]. There he became enemies with the liberal Woodrow Wilson, who was President of the school. Some people wanted him to run again in 1904, but he was too old. Sometimes liberal President President Theodore Roosevelt asked him for advice.

Cleveland died in 1908 from a heart attack, with his wife at his side. He is buried in the Princeton Cemetery.

==Honors and memorials==
Cleveland has been on many dollar bills, including the $1000 bill and some of the first $50 bills before Andrew Jackson was put on.

He will be on two dollar coins to be released in 2012 like every other president will, except two for each presidency.

==Trivia==

*He is both the 22nd ''and'' the 24th President because this confused people and he had to be proclaimed both presidents so the issue was cleared up.

*The baseball player Grover Cleveland Alexander was named after him.

*Clevland's grandson is a Presidential impersenator.

*TCleveland's granddaughter Foot is a philosopher at Oxford.

*Many people said Cleveland was harsh to the poor, but he just favored personal accountablity.

*Cleveland was the only police officer to ever become president.

* Grover Cleveland's last words were "I have tried so hard to do right."

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Mayors]]
[[Category:Politics]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]
[[Category:State governors of the United States]]

Chester Arthur

2007-03-20T05:09:53Z

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'''Chester A. Arthur''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, cut short a promising career in [[baseball]] to enter politics, and served as [[President]] from 1881 to 1885.

James A. Garfield

2007-03-20T05:08:48Z

Scrap: New page: '''James A. Garfield''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served as President is 1881.

'''James A. Garfield''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served as [[President]] is 1881.

Rutherford B. Hayes

2007-03-20T05:08:08Z

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Hayes became President when James Garfield was assassinated. Before being chosen as Vice President, he had been collector of customs for the port of New York. As such, he was assumed to be benefiting from bribes and corruption. Hence many were surprised when he became an advocate of civil service reform and presided over the passage of the Pendleton Act.

Hayes was born in Fairfield, Franklin County, Vermont on October 5, 1829. He attended the public schools and was graduated from Union College, Schenectady, New York, in 1848. He became principal of an academy in North Pownal, Vt. in 1851. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1854, and commenced practice in New York City. He took an active part in the reorganization of the State militia.

During the Civil War, Arthur served as acting quartermaster general of the State in 1861. He was later commissioned as inspector general, and appointed quartermaster general with the rank of brigadier general, and served until 1862. He resumed the practice of law in New York City, and was appointed by President Ulysses Grant as collector of the port of New York 1871-1878.

In 1878 Hayes resumed the practice of law in New York City. He was elected Vice President of the United States on the Republican ticket with President James Garfield for the term beginning March 4, 1881. Upon the death of President Garfield, Hayes became President of the United States on September 20, 1881, and served until March 3, 1885. He returned to New York City where he died November 18, 1886, Interment is in the Rural Cemetery in Albany, New York. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

Ulysses S. Grant

2007-03-20T05:07:43Z

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Ulysses S. Grant, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served from 1869 to 1877.

His administration is often compared to that of [[George W. Bush]], in terms of widespread governmental [[corruption]].

Andrew Johnson

2007-03-20T05:06:03Z

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Andrew Johnson was the 17th [[President of the United States of America]]. He was the first president to be [[impeached]] by [[Congress]]; he was not removed from office, and is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

==Accession to Presidency==
He became President after [[Abraham Lincoln]] was assassinated at [[Ford's Theatre]] while watching the play "Our American Cousins".

[[Category:Presidents of the United States|Johnson, Andrew]]

Abraham Lincoln

2007-03-20T05:05:27Z

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[[Image:Abe Lincoln.png|right|Abraham Lincoln]]

'''Abraham Lincoln''' (1809-1865), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, presided over the Civil War as the 16th president of the United States. Idolized by the North and hated by the South, Lincoln pursued his goal of keeping the Union together despite the fervent desire by southerners to secede. Approaching secession with the mind of the attorney that Lincoln was, he declared it illegal and managed, or mismanaged in the view of some, the resultant war. He is also famous for his [[Gettysburg Address]], affirming the commitment of America to equality for all with the words: "Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.."

