WorkforAll had the following illustration showing the connection with the size of the federal government and how fast that country can grow its wealth.
![Public Spending [Size of Government] and Wealth Growth](http://www.truthfulpolitics.com/images/public-spending-wealth-growth.gif)
To read the entire article, click on EU : Causes of Growth differentials in Europe
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Oct 082010
truthfulpolitics.com
Oct 082010
Truthfulpolitics.com reviewed the Preliminary Report on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Securities at End-June 2008 from the U.S. Treasury Department issued in February 2009. The report shows what countries hold United States debt and the amount.
- China (Mainland) excludes Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, which are reported separately.
- Middle East Oil Exporters includes Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates.
Click on the chart below to see an enlarged, clearer chart.
To read the entire report, click on Preliminary Report on Foreign Holdings of U.S. Securities at End-June 2008.
Oct 082010
Project America illustrated the change to the U.S. federal debt by president (administration):
Click on the chart below to see an enlarged, clearer chart.
For additional information, click on Project America: Budget: Federal Debt: Federal Debt Added.
Oct 082010
Click on the chart below to see an enlarged, clearer chart.
To read additional information, click on Palm Center of the University of California at Santa Barbara, Sage Publications “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and the respective polling organizations.
Click on the chart below to see an enlarged, clearer chart.
According to the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA), the following countries allow openly gay, lesbian and bisexual persons to serve in the army. The report was published in 2006 and the year next to each country indicates the year that country allowed service:
Australia (1992), Austria, Bahamas, Bulgaria (2004), Canada (1992), Colombia (1999), Croatia, Czech Republic (1999), Denmark (1978), Estonia, Finland, France, Germany (2000/01), Hungary, Ireland, Israel (1993), Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands (1973), New Zealand (1993), Norway (1979), Peru (2004), Portugal (1999), Slovenia, South Africa (1996), Spain, Sweden (1976), Switzerland (1992), Taiwan (2002), Thailand (2005), United Kingdom (2000).
The following countries do not allow open service:
Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Cyprus, Greece, Libya, Philippines, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Turkey, United States.
To read the entire report, click on LGBT world legal wrap up survey.
Oct 082010
According to the United States General Accounting Office, in 1997 there were 1,049 federal laws in which benefits, rights, and privileges based on marital status. In 2003, 1,138 federal laws existed. The benefits included social security benefits, veterans’ benefits, taxation, federal employee benefits, immigration and naturalization, and intellectual property rights. To read the entire report, click on Defense of Marriage Act: Update to Prior Report.
Oct 082010
The Family Research Council illustrated some differences between homosexual couples and heterosexual couples.
- Heterosexual marriages last longer the homosexual relationships.
- Homosexual males have more infidelity than heterosexual couples.
- Violence between the partners happens more in homosexual relationships than in heterosexual relationships.
To read the entire article, click on Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples. To read information on benefits availability between same-sex couples and heterosexual couples, click on Benefits Available to Same-Sex Couples Compared to Heterosexual Couples.
Oct 082010
According to Michael Dobbs of The Washington Post “domestic partnerships or civil unions were introduced in Washington D.C. in 1992, Hawaii in 1997, Vermont and California in 2000, Maine in 2004, Connecticut in 2005, and New Jersey in 2006, and Washington in 2007. Only one state, Massachusetts (2004), permits same-sex marriage.” Marriage rates have decreased from 69.3% in 1960 to 56.3% in 2006. Marriage rates “have not fallen appreciably faster in the last decade than during the preceding four decades.”
To read the entire article, click on Sam Brownback and Gay Marriage.
Oct 082010
According to the Pew Research Center, “a study released by the European Commission in 2006 found that a plurality of people in the European Union (49%) oppose gay marriage. Yet, as in the United States, the public remains divided, with 44% [of people in the European Union] favoring same-sex marriage.”
The article also stated “that while a majority of Americans (55%) oppose same-sex marriage, a sizable minority (37%) favor it, figures that have varied only slightly since 2001. A 2006 Pew survey also found that a majority of Americans (54%) favor allowing civil unions, up from 45% in 2003.”
Source: Pew Research Center, Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987-2007, March 22, 2007
To read the entire article, click on Same-Sex Marriage: Redefining Marriage Around the World.
Oct 082010
According to About.com, the following countries/states allow same-sex marriage:
- The Netherlands/Holland, 2001
- Belgium, 2003
- Massachusetts, USA, 2004
- Canada, 2005
- Spain, 2005
- South Africa, 2006
- Connecticut, USA, 2008
- Norway, 2009
- Iowa, USA, 2009
- Sweden, 2009
- Vermont, USA, 2009
Furthermore, according to About.com, the following countries/states allow same-sex registered partnerships / civil unions or provide some form of spousal rights for gay couples:
- Denmark, 1989.
- Norway, 1993.
- Sweden, 1996.
- Iceland, 1996.
- France, 1999.
- Vermont, USA, 2000.
- Germany, 2001.
- Finland, 2002.
- Luxembourg, 2004.
- New Zealand, 2004
- Connecticut, USA, 2005
- Britain, 2005
- New Jersey, USA, 2006
- New Hampshire, USA, 2008
- Oregon, USA, 2008
- Maine, USA
- California, USA
- Washington, USA
- Hawaii, USA
To read the entire article, click on Same-Sex Marriage FAQ – – Gender-Neutral Marriage Laws.
Truthfulpolitics.com researched that same-sex partnership rights, ranging from full marriage to domestic partnerships, are currently recognized in nine states:
- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, and Vermont allow same-sex marriage.
- New Jersey and New Hampshire allows civil unions.
- California, Hawaii, and Maine have domestic partnership registries.
Oct 082010
truthful politics researched cars in since 1994 with city mpg greater than 30. The following list is not all inclusive:
| Car | City Mileage | |
| 2000 Honda Insight | 49 | |
| 2004 Toyota Prius | 48 | |
| 1994 Geo Metro (owned by GM) | 43 | |
| 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid | 49 | |
| 1994 Honda Civic | 39 | |
| 1995 Suzuki Swift | 37 | |
| 2002 Volkswagen Jetta Wagon | 35 | |
| 1999 Volkswagen New Beetle | 35 | |
| 1999 Volkswagen New Golf | 35 | |
| 2000 Volkswagen Jetta | 35 | |
| 1995 Ford Aspire | 31 |
For additional information or automobiles, click on U.S. Department of Energy website www.fueleconomy.gov.
Politifact.com reported in March 2009 that the Ford Model T from 1908 had better gas mileage than a typical SUV in 2008. The Ford Model T averaged 20 miles per gallon, while SUV’s averaged 18.1 miles per gallon. However, Model T’s top speed was 40 miles per hour and they did not have features of modern cars like seat belts, airbags, etc. To read the entire report, click on Model T got better mileage than SUVs.
Newsweek reports annually on the most efficient cars. To see the current year’s list and previous years’ lists, click on Energy Efficient Cars.