The point of electing Centrist Independents is to empower the political center, to build a bridge between Republicans and Democrats, and to get things done.

Mass-Care is the name of the Bay State’s campaign to bring affordable health care to all Massachusetts residents under a single-payer system. Such a system could serve as the archetype for all of the US. However, even making strides at the state level can be difficult in the current political climate.

Massachusetts lawmakers seem open to the idea. The State Senate recently voted 33-6 (with all Republican senators dissenting) to further explore the single-payer option after prolonged debate and several changes to the bill.

Level the Playing Field filed new documents in their case against the “nonpartisan” Commission on Presidential Debates. Among them is a brief that includes a blistering response to the FEC’s argument that the CPD -- as an organization -- doesn’t have a conflict of interest, even though the majority of its board is made up of high-powered Democratic and Republican insiders.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgZZrjURmKk&t=3m41s

US Senator Bernie Sanders published an opinion piece on CNN.com, calling for an end to the "global oligarchy." Sanders is referring to a state in which "a handful of billionaires now own and control a significant part of the world economy."

Sanders writes:

A new poll conducted by the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times finds a growing number of Californian's opposed to the Gas Tax passed by the Democrat dominated legislature in Sacramento.

When voters were asked if the vote happened today, 54.2% said they would cancel the tax and fee hikes. 45.8% said they would vote to keep the increases in place.

Two groups are working to put initiatives on the November 2018 ballot. If passed, the vote would repeal the 12-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase that took effect this month.

The gun debate in America is quite complex.

On one hand, horrific events like the mass shootings of Sandy Hook and Las Vegas’ Route 91 burn images into our brains, sensationalize the firearm problem, and make us call for immediate action to stop their occurrences.

On the other hand, suicides, violent crimes, and accidents don’t evoke as much emotion, but cause much more death. America needs solutions to resolve all of the above. Unfortunately, the Left and Right are incapable of handling this on their own.

Vietnam. Iraq. Maybe North Korea next. Why does the United States keep doing this? Why are we so often at war?

American foreign and defense policy no longer makes sense. They are suited to the Cold War, but the Cold War has been over for 27 years. We are long overdue for a re-evaluation of our nation’s strategic place in the world. And for far less war making.

You may have heard that Social Security is facing serious financial problems, and you may have seen over years that Congress has done very little about them.

It is an interesting contradiction that stems in part from 3 urban legends about the program. We - the voter - hear them so much that we assume that there must be some truth in them. There isn’t.

These convictions shape who we elect, and seriously limit what candidates are willing to say to the electorate. Our firm belief in these myths leaves actual policy makers herding unicorns.

Liberal democracy is in crisis, but there are reasons for hope. That is the message coming from several voices in the reform community, including CA FWD's Lenny Mendonca and Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institute at Stanford University.

It's been a week of big headlines between two of the giant microchip makers in the world.

Broadcom made an offer to buy Qualcomm last week that was officially rejected by Qualcomm Monday.

The bid, which was for $105 billion, didn't sit well with Qualcomm officials. A statement released by the Qualcomm board of directors read in part, this deal  "significantly undervalues" the company.