Watergate

The explanation for Nixon's actions in Watergate will never be fully known, but many historians have made guesses. I believe it can be explained by the personality of Richard Nixon. No matter how much power the President has, it can be resisted. The paranoia Nixon showed in his Presidency , proves that it was not a social or institutional force that made Nixon cover his tracts, it was his own personality.

Vietnam

The United States became involved in the Vietnam war for a wide array of reasons. Many scholars and writers explain the American intervention as the United States trying to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia. Others attribute it to "part of a larger effort by the United States after World War II to impose a particular political and economic order in the world." I believe the U.S involvement was due to the Americans trying to stop communism in that crucial part of the world. With China and the Soviet Union funding the communist rebels in Vietnam, the United States had no other options, other than to try to stop them.

Causes of the Great Depression

Historians have argues over the cause of the Great Depression, since the outset. Some say it was "lack of business confidence", others say it was caused by underconsumption and over production. I believe the answer can not be found in one cause. A multitude of factors came into effect, to cause the Great Depression. Over production led to the saturation of the market, and then led to underconsumption. This is compiled with the over speculating and the eventual crash of the market. With no one buying goods in a consumer centered society the economy started to fail.

Progressivism

In the article on Progressivism, historians have very conflicting views on the motives of the Progressives. In the 1950's felt that the progressives had the intention of curbing the power of the special interests. Later historian George Mowry considered the motives of the Progressives to be "people who considered themselves the natural leaders of society and who were trying to recover their fading influence from the new capitalist institutions that had displaced them." Richard Hofstadter called this "status anxiety". That was challenged by Gabriel Kolko, who said, " Progressive reform was not an effort to protect the people from corporations; it was, rather,a vehicle through which corporate leaders used the government to protect themselves from competition."

I believe the answer is somewhere in the middle. While some progressives did want to curb the power of special interests, many were only interested only in reform that benefited them. While many progressive were genuinely interested in bettering the American way of life, many more I believe were only interested in helping themselves.

Progressivism

Populism

In the article on populism, historians argue over whether or not populism was a movement that was anti-democratic and could lead to communism. Although historian Richard Hofstadter claimed that the populist movement had "soft and dark sides" the populists grievances were genuine and they had the right to advance reforms to help themselves. Although many historians will argue that the populist movement could be dangerous because it brought many people together, bringing people with common thoughts together is a good thing. When many people come together, they are expressing the will of the people, and it is the government's job to address that.

Obama details Afghan war plan, troop increases

In a report from MSNBC.com the associated press reports on a speech that President Obama gave on Tuesday night. In his speech The President ordered an additional 30,000 troops into Afghanistan. The troops will arrive as "fast as possible", with the first marines landing before Christmas. The increse in American troops is accompined by and increase of 5,000 to 10,000 more troops from NATO. A survey by the Gallup organization,reveals that only 35 percent of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the war. The speech was triggered a three month review of the war, a request from the commanding general, Stanley McChrystal, for as many as 40,000 more troops. McChrystal warned "without the additional 40,000 troops the U.S. risked failure."

I believe it is a good to add the additonal troops, because the U.S. can not risk failure. Afganistan is where the attacks on 9/11 were planed ,and without intervention more of those kinds of attacks can be planned and carried out.

Botax? Nip/tuck levy to help fund health plan

On MSNBC.com, the associated press reports on a new proposal, that would tax plastic surgery, including breast implants, tummy tucks, wrinkle-smoothing injections and other procedures, to pay for a very expensive health plan overhaul. With this new tax, heath care would be spread to millions without insurance. The proposed tax would add an extra 5% to any cosmetic procedure, except those used to replace limbs to injured, or burn victims. While it is seen as a tax that will only hurt the wealthy, the majority of cosmetic patients earn from $30,000 to $90,000 a year. Although the new tax may put the price of cosmetic procedures too high for some people, that can't be a reason to not pass the proposed tax. As a society America can not put vanity over the well being of it's citizens, and by not passing this proposed tax, that is exactly what the United States will be doing.

Unemployment hits 10.2%

In an article on CNN. com Chris Isidore reports on, the report issued by the government on Friday. In the article Isidore gives the frightening figures of the recent report, but still says "There are signs of growth." The unemployment rate has risen to 10.2% and Americans lost 190,000 jobs in October. Despite these alarming rates Isidore reports that Congress has voted to extend the unemployment benefits by up to 20 weeks. Also Sung Won Sohn, economics professor at California State University Channel Islands, noted "that the biggest increase in temporary employees in two years took place in October." This is another sign of hope for the economy because temporary jobs lead to permanent ones. I think it is sad that the unemployment rate has reached such a staggering figure, but the signs of growth continue to give me and many other Americans hope, that the economy can bounce back.

Ethanol keeps Nebraska running in tough financial times CNN.com

In the article "Ethanol keeps Nebraska running in tough financial times" John King reports on the tough times in the Midwest. In the article King states statistics, such as their unemployment rate of 4.9 compared to the national average of 9.8. This low unemployment rate, king says, is due to the production of ethanol and the jobs created by ethanol plants. With ethanol plants offering 1000 jobs across the state. Although in Washington ethanol production is a source of controversy, many think it is "an industry unfairly propped up by generous federal subsidies", it provide the boost in the economy that Nebraska needs.

Origins of American Revolution

Many see the American revolution as a political and imtellectual event but the fact is, that it was a economic phenomenon. The colonists did want to be represented in the British parliament, but what most colonists wanted was to be untaxed, thus making the revolution a economic phenomenon. Arthur M. Schlesinger wrote that "the first many economic desires, many social aspirations were set from the political struggle, many aspects of society profoundly aultered by the forces thus let loose." he also maintained that colonial merchants, motivated by their own intrest in escaping the restrictive products of British mercantalism, aroused American resistance in the 1760's and 1770's. This proves that the colonists were motivated by economic benifits that a revolution would provide.  

The Origins of Slavery

The question of what initially caused slavery can be argued both ways. Some historians like Winthrop Jordan argue that the white Europeans enslaved Africans because of their race. Others like Oscar and Mary Handlin argue the idea that slavery was a way to increase economic productivity, not racism. While race was a way for the white Europeans to simply write off the inhumane treatment of African slaves, it was not the initial reason for slavery. White colonists needed servants to work their fields and while indentured servants worked for a short amount of time, the long term cheap solution were slaves.

Effect of European settlement in Western Hemisphere

The choice Columbus and many other Europeans made to conquer and almost exterminate the Native Americans would never be made by anyone today, but was it the right choice at the time? The answer is yes. While many Native Americans died from disease and from wars of conquest, without the technology and ideas brought over by the Europeans we would not have the same form of government or the luxuries that are now commonplace . The consequences of the European settlement on the western hemisphere were positive. There were many negatives but with out the settlement none of us would be here today.