On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Scott Peters (D-San Diego) introduced a Congressional Resolution calling for further diplomatic efforts to free Army Sergeant Bowe Robert Bergdahl. Bergdahl is currently the only American prisoner of war (POW) being held in Afghanistan.

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As in any diverse democracy, we are constantly confronted with disagreement and tough decisions on every level of governance. Anticipating the diversity of opinions, our Founding Fathers set in place the tools necessary to resolve conflict, aiming to give all members of society a voice in the political process.

In a time when partisan gridlock has plagued the political system and divided the nation, Americans of every party affiliation agree on at least one thing: television is their primary source for news.

According to polls taken by Fox News, Time, CBS, and CNN in June 2013, an average of 46 percent of Americans disapprove of President Obama’s foreign policy, while 44 percent approve.

A country sets up elections that offer citizens two sharply oppositional and polarizing choices of leadership. Alternative candidates are strong-armed and frozen out of the process. Their voices are stifled. This results in the election of a candidate reviled by a large portion of the electorate.

The 2014 midterm election is more than a year away. Nevertheless, congressional incumbents have been busy gearing up for the ever-longer campaign season. The fundraising deadline for Q2 was June 30 and fundraising powerhouses like Paul Ryan and Lindsey Grahm have continued to post seven figures.

Local groups in Texas have banded together to help prevent voting rights violations from happening in the state after the Supreme Court struck down a provision in the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which determined the states and local governments subject to extra federal scrutiny because of a history of past discrimination against ethnic minorities. Texas was one of the states required to appeal to the U.S. Department of Justice before changing state election laws.

After his bid for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination fell short, former Texas congressman Ron Paul is dipping his toe into independent media broadcasting.