Do the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) primary debate plans violate federal election rules? MSNBC reported Tuesday that an attorney for Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley believes that this is a very real possibility.

MSNBC reports:

KENTUCKY -- The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Monday that digital entrepreneur Drew Curtis and his wife, Heather, paid the required fees and submitted enough valid signatures with Kentucky's secretary of state to appear on the November ballot for governor and lieutenant governor. The husband-wife team is running on an independent ticket.

We have been conditioned to think that regular folks shouldn't run for office. That's just plain wrong.

When the Framers of the Constitution designed the checks and balances of our nation, Congress, the legislative branch, offered the most protections for the people of the United States.

As the Framers felt that Congress was the most important, they dealt with it first. Article I of the Constitution outlines the functions and functionality of the U.S. House and the Senate.

In the wake of 9/11, Republican-hopeful Carly Fiorina, then CEO of Hewlett-Packard, delivered a speech titled, "Technology, Business, and

Donald Trump has secured his role as the GOP political punching bag of this election cycle. His ongoing controversial comments on Mexican immigration have the Democratic presidential contenders swinging at Trump like a piñata filled with free votes. One critic has been quick to criticize, but hesitates to offer many specifics on his own immigration policy stance.

"There are many issues and problems in California that can be dealt with successfully if we work together in a nonpartisan way."

Those words from former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed help explain why he is participating in a series of bipartisan conversations across California with Pete Peterson, executive director of the Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine University; Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, and former president of Green Dot Public Schools, Marshall Tuck.

Responding to NATO's pledge to help Turkey counter the threat of Islamic State militant radicals, the United States sent its first military support this weekend to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.

As a governor, Scott Walker may have an advantage over some of his non-executive rivals and in his own words has said, "governors bring tremendous experience." However, as a state politician, it has not been necessary for him to speak on international issues. Yet, as the nomination process continues, his announcements and debate answers will be increasingly scrutinized.

The first question in the GOP primetime debate was a revealing one. When asked whether the candidates would pledge to support the eventual nominee, only one of the ten candidates on stage raised his hand to signal he would not: Donald Trump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-oi2Z2g0e4

Thursday's GOP primary debates covered economic, political, and social issues typical of a Republican primary election.

But how do those topics measure up against what Americans say they care about most?