As a resident of Rhode Island, it is saddening and frustrating to know we are the only New England state that permits a payday loan at an annual percentage rate above 36 percent. State law currently allows lenders to charge as much as 260 percent interest. When the Rhode Island's House Committee on Corporations began considering legislation to reduce the rate earlier this year, the House bill was co-sponsored by 50 of 75 representatives; the Senate version, by 26 of 38 senators. A broad coalition of community groups sought to cap the interest rates on these so-called "payday loans'' but it did not make it out of committee. Payday loans are deceptively marketed as a short term solution to my neighbors with financial problems. However, a family that couldn't afford to pay living expenses before obtaining a payday loan cannot shoulder the additional burden of triple-digit interest. Once the cycle begins, borrowers typically take out larger loans with larger interest payments. The payday loan becomes a long-term obligation where the interest paid far exceeds the loan obtained. This trap undermines choice and competition in the market and allows millions of dollars to flow out of our economy to large, out-of-state national payday lending chains. Lobbyists sent by the payday lending industry argue that Rhode Islanders could not survive without payday loans. In truth, we survived for decades without them, just as military families and the residents of every other New England state do today. It is time to vote on a bill to reduce payday loan rates.

Many people have lost their homes due to speculation and lack of transparency in lending.The public is already functioning as the lender of last resort for homes, but is not benefiting. Consumer friendly terms and rates are possible with a non-profit approach.

For-profit investment banks and financial institutions do NOT have your best interest in mind. Their prime directive is to benefit shareholders - NOT customers of banking services. Aside from huge salaries and bonuses for CEOs and officers the manipulation of internal books and the creation of bank to bank deals shows that these massive financial corporations cannot be trusted. We need a not-for-profit state bank that holds the concerns of the citizens to heart. A state bank will serve and provide the financial services that people, small business and communities need in a transparent, efficient and honest fashion. A state bank will protect the state and its citizens from wanton fiduciary irresponsibility. A state bank will provide a stable platform for sustained growth and balanced prosperity. A state bank will serve the people not the shareholders.

I have daughters the same age as those killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy.

We have heard it all before. Unfortunately, the status quo approach to gun control will fail. There is only one solution that will also maintain our justifiable right to bear arms and at the same time diffuse NRA incentives to undermine any and all efforts at gun control. And this solution will only require the support of a few correct thinking members of the U.S. House of Representatives:

We need solutions to stop these ever-increasing mass shootings. The news media provides glorification to these cowardly murderers, and it profits on the death of our fellow citizens and children. It must stop, NOW!

Michigan has been turned into a RTW state by a lame duck congress. We want President Obama to stand with his supporters, the Michigan working class, and refuse permits for Governor Snyders International Bridge.

The administration is proposing to change the FCC rules so that the radio, TV, and newspapers in our community may be controlled by one entity such as Newscorp.

I would like Congress and every State to have a maximum amount of rent they can charge for rent . Every time minumum wage goes up or every year I lived in an apartment my rent has gone up five or ten dollars and it has also been raised to compare to minumum wage going up . ! This is GREED . ! I want to demand this to stop . ! To many people are on Section 8 waiting lists because they can not afford to pay rent . ! This is ridiculous and we need to come together as a people and STOP THIS . ! This is happening all over the country . !

Rhonda Lee, an African American meteorologist, who responded on social media to comments regarding her short natural was fired. She should be rehired as she states that she was not aware of an unofficial policy, as stated by the television station, that a response to a viewer could not be made. Her response was to inform him that she was not a cancer patient, but rather a healthy lady who sought to express her African heritage through her hairstyle, beauty, intelligence and poise.

Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. We are all too aware of the name Adam Lanza. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single victim of Columbine? The quest for fame is often at least some of the impetus for committing atrocities. If the mass media stops publicizing the criminals and instead makes the names of the heroes and victims known, that will give at least one sick person pause. Let's call upon the media to make it their responsibility to make it less glamorous to be a monster and more glamourous to be a hero. TV networks and newspapers and all other media outlets- please take it upon yourselves to take away power from monsters. If need be, let's legislate this social contract. Stop glorifying monsters now. Stop showering our screens and print media with the names and faces of the monsters and instead those of the heroes and victims.

Grover Norquist is not an elected official, he blackmails elected officials to take a pledge to not raise taxes. He attacks the President of the United States and freedom of speech does not include sedition and treason.