Homeschooled in his youth, Lincoln became a successful attorney in Illinois who was known for his integrity and his piercing cross-examinations. He lost many more political races than he won, and served briefly in [[Congress]] as a Whig opposed to the Mexican War. That cost him reelection, and a decade later in 1858 he ran for the [[U.S. Senate]] against the dynamic speaker [[Stephen Douglas]], who defeated him. But Lincoln ran a strong enough race that Douglas was forced to alienate some of his supporters with his [[Freeport Doctrine]], and when both ran for president two years later in 1860, Lincoln won easily without even campaigning. His victory precipitated the Civil War, since many southern states believed that he would abolish slavery, since abolition was a core plank of the [[Republican]] party.

Lincoln was perhaps the only President who appeared to greatly increase his Christian faith while in office. As a congressmen in the 1840s, Lincoln distinguished himself by redoing the geometric proofs in the great work of [[Euclid]], and prided himself on logic rather than faith, not that these are mutually exclusive. From 1860 to 1863 Lincoln continued to rely entirely on logical arguments in his speeches and approach to the Civil War. But on the way to the cemetery in Gettysburg in November 1863, Lincoln apparently found God and inserted after "one nation" the phrase "under God" into his pre-written Gettysburg Address. The following year Lincoln won reelection, and his Second Inaugural Address was filled with spiritual references lacking from his First Inaugural Address.

Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. He was shot a few days after the Civil War had ended, and passed away the next day. He became a martyr to the North and a cause for revenge against the South, from where the assassin had come.

==Currency==
Lincoln is depicted on the penny and the five-dollar bill.

==References==
*[http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/gettysburg.htm Gettysburg Address]

==Quotations==

<blockquote>
"I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races; that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say, in addition to this, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And in as much as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I as much as any other man am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race."

-- Said during a debate with rival Stephen A. Douglas in 1958.

</blockquote>

[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

James Buchanan

2007-03-20T05:04:56Z

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'''James Buchanan''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 15th president of the United States, serving from 1857-1861.

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Franklin Pierce

2007-03-20T05:04:15Z

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Franklin Pierce, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 14th [[president]] of the [[United States]]. He served as the president from 1853-1857.

Millard Fillmore

2007-03-20T05:03:43Z

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'''Millard Fillmore''' (1800-1874) became the 13th President upon the unexpected death due to illness of President [[Zachary Taylor]] in 1850. He served as the president from 1850-1853.
Fillmore admitted [[California]] as a state as part of the Compromise of 1850, sent [[Commodore Perry]] to [[Japan]], and was president during the Gold Rush to California. Fillmore was the last Whig to hold the presidency, and he failed in his presidential candidacy in 1856 as the nominee of both the Know Nothing (American) Party and the Whig Party. The Whig Party did not even nominate him for reelection in 1852.

On July 10, 1850, Fillmore declared, "I dare not shrink; and I rely upon Him who holds in His hands the destinies of nations to endow me with the requisite strength for the task." He is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents.

Fillmore also stated in his Annual Message of 1852, "We owe these blessings, under Heaven, to the Constitution and Government ... bequeathed to us by our fathers, and which it is our sacred duty to transmit ... to our children."

==Mencken's "Bathtub hoax"==

In 1917, the acerbic journalist [[H. L. Mencken]] published a newspaper article that claimed to be a history of the bathtub. Among other things, it stated that initially there was widespread public opposition to bathtubs; that Millard Fillmore ordered the first bathtub installed in the White House; and that his support of the invention helped to popularize it. The article was completely false from beginning to end, but was widely believed and the "fact" about Fillmore made its way into many reference books.

==See also==
*[[Mallard Fillmore]], conservative-themed newspaper comic strip by Bruce Tinsley

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Zachary Taylor

2007-03-20T05:03:12Z

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'''Zachary Taylor''' was the 10th [[president]] of the [[United States]]. He served as the president from 1849-1850. Considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, he died interestingly in office like his predecessor, [[William Henry Harrison]] did.

