Why would anyone in their right mind even consider ObamaCare? Just alone the video clips that show this President openly and willfully lying about what portions of one's own plan that won't be lost because of ObamaCare is lurid. I highly resent the federal government making decisions in my life without consulting me first -- for approval. What President Obama has done to politics and/or constructive political thinking is laughable. The government has never built a thing from scratch without there being never-ending mitigating factors (e.g., Social Security, Healthcare, any fixed retirement, IRS crisis, Viet Nam, name it and we'll be assured of it not working -- yet costing billions of dollars. Oh yes...when testing the atomic bomb the scientists and government did not know it the explosion would stop....ahem....

I will readily agree with the post by "Bobbie" insofar as he is clear about his feelings in re: this entire Monument Closure debacle. As Ann Coulter takes every opportunity in her spell binding and best selling books, "if you want to or need to shut up a liberal, simply align them to the truth..." This entire business with America's NPS is obscene and in place for one reason -- trying to hurt Republicans and those American's who do not buy into their B/S. I'm confused (not really, but this makes for good conversation) with how in the world could something be shut down that you (We) own? All Parks and Rec's people acting as guides, the first thing they utter is to the notion that "The Supreme Court building, Jefferson's Memorial, the Tidal Basis..." belong to us; why? Because we paid for them. I am simply outraged by an administration deliberately trying to skirt the Constitution when anyone will openly say that it is our Government that does not stay to the law of the land.

Thank you! There are a few items that spring to my mind that somehow fell short of making it to your well-written article. As sure as everything Jean Piaget, Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud are clear proof of stumbling minds trying to "label" everything from how a child learns to how one entertains themselves.

One issue that I found lacking almost in every instance,are the notions of fun and emotionality. If one were to venture to Australia where the society gets along better than we Americans do; there is no doubt that if there are two or more Aussies gathered let the games begin! Most of the games are gambling to the extreme of "Two-Up." Two coins tossed into the air one person establishes odd or even and when the coins drop and are compared one of the pair or mob will be the winner. Sure no one has ever lost sight of the odds and chances of winning (both being a flat 50%) however, whatever the damage the games played are still done so in a manner and spirit of fun...Why?

Because SPARK! go the endorphins, two parts: endo- and -orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended to mean "a morphine-like substance originating from within the body mostly intensified from the brain. The term "endorphin rush" has been adopted in popular speech to refer to a feeling of exhilaration that can be brought on by pain, danger, or other forms of stress. Why would playing or gaming be left out of this description. Educators all know that recess or even social activity needs to flourish in order for receptiveness and learning.

Therefore, and your antiquities are a marvelous enhancement, that playful activities have been with humans and/or other species of animals perhaps since day one.

The brain includes several distinct dopamine systems, one of which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior. Every type of reward that has been studied increases the level of dopamine in the brain, and a variety of addictive drugs, including stimulants such as cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine, act by amplifying the effects of dopamine. Other brain dopamine systems are involved in motor control and in controlling the release of several important hormones.

Not wishing to leave anyone out -- in the Declaration of Independence it is written, "...for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;" however, for those who have intently studied the lives of the founders and framers the "pursuit of happiness" was written for the term of creativity. The founding fathers realized how important creativity and play is to humankind. More thoughts later....

jps

This entire "welfare reform package" basically ushered in by two very sloppy administrations ostensibly is another reason why America is failing. We know the expressions and the cliches about 'hard working Americans' whilst the 'Lord helps those who help themselves' neither of which is correct or even conscionable when considering National Debt, Obamacare, and the influx of 15 million immigrants. There is far too much to do to get our nation back even a penance of where we once were.

Mr. Dan Poole: For the most part your comment is spot on; I both enjoyed your piece and then again, there was a ostensibly dangling moderator in there that makes zero sense, and it does appear to place your comment on a whole different continuum. Nonetheless, I try to take both the good and the bad and look for critical thinking; fortunately, your comment does have its share of good and viable points of reason.

