Ron Paul may not follow conventional party politics by any means, but that's exactly why I think he is the best candidate in the 2012 presidential race. Needless to say, eight years under pure Republican politics from Bush did us no good, and electing a Democrat didn't change much despite the campaign slogans.

Either the Democratic Party or the Republican Party has controlled Congress since 1856 and the presidency since 1852. To combat this, the online organization Americans Elect was formed, dedicated to wresting control of the presidency from polar extremes and handing it back to the political center.

A political column

Sean: It's comical that the loudest supporters of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act are the same people who demand that the federal government get out of their hair. If there is anything that proves mainstream Republicans are not for small government, it's this.

Just when you thought the GOP couldn't get any more desperate in picking their nominee for the 2012 presidential election, think again. About two weeks ago, following the GOP presidential debate on foreign policy, lo and behold a new savior appeared, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich.

A political column

Ethan: Since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010, the nation has heard too much heated rhetoric on the issue of genuine health care reform and not enough facts. The first fact that should be considered in any health care reform plan is the spiraling rise in treatment costs.

My big fat gay column

Lady Gaga (usually) isn't my cup of tea, but I reserve a special blend of contempt for "Born This Way." It could be because the song is a blatant attempt at manufacturing a modern gay anthem in pursuit of commercial gain. Or maybe it's because the first time I heard it on the radio I was told "oh, you must love this song," as if gays are drawn to Gaga and gay empowerment ballads like glittered moths to a flame.

My big fat gay column

As a lifelong vegetarian, Thanksgiving has never meant much to me. While many sit down to a robust turkey dinner with all the trimmings, I've traditionally spent the afternoon preparing a large plate of nachos with all the necessary dips and toppings.

My big fat gay column

After what I assume were 72 grueling, reality-TV fueled days of matrimony, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries filed for divorce early this week, leaving millions of fans shocked and saddened. I can only dream of being so lucky. Spending $20 million of other people's money on a wedding to marry a man I met less than a year earlier sounds wonderful.

My big fat gay column

For a community that has spent decades preaching tolerance and acceptance of all people, the gays sure do have a problem with dissent in their ranks. Early this summer, The Grid, a weekly newspaper in Toronto, published a cover story titled "Dawn of a New Gay," by Paul Aguirre-Livingston, a young, white, upper-middle class gay writer.

My big fat gay column

Three days after the release of our last issue on Sunday, Sept. 18, Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old high school freshman in Buffalo, NY, killed himself outside his family's home. For well over a year leading up to his final day, Jamey had endured verbal and online abuse from his classmates over his sexuality.

Lady Gaga (usually) isn't my cup of tea, but I reserve a special blend of contempt for "Born This Way." It could be because the song is a blatant attempt at manufacturing a modern gay anthem in pursuit of commercial gain. Or maybe it's because the first time I heard it on the radio I was told "oh, you must love this song," as if gays are drawn to Gaga and gay empowerment ballads like glittered moths to a flame.

Since candidates started declaring their candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination, the campaign has been a contest between Romney and a series of six "not-Romney" candidates between which conservative voters have been drifting for the last eight months.