Let's take a moment and reflect on how intricate of a government that the United States if America has today.  It seems like an impossible task to configure the blueprints of this democracy like the founding fathers did. They had no roadmap, since the last great democracy happened in Greece.  All they knew was what they didn't want their government to be like.  They knew they didn't want a king, and they didn't want the government to have the ability to levy ridiculous taxes.  Now after they scrapped their rough draft know as the Articles of Confederation, they created a functional government which could protect its citizens and be productive.  Throughout the next 2 and a half centuries, our government has evolved into a more modern style where politicians go to school to learn how to argue their political point and the military representatives in congress are reducing in percentage.  However, America is still based off of the constitution which was implemented roughly 2.5 centuries ago.  It has made its way through numerous recessions and one Great Depression.  It will always be there, and will always be difficult to change because it is hard to argue with something that has lasted so long.

Nelson Mandela died Thursday which caused so many people worldwide to take a moment to remember his life out of respect.  By definition he was a socialist, but his policies fit the needs of South Africa.  He broke down so many barriers including his efforts to wipe racism out of South Africa.  He was a philanthropist to many organizations including his own foundation committed to HIV and AIDS research.  Though his rule in South Africa was short, his impact on South Africa will forever be felt.  In the very least, Nelson Mandela shows that different governments work for different countries.  America has a democracy based on limited government and we love it because it is our culture.  Under Mandela, South Africa has a socialist government which the citizens loved too because it was their culture and the fact that it worked so well.  This shows that for government, one size does not fit all, and is based off of the culture and people.

A deal has been reached with Iran to slow their quest for nuclear weapons.  America wants Iran to give up on their nuclear program because they say it is a threat to the world's safety, but Rouhani insists that the nuclear program is merely for enrichment, and therefore their right.   My opinion on this problem is that all nuclear programs in the world should be ended, but since that does not seem like a likely situation, other strategies are needed.  It doesn't seem right to me that America has deemed theirselves the only responsible enough country to handle possession of nuclear weapons.  We say that Iran shouldn't have them because they are dangerous people who could blow up the whole world.  Don't get me wrong, I am a total patriot and give the military my 100% support, but I'm not sure if we can just declare that we are responsible enough to handle nuclear weapons.  I don't believe any country should have that right.  After all, America is the only in country in history to ever use a nuclear bomb on another nation, yet we think we are responsible enough to possess them?  The only way to make a step forward in world peace is to eliminate nuclear weapons on a global level.  No nation should be allowed to hold that much power.

It is hard for me to understand how congress fails to remember the basic principle that was no doubt hammered into their heads as they were students in high school.  The fact that "the reason we learn about history is so that we are better prepared for the future because history repeats itself". In recent years, congress has once again tried the philosophy that releasing a federal budget is not necessary and just too much work.  I do not understand how they thought that this was a good idea when only 15 years ago congress tried this, and it led to a governmental shutdown.  When congress fails to publish a budget, it passes a continuing resolution which let's agencies do what they did last year and take the same amount.  This is a lazy process that occurs when congress gives up on compromising.  And once again, in 2013, it led to another governmental shutdown.  If congress doesn't get their act together and start passing a budget, the next time a Democrat is in office, the same incident will occur.  I don't think the government has a spending problem, because most of the things that the federal government finances is mandatory things.  I think the government has a problem with big picture spending.  Every American can decide that one day they are going to treat themselves to a new refrigerator or a new shirt, but at the end of the month, those people have to own up to their spending because they allocate themselves a personal budget.  It is time that the national government has to live to those same standards and the only way it can be held responsible is if they pass a federal budget.

If you need any proof that children rebel against their parents when they grow up, you need not look further than the marijuana business.  Back in the 70's, with love, sex, and rock and roll, marijuana was just one of the recreational drugs that were being used heavily.  The children of those hippies decided for themselves that maybe it's not such a good idea to turn out like my parents because they all have STD's and a number of brain cells lost.  As a result, the marijuana industry declined.  In recent years, the children of the children of those hippies are trying to reverse things again.  California led the way a couple of years ago by permitting Marijuana for the medicinal values it can have.  This past year, Colorado led the way by being the first state to pass the use of marijuana for recreational use.  The business purpose of this law was to place a heavy tax on marijuana that would make the state richer.  The Colorado act to legalize marijuana was a public warranted initiative.  Not only do those people really love their pot, they are adamant enough to make it happen. If history is any indication, a lot more states will soon follow Colorado's lead and legalize marijuana. If this process takes too long, however, the next generation of leaders will turn the tide again to make sure that marijuana stays illegal in other states.

LGBT rights is a touchy subject to a lot of people because some feel uncomfortable discussing it due to their religion and some feel uncomfortable talking about it because they feel misunderstood.  I do not think this is an issue that should be brushed aside because it is the next step in civil rights. Back in the 50's and 60's the African Americans attained their justice from peaceful demonstrations and now in the 2000's the LGBT community is peacefully protesting in Washington to gain their full rights as a normal citizen. With the striking down of DOMA, the LGBT crowd made significant improvements in their rights and I believe that it will only progress forward from this point.  In 50 years I'm sure we will look back and won't understand how the times have changed just as we do now with black rights

In George Washington's farewell address, he said that political parties would do nothing but cause a division among the American people, and therefore advised America to not divide into factions.  Immediately after he died, the US divided into factions.  The factions divide people and make them change their ideologies so that they better fit the party that they associate themselves with.  In contrast, political parties trade off their party platforms so they can get more voters.  The flexibility of these political parties is a compromise between the two party system and Washington's no party system.  I know this is a stretch, but this flexibility between the parties keeps America from reaching a stalemate over issues.  This sort of thing happened when the democrats reached a deal with the republicans a couple week ago ending the shutdown. Washington did not get his wish of America not splitting into factions, but our political are capable of compromises which allows for progress