The Supreme Court term just ended was marked by close rulings but also surprising consensus.

Readers are discussing the coup in Honduras, the Fourth of July and the income of lawmakers.

California should require online sellers to collect sales taxes, not leave that job to the buyer.

Obama has come around to seeing the progress Colombia has made in human rights areas and is rightfully backing a free-trade agreement.

Readers talk about Bernard Madoff, LGBT education and the controversy surrounding Aurora Ponce.

A federal judge has set a risky precedent by allowing convicted terror conspirator Jose Padilla to sue one of the authors of the controversial 'torture memo.'

If Beijing threatened to cut off trade, it could persuade Pyongyang to give up on nuclear weapons. There are ways President Obama can help make that happen.

As the governor and Legislature continue their fuss-budgeting, California enters its new fiscal year with no cash in hand.

How can the state save money on public services without cutting workers' pay or reducing availability? Jon Coupal and John Tanner finish their debate.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has laid out a $500-billion blueprint of highway, bridge, rail and green projects. The problem is, it hasn't found a way to pay for it.

With U.S. combat troops out of its cities, the country's future is back in the hands of its people.

It's commendable that some communities are helping out their schools during the mess in Sacramento, but the situation could lead to greater disparities in education.

Should public-employee unions face tighter restrictions on political contributions? John Tanner and Jon Coupal debate.

Against the backdrop of a recession, the L.A. mayor's approval ratings should be the envy of leaders across the nation.

The court faced complex issues in the New Haven, Conn., controversy. It offered a measured ruling.

The revolt against a democratically elected government is wrong; both sides need to pull back and return to the constitution.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says Democrats put unions' interests ahead of the people's; is he right? Jon Coupal and John Tanner debate.

The way to cut costs is to base payments on medical outcomes rather than pouring money into individual medical services.

Raising the tax isn't as simple as 'the state needs money, and smoking is bad.'

The legislation would forbid most rent increases if they would bring the price to more than one-third of the tenant's income. It forces private businesspeople to engage in social welfare.

A Supreme Court decision lays down a bright line for school officials.

Legislative efforts to kill the test wouldn't save that much money and would cheat our students.

Both sides in the struggle in Sacramento seem willing to flirt with disaster over politics.

The agriculture lobby's fingerprints are all over a crucial bill aimed at fighting global warming.

A flaw that has been corrected shouldn't tarnish the image of a program that works.

In the battle between City Controller Laura Chick and City Atty. Rocky Degadillo, the people lost: A court ruling in the case could diminish the oversight powers of future controllers.

There have been dramatic changes and gains as a charter school, but the challenges are still daunting.

A proposal in the California Legislature could compound problems for borrowers.

Ridiculous wrangling over a gun-control amendment is keeping residents of the District of Columbia from getting a vote in Congress.

A new poll has some warning signs for Antonio Villaraigosa, but more troubling is what it suggests about us.

Laws across different states are often draconian and unfair. Good parenting and common-sense law enforcement are better ways to address this teen behavior.

Are the protests widespread enough to spark another Iranian revolution? Matthew Duss and Michael Rubin finish their debate.

It's wrong to blame Netanyahu when Palestinians refuse to accept Israel as a Jewish state.

In light of the disputed election, should the president rethink his policy of engagement with Tehran? Michael Rubin and Matthew Duss debate.

Is there any way Mahmoud Ahmadinejad could have won reelection by a 2-1 margin? Matthew Duss and Michael Rubin discuss.

The flap over executive pay shouldn't obscure the simple truth that the drug-treatment agency has turned around countless lives.

Spending billions on rail and anti-'sprawl' measures have failed to alleviate Southern California's traffic nightmare.

Is it really a bad thing that charters put pressure on low-performing public schools? Lisa Snell and Ralph E. Shaffer finish their debate.

Are they taking their fair share of special-ed and English-language learners? Ralph Shaffer and Lisa Snell debate.

Are charter schools given too much latitude in teaching ideology to their students? Lisa Snell and Ralph E. Shaffer debate.

How likely is it that Washington will do a better job running GM than the executives who oversaw its decline? Daniel J. Ikenson and Howard Wial finish their debate.

Would a complete failure of General Motors have put more stress on the auto industry? Howard Wial and Daniel J. Ikenson debate.

A project its size will have negative consequences, but Ethiopians should be better off once the hydroelectric dam is up and running.

Should the federal government have spent billions to prevent liquidation only to have GM eventually file for bankruptcy? Daniel J. Ikenson and Howard Wial debate.

Our refusal to pay slightly more in taxes puts at-risk children in real danger.

Did Obama's runaway victory last November give him a strong mandate to structure the Supreme Court as he likes? Ilya Somin and Erwin Chemerinsky finish their debate.

Ilya Somin says the less empathy, the better. Erwin Chemerinsky says all judges exercise empathy, even conservative ones.

