August 5

1861 - President Lincoln signed into law the first federal income tax, which levied a maximum of 3% on income over $800. It was meant as a Civil War tax only and was rescinded in 1872.

$800/year was quite a bit back then. And 3% would be a wet-dream for those of us living in the modern age...That said, the American economy would do back-flips for a top rate of 20%, and there is a 0% chance it will ever be rescinded again.

1864 - Union Admiral David G. Farragut is said to have given his famous order, "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!" as he led his fleet against Mobile Bay, Alabama:  American Civil War.

Farragut was the dominant naval figure of the Civil War, and capturing the Confederate port at Mobile Bay (after previously capturing New Orleans) effectively isolated the South from the rest of the world.

1936 - Jesse Owens won his third gold medal by running a 200-meter race in 20.7 seconds at the Olympic Games held in Berlin, Germany.

So much for the 'master race.'

It was great for Jesse to stick it to Hitler...Sadly, however, he returned to the U.S. with no civil rights or opportunity to better himself, and more or less died a broke and broken man.

1974 - President Nixon admitted ordering the Watergate investigation halted six days after the break-in. Nixon said he expected to be impeached.

Nixon was a tragic - and pathetic - figure, who had the talent and opportunity to become one of America’s better presidents, but was paranoid and doomed to self destruction.

The damage he did to the Republican Party is immeasurable...The damage he did to America was likewise - if for no other reason, Nixon led to Jimmy Carter becoming President.

1981 - The U.S. federal government began firing air traffic controllers who had gone on strike.

Good! Unions had their time in the sun, but have overplayed their hands...Especially public service unions, which are employees of the U.S. taxpayer.

Besides that, any industry which is a national necessity should never go on strike...If they do the American people must be protected, and replacing them as necessary should be the absolute policy.

1990 - President GHW Bush again denounced the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, telling reporters, "This will not stand. This will not stand, this aggression against Kuwait."

It’s too bad GW Bush wasn't president at this time, because if he had been it is likely the First Persian Gulf War would have been the ONLY Persian Gulf War.

1991 - Iraq admitted it misled U.N. inspectors about secret biological weapons and also admitted to extracting plutonium from fuel at a nuclear plant.

But they didn’t have them in 2003...Riiiiiiiiiight!?!?!?!

1998 - Iraq President Saddam Hussein broke off cooperation with U.N. weapons inspectors and demanded the commission monitoring Iraqi weapons be reorganized.

GHW Bush failed us when it came to Saddam, and so did Bubba...This should have been handled in the 1990’s, and both presidents and parties deserve a lot of blame for the failure to get it done.