When President Biden signs the National Defense Authorization Act, he’ll set next year’s Pentagon spending levels at an ASTRONOMICAL $778 BILLION. It’s the LARGEST war budget in recent history. And if you’re outraged at the disconnect between what our communities need and what Congress and the White House sign off to spend, you’re not alone. But here’s the thing: the start to stopping another colossal waste on our watch happens NOW. President Biden’s team is already putting their FY2023 budget request together. That means we need to make sure the White House hears from us — and that we’re loud enough to drown out the weapons lobby, who you better believe are gearing up to get loud too. Sign now to tell President Biden to build a budget that works for the PEOPLE, not defense contractors and war-hawks.

Regarding ask #1 - The latest historic property scheduled for demolition by FDOT is located in Tampa Heights at 1902 N. Lamar Ave. This property is a contributing structure supporting the neighborhood’s national and local historic designations. It was purchased by FDOT in 2015/2016 as part of its right-of-way acquisitions supporting the now-defunct Tampa Bay Express project. FDOT has allowed the property to deteriorate for the last six years and would now like to finalize the demolition by neglect with a wrecking ball, despite the fact the property is no longer needed for any FDOT related purpose. The Petitioners, together with the Tampa Heights Community, object to this demolition. FDOT has been requested to stabilize and secure the building so as to allow opportunities for repurposing and restoration to active community service. Regarding ask #2 - The latest Interstate expansion poised to disrupt and damage the Tampa Heights Historic District involves outward (intrusive) movement of the Interstate barrier wall along the eastern border of the District. The area of concern tracks from a point on N. Elmore Ave., roughly halfway between Floribraska Ave. and Columbus Drive, along the Interstate’s arc, south, to Scott Street. Members of the Tampa Heights community first became aware of this intended wall movement on November 17, 2021, during an informal meeting between the Tampa Heights Civic Association’s Transportation Committee Chair and two members of FDOT’s District 7 staff. Since that time the community has learned the wall movement is allegedly required to enable a portion of the often-cited “Downtown Interchange Operational and Safety Improvements” (DTI-OSI) first advanced by FDOT in 2019. The extent of the threatened wall movement is not clear as of the date of this writing. The Community has only been told a minimum 16-foot buffer will be maintained between the new wall location and the existing FDOT right of way. The DTI–OSI concept has been the subject of debate and controversy since its rollout in 2019. Community opposition to FDOT’s original TBX project dates back to 2015. Through all that time the TH community has been steadfastly opposed to further expansion of the Interstate through Tampa’s Urban core. While wall movement through TH was most definitely a part of the original TBX plan in 2015, the community was somewhat relieved to learn, in 2019, of the supposedly less intrusive footprint anticipated secondary to the DTI-OSI approach. At no time before November 2021has FDOT formally informed the Tampa Heights community of this intended further intrusion. As of this writing, FDOT has failed to present detailed information regarding its plans, including but not limited to: 1. An enlarged map with identified boundaries that includes annotations, existing streets, building footprints, and property boundaries. 2. Cross-sections that represent each incremental change/change in east-west expansion from Floribraska Avenue to 7th Avenue that extend from the interstate through Central Avenue. These should include dimensions for widths and heights, a scale of 1/8" = 1' to be easily understood. 3. Narrative description and list of options for materials (finishes, fencing, etc.) and landscaping to be discussed with the neighborhood. This should include plans for maintenance agreements. 4. List of all potentially impacted structures and accompanying map. Those structures may be impacted due to the construction and/or construction vibration. This needs to take into account historic structures within 200 feet of the proposed interstate wall, and should include but are not limited to those structures that line Elmore Avenue, Lamar Avenue, Central Avenue, and Nebraska Avenue, Additionally, those structures located on cross streets should also be listed/shown including Columbus Drive, Floribraska Avenue, Robles Street, Sparkman Avenue, Palm Avenue, Francis Street, Amelia Avenue, Park Avenue, Ross Avenue, Oak Avenue, and 7th Avenue. Also, the process for property owners to get their property/structures/houses added to the list. 5. A schedule available to property owners for structural testing and monitoring before and during construction. 6. Mitigation plans for structural damage to property and structures due to construction. What is the process? 7. Proposed construction schedule including a time frame, active construction day/evening/night times. 8. FDOT's plan for engaging the neighborhood in the process beyond presentations after decisions are made. This engagement must take place beforehand. 9. Economic development study which includes the impacts to property value within 300 feet of the edge of the interstate structure. The study should include historic market trends, current values, and five-year projected value.

