It's time to send an unmistakable message to Congress and the White House: End the silence on poverty, don't make poverty worse by making cuts to Social Security or Medicare, and address a principle cause of poverty with a permanent fix to our dysfunctional health care system.

The "Grand Bargain" promoted by Wall St. is in reality the "Great Betrayal" of the people who elected you. You, not Republicans, won a mandate to stand for people.

* Both parties showcase diversity at conventions * Seeking ways to lessen Obama's vote deficit among whites ...

Chief Justice Roberts' opinion upholding the Affordable Care Act, coupled with his rejection of limits on campaign contributions, is completely consistent with his history as a servant of America's corporate oligarchy.

So, yes, the bill is highly flawed and somewhat wrong-headed -- but what it IS is a huge step in the right direction. And today's court decision cements that.

Let me humbly suggest that as an alternative to a mandatory system rejected by the majority, we return to the idea of covering most people by attracting them to quality public and private programs through consumer choice. It's called Medicare and it works splendidly.

Instead of trying to dress up our broken private insurance-based system, or resuscitating elements of a convoluted plan the court may overturn, it's time to try something different.

Most Americans favor many of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. But the overall plan rests on forcing you and me to buy insurance from the same companies that have been driving up the costs of health care all along.

From the standpoint of constitutional law, overturning the Affordable Care Act could put dangerous constitutional restraints on Congress's ability to forge national solutions to national economic problems. That's a dangerous precedent that goes far beyond health care policy.

Sadly for America, there is far too much money, and far too little sunlight, in a government that most voters believe, correctly, is corrupted by money that buys democracy in the dark.

Paul D. Clement, legal icon of the conservative movement, found himself suggesting a tax hike that violates every fiber in the political body of congressional Republicans as well as the Grover Norquist pledge to never raise taxes in any way or for any reason -- ever.

I'd love to see the President yell "CLEAR", put the paddles to the chest and restart the heart of the economy. You want to stimulate the economy and lower taxes - this is perfect.

We are the United States of America, the greatest country on earth. We build wealth. We don't default.

The media is quick to praise the "courage" of politicians who propose cutting Medicare. But there's nothing courageous about putting more of the burden of medical care onto seniors who have spent a lifetime paying Medicare taxes.

Democrats have handicapped themselves by starting with compromise in talks regarding the economy and deficit reduction, just as they did with health care reform.

When 40% of the Senate votes for a policy that's opposed by 78% of the public, it suggests that one of our political parties has been profoundly radicalized. In a two-party system, that's a serious challenge for democracy.

Once again President Obama has missed an opportunity to get the country on the right track. And, if his previous negotiations with the Republicans are a measure of the likely outcome, his already weak proposal is going to get worse.

Democrats who think Ryan has guaranteed the GOP's demise by proposing to shred Medicare will soon be rudely disabused of that notion. Insurers have shown time and again they can persuade Americans to act against their best interests.

Perhaps unwittingly, U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson of Richmond, Va., has enhanced the prospects for single-payer health reform. He did so Monday by...