Each week we highlight some of our readers’ best critiques, questions and comments. Using the platform Storify, we pull from Twitter, Facebook and our own comment threads. Let us know what you think–in the comments!

On Facebook, Richard Finkelstein succinctly answered the question posed in Ben Adler’s “Can Mike Huckabee Reinvent Conservative Radio?”

Probably. He’s so soft-spoken and nice when spouting his bigotry.Richard Finkelstein

In response to Ari Berman’s “Ohio Early Voting Cutbacks Disenfranchise Minority Voters,” readers tweeted their disgust with GOP voter suppression tactics.

@simonhelberg @thenation @AriBerman We remember those long lines in 2004. Our district had only one of 3 working voting machines. Ugh.AmandaCook627

Platitudinous rhetoric re DEMOCRACY is one thing. Actual practice esp at elections is another. Witness Ohio: http://bit.ly/NdmYyq @thenationPeter Clarke

@thenation Disgusting what these #conservatives, so called lovers of freedom, are doing to deny ppl the vote. #bigots #shamefulT.

In response to Katha Pollitt’s “Gun Control? Dream On” a number of commenters debated the feasibility of passing stricter gun control laws. Reader Oisin commented on the roll of the NRA while George Hoffman remarked upon what he called “the cult of guns” in the United States. 

Osisin: 

Pelosi says it takes a lot of votes "to go down that path." Notice the oddly archaic language, the sort of thing you find in myth or legend. As though there is some kind of cosmic taboo against sensible gun reform that it would take a David or a Luke Skywalker to challenge. Why not can the obfuscating verbiage and simply report the facts, as follows: "a great many members of Congress, including many in my own party, owe their allegiance to the NRA and not their constituents. So even though a majority of people favor some restrictions on guns, it won’t happen." There is nothing cosmic about it, it’s not the stuff of gods and monsters. It’s just a bunch of people betraying their oath of office. Very simple, really.Gun Control? Dream On. | The Nation

George Hoffman: 

I served as a medical corpsman in Vietnam and saw the human face of war. It’s not a pretty site by a long shot. No pun intended there.  So when I read opinion columns theorizing that if there had been people with concealed weapons in the theater the night Holmes committed his mass murder, and it would have resulted in less casualties, I  just had to laugh rather than just shake my head and cry.  Do these civilians realize just how many more moviegoers would have been killed if the people with concealed guns pulled them out of their holsters and starting shooting?  in the fog of that tear gas? I thought to myself.  I don’t know how many wounded American grunts on the hospital ward where I served were shot by their own guys in firefights or their own guys throwing hand grenades at each other. Or even having hand grenades bouncing off the trees and dropping back in their fox holes. And then having the exploding grenades killing or maiming everyone in the foxholes. So much for Hemingway’s adage of grace under pressure And I am sure that if there really had been people in the theater with concealed weapons, the body count would have been at least in the hundreds. The police would have been stacking the corpses in the parking lot outside the movie theater like cordwood. The American frontier officially closed around 1890. And the wild, wild west is over and done. But this frontier mentality still persists in our society. And I really have lost any hopes it will ever change in this country. I think the cult of guns and weapons in this country is just another addiction such as drug addiction or alcoholism. It borders on a sexual fetish.  But let’s be honest, Currently in the White House we have a President who taught constitution law in college yet has a kill list of suspected terrorists. He tries, convicts and then pronounces on these terrorists a death sentence by drone attack, And some of these suspected terrorists have even been American citizens.This kill list is basically the Phoenix Program that the CIA used to kill suspected Vietcong guerillas. It’s just been updated with high-tech drones and world-wide video communication.  So from the President on down to Page the white supremacist we have this addiction with weapons.Gun Control? Dream On. | The Nation

Late in the week, readers began to respond to the Editors’ “A People’s Platform for the Democratic Party” with ideas of their own. We’re taking more proposals here and will publish the best on TheNation.com.

@thenation overturn Citizens United &/or campaign finance reform or bothTed Mallory

Opposition to assassinations maybe? RT @thenation: What plank would you add to the Democratic Party platform? http://tnat.in/cRCff #p2profsteed

From AnnieMO: 

Legally required truth in political ads (how can we elect people who CAN do a good job if we are being lied to?) ; require radio and  television commentators to stick to the truth as well; limit of campaign time similar to Canada’s limit (people begin to tune out when the campaigns go on forever as they do now, and nothing gets accomplished by the office holders running for re-election then either) ; limit money spent on campaigns and do away with citizens united -replace with limits and show clearly who is giving what; uphold the RIGHT to vote in every state;  have a 3 day voting period at the polls so all workers can vote, starting on Thursdays through Saturdays or legal time-off without penalties or pay cuts for voting time.A People’s Platform for the Democratic Party | The Nation

From socalmom: 

You forgot a big one: an equal rights amendment that covers ALL of us. It is long, long, long overdue.A People’s Platform for the Democratic Party | The Nation