 10. Construction work plan pertaining to the control of air-borne debris associated with construction activities.

 11. Construction phasing/staging plans identifying locations for staging/storing construction materials/equipment, parking for contractor personnel, routes relating to receiving material/equipment deliveries, routes to be used for transporting materials/equipment to the project site. Petitioners, together with the Tampa Heights community, object to this proposed Interstate expansion. We call upon FDOT, the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Staff, TPO Board, and all institutional bodies represented thereon (including Tampa City Council and Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners) to declare a moratorium on the DTI-OSI project so as to allow for a full vetting of FDOT’s plans. This vetting includes, but is not limited to, a thorough study of the information responsive to the above-enumerated items and meaningful, ongoing community engagement. Supporting Links and Resources: Previous Petitions on this matter: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/stop-the-tampa-bay-express

Last month's tornadoes ripped through multiple states in the midwest and killed dozens of people, including six workers at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, IL. With the warehouse situated inside Tornado Alley, it's unclear whether Amazon had adequately prepared for emergency weather events. Workers had repeatedly attempted to urge Amazon management to take precautions (such as safety drills), but management didn't listen. Once the tornado warnings were out, workers were forced to choose between not showing up to work (and facing the threat of termination) and the imperative to find shelter. One worker who was killed reportedly texted his girlfriend, “Amazon won’t let us leave” in the moments leading up to the Illinois warehouse’s collapse. OSHA has opened up an investigation of Amazon following the six worker deaths, but we know this isn’t enough. We demand full transparency from Amazon regarding their emergency weather preparedness, as well as their actions on the day of the tornadoes and in the days that followed. We also demand additional federal investigations, in addition to local and state investigations.

PoolCorp is no stranger to the FTC. In fact, in and around 2011 the Federal Trade Commission voted 3-1 approving a complaint and consent order against PoolCorp. In the complaint it alleged PoolCorp threatened Manufacturers not to sell to its competitors over an 8 year pressure campaign. It is important to note that the FTC approves a complaint when it has "reason to believe" that the law has been or is being violated. With that said the FTC agreed to a consent order which did not require PoolCorp to admit, nor was it a finding of wrong doing. What it did do is outline specific actions that PoolCorp has to abide by in the future interactions, specifically instructing PoolCorp to avoid any anti-competitive practices. So PoolCorp tried and failed to Control the Manufacturing side of the supply chain. With only a mere slap on the wrist by the FTC. PoolCorp has patiently waited and now recently implemented the only other alternative way to achieve what they set out to do initially back in 2002-2011. They now are disrupting the supply chain management structure by attempting to control and Monopolize the transaction of tons of swimming pool products from Manufacturer to Distributor, from Distributor to Trade Professional, and from Distributor to the End User.

Not everyone in the Illinois Valley (IV) of southern Oregon has a need for banking services, or has a bank account. (In fact, one of the problems First Community (FCCU) has identified as a cause of the Cave Junction branch's poor performance is the heavy emphasis on a cash economy in the IV.) BUT... a large number of us DO rely on banking services, including a savings repository, personal and business loans, notary services, etc. Many aspects of banking can be done remotely, such as transfers of funds from account to account, automatic electronic payments, direct deposit of paychecks, etc. There are smart phone apps that allow scanning of checks, for remote deposit. But when you have cash or checks, and no smart phone app (many low income people don't have smart phones, or don't have the expertise to use such apps), by golly, you just have to go in to the local branch to deposit it. You know this... if you hold onto a ton of cash, don't you feel constantly vulnerable to theft or loss of the cash? I do. So then if you have to go to a physical branch office, and it's located 30 or more miles away, that's a problem. Some community members do not have vehicles, or do not have enough time off from their jobs to make the trip. Many of us are trying to make FEWER trips in our vehicles, not MORE, due to climate change. And that old Highway 199 is notorious as being deadly, one of the worst in the nation, especially in winter with slick roads and/or dense fog. The presence of multiple financial institutions in a community is evidence of a vital economy (or at least someone's faith in the potential of that economy), and acts to encourage more investment of various kinds in that community. Faith and investment beget more faith and investment. Conversely, closing a bank can devastate a community. We have already suffered closure of two other banks in recent years. How much more abandonment can the IV withstand? Since FCCU has the word 'community' in its very name, I think it should walk its talk, and help support our community. FCCU needs to work WITH its community to find mutually acceptable solutions to its problems, rather than just bailing because the going has gotten tough. So... we are asking FCCU to keep the Cave Junction branch office open, as a way of truly serving and empowering and aiding in the development of OUR COMMUNITY.

