The dysfunction and chaos of the 2016 Colorado caucuses highlighted the many flaws with this system. Hundreds of Democrats were barred from participating due to overcrowded caucus sites. Republicans did not have a say in their party’s presidential nomination process. Unaffiliated voters were completely shut out of the process. And anyone not available for three or more hours on the evening of March 1st had no way to participate. Luckily, there’s a better way. We have the exciting opportunity to restore the presidential primary in Colorado, while simultaneously preserving caucusing for smaller races. Please take action NOW and urge your legislators to vote YES on HB16-1454, which would allow every Coloradan to have a say in the presidential nomination process. The presidential primary allows more Coloradans to participate in the presidential nomination process. The caucus system bars those who cannot physically participate in the caucus. This includes those serving in the military overseas, parents without access to childcare, and employees who work in the evening. In contrast, the presidential primary will give voters the option to vote by mail, vote early, or vote in-person. In addition, research has shown that turnout rates for presidential primaries are significantly higher than presidential caucuses. The presidential primary gives unaffiliated voters a say in the presidential primary process. Colorado’s current system bars unaffiliated Coloradans—who make up 40% of registered voters—from participating in the presidential caucus. The presidential primary will give voters the option to temporarily affiliate with a party for the primary, and automatically un-affiliate after casting their ballot. The presidential primary amplifies Colorado issues in the national debate. Holding the presidential primary in late February or early March will entice presidential candidates to spend more time in our state, and bring Colorado issues into the national spotlight. It’s time to bring the presidential nomination process in Colorado into the 21st century. Please tell your state legislators to restore the presidential primary in Colorado by voting YES on HB16-1454.

On November 2, 2015, I had to have a meeting with my son's school because they restrained him and said a therapist said to do so. My son is 3 years old and disabled. Prior to the meeting on November 2, this is what happened leading up to the meeting: I asked for the name of the therapist, which I could not be provided with from the teacher, nor the principal. I proceeded to call the Boston Public School system and was told that no therapist has been assigned yet!! I then explained this horrific dilemma and they told me, we will call you back. They called back with a recommendation to have a meeting with the principal (who couldn't give me a name before). At this meeting, I was trying to figure out the name of the therapist who prescribed a weighted jacket (10+ lbs) on a child who weighs 25 lbs. and has low muscle tone in his legs and core; I was never provided with the name. I then left the school. Two hours after I left, the principal called DCF/CPS/DSS and stated I was impaired at this meeting. So, if I am impaired at an elementary school, I do not see a principal and/or teacher letting me walk from the 2nd floor through the school, with all these children in school, nor seeing them wait two hours to claim I'm impaired. DCF met with me; I offered a drug screen which was denied, and they took my son from school where my son's father was waiting for him. DCF asked his father to walk into school with them and talk to his son. They refused to let the father or the grandmother have custody of him, so the father went up to talk with him, and while holding his boy, the principal ripped him out of his dad's arms, making my son scream and cry and it was so rough his father said if he didn't let go his son would've been injured. He probably has marks on him. DCF proceeded to take him out the back door and stuff him in the car screaming, crying, and flailing around, so knee to chest and forced him in. His Grandmother was denied because... Still don't know. So I had a court date the next day and offered a drug and alcohol analysis supervised and it was denied. I had not been given any chance to prove the allegation is wrong. Now almost 6 months later, with 12-15 homes, 3 different hospitals, 10 workers at DCF, 6 supervisors, one area program manager, 2 directors, 3 surgeries, parental rights never taken, but no one will give the parents any information to which they are entitled. The hospital told me when I asked if my child arrived dead, would you call me? Ah well...yes or no, would you call me if my boy arrived dead - NO! It's up to the Department of Children and Families if they want to call you. Now why would I ask a harsh question, you may be thinking? Well, in the 12-15 homes he's been kicked out or removed from, mentally, physically, emotionally abused, with pictures and documentation, as well as being starved. When his grandmother, his dad, or I would bring him food, he would shove it in his face so fast he was gagging while trying to eat. They still never proved my impairment, but I've proved no illicit substances are in my system - no alcohol either. I can't get a meeting or one vital question answered; what else or what more can I do to get MY son home?? Almost 6 months, and no answer to this one question. Meetings are canceled, calls are not returned, or when they are returned the subject is avoided or I'm told to ask someone else; always avoided. There is no consistency at all as you see, all the people involved in the case from the department, no schedules for visits, never can I tell my boy on this day, this time, I'll be there. Nope, every day, every time, and almost every visit is in a different place. On the surgery date, I was allowed by the judge to be there. It was suppose to be for all 5 days and 4 overnights as suggested by the surgeon at court and the judge, but right before surgery I was asked if I would like to go in back to hold the mask so he's relaxed while anaesthesia was given - of course I wanted to go in, but DCF said she was going in!!! The doctor and hospital never saw or heard of anything like this. So let's not let another family nor child be tortured through what they call "protective services"! That's the furthest thing I'd call whatever they've done to my 3-year-old disabled child. He's so afraid, lonely, and feeling unloved; he wants to know. why he can't come home??? How do I Answer?? I just tell him that he did nothing wrong; when things get figured out you will be home. I don't know what to say. He went to school, was restrained and never came back and has been tortured; this will affect him for a long time. The longer he's gone, the worse it's getting. One of the homes he was at before and from which he was taken from or kicked out if, he's back staying there. After he went back, his dad saw him the next day and he had a new cut on his face and on his back. His dad asked, what happened? My son said, "A bigger kid tried to take my food and we fight, I'm hungry, it's my food Daddy." Stop this from continuing, please.

