Today we mourn the passing of an old friend by the
 name of Common Sense. Common sense lived a long life
 but died from heart failure. No one really knows how
 old he was since his birth records were long ago lost
 in bureaucratic red tape. He selflessly devoted his
 life to service in schools, hospitals, homes, factories
 and offices. He helped folks get jobs done without
 fanfare and foolishness. For decades, petty rules, silly
 laws and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common
 Sense. He was credited with cultivating such valued
 lessons as to know when to come in out of the rain, the
 early bird gets the worm, and life isn't always fair.
  Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies
  (don't spend more than you earn), reliable parenting
 strategies (the adults are in charge, not the kids),
 and it's okay to come in second. A veteran of the
 Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, and the
 Technological Revolution, Common Sense survived cultural
 and educational trends including, body piercing, whole
 language, Ebonics and new math.  His health declined when
 he became infected with the "If it only helps one person
 it’s worth it" bug. In recent decades his waning strength
 proved no match for the ravages of overbearing federal
 regulation. He watched in pain as good people became ruled
 by self-seeking lawyers and enlightened auditors. Common
 Sense knew the end was near when schools endlessly implemented
 zero tolerance policies, reports of six-year-old boys charged
 with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, a teen
 suspended for taking a swig of mouthwash after lunch, and
 a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, when
 schools had to get parental consent to administer aspirin to
 a student but cannot inform the parent when the female student
 is pregnant or wants an abortion.  Finally, Common Sense lost
 his wills to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband,
 churches became businesses, criminals received better
 treatment than victims, and federal judges stuck their noses
 in everything from Boy Scouts to professional sports.
  Common Sense drifted in and out of logic but was kept
 informed of developments, regarding questionable regulations
 for asbestos, low-flow toilets, smart guns, the nurturing of
 Prohibition Laws and mandatory air bags. Common Sense was
 preceded in death by his parents Truth and Trust; his wife,
 Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

  Three stepbrothers survive him: Rights, Tolerance and Whiner.
  Not many attended his funeral unfortunately, because so few
 realize he is gone.