It is an election year and the president isn't very popular right now. Just like some Republicans did in the 2006 elections with George W. Bush, some democrats are shying away from being seen with President Obama or even having it reported in the press that they were in the same city as the president. In Texas of all places, one would certainly not judge Wendy Davis if her schedule "coincidentally" happened to be full when President Obama made a trip to the Lone Star State.

On Monday the Senate passed a bill that would restore federal funding for unemployment insurance (UI) for 2.8 million long-term unemployed Americans. The bill is in the U.S. House, but Speaker John Boehner has already threatened to not bring it to a vote.

Independent voters in Florida continue to grow in number and make up a notable percentage of the voting population, according to recent voter registration data. Since June 2013, the number of voters registered as not affiliated with any party -- major or minor -- increased by over 60,000 voters -- 60,419 to be precise. This is a 2 percent increase going into the midterm election year.

In a new Ted Talk, Harvard professor turned corruption fighter, Lawrence Lessig, makes the case for calling a mayday for our country.

In response to the Obama administration's drone policy, a bipartisan team has introduced legislation to compel annual reports regarding their use.

Update 4/8/2014, 11 a.m. PDT: In a move that effectively kills the legislative effort for the year, the legislation aimed at ending SeaWorld's killer whale shows was sent to interim hearings. The author agreed to the committee chair's request when it became clear that the votes were not there to move the bill. The action spares legislators and SeaWorld the uncertainty that a simple defeat of the bill in committee would have brought since bills sent to interim cannot be reconsidered.

Last week was all about the spin. According to the Obama administration, 7 million people signed up for insurance through the exchanges created by the Affordable Care Act. Republicans were quick to dispute the claim.

Much of the discussion pertaining to drug policy in America focuses on Cannabis and the various uses of marijuana and hemp. A growing majority of Americans now support the legalization of hemp for industrial purposes and marijuana for medical and recreational use. However, people seldom talk about the harder drugs, the drugs that will likely never be legalized (at least not in the foreseeable future), but can lead to users serving serious time behind bars -- like cocaine and heroine.

On Monday, April 7, the Supreme Court declined a request for a ruling on the constitutionality of the NSA's data collection program. As a result, the case will go through the Appeals Court as it was initially scheduled to.

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” – Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

The National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD) is an organization committed to promoting a greater understanding of the views of others.