Is the focus on Sonia Sotomayor's background justified, and was President Obama right to take that into account? Erwin Chemerinsky and Ilya Somin debate.

The propositions failed last week because they didn't address the root causes of the state's never-ending budget crisis.

Daniel J.B. Mitchell says the governor should be vested with real authority to balance the state's books. Tom Campbell lays out proposals to make revenue decreases more predictable.

She says it's because we're boring. More likely, it's because we speak out against the intellectually bankrupt beliefs of religion.

Tom Campbell says Republicans can win by shedding their reputation as the 'party of no.' Daniel J.B. Mitchell warns that if the GOP continues to punish its own centrists, California will become a one-party state.

Daniel J.B. Mitchell says Washington could throw California a lifeline. Tom Campbell says the state should temporarily raise the gas tax.

Some accommodations for religious exemptions should be made in states that recognize same-sex marriage, but not all discrimination should be tolerated.

Benchmark exams not only improve student performance, they help make instructors accountable.

What's the best way to restrain the Legislature's spending in good budget years? Jean Ross and Emily Rusch finish their debate.

The L.A. sports landmark is a valuable asset that turns a profit; unloading it to raise cash would be a major mistake.

Should Californians pay more or less in taxes, and are there some services the state should not provide? Emily Rusch and Jean Ross debate.

Would it help or hurt the state's broken budgeting process, and what will happen if it doesn't pass? Jean Ross and Emily Rusch debate.

Funding for mental health services didn't create the state's budget crisis, so why is it being targeted?

David Kaye says it's impossible to put the past behind us when a president may have violated the law. James Jay Carafano says accusations of torture should be examined in court, not politicized commis

Should President Obama release all memos related to the interrogation of high-value terrorist suspects? James Jay Carafano and David Kaye continue their debate.

The state sentences children as young as 14 to life without parole. A state Senate bill would bring some sanity to the situation.

The school funding measure could lock the state into even more budget-busting spending.

David Kaye says the memos shouldn't obscure the fact that Bush and his senior White House officials bear responsibility for torturing. James Jay Carafano says this issue cannot be resolved in a court.

Taking funding from children and the mentally ill is painful. But Props. 1D and 1E are necessary.

Those who dismiss the April 15 protests as electoral sour grapes are blind to the fact that millions of voters are outraged by bailouts and huge federal spending increases.

The proposal to borrow against future lottery earnings is worth the risk.

The good in state propositions outweighs the bad. The Times recommends a yes vote, but not on 1B.

In the '70s, Galeano's essay was a call to arms. Latin America is different now -- or is it?

Andrew Grotto says unilateral action by the U.S. would fail to curb proliferation. Gabriel Schoenfeld says diplomacy works only if we're willing to back it up with military action.

Gabriel Schoenfeld says the Non-Proliferation Treaty is outdated. Andrew Grotto says neoconservatives' dismissal of diplomacy is dangerous.

The L.A. mayor faces a daunting task in getting public employees to agree to concessions; Ventura's city manager offers advice on how he can do it.

Avoiding layoffs is a nice goal, but shouldn't L.A.'s mayor first know how big a workforce the city needs?

Andrew Grotto says the president's words are an important first step; Gabriel Schoenfeld says Obama's utopia doesn't square with reality.

A troubled espionage case may be fueling the controversy surrounding the congresswoman.

The Obama administration must insist that nations seeking U.S. goodwill respect free speech and not hold journalists as political pawns.

Any debate on regulating billboards has to begin with the idea of a ban on new signage.

The Screen Actors Guild will need more leverage the next time it negotiates with the major studios. Coordination with other entertainment unions might be one approach.

It isn't perfect, but it's an ambitious and worthy effort.

Alcohol and guns don't mix, and the department wants to make that official policy.

Obama's vow to simplify the rules will be stymied by a thicket of credits, deductions and exclusions.

Some in the party are using a warning about veterans and right-wing terrorism to attack the Obama administration.

The president's goal of high-speed passenger trains is laudable, but where's the money going to come from?

Bo seems to be leading the president around on a leash, and the American public appears willing to follow.

The city isn't against poor people, says a homeowner, but it is against crime and other ills associated with some renters.

Progressive taxes, regressive taxes, sales tax and property tax -- what's inevitable is no one will be happy on April 15.

Sunday's rescue of an American ship's captain was welcome news. But the piracy problem off Somalia remains.

If you think the Net is a tax-free zone, you're the reason California needs to modernize its collections.

By dismissing an Oregon case involving the death of a cigarette smoker, the justices have left open questions about their instructions to lower courts and the limits of punitive damages.

At the Summit of the Americas, Obama has the chance to offer leadership without unilateralism.

What should we expect from the Obama administration and the Democratic Congress? Paul Helmke and Richard Feldman finish their debate.

A court order in an L.A. case could lead to a coordinated system of care.

How should the gun lobby respond to the recent mass shootings? Richard Feldman and Paul Helmke debate.