I too have several trepidations vis-a-vie the "legislation" as McCain calls it. Seems to me that we have a number of issues that must be rectified before Immigration Reform is even looked at. This next part is for me and others -- unless you'd like to chime in.

Why are the Gang of Eight rushing to get more laws on the books? Simple, most of them either want some kind of legacy or more to the point, their clocks are up both as elected officials as well as life itself. That is one such issue. Furthermore, it is more than obvious that these folks want nothing to do with security, an efficient immigration system, checks and balances, real reform, and the matter of amnesty is simply ludicrous as it now stands.

I feel that this attempt at a piece of legislation needs to break down the subparts and each of such needs serious attention, such as: Immigration, Border Security, an honest means of checks and balances within DHS and its fellow agencies, Reform -- there currently is nothing within the 855 pages that remotely deals with Reforming the system yet, that is precisely what they are alleging. Nuff said.

fedowned823, as for me and mine what you have stated is equivocal b. squat.

Amy, it is incumbent upon all of us to tell everyone we know about this particular problem! As far as I am concerned (REAL) immigration reform should start right here! Whenever people of good character are placed (as now) at the low end -- that in and of itself allows me to know where we need to put our priorities and good leadership on reform.

Excellent comment Bobbie! Unfortunately what you have to say is very true; nonetheless it is also illuminating those who are creating the problems which is of course the members of our very own government. I do this so rarely, that is, talk about my experience born and raised in this country we refer to as America especially in lieu of what has happened say in the last generation.

My age stands at the "New 40" so I feel as though I am wiser, better educated, and far more knowledgeable about these turbulent times in the nation's history than even tenured Congressional officials, including the President.

In my circles whilst growing up we knew that this was happening. We all wrote publically about it; we in our strongest language rebuked any and all efforts the government used to not do their jobs. Most of all we saw the greed in people -- not just illegal immigrants -- but all people who feel as though the US government owes them something. My circle of friends, colleagues, and associates believe the best time to make a solid move would have been immediately post 9/11.

We all have agreed in principle that any person without the appropriate documentation or at the very least a paper trail worth of effort should have been "asked or requested nicely" that they leave until America could clean up its immigration services. The folks in my circles are not a rude sort by any means, yet decided that those who did not comply by understanding America's plight, would be deported. Our original writings to the public, as well as our Congressional officials started in the early 1970s insofar as we knew what it was to coming too.

And finally just from the article above as well as your comment, I understand where and why various new immigrants could be as pissed-off as Hades. And to think there exists a self-proclaimed "Gang of Eight" who have written nothing new (please see the IRCA) because that is where they got their ideals. Anyway, knowing what America is about to do via illegal aliens, all 19 million of them... is unconscionable as well as reprehensible.

jps

Susan: Hello, I'm Paul Schilling just weighing-in on some misnomers of humankind. One will not find anything about marriage between a man and a woman in the U.S. Constitution. I have empathy for you and understand the idea of busting my head against a wall. The only reason anyone would ask you to find something in the Constitution, is because they know that these areas are not mentioned in the Constitution. So hoping to assist you, try not be frustrated.

I am moved by such a passionate article. Whilst statistics, polling data, and especially the mainstream media have all proven that traditional marriage is swirling down the pipes quite hastily, there is an interesting point taken by the authors: " As the years went by and societal perceptions changed, Americans have sat and watched the change in culture without defending their way of life."

Need anyone say anything more about this "New Normal" way of life? It appears to me that Washington D.C., is far more detached from the American society than ever before. In addition, I can easily recall those very same argumentative points from the 1970s. America, much to my chagrin has become the hedonistic, convenience oriented society that even the hippies feared. But what is there to do when one is sending six faxes a week to their alleged elected officials, without so much as a return email, phone call, or fax.

Sometimes in my frustration I wonder why America has become so apathetic. Then for some reason it dawns on me that if our elected officials don't even have the shine to ask "We the People" for their feedback or remember our founder's who believed in the notion of Republican-Democracy; as we know the only way that that type of government will work is by letting the people at least have the perception that they matter in issues of public policy. Thank you.