Millions of Americans will be thrown back into loan repayment even though we face the persistent impact of the pandemic, growing inflation, and so much more. Before the pandemic struck, people struggled to navigate the broken student loan system wreaking havoc on the financial lives of families across the country. Restarting payments will be a financial disaster, but the President has the power to stop it. Continuing the pause on federal student loan payments is an important investment in Americans' financial lives. It gives people the financial freedom to pay rent or purchase homes, afford healthcare or medicine, start small businesses, and support their families. Without the burden of student debt, Americans weathered the pandemic, and many are thriving. We have added our name to this petition to send President Biden a simple message: DO NOT resume student loan payments.

This is a global movement that is diligently developing and testing income alternatives to have in place before the next crises hits. The Incentive will work for people who are actively pursuing upward mobility to use as they see fit when they have a job & when they don't. The purpose is to increase the economic, value, and the upward mobility of every citizen and become able to actually meet the rising cost of living and business recoupment through direct cash supplements that are not contingent on having employment, nor set according to a stagnant skillset that justifies consigning essential, gig, temporary, blue-collar workers to low wage pay, or an earnings minimum. The Incentive Direct Cash Income Supplement can be combined to your earnings to create a dignified salary to support efforts to remain work ready, and to keep lives intact during the pandemic. The Incentive Direct Cash Income Supplement will benefit citizens by contributing to better mental stability, less depression and stress that would in some cases lead to suicides, drug/alcohol and other addictions and dependencies. Author of Petition Stephanie Taylor Twitter:@TaylorHaasTech

Amazon has abused its monopoly power to hurt small businesses and women in need. Even though it's often hard to talk about, pelvic floor dysfunction is a common challenge for millions of women, especially after birth or sexual trauma. But Amazon is making it difficult to find products that help in affordable and effective ways. After giving birth to my son, my medical professional recommended I use such a product, sold by a small business in Kansas City, to accelerate recovery. What a shock to realize that Amazon has decided to classify these health care devices as "adult products"— no different than sex toys. As a result, these devices will be almost impossible to find on Amazon, while the small businesses who produce them will struggle to stay afloat. When products from one company were misclassified in the past, their sales plummeted by 80 percent. Most men don't even know about pelvic floor problems and, as with so much in women's health, it's unfortunately almost taboo to talk about. But it's Amazon that should be ashamed — not women who are recovering from childbirth or sexual trauma. Combine Amazon's unfettered market power with its corporate indifference to women's health, and what we get is disastrous results for both women in need and small businesses.

President Biden, Senator Schuman, and Speaker Pelosi need to know the American people support definitive action to stop Senators Manchin and Sinema and their Republican colleagues from further destruction to our middle class. Give our blue collar workers their good jobs back, the powerful voice of their labor unions and restore their dignity.

Every year in the United States there are over 100,000 residential fires in multifamily dwellings. In July of 2019 Kaitlyn Denson and Joseph Tarin's lives were cut short in an apartment fire in Austin, TX. A fire that spread quickly with no presence of sprinklers within the apartment units. Due to a legacy clause the current law allowed for this complex among many other's to not meet the most up to date standards for fire safety resulting in the worst possible outcome. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), fire sprinklers reduce the risk of fatalities in multi family dwellings by 87% and injuries by 27%. Action Petitioned For: We the undersigned are concerned citizens who urge our leaders to act now to pass the Public Housing Fire Safety Act.

We all deserve the basic right of being able to survive with our wage, of being able to afford to feed our families, pay the roof over our heads, and be able to eat, like every other working professional. We are professionals who should be compensated fairly.

Trump was banned by Facebook and Twitter for a reason. He is dangerous, and we have seen that his use of social media incited the deadly white supremacist-led insurrection on our Capitol on January 6, 2021. He also proved negligent in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, using lies to promote anti-vaccine and anti-mask sentiments. Apple should not give Trump a platform which will give further voice to his harmful ways. Apple must do the right thing immediately. As a longtime consumer of Apple products, I must say that my faith in your company is weakened knowing that you support this app currently. I can't imagine that Apple is OK with the negative association and public reception of Trump's nefarious ways. Since other tech companies have done the right thing and stopped him from spreading disinformation, Apple must follow suit. Do not be his outlet for racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, misogyny, anti-vax, or any other form of hate. We are watching you, Apple.