=First Days=
Zachary Tyler was born March 29, 1790 in Virginia. Taylor studied with his father in law. Taylor's first job was the bar in 1809. His carreer in politics began with the Virginia House of State Delegates in 1811. He attended college of William and Mary.

=Politics=
His career in politics began with the Virginia House of State Delegates in 1811. From there on, he ran and elected as Democratic Republican in [[Congress]]. Because of unpaired health, Taylor refused to run another term for [[Congress]] and thus became [[governor]] of [[Virginia]].
In 1827, became a [[Senator]], and again in 1833. Before being the President, Zachary Taylor was a [[general]] in the [[Mexican War]].

=Vice Presidency=
Zachary Taylor served as [[William Henry Harrison|Harrison's]] vice president for a short time becuase of his death to pnewmonia early in his term. There running campaign motto was "Log Cider and Hard Cabins," enhanceing the rustic nature of the partner's lifestyles and "Tip a Canoe and Taylor to," and remain famous today. After Harrison's early death Taylor ascendancy to the white house poisition was controversial because he was a [[Democrat]], while Harrison had once been a [[whig]]. People had accepted the presidency to be a whig and were not happy when the balance of power shifted to the other side after his death. As result of this, Taylor vetoad most bills supporting whig policy.
Also shocking was the fact that Taylor was the first man to take over from a dead president, placing strain on the nation and worrying nervous people. Their was also difficulty because the [[Constitution]] did not implicitly depict how succession would take place after the death or resigning of a president. So, the [[House]] and the [[Senate]] had to verify that Taylor was indded president and not just "acting president."
Because Taylor vetoad large proportions of whig tarrif bills, he was in danger of unpeachment. Fortunately for him, the revolution did not pass.
Also of interest is the fact that Taylor claimed Texas as part of his country.

=Deceasement=
Taylor's life cycled back to Virginia, where he died in Richmond in 1862.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

James K. Polk

2007-03-20T05:02:39Z

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'''James Knox Polk''', considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 11th [[president]] of the [[United States]]. He was elected in 1844 as a Democrat and served as president from 1845-1849.

Polk was an early pioneer of the [[Bush Doctrine]] of [[preventive war]], launching an invasion of [[Mexico]] to prevent an imminent Mexican attack on [[Texas]]. Unfortunately, Polk was unable to prevent several thousand Mexicans from entering the country and gaining citizenship when the United States annexed [[California]] and [[New Mexico]]. Polk has also been criticized for accepting a compromise settlement with [[England]] over the [[Oregon]] Country instead of pursuing a preventive war with [[Canada]] in order to gain all of it.

Polk declined to run for a second term.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

John Tyler

2007-03-20T05:02:00Z

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John Tyler (1784 – 1850) was a general famous for winning many essential battles in the Mexican-American war and the twelfth [[President of the United States]]. Tyler had a 40-year military career in the [[U.S. Army]], at the War of 1812, [[Black Hawk]] War, and winning the Second Seminole War. He didn't like politics but was recruited by the Whig Party as their nominee in the 1848 presidential election because he was a popular man. He was a Southern slaveholder but strangely opposed the spread of slavery to the territories. In the election Tyler defeated Lewis Cass (D) and became the first U.S. president never to hold any prior office.

Yyler urged settlers in many western states like Arizona and New Mexico and California to by-pass the territorial stage and go right to being states.

Later Tyler brokered the the Compromise of 1850, which made many southerners furious with him, because they expected him to be pro-slave.

Known affectionately "Old Rough and Ready," and considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, Tyler was very old when he was took office and died of acute gastroenteritis just 16 months into his term. Vice President Millard Fillmore became President.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

William Henry Harrison

2007-03-20T05:01:26Z

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'''William Henry Harrison''' (1773-1841), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 9th [[president]] of the [[United States]]. He served as the president for one month in 1841 before dying of pneumonia. At
68, he was the oldest person elected president before [[Ronald Reagan]], and he also served the shortest term of any president. Harrison was also the first president to die in office.

