Banks in the US collected more than 30 billion dollars in overdraft fees in 2020 amid the public health crisis of Covid-19. For further reference, banks collected 19 billion in overdraft fees in 2019. Additionally, the average overdraft fee soared to $33.47. This is a deeply unethical practice, especially during a time when so many Americans are hurting financially and on the verge of losing everything due to no fault of their own. This is a call to action for an executive order from President Biden to stop this practice of charging for overdraft immediately, protecting the American people who bailed out some of these same banks a few years ago with their tax dollars. Please sign and share widely. Even if you haven’t been personally affected by this, someone you love definitely has. It truly takes all of us. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/banks-will-get-30b-in-overdraft-fees-this-year-heres-how-to-avoid-them-.html

We need to support the service industry. Anyone currently working with the public should qualify for a vaccine--I love teachers, and we need to support them, too, but if you aren't teaching in person, I'm sorry, you need to wait. These are the people who have been yelled at and spit on regarding mask requirements, yelled at and threatened regarding various shortages that have occurred, and deal with, BY FAR the largest number of strangers on a day-to-day basis. They can't get a living wage, yet... Can they at least be treated like the essential workers they are and get the vaccine ASAP? For efficiency, sending notices to businesses to post in break rooms regarding when employees will be eligible, where and how to sign up for appointments, etc., would help to get the word out to more people faster, rather than hoping everyone gets contacted in a timely manner individually.

On Day 1, the new Biden administration signed an executive order to extend Trump’s broken federal eviction moratorium. Trump’s moratorium was intentionally weak, faulty, and vague, leaving millions of tenants unprotected and allowing landlords to exploit loopholes to continue to evict. It’s far, far, from what we need to address the economic, housing, and health crises we face. As renters and housing advocates across the country, we say: enough is enough. We need an eviction moratorium with fewer loopholes, no debt accumulation, and adequate housing conditions that will create safer conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. And it’s time for the new administration to listen. Will you join us in putting pressure on the Biden administration and demand housing policies that ACTUALLY protect our communities?

We need to get our lives back. We need a plan and a means to execute that plan that will ensure that as many people that want to get the vaccine can as soon as possible. Governor Ron DeSantis needs to accept federal assistance to help Florida get vaccinated.

Healthcare workers have been on the frontline of the COVID-19 Pandemic. We have worked extra hours, taken assignments across the country to care for everyone during these unpredictable times. Many of us have worked so much that our tax rate will be higher. We were asked by the Government to step up and we have. Now we are asking for FEDERAL TAX exemption in return that will span from 2020-2022.

This is important to me because these individuals do a lot of work for our patients, they are required to obtain a certification and pass a state exam and they are making minimum wages. CNAs are making less than someone who works at a burger stand and isn’t required to take no educational class to obtain their employment.

Cincinnati has increasingly become known as a destination for its variety of restaurants and bars, but the pandemic has caused dozens of incredible local establishments to close their doors permanently. Those that have been able to weather the storm have done so at significant cost: reducing capacity, focusing on curbside pickup and delivery as well as the mandated curfews have resulted in significant revenue losses for our city’s establishments. The reduced capacity has hit hourly waged workers the hardest since we are dependent on tips, as we are paid well below the federal minimum wage. In addition, exposure to the virus among staff forces many businesses to close for weeks at a time, further hurting workers by preventing them from making any income in the interim. Ohio and Cincinnati leadership must step up now and act in the best interests of the working class service industry by allowing us to protect ourselves. A safer service industry is a safer Cincinnati.

Piscataquis is one of the poorest counties in the state. Our leadership needs to represent us in a manner which will encourage businesses to choose this area, and tempt young people from this area to stay. Creating a resolution that embarrasses us to the rest of the state and larger world outside will not accomplish this task. Further, Foxcroft Academy, located in Dover-Foxcroft, has been fostering a considerable boarding program for international students for many years, with students from all over the world. These students contribute a great deal to the local economy during the school year, and, equally important, provide cultural diversity which is vital for our county. Having a public resolution using xenophobic language is a direct detriment to this program, and our community's goal of embracing diversity into our region. In short, this merely symbolic “resolution of protest” gains nothing, and only serves to present Piscataquis County in an unflattering, embarrassing light. For the Commissioners to sign off would solidify their complete lack of competence in their job while misrepresenting Piscataquis County at large.

“Let us not seek the Rep answer or the Dem answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future”. JFK For over 30 years, I have devoted my life to fighting as a lawyer on behalf of the marginalized! Immigants, LGBT communities, foreclosed homeowners, Haitians, Cubans, Nicaraguans and all communities of color. Our tent in the new Florida will be all-inclusive. We are for Healthcare for All, a Wealth Tax, Student debt relief, and restoration of rights for felons in Florida that have served their time. https://williamsanchezsenatorialexploratorycommittee.com/

Our first priority should be keeping everyone as safe as possible, from Covid and from expected violence. Secondly, most Americans believe that expending our human and monetary resources for this event is inappropriate and distasteful in light of what we have been through. We did it beautifully for the convention, why not now? Holding a traditional ceremony is not what the American people want or need.

The assault on January 6th, 2021 to our Nation's congress and our Capitol Building was an aberration, and a direct threat to our democracy. This violent attack was instigated by Mr. Trump and Mr. Trump Jr.. The rioters attempted to destroy the institutions that make us the strongest democracy in the world. These rioters displayed Neo-nazi, racist, and fascist symbols. As more footage of the incident is brought to light, we all are witnessing the violent nature of the groups that forced themselves into The People's House. A police officer was murdered and four other people died in this violent event. It is one of the darkest days in the history of our country. We must make sure that his name is not glorified in any way, because if we do not act we will have normalized the behavior Mr. Trump and his rioting mob of followers displayed. We Chicagoans and Americans ask you to do what is in your power to remove the sign that is now a stain to a city we are proud to call home. Thank you.

As long as a large national platform like Parler is allowed to spread incendiary rhetoric, attacks on our government and country are likely.