It seems that government at every level is relentlessly driven to create laws addressing every imaginable human behavior. The result not only is a tangled glut of legislation but the death of common sense — or is that the cause?

Last week I endured some oh-so-soothing talk by candidates for elected office, both Democrat and Republican, of bipartisanship, reaching across the aisle, and finding common-sense solutions instead of engaging in pointless partisan bickering. Heck, I used to talk like that, too.

There are several ironies in the Valley's looming gasoline crisis that might be amusing if the consequences weren't so dire. First came the report late last week that Gov. Janet Napolitano had considered using National Guard tanker trucks to haul fuel to the Valley — but found out they'd all been sent to Iraq to help out that war-torn nation.

I am writing in regard to the op-ed “Follow the money - to Mexico” (Nov 3rd, 2011) by Michael Weinstein. I believe it is highly unfortunate that the author belittles the virtues of dialogue and interaction between countries that are not only neighbors, but partners and friends.

Instead of fighting foreign wars and tolerating invasive TSA searches at home, a more sensible solution to terrorism might be to simply stop granting visas to al-Qaeda operatives to come to America in the first place. All 19 of the 9/11 terrorists and the underwear bomber had government-issued visas. How would they have gotten here without them? Our east and west coasts are protected by vast oceans, and we can protect our north and south by bringing the troops home and stationing them on those borders.

It is not often that we agree with any agency of the United Nations, inasmuch as such agencies typically prescribe larger and more intrusive government as the solution for whatever problem attracts their attention. But the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization, which hosted a world summit on the current world food crisis this week in Rome, has issued a mostly sensible report on the current crisis and how governments around the world should respond to it.

In American political culture, we prove we’re concerned about something by spending money on it. Americans are obviously concerned about protecting schools from more mass shootings after Newtown. But in this case, the best response may not be the most expensive.

Two Democrats and one Independent kept the discussion civil during a Clean Elections debate Tuesday night, though all three brought up issues with their Republican opponents’ policies.

Perhaps this will be the year the Arizona Legislature will adopt sensible homeowners association reforms. We hope so; they're badly needed. But the sides are still so polarized we just may get the same results we've gotten year after year — nothing.

After reading the opinion of the East Valley Tribune about the “financial problems” of the United States Post Office I knew I had to respond. The Sunday, Oct. 23rd position of the newspaper left out a large piece of the puzzle. I’m not sure why what will follow gets very little press. As a retired letter carrier and member of the National Association of Letter Carriers I felt it important enough to offer up another point of view.

For my husband Matthew and me, it’s important that our children are raised in a community with representatives who will understand them, protect them and work to ensure that opportunities exist for them the way that they existed for us. Our children’s future is not a Republican or Democratic issue, rather an act of conscience and responsibility. And although I have been a long-standing Republican, I support one of the most recognizable Democrats in Arizona for the U.S. Congress.

Scottsdale cosmetic surgeon Semone Rochlin is offering patients a unique plan to help them cope with the economic crisis and the difficulty of getting loans for treatments such as tummy tucks, facial Botox injections and breast augmentation.

There was more grim news last week on the health-care front. The number of Americans lacking health insurance has increased by 5.7 percent to 43.6 million. While 15.2 percent of Americans were uninsured in 2002, 17.4 percent of Arizonans lacked coverage.

A state legislator was out of line when he recently branded a colleague a “racist or a fool” for supporting an initiative aimed at illegal immigrants. But in retaliating by snubbing all of the Valley's Spanish-language media, initiative backers are being, well, both racist and foolish.

A top national border security official said Thursday his agency is doing all it can to deport illegal immigrants with the resources Congress has provided.

In the “Nation & World” section of the Tribune on July 13, an Associated Press article by D.K. Daniel about the death of Tony Snow was very negatively biased.Some of the offensive and untrue snippets were: “with a … relentlessly bright outlook ­— if not a command of the facts...”

After a week of 110-plus temperatures, I'm ready to sue somebody. It's so unbearably hot that I'm wondering if Kirk Gossett - the dad who wants to file a lawsuit against the Gilbert school district for raining on his daughter's graduation parade - might get his lawyer to take my case.

An art house icon and one of Hollywood’s strangest actors is headed to Chandler this weekend.

Efforts to save innocence from perversion on the Web are gaining traction. Families, businesses and schools are throwing their mighty clout behind those working to do what should have been done long ago: Put porn in its place.

Reaction by advocacy groups, elected officials and others to the U.S. Department of Justice's filing of a lawsuit challenging Arizona's immigration enforcement law:

The candidates for Legislative District 18 were asked three questions by the Ahwatukee Foothills News. The following are their responses to the first question. Click the "read more" link for each candidate's full response.

Dan K. Thomasson, guest commentary

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Data Doctors: Q: I’m getting more involved in blogging and social media, but some people online seem to only want to be disruptive and mean spirited. When I ask them to go away, it just gets worse … any suggestions? — Wendy