=Early Life=
Harrison was born February 9, 1773 in Charles City, [[Virginia]]. His father served on the [[First Continental Congress]] in addition to signing the [[Declaration of Independence]].

=Schooling=
William Henry Harrison attended [[University of Pennsylvania]], though not before attending the [[Hampton-Sydney College]]. Unfortunately for him, after his father died, he had no money to pay for shooling, and then had to join the [[army]]. He fought much of his life with natives in [[Northwest Terratory]], peacefully dominating the savages and opening the [[West]] especially [[Ohio]] to the [[American Dream]] of white settlers.

=Northwest Territory=
For his bravery in the Northwest Territory, he became secretary and at times governor of the Northwest Territory when the normal governor was not in existence. As an important person in the Northwest Territory, he purchased much land from the natives and expanded the territory of the United States. Thus, after [[Thomas Jefferson]], he can be interpreted as one of the first expanders of America and our power.

=Battles=
Harrison fought in many battles against the Indian [[confederacy]], including [[Tecumseh's War]] leading him to have the nickname William "Tecumseh" Harrison. Also fighting another battle near the [[Tip a Canoe River]], known for its dangerous rapids earned another nickname "Tip a Canoe."

=Presidency Campaings=
Harrison's first campaing was against [[Martin Van Buren]] in 1836 but obviously lost that one. He tryd again in 1840 and won easily, historians say because of his military victories. Notable was his campaing slogan "Tip a Canoe and [[Taylor|Zachary Taylor]] to." Harrison ran as [[whig]] and was the first to win.

=Pneumonia=
Harrison delivered the longest [[inaugural address]] the day he was elected at over two hours long. He did so without a jacket, which may have contributed to his death.

=Presidency Itself=
Harrison only able to do one act during his presidency and that was calling a special meeting of [[Congress]] because [[Henry Clay]] said not to. The session was to discuss finance of the country. Becuase of his short presidentcy, he was unable to pass many bills and tariffs supported by the whigs.

=Dying=
Harrison died on April 4, 1841 of complications from pneumonia.

=The Curse of Zero in the Final Number of President Eleciton Year Blamed on Tecumseh=
Being the first one to die in office, Harrison supposedly established a curse that all presidents elected to a year ending in zero would die or be assassinated. The presidents who transcended this course were [[Abrahama Lincoln]] (elected in 1860), [[John F. Kennedy]] (1960), [[McKinley]] (1900), [[Garfield]], [[Harding]] (1920), and [[Franklin Roosevelt]] (1940). [[Ronald Reagan]] happily broke it, though he was attempted murderd in 1981 and [[George W. Bush]].
[[Category:Biographies]]

Martin Van Buren

2007-03-20T05:01:05Z

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Martin Van Buren, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the eighth president of the United States. He served in the office from 1837 to 1841.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Andrew Jackson

2007-03-20T05:00:35Z

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Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the United States, is considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, and is often called the "Hero of New Orleans". During his lifetime, he was nicknamed "Old Hickory".
Jackson was born on March 15, 1767 in [[South Carolina]] thus being the first President ever elected who wasn't born in [[Virginia]] or [[Massachusetts]]. He fought at an early age in the battle of Stone Ferry during the [[American Revolution in 1780]]. He later on fought against both indians and the [[British]] (during the [[War of 1812]].) He fought at [[New Orleans]] shortly after a peace treaty had been signed by both America and Great Britain(the news hadn't reached him yet.) Nevertheless it was a great victory for Jackson. It was one of the things that enabled him to run for President during the 1824 election. He won the [[popular vote]] but lost the [[electoral vote]] to [[John Quincey Adams]]. At the next election in 1828 he won against John Quincey Adams and then in 1832 he also won reelection. He supported and advised many other candidates in the future particularly [[James K. Polk]]. He died on June 8, 1945. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents Andrew Jackson]] By Alice Osinski Children's Press </ref> <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents James K. Polk]] By Dee Lillegard Children's Press </ref>
Since 1928, his picture has appeared on the United States $20 bill. This is ironic because Jackson was suspicious of paper money and did not approve of it.

