For far too long, Democrats have been too afraid to stand up to the gun lobby.

It's time for that to change. If I am elected president, I will make reducing and preventing gun violence one of my 15 goals to rebuild the American dream. And right now, I am putting forward a comprehensive policy plan for cutting deaths from gun violence in half -- homicides, suicides, and accidents -- within 10 years.

My plan starts with expanding safeguards to all gun purchases, whether from a licensed dealer, online posting, or private sale. Under my plan, a background check would be required for each and every gun purchase. And every person seeking to purchase or transfer a gun would have to obtain a fingerprint-based license, including completing safety training and a waiting period. Without such protections, it will remain far too easy for criminals to legally buy guns.

My plan will also cut gun violence by focusing on the largest purchaser of firearms: our government. By adjusting federal procurement policies, the federal government can encourage both gun manufacturers and dealers to prevent trafficking and violence, while spurring innovations that improve gun safety. This means requiring agencies to purchase only cutting-edge guns, such as those that have hidden serial numbers that cannot be defaced.

For far too long, Democrats have been too afraid to stand up to the gun lobby.

It's time for that to change. If I am elected president, I will make reducing and preventing gun violence one of my 15 goals to rebuild the American dream. And right now, I am putting forward a comprehensive policy plan for cutting deaths from gun violence in half -- homicides, suicides, and accidents -- within 10 years.

My plan starts with expanding safeguards to all gun purchases, whether from a licensed dealer, online posting, or private sale. Under my plan, a background check would be required for each and every gun purchase. And every person seeking to purchase or transfer a gun would have to obtain a fingerprint-based license, including completing safety training and a waiting period. Without such protections, it will remain far too easy for criminals to legally buy guns.

My plan will also cut gun violence by focusing on the largest purchaser of firearms: our government. By adjusting federal procurement policies, the federal government can encourage both gun manufacturers and dealers to prevent trafficking and violence, while spurring innovations that improve gun safety. This means requiring agencies to purchase only cutting-edge guns, such as those that have hidden serial numbers that cannot be defaced.

Breaking on Marijuana Politics: Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley touts his progressive cannabis law reform history in a press release announcing a marijuana legalization listening session in Denver, Colorado, this Thursday. The event will be held at the office of Vicente Sederberg, a law firm that has been instrumental in legalizing and regulating cannabis in Colorado. Could this be an early signal Governor O’Malley will call for a repeal to federal cannabis prohibition?

Governor O’Malley, who does have a good history on marijuana policy, could be sensing an opportunity to garner support among Democratic primary voters (who overwhelmingly support sensible federal marijuana laws) and increase his name recognition by being the first presidential mainstream candidate to clearly and unequivocally call for marijuana legalization, while Bernie Sanders and REDACTED being the closest to do so thus far.

Breaking on Marijuana Politics: Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley touts his progressive cannabis law reform history in a press release announcing a marijuana legalization listening session in Denver, Colorado, this Thursday. The event will be held at the office of Vicente Sederberg, a law firm that has been instrumental in legalizing and regulating cannabis in Colorado. Could this be an early signal Governor O’Malley will call for a repeal to federal cannabis prohibition?

Governor O’Malley, who does have a good history on marijuana policy, could be sensing an opportunity to garner support among Democratic primary voters (who overwhelmingly support sensible federal marijuana laws) and increase his name recognition by being the first presidential mainstream candidate to clearly and unequivocally call for marijuana legalization, while Bernie Sanders and REDACTED being the closest to do so thus far.

If recent developments are any indication, staying relevant in the work force is going to require a sea change in the way workers think about computers, the Internet of Things, and what humans bring to the equation.

W – O – R – K

It’s not often that I start these articles off with a four-letter word, but it’s the topic for this month. And unlike those television ads with all the small print at the bottom of the screen, I’m going to give my disclaimer right up front and in readable text:

The content of this article isn’t pretty. It’s not going to be gentle, kind, soothing, or relaxing. In fact, it’s going to be decidedly uncomfortable, painful, and may be difficult to accept. You may wish to have a glass and a strong adult beverage close at hand while you reading. I had one or two while writing it.

If recent developments are any indication, staying relevant in the work force is going to require a sea change in the way workers think about computers, the Internet of Things, and what humans bring to the equation.

W – O – R – K

It’s not often that I start these articles off with a four-letter word, but it’s the topic for this month. And unlike those television ads with all the small print at the bottom of the screen, I’m going to give my disclaimer right up front and in readable text:

The content of this article isn’t pretty. It’s not going to be gentle, kind, soothing, or relaxing. In fact, it’s going to be decidedly uncomfortable, painful, and may be difficult to accept. You may wish to have a glass and a strong adult beverage close at hand while you reading. I had one or two while writing it.

President Obama just took a small but important step for recognizing the history, culture, and human rights of America’s Native Americans when he decided to rename America’s tallest mountain, Mount McKinley in Alaska, to its original name of Denali.

But right-wing extremists in the Republican party, including House Speaker Rep. John Boehner, don’t see it that way. Boehner announced he is “deeply disappointed” in President Obama’s decision.1 But in 1998, John Boehner and his fellow Republicans in Congress weren’t so hesitant to remove a president’s name from a public landmark when they decided to rename Washington National Airport after Ronald Reagan.

That’s why it’s time to see if Speaker Boehner is willing to stay consistent and rename Ronald Reagan airport back to its original name honoring America’s first president, George Washington.

Tell Speaker Boehner: Rename Ronald Reagan airport back to Washington National Airport.

For generations, Alaska’s Native Americans have called it Denali, meaning “the great one,” while its official American name of Mount McKinley has had nothing to do with the mountain or its history – it was named Mount McKinley by an American explorer in the late 19th century, before William McKinley had even been elected President.2

The honoring of this mountain’s original name, and the native people who have inhabited that land for generations, was long overdue. But that hasn’t stopped John Boehner and fellow Republican members of Congress from staging political outrage and fomenting right-wing anger.

That’s why it’s helpful to send them a reminder that, in a brazen political act at that time, Republicans in Congress themselves pushed through legislation renaming an airport already named after America’s first president, George Washington. And unlike President Obama’s decision, which honors the local people and culture surrounding that landmark, the renaming of Washington National airport was met with resistance from local Virginia residents and leaders. It was also strongly opposed by airport workers themselves, given President Reagan’s role in breaking the air traffic controllers’ union and mass firing 11,000 workers.3, 4 Renaming the airport also resulted in significant costs that were left to local government in Virginia to cover.5

Given Speaker Boehner’s current outrage and disappointment at President Obama’s decision to rename Mount McKinley, it’s time to give him the opportunity to make up for his own past mistakes. Sign the petition and tell John Boehner he needs to be consistent when it comes to naming America’s landmarks.

Tell Speaker Boehner: Rename Ronald Reagan airport back to Washington National Airport.

Thank you for your activism.

A Maryland man got mad after learning of his girlfriend’s claim of a sexual encounter with someone else, set a house on fire and returned to take — yes, a selfie in front of the burned ruins.

The incident began July 17 when the girlfriend of Justin Michael Clum, 26, of Pasadena, Md., told him — as the pair were drinking vodka in the early morning on a pier — that she had a sexual encounter with another 26-year-old man.

He didn’t respond well.