American voters are witnessing open election fraud in every primaried state. All of the fraud is occurring on behalf of one candidate. The people of the United States have the right to elect our leaders in legal elections. Free, open elections are the cornerstone of a democracy. That right is being eroded by the Democratic Party. We want justice now.

On April 26, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback notified “the Obama administration" that the Kansas Refugee Resettlement Program State Plan, which resettles refugees with help from federal funds, will no longer accept those funds because he says Kansans are in danger of terrorists from Syria, Iraq, or Sudan sneaking in as refugees. Because governors have no authority to limit who enters their states, the federal government will now have to identify a private Kansas entity to run an “alternative” resettlement program under the Wilson-Fish Amendment. While this eliminates supervision by the state over the funds, it has no effect on which refugees come to Kansas or on the 13-step screening process. Apparently the governor is trading away the public’s goodwill towards our Arab and Muslim neighbors to avert attention from the serious problems the state faces.

On March 23, the North Carolina General Assembly, with virtually no public input, passed House Bill 2. Although some have cryptically anointed it “the bathroom bill”, Reverend William Barber came closer to the truth in calling HB2 a hate bill. A creepily crafted smokescreen, HB2 was constructed to gin up blind fear and stoke homophobia so that the deeper and darker aspects of the bill could be slipped into law. This is hate and switch legislation by another name. Yes, HB 2 drastically restricts the ability of local governments to pass nondiscrimination measures that offer protections to the LGBT community. That’s horrific in its own right. But HB 2 also restricts local leadership from requiring recipients of government contracts to adopt nondiscrimination policies that go beyond state policy. This is, in effect, mandated discrimination against ALL workers, regardless of gender identification. HB 2 hammers the working class, locking in low-wage and low- power position by blocking cities from independently adopting higher minimum wages, raising employee benefits, or paying sick leave or vacation benefits above the mandated state levels. This is mandated suppression of workes’r rights and their ability to earn a living wage, regardless of gender identification. With HB 2, North Carolina joins Mississippi in the ignominious honor of being one of only two states in the country that refuse to provide their residents with the option of filing a wrongful termination discrimination claim in state court. Again,this is applicable to all workers, regardless of gender identification. Finally, HB 2 has made North Carolina the focus of increasing derision and negative attention, while crippling North Carolina’s local and state economies. The state has been rebuked by everyone from the entertainment industry (Springsteen, Lovato, Jonas) to businesses (Deutsche Bank, PayPal), and Great Britain went so far as to issue a travel advisory warning its LGBT citizens to avoid our state. Repeal North Carolina HB 2. This hate-and-switch legislation hurts workers, families, state and local economies, and puts LGBT individuals at risk.

After the fiasco in Arizona and New York; the failure of Iowans to have an accurate tally; the inability for either party to provide an accurate recount of what broke down in the system; the lack of polling locations; broken machines; incorrect ballots issued and thousands and thousands of eligible Americans struck from databases; systematic suppression, disenfranchisement and misinformation, it has become clear the United States can no longer guarantee its citizens a free and fair election. As a result, an outside observer is required to ensure the democratic process be allowed to take place and if such fraud and suppression continues, an independent body reports it to the people.

Showing solidarity with Target in standing for equal rights and protecting dignity for all people.

The American Family Association is calling for a boycott of Target after the retail giant said it would allow transgender individuals to use the restroom that matches their gender identity in their stores. On its web site this week, Target announced, "[W]e welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity. ...Everyone deserves to feel like they belong." This means any transgender individual can now use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Since the American Family Association had started a petition to boycott Target for this policy change, I am calling on you to sign this counter-petition to Shop at Target for the same reason. Take Action Sign a pledge to shop Target now! Target should continue to allow everyone to use restrooms and dressing rooms that matches their gender identity. After you sign the pledge, contact Target and let them know you've signed the pledge. Call Target Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680. Share your support on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/target. When sharing this on social media use #ShopTarget.

Target recently posted on its blog, "We welcome transgender team members and guests to use the restroom or fitting room facility that corresponds with their gender identity... Everyone deserves to feel like they belong."2 We need to stand up for transgender people and stand up for those who support transgender people. The AFA pledge to boycott Target currently has over 600,000 signatures. Let us show Target that we stand with them for fair treatment of all of our citizens. As the late Senator Paul Wellstone said, "we all do better when we all do better."

Correct the Record, a pro-Hillary Clinton political action committee (PAC) is falsely reporting Bernie Sanders facebook groups to shut them down. Facebook is where much of the Bernie Sanders movement communicates about event and news events with each other. This is an attempt to STOP FREE SPEECH. THIS IS UNAMERICAN TO THE CORE. AND IT IS ALSO HARASSMENT. The Hillary Clinton PAC's and Campaign is using dirty and immoral tricks to try to crush the voice of the American People in any slimy way possible, in order to pursue her desperate clutch at the presidency. This is unamerican and should be condemned by Clinton. It is also harassment, and illegal cyber-stalking, and is actionable.

Any time one group is discriminated against everyone should stand up and fight against that discrimination, because you could be next.

After a 16 year relationship, Anthony Gonzales and Mark Johnson were married in New Mexico in 2013. Sadly, Anthony passed away 6 months later and Mark has been denied survivor benefits because their marriage - realized after years of advocacy - lasted just a few months.