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

John Quincy Adams

2007-03-20T04:58:52Z

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John Quincy Adams (1767–1848), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, served one uneventful term as President of the United States (1825–1829) and then returned to Congress where he spent the rest of his life attempting to end slavery. He was the son U.S. President [[John Adams]] and [[Abigail Adams]]. John Quincy Adams also served as the Secretary of State under President [[James Monroe]], helping to formulate the [[Monroe Doctrine]].
He was born on July 11,1767 in Braintree, Massachussets. He died in Washington D.C. February 23, 1848. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents John Quincey Adams]] by Zachary Kent, Children's Press</ref>

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

James Monroe

2007-03-20T04:58:35Z

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James Monroe, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 5th president of the United States. He was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia on April 28, 1758. Served as president from 1817-1825. Was Secretary of War under Madison during the war of 1812. Is famous for creating the Monroe Doctrine. He died in July 4, 1831 in New York City. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents James Monroe]] By Christine Maloney Fitz-Gerald, Children's Press </ref>

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

James Madison

2007-03-20T04:58:12Z

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James Madison, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the 4th president of the [[United States]]. He served as president from 1809-1817. He also did the much important work at the [[Constitutional Convention]].
He was born in March 16, 1751 on the estate of Blue Ridge in Virginia. He is known to today as "Father of the Constitution" because of writing and proposing the Virginia Plan which would later become part of the Constitution. He was President during the War of 1812 and the burning of Washington D.C. by the british. He died June 28, 1836 in Montpelier, Virginia at age 86. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents James Madison]] by Susan Clinton, Children's Press </ref>

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

Thomas Jefferson

2007-03-20T04:57:37Z

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Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the third [[President of the United States of America]] and often credited as the author of the [[Declaration of Independence]], though key portions of that document were simply taken from the [[Virginia Declaration of Rights]].

Jefferson was a prominent architect, inventor and scientist. His presidency had significant failures, and is best known for doubling the area of the United States with the controversial [[Louisiana Purchase]] from France.

Though Jefferson did not describe his beliefs in that manner, many textbooks and online resources claim that he was a [[deist]].<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Deist_thinkers</ref>

With regard to Christianity, Jefferson admired the ethical and moral teachings of Jesus, but did not believe in the divinity of Christ. He produced a compilation "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels," familiarly known as "The Jefferson Bible," in which he included the passages which he felt described Jesus' life and teachings, while removing references to the miracles and to Jesus' divinity.

In an 1803 letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, he stated:
:I then promised you that one day or other I would give you my views of [the Christian religion]. They are the result of a life of inquiry and reflection, and very different from that anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed, but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others, ascribing to himself every human excellence, and believing he never claimed any other.<ref>Jefferson, Thomas, April 21, 1803: Letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush[http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/jeffbsyl.html]</ref>

"And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But may we hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away with this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this most venerated reformer of human errors." –Thomas Jefferson, Letter to John Adams, April 11, 1823

"If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." Reason is the tool to use to change opinions—not censorship." 1801 Inaugural speech.
He died July 4, 1826 at age 83 in Monticello, Virginia. <ref> [[Encyclopedia of Presidents Thomas Jefferson]] By Jim Hargrove, Children's Press </ref>

== Criticism ==
Recently it has been reported the Jefferson had secretly been in bed with his black slaves.

Jefferson is considered by many to be the first Democrat.

----

'''References:''' <references/>

[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States]]

John Adams

2007-03-20T04:57:07Z

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John Adams, considered by many to be one of the greatest American Presidents, was the second president of the [[United States of America]], serving from 1797 to 1801. He was a [[federalist]], and represented [[Massachusetts]]. Also, from 1789 to 1797, he served as the first vice president of the United States for [[George Washington]].

