Ever since the days of the Roman republic, when Quintus Tullius Cicero wrote a brief work titled “Little Handbook on Electioneering” for his brother Marcus, then a candidate for consul in Rome, political consultants have had a heavy presence in campaigns for public office.

Memorial Day's roots can be informally traced back to May 1868, first known as Decoration Day. The holiday was meant to be a time for Americans to consider the sacrifice of those who died in the Civil War, also as a day of remembrance and national unity. Bear in mind, then-president Lincoln was assassinated just a few years earlier in 1865. Understandably, the late 1860s was a time when national unity was sorely needed.

ILLINOIS -- A bill that would extend a pilot program of marijuana decriminalization in Illinois cleared one more hurdle last week, but still faces at least one more.

That our political system is dysfunctional does not need to be overstated. The latest implosion over the Trans-Pacific Partnership demonstrates that enough, and a litany of polls and statistics reinforce the failures of Congress and the shared responsibility of both parties.

Dear Governor Brown,

My name is Caitlan, and I have an 11-month-old daughter, Maggie. Prior to my career as a stay at home Mom, I worked in the financial sector for over ten years. I am the type of person that eats as much organic and unprocessed food as I can, I do yoga and Pilates every day, and I lean toward acupuncture and herbs for non-medical emergencies.

On the heels of U.S. Senator Rand Paul's (R-Ky.) filibuster against extending provisions in the PATRIOT Act that are set to expire at the end of the month, a new report from the Justice Department's inspector general (IG) reveals that the FBI cannot name a single instance when information gathered through Section 215 orders solved any cases. However, the report did find that the agency has broadened the scope of information it collects for national security investigations.

The major media outlets have finally taken up addressing Chinese expansionism, with Secretary of State John Kerry's high-level talks on China's artificial reefs being built in the South China Sea.

The problem is: What are we going to do about it now that the reefs are already built?

Since the release of the book, Clinton Cash, by Peter Schweizer, a conservative scholar and Republican consultant, Hillary Clinton has faced scrutiny over whether contributions to the Clintons and their charitable initiatives influenced her behavior while secretary of state.

This week we were treated to another oil spill that will cost millions to clean up and endanger many different species of marine wildlife. A pipe that was installed in 1987 burst close to Refugio State Beach in south Santa Barbara, spilling around 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the surrounding waters. California Governor Jerry Brown has since declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County and crews have set up blockades that are designed to contain two visible oil slicks.

The Senate is still expected to act on a fast-track bill this week for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) before leaving for Memorial Day. Politicos suggest that the only way for the controversial trade agreement to pass is through trade promotion authority, which would give President Obama a yes or no vote on the TPP without lawmakers being able to amend it.