Historical Political Events for February 2

Year	Event
1848	The U.S.-Mexican war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo. Mexico cedes 35% of its territory to the U.S., including what is now California and all lands north of the Rio Grande. The U.S. agrees to pay $15 million in claims.
1901	Female Army Nurse Corps established as a permanent organization.
1905	Ayn Rand, author and philosopher, born this date in the U.S.S.R.
1976	This February, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that four recent cases of influenza among army recruits at Fort Dix were caused by the same virus believed to be the agent of the 1918-19 flu pandemic in which 50,000 Americans died. The federal government set in action a $135 million inoculation program in which 48 million Americans receive influenza shots, some of which were quite harmful -- with several deaths resulting. The predicted "epidemic" was a false alarm.
1977	President Carter (D) signs the Emergency Natural Gas Act of 1977. Of course, there was not an emergency -- then or now -- but it sounded presidential.
1980	A thirty six hour riot begins in the New Mexico State Penitentiary, much overcrowded due to "Drug War" arrests, leaving 33 inmates dead and $25 million in property damage. (WSJ, August 18, 1981, "Life in Prison: More Riots Are Feared as Overcrowding Fuels Tension Behind Bars")
2007	Today's Example of a Most Interesting Government Purchase: OTTAWA, CANADA - After months of criticism that it was spending too much taxpayers' money without proper competition, the Conservative government will formally announce today its $3.4-billion contract with the U.S. firm, Boeing Co., to buy four massive military transport planes -- without competitive bidding. [It is certainly nice of the Canadians to pitch in on supporting our massive, gluttonous, "Military-Industrial-Complex". It really is too much for us to bear alone.]
2009	2) Congress passes and the Obama Administration signs the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which includes a wide range of spending plans

Year

Event

1848

The U.S.-Mexican war ends with the signing of the Treaty of Guadelupe Hidalgo. Mexico cedes 35% of its territory to the U.S., including what is now California and all lands north of the Rio Grande. The U.S. agrees to pay $15 million in claims.

1901

Female Army Nurse Corps established as a permanent organization.

1905

Ayn Rand, author and philosopher, born this date in the U.S.S.R.

1976

This February, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) determined that four recent cases of influenza among army recruits at Fort Dix were caused by the same virus believed to be the agent of the 1918-19 flu pandemic in which 50,000 Americans died. The federal government set in action a $135 million inoculation program in which 48 million Americans receive influenza shots, some of which were quite harmful -- with several deaths resulting. The predicted "epidemic" was a false alarm.

1977

President Carter (D) signs the Emergency Natural Gas Act of 1977. Of course, there was not an emergency -- then or now -- but it sounded presidential.

1980

A thirty six hour riot begins in the New Mexico State Penitentiary, much overcrowded due to "Drug War" arrests, leaving 33 inmates dead and $25 million in property damage. (WSJ, August 18, 1981, "Life in Prison: More Riots Are Feared as Overcrowding Fuels Tension Behind Bars")

2007

Today's Example of a Most Interesting Government Purchase: OTTAWA, CANADA - After months of criticism that it was spending too much taxpayers' money without proper competition, the Conservative government will formally announce today its $3.4-billion contract with the U.S. firm, Boeing Co., to buy four massive military transport planes -- without competitive bidding. [It is certainly nice of the Canadians to pitch in on supporting our massive, gluttonous, "Military-Industrial-Complex". It really is too much for us to bear alone.]

2009

2) Congress passes and the Obama Administration signs the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which includes a wide range of spending plans

"There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with."
— From Atlas Shrugged, 1957, by Ayn Rand

Historical Political Events for February 2

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