Some public figures are using England's plaintiff-friendly laws to go after books they don't like. New York and Illinois have come to the defense of U.S. writers. Congress and California should too.

With federal help, states could manage risks and make policies more affordable for homeowners.

Do the recent mass shootings in New York state and Pittsburgh suggest a need for more stringent firearms laws? The Brady Campaign's Paul Helmke and 'Ricochet' author Richard Feldman debate.

The charges were dropped, but the Alaska senator is far from vindicated. Prosecutors who blew the case are under investigation. And Sarah Palin's trying to score political points from the mess.

Mechanisms put in place to contain expenses are among factors adding to the price of premiums.

The president must push reconciliation between Shiites and Sunnis if there is to be stability after U.S. forces depart.

Thousands of Mexicans have been killed, and drug violence is spilling into the U.S., yet the president failed to address drug laws seriously during his recent town hall.

The president's military budget spreads the pain around, which means more critics are making noise.

Rather than layoffs, the mayor proposes all workers sacrifice by taking a cut in pay and benefits.

In the Opportunities program, kids returning from juvenile detention are finding their way.

Merely tweaking what we already have won't do; we need bold new thinking that reduces costs and improves care.

The court's refusal to reinstate a tough law on junk e-mails is likely to be unpopular, but it is right.

Forget free. Cable conglomerates want to put more shows on the Internet -- and charge for them.

Should Washington have let the automakers have their day in bankruptcy court last fall? Dean Baker and Matt Welch finish their debate.

The head of L.A.'s largest and most visible agency should be accountable to voters, not politicians.

A legislative proposal to extend the time untested evidence in rape cases can be kept in frozen storage is a good temporary fix. But the real solution is more money to get the lab work done.

European leaders rejected Obama's spending plans. But they didn't get everything they wanted either.

It may not be exactly what she wanted, but the president's present to the queen was thoughtful. But maybe next time a gift card would be safer.

The administration effectively fired GM's chief; should Wall Street executives be next? Matt Welch and Dean Baker debate.

With California billions in the red, the last thing we need is wasteful spending by some state officials.

Officials have agreed to repeal severe drug laws that wasted law enforcement resources and created an incarceration crisis. Now Congress should follow their lead.

Dean Baker and Matt Welch weigh the president's actions this week on the restructuring of U.S. automakers.

As increases begin to take effect today, we should be asking ourselves some hard questions.

A Times editorial on the credibility of defense experts wrongly assumes that scientists working for the other side operate without bias.

Attempts to disinvite the president as commencement speaker are an unwelcome intrusion of religion into academic life.

We must act now to reverse the harm on our oceans caused by global warming, overfishing and too much coastal development, says an author of the Marine Life Protection Act.

Washington's efforts so far have been marked by shifting policies and empty threats. Maybe bankruptcy court is the way to go.

The president's policy pragmatically seeks to narrow our goals there while spreading the economic burden. Now he needs to explain how he'll measure success, and how we'll get out.

The Employee Free Choice Act contains worthy reforms, but it needs to preserve the secret ballot.

The Times wrongly sees a difference between the Final Exit Network and the assisted-suicide laws promoted by organizations such as Compassion and Choices.

A proposal by Sen. Dianne Feinstein could pit those who want to preserve desert land against those who want to use it for solar and wind energy projects.

A key concession by insurers may lead to real progress. As always, though, the devil is in the details.

The secretary of State said what Mexicans wanted to hear: The U.S. shares responsibility for its neighbor's drug violence. Now we must be just as smart about our 'help.'

A federal court ruling rightly criticizes the FDA's reasons for limiting sales of the Plan B pill and orders a remedy.

Should 1st Amendment protections apply to a documentary critical of Hillary Clinton?

Extra federal funds for California's unemployed are just an Assembly bill away. It should be passed quickly.

Laws allowing the ill to die with dignity are fine. Some groups, though, step over the line.

U.S. automakers have turned themselves around and now produce some of the most reliable cars on the road. Now they need to start tooting their own horns.

Is the president backsliding on his pledges, or is he just doing what all president must, balancing politics and principle?

Alan D. Mutter and Jeff Jarvis finish their debate.

NPR's decision to cancel its newspaper subscriptions raises questions about how papers pay the bills when they give away their work online.

The overuse of the medications in humans and animals is believed to be responsible for the rise of dangerous superbugs. Now the time may be right for some limits in agribusiness.

The Obama administration is prudent to put the brakes on the nuclear waste repository in Nevada.

Are newspapers going extinct, or is it just a class of newspapers that isn't sustainable? Alan D. Mutter and Jeff Jarvis debate.

Appearing with Jay Leno lets him bypass the news media, and the Golden State is a great set for a green message.

The firm's controversial payments to employees carry some lessons for government policymakers and business executives.

In choosing new leaders for the agency, Obama signals his desire to put safety first.

The cases for and against U.S. participation in the International Criminal Court.