Like thousands of other people, every mass shooting affected me and I wrote my share of posts related to the carnage, the tragedy, and the helplessness. I had made that promise to myself but political correctness and Facebook friendships be damned. How could anyone look at the pictures and read the heart-breaking stories and not want action?

Ryan's dream now lies in tatters. It has become something of a nightmare, really. In fact, Ryan has had no more success in getting his caucus to agree on anything than John Boehner managed.

The time for silence and patience is long gone. Congressmen Lewis and his colleagues have vowed to keep going with their fight as soon as the House returns from its July 4th recess. We must stand with them as they continue to get into "good trouble."

Donald Trump's name lends itself to all sorts of mashed-up words, but we find it doesn't really work with the big story of the week. British voters decided to take the so-called "Brexit" (or "British exit") from the European Union.

Gun control. The House sit-in. The Senate filibuster. The NRA, GOP, mass shootings. What's it all about? I wanted to find out some more information about the AR-15 since it seems to be the weapon of mass shooters.

Wading through this moment of political uncertainty and transition presents us with an opportunity to reflect on three issues that seem to be at the forefront of American politics: The threat of a single man and his bombastic rhetoric attempting to override the American system, the recognition that Congress is in need of a democratic revitalization, and the fact that hate serves only to undermine democracy.