Is ‘socialism’ dividing the Democrats From Bernie Sanders to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,“socialism” is having a hot summer. Is it the future of the Democratic Party or an easy Republican target? Prominent liberals and conservatives describe the history--and possible future--of a term loaded with many meanings in America’s political history.

Sexual harassment hits both sides on Capitol Hill Segment description: Democrats may be in a precarious position on harassment allegations. Should the public differentiate between the Roy Moores and the Al Frankens?

Can the Trump Family Reality Show Unify the Republicans? The first day of Donald Trump's nominating convention was short on policy but long on a Dystopian view of America in 2016 — and there was no doubt about who was getting the blame. Tonight, House Speaker Paul Ryan gets his turn to rally a divided convention behind a candidate many delegates don't support. Trump's own role has been compromised by evidence of plagiarism in his wife's speech and his Fox News interview that upstaged the convention. Chris Christie and Ben Carson will continue the dark theme of American decline. Will delegate spirits get a lift from two of Trump's children? We get a preview of the politics -- and the prime-time entertainment.

The GOP's Cycle of Unmet Promises and the Rise of Trump This year’s presidential campaign is dramatic evidence of a sharp turn taken by the Republican Party 50 years ago. That’s according to E.J. Dionne, Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a senior columnist with the Washington Post .

Will the Tea Party Find a Second Act? In the 2010 midterm elections, members of the Tea Party swept into Congress with the fervor of true believers, vowing to cut spending and government regulation. But this year, voters sent some of them packing. Representatives Allen West and Joe Walsh -- two leading Tea Party figures -- lost re-election bids. Jim DeMint , a Tea Party leader, is resigning his Senate seat to take a job as the head of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank. Several who remain in Congress have been kicked off coveted committees after not going along with Republican leaders on key votes. The movement is still a force within the GOP, but the 2012 election has weakened their position. According to polls, the Tea Party is experiencing record lows in public opinion. We look at what’s next for the Tea Party. Can it remain an influential force in American politics?

Will New Voter ID Laws Protect the Polls or Suppress Turnout? Republicans now control legislatures in more than half the states and, in many they're passing laws requiring voters to bring state-issued photo-identification to the polls. Are they really trying to prevent voter fraud or keep supporters of Barack Obama away from the polls? Do Democrats have real proof that minorities, old people and college students can't produce state-issued picture ID's? We hear a debate that's raging in state legislatures across the country.

Afghanistan Troop Withdrawal; 'Newtiny;' Weiner Effect; Debt and Jobs The fight over US withdrawal from Afghanistan, Gates criticizes NATO, Gingrich team's "Newtiny," the Anthony Weiner scandal, and fixing debt versus creating jobs.

Democrats and Republicans on the Brink in Washington For the third time in three days, Congressional leaders went back to the White House early this afternoon to try to avoid a government shutdown starting at midnight tomorrow. Both sides agree it's not just about money, but also Republican demands to eliminate healthcare reform, Planned Parenthood, EPA regulations and NPR. They got their chance after Democrats lost the Congress without passing a budget for this year. After two stop-gap measures, there's still no deal. We update the last-minute negotiating and look at the so-called "non-essential" federal services that could stop at midnight tomorrow.