John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Quincy, Massachusetts. His father was also named John, his mother was Susanna Adams and his son was [[John Quincey Adams]]. He died July 4,1826 age 91 in Quincey, Massachusetts only afew hours after Thomas Jefferson. <ref> [[Encylopedia of Presidents, John Adams]] by Marlene Targ Brill, Children's Press </ref>
[[Category:Biographies]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States|Adams, John]]
[[Category:Vice Presidents of the United States|Adams, John]]

Debate:What exactly is Conservapedia?

2007-03-20T04:55:37Z

Scrap: /* Is Conservapedia a Christian Website */

What exactly is conservapedia?

==Original discussion from UserTalk:Aschlafly==

I bring this up as a topic of discussion, not a criticism. I wonder if ASchlafly needs to consider reconciling the goals of this site in regards to its format. A wiki is an inherently democratic format...anyone can contribute, and errors are theoretically diluted as more and more people become involved. Over time, experts' edits will outnumber those of vandals and non-experts. The stated goals here, based on what is explicitly written and what has taken place in edits, appears to be less democratic, with an agenda being set from the top down. ASchlafly insists on expert opinion, but when it disagrees with his worldview, he edits articles which fall out of his own expertise. I do not mean in any way to impugn his morals or objectives, but perhaps a wiki is not the best format for him to accomplish his needs. If he wants an online extension of his textbooks, wiki is definitely a poor format to use. IMHO.
Id be interested in comments/responses, and will also post this on my discussion page.

[[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 11:04, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

: A wiki need not be a direct democracy, just as most countries are not. It is essential to avoid mob rule. Wikipedia fails in this essential regard. Consevapedia, in contrast, is based on [[rules]], just as the United States is. The democratic forces are properly restrained by the good rules. Likewise here. Thanks. Over time, rule-based democracies (i.e., constitutional republics) are more successful than direct democracies.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 11:27, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

:: Your idea of "mob rule" seems to be "statements of facts that disagree with your opinions," see e.g. [[Theory of evolution]]. Will you allow commentary on articles that are currently quite poor? That seems a reasonable "goal."--[[User:AmesG|AmesG]] 11:29, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

:Palmd001, I agree with your basic point, and your observation seems to be quite correct. (However, from a technical point of view, a wiki system is very good for publishing a project like this. It has tons of technical advantages.)
:In a way, Aschlafly wants to have the best of all worlds. He wants the popularity/fame that comes from having a frequent editor/visitor base, he wants activity, he wants people contributing as much as possible in a wide variety of topics, but he also wants everybody to stick to his personal worldview. And that last part simply doesn't work when you have open registrations. But with a by-application or by-invitation system, growth and popularity become major issues. --[[User:Sid 3050|Sid 3050]] 11:42, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

Aschlafly, not to be argumentative, but Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WP:NOT#Wikipedia_is_not_a_democracy doesn't at all intend to be a pure democracy]. Also, perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but are you suggesting that Wikipedia has ''fewer'' rules than Conservapedia? If anything, I'd describe Wikipedia as a large bureaucracy compared to Conservapedia's "[[Conservapedia:Commandments|there is only one rule page]]". --[[User:Interiot|Interiot]] 11:44, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

::I would add that the simplification of the commandments has added to confusion over what is (subtle) vandalism, what is a source, what is opinion, what is appropriate or inappropriate content. The inconsistent enforcement of these commandments has made for an uncomfortable work environment. For instance, here is the February 17 version of the [[John McCain]] page [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=John_McCain&oldid=14293]... every edit to that point was made by Aschlafly and it clearly violates many of the commandments. Nothing is sourced, a good deal is opinion and not verifiable. When I cleaned it up by taking out the unsourced opinion, but leaving the unsourced fact, I was accused of removing factual information.

