The question of gun control has fiercely reentered the American dialogue and in 2013 the issue is set to incur an intense battle within Congress.

Republican congressman Rand Paul visited Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing his support for the Israeli state but also his reservations on American foreign aid to the Middle Eastern country. The visit is coming to a close just as Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak arrives in Washington today.

The California Safe and Responsible Driver Act is a proposed bill to give a DMV-issued driver’s license to all illegal immigrants in California who can show proof of tax payment or insurance. Assembly Bill 60 (AB 60) was introduced by Luis Alejo (D- Salinas), following a new California law for 2013 which now grants state driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants who arrived in California as children.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) has been a growing movement in education. It’s part of the public debate regarding school curriculum and reform. The related fields are also a growing economic force, as STEM job opportunities continue to increase and result in higher salaries. STEM education may be the key to closing achievement gaps for low-income students.

To an American generation born during one of our nation’s greatest economic booms, raised throughout some of our longest wars, and attempting to obtain higher education during one of the toughest recessions, it’s no wonder we, the Millennials, are having a little trouble finding our place in this country. To the older folks (i.e., our parents), yeah sure, we’re the greatest nation on the planet, land of opportunity, home of the brave, etc…But to those of us who've only been gracing the earth the past 25 years or so, we haven’t been entirely convinced.

Is the French military intervention into the conflict in Mali a sign of things to come?

The current debt problem may not be new, but every fiscal year since 2002 the United States government has been running on deficits. This is not necessarily shocking. The vast majority of budgets have not been balanced, which partially explains why the debt is so large, but what happened in the few years prior to 2002 that bucked the trend?