The Latest Breaking News from America

Three families – including mine – opted for a different kind of American dream. Now we see the world differently

Perhaps the first time you heard the phrase “checks and balances” was in middle school civics class. Not surprising, since it’s a cornerstone of American democracy. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of government act as counterweights to each other, so that no single branch dominates.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It is very rare that anything monumental gets done in America's political system without strong public support. That's certainly the case with gun control.

Cindy Williams, who was among the most recognizable stars in America in the 1970s and 1980s for her role as Shirley opposite Penny Marshall's Laverne on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, her family said Monday. Williams died in Los Angeles at age 75 on Wednesday after a…