"[The World War II] generation's extraordinary faith in the federal government was a temporary aberration brought about by unique circumstances. Their world no longer exists, and the political system it created is collapsing around us. Our challenge now is to rebuild a political system that recognizes the inability of the federal government to lead our nation." – Scott Rasmussen

Heading into a presidential election year, it's important to remember that political involvement is but one of many ways we can work together to solve problems. Sometimes it's the best approach; sometimes it's not. When our political system is broken beyond repair — as it is today — there's a need for other approaches in order to do the heavy lifting. To solve the challenges before our nation, we need to take an all-hands-on-board approach that unleashes the creativity and resources of individual Americans, families, community groups, churches, small businesses, local governments, and more. The problems we face are too big to be left to the politicians alone.

What's behind the huge premium increases on the Obamacare exchanges?

Supporters and opponents offer wildly different explanations and theories. They all pore over the data and get into the details of who is signing up, what the risk pools look like and other things actuaries find exciting

It is time for the pundits to get a grip and realize that the election for president is not about the candidates lusting for the job. It's not about campaign strategies, speeches, gotcha journalism and gaffes. It is about the fundamentals and the state of the nation.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has emerged as a serious contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination. In response, the Washington Post researched and published a lengthy article on the "mystery" of why Walker dropped out of college.

The decision to attack Walker for failing to graduate tells us more about the worldview of the Washington Post and the political class than it does about the Wisconsin Governor.

It's been a year and a half since Edward Snowden revealed to the world just how much private information the National Security Agency has been collecting on just about everyone. The massive spying operation raised privacy and Constitutional concerns and set off alarms with reports that some employees had used the system to keep tabs on their love interests.

Following the Hobby Lobby Supreme Court decision, one of the key talking points that emerged from enraged opponents of the ruling was: "My boss shouldn't be involved in my health care decisions." California State Senate candidate Sandra Fluke says on her official website that such a perspective is "common sense."

An Ohio Democrat is introducing a "Not My Boss's Business Act" in the state legislature. Like Fluke, she is tapping into a deeply held American belief that we should be able to make important decisions like health care choices on our own.

The political community is abuzz about the growing possibility that Republicans might win control of the Senate this November. But little attention has been paid to a larger and more significant trend.

Like former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, President Barack Obama saw his party lose control of Congress during his time in the White House. Never before in American history have three presidents in a row received such a rebuke from the voters. This is a fundamental rejection of both political parties.

The big story about the federal budget this week was the Republican Party's struggle to deal with raising the debt ceiling. Last year's big budget story was President Barack Obama and the Democrats coming to grips with the so-called sequester, a policy gimmick that modestly slowed the growth of federal spending.

Neither of these storylines came anywhere close to dealing with reality. The two teams of Washington insiders get hung up on these side issues because they're better at symbolism than substance.