August 05, 2010 — Today we spent the majority of our time at the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Once we got there, we immediately noticed the relatively new (2004) WWII memorial and paid our respects to those who’ve paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Unfortunately it started pouring, so we sought shelter in the Lincoln Memorial with hundreds of other tourists. We were stranded there for quite some time, limiting our ability to get many interviews. Once the rain finally let up, David and I tried our luck back at the Washington Monument only to have the rain start back up and soak us from head to toe. Sitting atop the hill at the base of the Washington Monument, I looked at the Capital building down the way. I saw it in a haze of rain; and at that moment, I couldn’t help but think of the mist that surrounded it when this bill was forced into law. So much of this was created and negotiated behind closed doors, keeping the public’s impact at a minimum. The capital building is supposed to represent a balance of power and representation of the people, but I could no longer see it in that light. When walking back to the car in the downpour, I felt the irresistible urge to see The Constitution. David and I walked block after block in the rain but felt as though I was getting closer to something bigger than ourselves. Even though we were both freezing when we finally made it inside the National Archives Building, seeing the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, and The Bill of Rights made me forget about the water in my shoes. These documents created our country and established the framework for the most amazing system of government the world has seen. Yes, they have protected our rights and freedoms until now, but we now must protect them. We can’t sit back and hope the system will self correct because it is getting close to the point where it is no longer an option. Before this health care bill can damage our nation, we need to repeal and replace the health care reform bill with responsible reform that will benefit all of its citizens and protect our freedom. -Chris