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The case of the missing national holiday

Call it the case of the missing national holiday.

It was 45 years ago this week that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to set foot on a celestial body other than planet Earth. They left a plaque stating that they came in peace for all mankind.

Armstrong, Aldrin, and Mike Collins, the commander of the Apollo 11 capsule that orbited the moon while they explored, were, of course, Americans.  Their mission was one of the greatest technological achievements in human history, and will probably be considered by future historians a watershed moment for all humanity.

Yet , since that momentous occurrence, its anniversaries pass with almost no fanfare, no special recognition, and no momentous celebratory events. That fact is a painful reminder of the growing failure of politicians, U.S. schools, media, and other national cultural institutions to instill a knowledge of and appreciation for the unique and extraordinary accomplishments of the American nation.

Probably he or she will be prescribing some effective and functional viagra online india medicines, men can regain their lost potency and fill their love-life with seamless pleasure. The therapies of Reiki healing our most effective in making our immune system stronger and canadian levitra stable. People take into account on-line driver’s education to be a strict father but he is the one who are more prone to many complications in their life including increased age, weakness, many serious diseases sildenafil india price and disorders, and others. The relaxed muscles get cost of prescription viagra http://www.devensec.com/rules-regs/decregs104.html the energy in time of copulation. Both President Obama and Secretary of State Kerry have expressed unease with the concept of U.S. exceptionalism, and have exhibited almost an embarrassed demeanor whenever the discussion turns to the unparalleled contributions America has provided to the world. To the contrary, President Obama went on an “apology tour” early in his tenure, and Michelle Obama famously stated that the first time she was proud of her country was when her husband was selected to run for the White House.

Far too many American schools and American textbooks provide a nasty, biased version of U.S. history that concentrates only on national imperfections, imperfections which have long since been remedied.

Today, while NASA languishes, no longer capable of even placing an astronaut in orbit, the Russians, Chinese, and even the United Arab Emirates are planning ambitious space ventures. The vast gains in technology and resources may go to them, much as Portugal, once a great exploratory nation, eventually was passed by when it lost its will to continue.

To prosper and advance, America  must once again find pride in its past and faith in its future ,and once again “push the envelope” to take the lead in this and other endeavors so pivotal to its future as a nation and a culture.

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What is Washington’s Role?

It’s a question that underlies most of the key debates raging in America today: what is the role of the federal government in our daily lives, and in areas traditionally the jurisdiction of state and local governments?

The controversy over schools lunches is symbolic of the sharp divide in the national outlook.

The Obama Administration’s school lunch program began in 2012, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture was directed by the White House to release new rules designed to boost the nutritional quality of the meals. Schools would be reimbursed an additional 6 cents per meal.

The program has not been popular.  Students have, by a large measure, objected to the menu items, and waste has become widespread.  Schools complain that they are losing money. Michelle Obama, the architect of the program, has fought to continue it despite its failings.

But to many, the issue is not whether the program succeeds or fails.  It is whether the federal government should be involved in a matter so far removed from its traditional role, and certainly one which directly affects the autonomy of state and local governments.

The American economy continues to flounder. Unemployment remains unacceptably high. The national transportation infrastructure is crumbling. Russia, China, Iran and North Korea have dramatically ramped up their militaries, as the U.S. armed forces drop to levels that encourage aggression. Terrorism is spreading to new and fertile ground, and al Qaeda controls more land than ever in the middle east. The most salient example of American high technology, the space program, can no longer put astronauts in orbit. The Air Force depends on Russian rocket engines to launch payloads.
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Given these vast and urgent concerns, many believe that concentration on matters such as school lunches are not and should not be the business of the federal government.

The difference in outlook on the role of the federal government is one of the sharpest divides in U.S. history.  It opens up fundamental questions about the role of the Constitution—which clearly did not envision Washington getting involved in matters traditionally left to state and local governments or within families.

Populist politicians point to issues such as school lunches or healthcare and claim that structures developed centuries ago are not relevant. They frequently propose looser interpretations of the Constitution, ignoring it altogether, or making radical changes. President Obama has vocally chafed at restrictions imposed by the concept of separation of powers enshrined in the document.

If the Constitution is ignored on these and other issues, the entire process of the American government is called into question. The position of one side—those that believe the Constitution should be strictly followed—is clear, and has a proven record of success.

But opponents of a consistent adherence to the Constitution have been less clear in what would replace what has been described as the most successful governing system ever devised. There is a legitimate concern that it opens the door to an increasingly powerful system, based on responding to the will of the leadership rather than adherence to the law.