All Opinion

The NRA is right. Many mass shooters have mental problems such as those that apparently drove Aaron Alexis to start shooting at the Washington Navy Yard. But the US cannot lock up every person who struggles with such problems. It is more useful to license gun holders.

Some fear that the debate in Britain over whether to renew its nuclear submarine fleet could further strain the special US-UK relationship. Instead, it provides an opportunity for Americans and Britons to take a fresh, pragmatic look at nuclear strategy in the 21st century. 

Sen. John McCain has slammed Russia's President Putin. But all sides are guilty in perpetuating the conflict in Syria. Chemical weapons are repugnant, but the more urgent need is to tamp down on the flow of conventional weapons from all sides, which is fueling Syria's civil war.

In the wake of the Washington Navy Yard shooting, Gabby and I ask lawmakers to back broadly accepted ideas – such as expanding background checks – that address gun violence and still protect gun owners. The two aims are not mutually exclusive.

Americans for Responsible Solutions, founded by Mark Kelly and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to prevent gun violence, helps citizens push for expanded background checks that are broadly supported by Americans. Here are some easy ways to take action on their website.

In light of the fatal shooting at the Washington Navy Yard this morning, it can be hard to navigate the breaking media accounts. It's important to not to jump to conclusions but instead to keep an eye on the context surrounding these kinds of tragedies.

As Washington once again careens toward a government shutdown and clash over the debt ceiling, we’re hopeful that Congress and the White House can reach a budget deal. Last winter, President Obama and Speaker Boehner were actually quite close to an agreement.

The nonpartisan Campaign to Fix the debt offers four ways Americans can amplify their voice on the debt issue, including signing a petition.

The Miss America pageant’s defenders argue it 'empowers' women rather than demeans them. It’s time we put that claim to the test by asking them to speak their minds on controversial issues like Syria, especially as some contestants parlay their pageant experience into politics.

To understand America’s past-to-present we would do well to recognize and know more about those African-Americans edited out of the nation’s narratives – from my great-grandfather E.A. Savoy to Eugene Allen, the White House butler fictionalized in the film 'Lee Daniels' The Butler.'

President Obama is willing to push for a deal in which the international community would verifiably secure Syria's chemical weapons. That course will be difficult to pursue. But it is doable. Here's what's required.

No political spin can negate the political risk associated with supporting intervention in Syria. As Obama makes his case for military strikes to Congress and the American people, he should offer straight talk on why he thinks his policy is in the long-term interest of the country.

The Monitor's Commentary section introduces a new feature, called 'Common Ground, Common Good,' that seeks to soften polarizing debates over issues that sharply divide people. We are also reviving the popular forum, 'One Minute Debate: 3 Views,' that offers a 'third' alternative.

When I concluded that political polarization in Congress would not diminish in the short term, I decided not to seek a fourth term in the US Senate. I am taking my fight for bipartisanship outside the institution. Congress responds to pressure from citizens. We must act.

Former Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine suggests that citizens engage with established groups that are already working for political common ground. Here are eight that she recommends. 

Americans spend $61 billion on their pets each year. It would take $20 billion to end homelessness. If dogs are as smart as we think they are, they'd go without a jewel-studded collar or cable subscription to DOGTV if it meant giving humans a place to sleep at night.

President Obama and Congress should wait for the UN secretary general’s chemical weapons report before using force in Syria. No nation will be bound by the report, but it can confer legitimacy on strikes against Bashar al-Assad and weaken the legitimacy of those shielding him.