Twenty Democratic candidates took the CNN stage Tuesday, July 30, and Wednesday, July 31, for the second round of Democratic debates ahead of the 2020 presidential primary. Right out of the gate, the field heatedly divided itself on issues like health care, immigration, criminal justice, and more as each Democrat tried to set themselves apart from the rest.

Sanders and Warren took on John Delaney and Tim Ryan over their Medicare for All plan, Kamala Harris continued to go on the offensive against Joe Biden. And Tulsi Gabbard went after Harris for alleged hypocrisy:

The Supreme Court’s decision to punt on partisan gerrymandering (RUCHO ET AL. v. COMMON CAUSE ET AL.) was discouraging for many in the electoral reform movement, but really should not have come as a surprise. The recent Court has given broad latitude to the Constitution’s granting to state legislatures control of state election law.

As the Nation prepares to watch the second set of Democratic presidential debates, we should be asking ourselves a question: What about the Republicans? Shouldn’t it be a big deal that the Republican Party is NOT planning to hold debates for the 2020 presidential primary?   We even see some of the state parties talking about not holding a primary at all.  Does that sound like fair and open elections?

Russ Verney and David M. Walker join Deconstructed’s host, T.J. O’Hara, to discuss the political legacy of H. Ross Perot.

Mr. Verney was a top advisor and spokesperson for Ross Perot’s 1992 presidential campaign in which Mr. Perot garnered 19% of the popular vote. Mr. Verney was also the first Chair of the Reform Party and Ross Perot’s campaign director during the latter’s 1996 presidential run.

Detroit, MI – Increasing uproar over the Democratic Party’s arbitrary debate exclusions reveals questions about the party’s democratic values.

"I want to be an active mayor that focuses on solving real problems. That would be a marked change from recent years." ~ Assemblyman Todd Gloria, 2020 Mayoral Candidate

San Diego, Calif.- Assemblyman Todd Gloria has a plan.

A plan to get the city moving again.

A champion for housing solutions, Gloria is ready to curb the crisis. He has a plan for homelessness, the convention center expansion, and ending the much publicized feud between the fire and lifeguard departments.

Do you remember the old Schoolhouse Rock segment about how a bill becomes a law? The first step, according to the bill, is that constituents come together in support of new legislation, they call their congressman, and the congressman sponsors the bill.

I first heard the news that Ross Perot had died last Tuesday afternoon and it didn’t take long for the major media obituaries to appear. In public life in America, your obituary is written long before you die – literally and figuratively.