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Political conventions are one of the best examples -- among way too many -- of American institutional decay.

Trump has initiated and expanded another unconstitutional, open-ended combat campaign without congressional authorization.

'Unless a major first step in deficit reduction ... is taken by our leaders, the U.S. will continue to see record borrowing and higher interest rates as far as the eye can see,' writes an L.A. Times reader ...

How are we a nation under the rule of law if there is nothing to stop the president from violating the Constitution?

'Gloria Steinem was ... a true feminist, whose visions, beliefs, boldness and endless energy to fight for equal justice opened doors for millions of women who benefitted from her relentless pursuit of justice,' writes an L.A. Times reader ...

'The deer need food. So, get them food -- carrots and apples from corporate sources. Then they won't eat the precious chaparral,' writes an L.A. Times reader.

It takes nerve to spend decades forecasting an ecosystem's death and then claim credit for its historic resilience.

The reality is that one-time taxes create a fiscal cliff, which leads to new and additional taxes when the money runs out.

'Trapping more heat in Earth's atmosphere causes real heat waves, real flooding, real costs, real suffering,' writes an L.A. Times reader.

'A mere half billion dollars from each of them could be deposited in a fund for displaced Altadena and Pacific Palisades residents and contribute to a faster solution of the current situation,' writes an L.A. Times reader.