The draft proposal, penned by commission co-chairs Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, suggests a number of ways to cut discretionary spending by more than $200 billion in 2015 -- including reducing federal funding for the Smithsonian and the National Park Service. The commission co-chairs suggest the Smithsonian Institution should charge admission fees at its 19 museums and the National Zoo, which are all currently free, to make up for the lost funding.

If the Smithsonian's federal funding were cut by $225 million in 2015, it could make up for it by charging an average fee of $7.50 per visitor, they argue. Bowles and Simpson point out that several notable private museums in the United States charge anywhere from $10 to $20 per visitor, with lower rates for children and seniors, while zoos charge even more.

[..] On the 11th Day of the 11th month on the 11th hour, in 1918, World War I ended. Armistice Day was celebrated until 1954, when it became a day to remember everyone who had served this great nation, honorably.

As America 's 21st Century Patriots, we Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are the newest to this community, but also among the proudest. We are not just proud of our service, but proud to be joining some of the greatest Americans who ever lived. From those who served in battle, from World War II through Operation Desert Storm, and to those who served during peacetime, we are now a part of an extraordinary community.
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