Unlike the rest of the world's democracies, the United States doesn't use the metric system, doesn't require employers to provide workers with paid vacations, hasn't abolished the death penalty, and doesn't celebrate May Day as an official national holiday.

Immigration reform is a test of whether we have learned the right lessons from our own history.

It is easy to forget that in his day, in his own country, King was considered a dangerous troublemaker. He was harassed by the FBI and vilified in the media. In fact, King was radical. He believed that America needed a "radical redistribution of economic and political power."

As we commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., our nation both reflects on the past and ponders the future. As we commemorate the legislative victories, the heroism, commitment and sacrifice, I am reminded of the work that remains.

There are many things to be thankful for in 2012. People have been taking to the streets around the world, from students in Chile to indigenous activists in Canada to anti-austerity workers in Europe. Here are some U.S. and global issues that experienced newfound gains in 2012.

Respect for the civil and labor rights of all workers, both documented and undocumented, is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing if Alabama wants to keep and expand its exports to Mexico and the jobs they support.

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), one of President Barack Obama's most vocal critics on immigration, was sitting at dinner with his family a...

WASHINGTON -- The House Republican version of the new Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) would dramatically roll back confidentiality protections for a...

Civil rights advocates have been fighting this year against controversial voter ID laws in a number of states across the country. On Tuesday, 93-year-...