The power outages of last fall and this past week along the east coast and the fires out west need out attention. We can help each other and the nation by encouraging all of our elected officials to do the following: 1. Start burying the power lines NOW-spend the money here. 2. Hire returning vets with many, many different skills to do that, to train to fight fires when needed, to rebuild the lost homes, businesses etc now and each year.

I have worked at the Trane Company plant in La Crosse, Wisconsin for over 12 years. I take great pride in the work I do…when I have it. You see, outsourcing of good jobs at the plant has become an all-too-common occurrence. Three production lines at the factory have been shipped overseas to China and Mexico in the last five years and I have been temporarily laid off more times than I can count. Hundreds of good jobs in La Crosse are now gone and many of my co-workers have been forced to leave La Crosse in search of other work. It’s hurt local businesses and taken away badly-needed revenue from our schools, hospitals and libraries. And I know we aren’t alone. Millions of jobs have been offshored because of lopsided trade deals that have put the interests of corporations over the interests of working families. That’s why it is so important we get the next trade deals right and we have a chance right now. U.S. trade representatives are currently negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP FTA), which will be the biggest trade agreement in U.S. history. To ensure this trade agreement works for working families and creates and protects jobs in the United States, I'm helping gather signatures for an emergency petition delivery from working families on July 9 in San Diego during the next round of the TPP FTA negotiations. Please sign my petition now to urge President Obama and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk to negotiate a trade policy that creates good jobs in the United States, ensures all levels of government can Buy American, protects workers’ rights and stops foreign corporations from skirting U.S. laws to help their bottom line.

The Eurail system has revolutionized European transportation, created tens of thousands of jobs and prevented an EU dependence of foreign oil for transportation needs.

When back when, FDR considered creating a shorter work week to help creat jobs. It can work now! ALL the other industrial countries have 32 hour workweeks AND 5 week vacations mandated by law (even for part time workers). It's a way to creat significant numbers of jobs.

Cut Defense spending by 10% and balance the Budget

Medical bill collections are ruining individual credit scores. This prevents people from being able to purchase items on credit which in turn is destroying our economy.

Government regulation is a hidden tax perpetrated against the American public. Bills are passed in congress with little regard to the bureaucratic cost of implementing them. Urge Washington to include in each bill an estimated cost of what it would take to enforce or enact each law.

10,000 jobs in the United States and 2,000 small businesses will vanish after July 6th, 2012. If President Obama does not issue a signing statement stating he will not enforce the provision of RYO (Roll Your Own) cigarette machines in the "Highway Bill" I and 6 direct family members will be out of a job. 95% of this bill has nothing to do with RYO machines.

The only way to restore a balanced budget; bring home the troops and end the useless killings--stop funding G.W. Bush's mistakes.

Raising the minimum wage/

Austerity measures being pushed by Republicans and many Democrats in Congress are designed to kill jobs and punish the poor and middle class who have already been the ones to suffer under this recession. Austerity measures taken in Europe are proving that their economies are declining instead of thriving -- we should learn from them. Growing economies means growing jobs which means job creation bills.

End the Bush tax cuts! The Bush tax cuts cost the majority of Americans millions. The true benficiaries are those that are not paying their fair share. Revive the middle class by allowing the Bush cuts to expire.