::Further, I would direct you to the revert war going over on [[Physics]]: [http://www.conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Physics&action=history]. The subject of the reverts is whether or not to call the universe "God's Universe" or not. The commandment "give full credit to Christianity" is unclear and the user in favor of "God's universe" seemed to receive confirmation from Aschlafly that this would be appropriate. So ''that'' is the primary reason given for "God's" inclusion with the article. That is not indicative of constitutional republic or a rules based democracy, it is indicative of monarchy. [[User:Myk|Myk]] 12:17, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

''''I was trying to find the reverts - or are they gone permanently since someone decided that it was inappropriate/wrong/whatever?''''[[User:kchittur|kchittur]] 2:50, 19 March 2007 (CDT)

::Check the history, maybe I linked it incorrectly. The gist of the revert war is whether or not physics should be described as "the study of nature, and is the science of studying the laws of the universe" or "the study of nature, and is the science of studying the laws of God's universe." ''(OK, I'll try and navigate the reverts)''

This kind of discussion is exactly what I'm hoping for. Thanks especially to Mr. Schlafly for contributing. If, as you say, Wikipedia is more like a constitutional/representative democracy, then, to carry the analogy further, there should be a limited set of elected or appointed contributors who are trained to follow the commandments and who are true experts in their fields. The "people" would be the subscribers to the site. This still would not be a true Wiki. I am not arguing against your goals--that is your business. I am simply saying that the chosen format does not seem consistent with your goals. For instance, this discussion...
[[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 11:55, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

::: Folks, true Wiki's have simple, clear rules. Otherwise it is a mobocracy. Wikipedia has complex, senseless, and arbitrarily enforced rules. Check out [[Bias in Wikipedia]] to see the result. We're like the constitutional republic of the United States. Wikipedia is like the French Revolution.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 12:32, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

::::May I butt in? I'm new here, but "old" at Wikipedia.

::::I can agree with the "complex" part, but the rules are not entirely senseless. One rule I like is [[Wikipedia:Attribution]], which requires contributors to provide verifiable references for 'facts' which aren't common knowledge or are matters of dispute.
:::::: I have proposed we go one further step toward quality with our attributions. Discussion at [[Conservapedia_Discussions#References]]. [[User:Terryeo|Terryeo]] 15:26, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

::::Enforcement of rules is another matter. I'm "on probation" because of supposedly "tendentious" edits on some issues which are hotly debated by liberals and conservatives, but I haven't appealed that decision. I'd rather just become more congenial. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] 12:37, 19 March 2007 (EDT)
::::: Heh ! I knew that small group of editors had someone in mind when they initiated the "tendentious editing" policy. Good luck [[User:Terryeo|Terryeo]] 15:26, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

Thanks for creating this as a separate article...I think that will be useful.
In response to Mr. Schlafly, I would say that having more, complex rules, as you say Wikipedia does, should help, rather than hurt, as that is what this site seems to need. The Commandments are vague and confusing, leading to arbitrariness.
Another interesting point inherent in the wiki process is this--if someone is "patrolling an agenda", their influence will eventually be diluted out. As thousands of users begin to contribute, "mainstream" voices will predominate, and only an enormous army of sysops/admis will be able to maintain a particular character. If the site attracts mainly conservatives, then there will likely be a bit of a conservative bias, but not more than that.

[[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 13:40, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

==Once more==
I'm putting in a header to both inform and to make the page a bit easier to navigate. And once more invite whoever wants to to come to freenode.net via Chatzilla or mIRC or whatever and be able to talk in real-time. [[User:Cracker|Cracker]][[User_Talk:Cracker|talk]]

==Is Conservapedia a Christian Website==
There seems to be a strong predisposition towards Christianity and Biblical literalism. References to works that contradict a literal interpretation of the Bible seem to be deleted on a regular basis. Is this a Christian website? [[User:Myk|Myk]] 18:19, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

An excellent question to which I would like a yes or no answer, but I probably won't get one.
[[User:Palmd001|Palmd001]] 18:29, 19 March 2007 (EDT)

My magic 8-ball says "Yes". --[[User:Scrap|Scrap]] 00:55, 20 March 2007 (EDT)

Talk:Ku Klux Klan

2007-03-18T18:04:42Z

Scrap: New page: BY any reasonable standards, the KKK are terrorists.

BY any reasonable standards, the KKK are terrorists.