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When the speaker wouldn't speak

When the speaker wouldn't speak

By Michael Kinsley

The president calls the speaker of the House, in the midst of an economic crisis, and he won't pick up the phone? You don't refuse a call from the president, no matter what.

 

Hikers' families await justice from Iran

By Laura Fattal and Cindy Hickey

Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer's mothers hope that a court appearance in Tehran on Sunday, on the second anniversary of their arrest, will end their ordeal.

A GOP economist explains why the debt limit must be raised

A GOP economist explains why the debt limit must be raised
Government: What does 'compromise' mean?

Government: What does 'compromise' mean?
Amazon debate: Is the Golden State just desperate for more gold?

Amazon debate: Is the Golden State just desperate for more gold?

Letters to the Editor

On tules choking the Lower Owens River; Gov. Rick Perry's possible presidential run; and a possible ban on plastic carryout bags

On tules choking the Lower Owens River; Gov. Rick Perry's possible presidential run; and a possible ban on plastic carryout bags

Breakdown of the debt-ceiling talks; getting the economy going; and Amazon's sales tax stance

Norway's deadly bombing and shooting rampage; a homeowner's tale of foreclosure; and new suspects in the Dodger Stadium beating case


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Most Commented

Norway attacks: The Breivik-McVeigh connection

Norway attacks: The Breivik-McVeigh connection

It's time for Congress to make a deal

Are extreme ideologies to blame for violent acts?

The fate of California's illegal immigrant students

Amazon and its crafty initiative


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Editorials

Questions for L.A.'s downtown stadium deal

Questions for L.A.'s downtown stadium deal

On Friday, the Los Angeles City Council will spend the day poring over a proposed memorandum of understanding with Anschutz Entertainment...

Congress should stop flirting with disaster

Congress should stop flirting with disaster

With as little as a week remaining until the federal government runs out of money to cover all its bills, it's time for Republicans and...

Goodwin Liu deserves a spot on the state Supreme Court

Goodwin Liu deserves a spot on the state Supreme Court

Goodwin Liu could be excused for never again allowing his name to be submitted for a judgeship. As a nominee for the U.S. 9th Circuit...

Honoring those who stood against torture

Honoring those who stood against torture

The American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations have called on President Obama to honor military personnel and civilians who...

Norway attacks: Terror from the right

Norway attacks: Terror from the right

With news that the man accused of slaughtering 76 people Friday in Norway was a right-wing extremist whose manifesto was littered with...

Syringes should be sold over the counter

Syringes should be sold over the counter

For a generally progressive state, California falls surprisingly behind on certain issues. One of these is allowing the purchase of syringes...

Closure for Maxine Waters?

Closure for Maxine Waters?

The seemingly endless ethics investigation of Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) may finally be heading to a conclusion. The House Ethics...

California Dream Act: Opening college doors

California Dream Act: Opening college doors

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) has spent much of his legislative career trying to persuade lawmakers to grant financial help to...

Paper or plastic? Pay up

Paper or plastic? Pay up

Anyone seeking advice on how to reduce the environmental scourge of plastic carryout bags should avoid consulting the state of California,...

Walter Bagdasarian's rant: Loathsome but legal

Walter Bagdasarian's rant: Loathsome but legal

A San Diego-area man who used the "N-word" to describe Barack Obama and said that he "will have a 50 cal in the head soon" was guilty of...

San Diego State's $400,000 man

San Diego State's $400,000 man

As a practical matter, it makes little difference whether the new president of San Diego State University makes $100,000 more than his...

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Op-Ed

Seeds of terror in Norway

Seeds of terror in Norway

By Andrew Gumbel

America's violent far right would have no difficulty recognizing the tell-tale signatures of Friday's killing spree in Norway — and...

Daum: The siren song of Google+

Daum: The siren song of Google+

By Meghan Daum

Google+, which launched a month ago to great fanfare, is so far feeling more like Google nonplussed. Reported to have crossed the 20-...

McManus: The political angle of the debt-ceiling debate

McManus: The political angle of the debt-ceiling debate

By Doyle McManus

It's not hard to see what a compromise solution on the debt ceiling would look like. It's just hard to see how we get there from here before...

California's future homeowners

California's future homeowners

By Peter Schrag

Four years ago, USC demographer Dowell Myers predicted, in effect, that in the not-too-distant future Americans might be worrying less about...

Rutten: The maniac challenge

Rutten: The maniac challenge

By Tim Rutten

Sixteen years ago, I was one of The Times writers assigned to cover the Oklahoma City bombing. It was one of those wrenching stories that...

'Disincorporate' Vernon: It's the right thing to do

'Disincorporate' Vernon: It's the right thing to do

By Rick Cole

In announcing the guilty plea of yet another disgraced Vernon official this month, L.A. Deputy Dist. Atty. Max Huntsman put the issue...

Hurtling toward economic chaos

Hurtling toward economic chaos

By Mike Davis

When my old gang and I were 14 or 15 years old, many centuries ago, we yearned for immortality in the fiery wreck of a '40 Ford or '57...

In U.S. politics, the independents have it

In U.S. politics, the independents have it

By Nick Gillespie and Matt Welch

Forget President Obama, House Speaker John A. Boehner and the less-interesting-than-their-name-suggests "Gang of Six." When the history of...

Tim DeChristopher's courageous bid to save our world

Tim DeChristopher's courageous bid to save our world

By Peter Yarrow

In March, Tim DeChristopher was convicted of two felony counts for a nonviolent act of civil disobedience. Acting out of his deepest...

Newton: Villaraigosa in his element as 'the nation's mayor'

Newton: Villaraigosa in his element as 'the nation's mayor'

By Jim Newton

The mayor of Columbus, Ohio, described his "utter disbelief" at the destructive "gamesmanship" as Congress debates the debt ceiling. The...

Rodriguez: White flight — to the city

Rodriguez: White flight — to the city

By Gregory Rodriguez

For nearly half a century, the term "inner city" has been code for poor and minority. But now white flight — the decades-long trend of...

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's misguided day of prayer

Texas Gov. Rick Perry's misguided day of prayer

By Lawrence M. Krauss

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is dancing closer and closer to a bid for the U.S. presidency. He's talking to his wife (she's counseling him, he...

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