The Emancipation Proclamation is an executive order issued by United States President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, during the American Civil War using his war powers. It was not a law passed by Congress. It proclaimed the freedom of slaves in the ten states then in rebellion, thus applying to 3.1 million of the 4 million slaves in the U.S. at that time. The Proclamation immediately freed 50,000 slaves, with nearly all the rest (of the 3.1 million) freed as Union armies advanced. The Proclamation did not compensate the owners, did not itself outlaw slavery, and did not make the ex-slaves (called freedmen) citizens.

Still, it remains one of the most heroic political moves of the 19th century and it will be lauded throughout time as a superiorly moral stand against the ugliness and inhumanity of a deplorable institution.

Well, that and the beautiful check it placed on the French and British not to come in and recognize and trade with the CSA (above board.)

This has to be one of the more ahistorical arguments of the current conservative movements.

Still, it remains one of the most heroic political moves of the 19th century and it will be lauded throughout time as a superiorly moral stand against the ugliness and inhumanity of a deplorable institution.

Well, that and the beautiful check it placed on the French and British not to come in and recognize and trade with the CSA (above board.)

that's rich coming from you.

To try to connect the original Republican party with today's is not reasonable. Or for that matter the republican party before Reagan. (or even under Reagan)

However I do agree that the EP was one of America's finer moments.

Still, it remains one of the most heroic political moves of the 19th century and it will be lauded throughout time as a superiorly moral stand against the ugliness and inhumanity of a deplorable institution.

You'll be okay...try some Zoloft.

Still, it remains one of the most heroic political moves of the 19th century and it will be lauded throughout time as a superiorly moral stand against the ugliness and inhumanity of a deplorable institution.

Well, that and the beautiful check it placed on the French and British not to come in and recognize and trade with the CSA (above board.)

Coincidently enough, I'm living some great reality at the moment :)

Yup, to get legitimacy of their party, today's republicans have to reach back 150 years to a guy who advocated big government, handouts to minorities, federally funded railways, land giveaways, and who on top of all that slept with a man on at least one occasion.

The Florida newspaper cited "anemic" economic growth and a growing poverty rate as reasons to throw their support behind the GOP candidate as opposed to President Barack Obama, which they did in 2008.

...He virtually single-handedly destroyed the Soviet Empire...well, that and the fact that he happened to be the very charismatic president in office just as the piss poor political, social and economic ideology of Marx, Lenin and Trotsky's Communism was reaching its inevitable collapse. But, who knows, his hawkish foriegn policy may even of had a little to do with it, eh?

Anyone with even a hint of knowledge...

Uhh... no. Anyone with even a hint of knowledge of 20th century Soviet history knows that the USSR failed completely on its own. They would have collapsed with Raygun in office, and they would have collapsed with the corpse of Millard Fillmore in office.

I laughed at the idea that Reagan single-handedly brought down USSR. To have such power... wow!

I laughed...

Good. That was the idea.

don't worry, we're laughing at you, not with you.

don't worry, we're laughing at you, not with you.

Yup, to get legitimacy of their party, today's republicans have to reach back 150 years to a guy who advocated big government, handouts to minorities, federally funded railways, land giveaways, and who on top of all that slept with a man on at least one occasion.

Which was also when Evangelical Christians campaigned for equal rights for women, prison reform, improved working conditions for workers and the expansion of universal, publicly funded education. Funny how times have changed, eh?

Curt

Well, the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.~Ronald Reagan

So... Now you are showing us that "Ronnie" was a plagiarist, or, you are just too stupid to recognize it?

Yup, to get legitimacy of their party, today's republicans have to reach back 150 years to a guy who advocated big government, handouts to minorities, federally funded railways, land giveaways, and who on top of all that slept with a man on at least one occasion.

You might want to pick up a copy of James Oakes, Freedom National: The Destruction of Slavery in the United States, 1861-1865. It'll go a long way in dispelling some of the myths you appear to be teaching.

Like what? I've read several reviews of the book (have not read it yet, though), and it does not appear to contradict anything that I said above.

You do remember that pinkie has a filter that basically polarizes any data to fit the polarity he choses, right? It really doesn;t matter WHAT goes in, as only ONE thing comes out of that filter.

More important, I think we all know why pinkie is staying out of the soapbox for the last few days.

More important, I think we all know why pinkie is staying out of the soapbox for the last few days.

Yeah, I work at two hospitals AND I'm trying to get a couple of pieces of art for a show next month....I just don't have the time for your stupid shit.

Read the book and you'll see what I'm talking about with Lincoln and the EP.