The middle class needs the help, not the rich !!

My name is Tyree Johnson, and after working at McDonald’s for 20 years, I still make minimum wage. I’m not a teenager working for extra cash—and neither are most of my coworkers. Today most low-wage workers are adults, many with families that depend on the income from these jobs to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table. The reality is that most jobs created since the recession have been low-wage jobs. And they’re here to stay, because food service, retail, and healthcare jobs can’t be outsourced to China or Bangladesh. So if we want to create a strong economy and rebuild the middle class, we have to make sure workers in these growing industries—workers like me—earn enough to support our families. And $8.25 an hour, the minimum wage in Illinois, just isn’t enough to live on. In fact, the minimum wage would be over $20/hour if it had kept up with inflation and rising productivity That’s why I’m joining with food and retail employees at stores on the Magnificent Mile and throughout Chicago to win $15/hour and the right to form a union without interference. We call it the Fight for 15. We’re standing together because we believe that when you work for some of the wealthiest corporations in America, you shouldn’t have to rely on public assistance programs just to afford the basics. We believe that when you put in fair day’s work, you should get a fair day’s pay. Working full-time at $15 an hour means $30,000 a year. That sum will allow us to stand on our own and help support our families. It’s enough to get workers like me to spend more at local businesses and spur the city’s economy. And it means Chicago taxpayers won’t have to make up the difference when profitable companies don’t pay us enough to make ends meet and we’re forced to rely on public assistance. There’s so much at stake for our city, and we can’t do it without you. Will you sign this petition in support of our campaign for fair pay and the right to join a union without intimidation?

The Republicans have become the party of "No". If they refuse to come to an agreement on the budget and that leads our country over the fiscal cliff, we will hold them responsible.

Full employment in hard hit sections of the USA and strom relief portions of NY and NJ :

Stand up for us and make sure any fiscal deal reached ends the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% AND protects Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits from any cuts.

I have a grandson in college by obtaining loans and working at a supermarket, young friends on Pell grants who need their education--some who returned to find a career after several years of working at low paying jobs; they will spend years paying back their loans, hopefully at low interest. I also have a daughter with MS whose medical bills are sky high--over $4,000 a month; another daughter with brain damage after surgery from a brain bleed requiring rehab. I am a 78 year old widow, a retired teacher, living on a fixed income.

raising taxes let the middle class alone the wealthy can afford a little more in taxes take social security monies out of general fund give them a totaly separte account that congress cannot touch let medicare bargain for prescription drugs like the VA does

raising taxes let the middle class alone the wealthy can afford a little more in taxes take social security monies out of general fund give them a totaly separte account that congress cannot touch let medicare bargain for prescription drugs like the VA does

I would like to do a small room add-on and plant a small orchard. I can’t believe that I can be taxed for planting an orchard. I’m very discouraged about improving my house because my tax rate will go up. Its stopping me from spending money on contractors, and building supplies.

The "Fiscal Cliff" negotiations are, once again, an opportunity to attack the social safety net our predecessors worked so hard to achieve. It would sicken me, and I hope you, to have them dismantled on our watch. And, of course, any negotiation that comes along winds up being an opportunity to squeeze in an extension for tax breaks for the wealthiest among us. We need to break this habit by allowing the Bush era tax breaks to expire and extending the breaks to those that can actually feel their impact....US!

Allowing the churches & religious organizations to be exempt from taxation hurts everyone!

We need for our representatives to drop the Norquist anti-tax pledge and allow the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% to come to an end. Norquist is not relevant to our Congress as it now stands. The Republicans need to understand they were overwhelmingly defeated in this last election because they either don't understand or are not part of middle class America.