All U.S. citizens will be affected by passage of these trade treaties, because 1) Jobs will once again flow out of the U.S., just as they did under NAFTA. Remember the glowing promises President Clinton made to sell NAFTA. Just the opposite has come to pass. “Fast-tracked international trade deals have led to exploding U.S. trade deficits, soaring food imports into the U.S., increased off-shoring of American jobs, and an unprecedented rise in income inequality”, according to a compilation and analysis of 20 years of trade and economic data released January 15 2015 by the watchdog group Public Citizen. and, 2) These treaties create international tribunals, composed of corporate attorneys, that allow corporations to challenge and override domestic laws or regulations of the signatory nation that might adversely impact the corporation's “expected future profits”. This process would undermine our sovereignty and subvert democratically passed laws, including those dealing with labor (wages, benefits, and collective bargaining), health (food safety, for example), and the environment (creating immense pressure for all signatory nations to adopt the least restrictive environmental standards). These treaties would greatly accelerate a global race to the bottom, where the taxpayers of a nation-state might be required to reimburse a global corporation (for its supposed loss of “expected future profits”?!?) No one has asked the President to explain the treaties from the workers’ perspective. At the macroeconomic level, he can “sell’ these treaties like Clinton sold NAFTA and demand fast track treatment. As citizens, our voice is not being heard. In our country, we have the right to expect that our President will address our concerns, especially when many of us press that expectation on him.

This affects the whole nation of Nigeria. Stop the genocide of all people. There is a Holocaust going on. Take action NOW!

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul has introduced legislation that would cut off U.S. aid to the Palestinians unless they withdraw their application to join the International Criminal Court. Whatever one thinks of the ICC, or the Palestinian decision to join it, it is the right of every state recognized by the UN General Assembly – as Palestine is – to join the International Criminal Court if they choose to do so. The right of the Palestinians to join the ICC has been recognized by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon. Urge Senator Paul to accept the Palestinians’ right to join the ICC, by signing our petition. References: 1. “Senator introduces bill to cut aid to Palestinians,” Deb Riechmann, Associated Press, January 7, 2015, http://news.yahoo.com/senator-introduces-bill-cut-aid-palestinians-165949896--politics.html 2. “Palestinians will join the International Criminal Court in April, UN confirms,” Robert Tait, Telegraph (UK), January 7 2015, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/palestinianauthority/11331615/Palestinians-will-join-the-International-Criminal-Court-in-April-UN-confirms.html

On Friday, January 2nd, Israeli far-right settlers from the illegal Adei Ad outpost in the West Bank stoned two cars belonging to the staff of the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem. [1] The U.S. consulate has video documenting the settlers’ attack. [2] U.S. diplomats from the consulate were asked to examine olive saplings belonging to Palestinian farmers—some of whom are U.S. citizens—from the village of Turmus Aya, north-east of Ramallah, that had been uprooted overnight Thursday by settlers, Security officials from the consulate arrived in the area ahead of the diplomats but were forced to leave by the attacking settlers. As a result of the settlers’ violent attack, the consular officials cancelled their visit. Thus – so far – the far-right settlers have been able to evade responsibility for their previous violent and illegal actions by using even more violence. Urge President Obama and your representatives in Congress to fully investigate this incident by signing our petition. References: 1. “Israeli settlers stone two cars belonging to US consulate staff,” Peter Beaumont, The Guardian, January 2, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/02/israeli-settlers-stone-two-cars-us-consulate-staff 2. “[Israeli] settlers attack US officials visiting West Bank,” Peter Enav and Mohammed Daraghmeh, Associated Press, January 3, 2015.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has applied for the state of Palestine to join the International Criminal Court. The application is expected to be approved. If Palestine is admitted to the ICC, it would mean that Palestinians could bring cases to the ICC—specifically, against the Israeli government for their confiscation of Palestinian land in the West Bank, which has been used to expand Israeli settlements. It would also mean that Palestinian violations of international law, such as Hamas firing rockets into civilian areas in Israel, would potentially be subject to ICC jurisdiction. Some in Congress are sure to demand that U.S. sanctions be imposed on the Palestinians for applying to join the ICC. Regardless of whether one supports the Palestinians’ decision or disagrees with it, Palestinians should not be punished when their leaders use diplomacy and appeal to the rule of law to try to secure basic human rights for their people. Urge President Obama and your representatives in Congress to defend the right of Palestinians to join the International Criminal Court by signing our petition.

On Dec 30 2014 all of them had been arrested by the Cuban police and Secret Service and nobody knows where are they. The artist was intended to do a performance about the freedom of speech in Plaza de la Revolution in Havana "Yo tambien exijo!" (I also demand). But she among some other civil rights cuban's activists were arrested before the action started. Nobody knows where they're now.

Our standing as a nation of laws depends on our willingness to hold ourselves accountable. If we ignore this report, we have lost all integrity as a country.

First they came for JVP. Then they came for J Street. Now they've come for Theatre J. It's time to fight back against censorship of Israel critics in the Jewish community.

This petition asks the United States to follow the call by over one hundred Palestinian leaders and organizations and almost one thousand Israeli public figures for recognition of the state of Palestine alongside Israel, living in peace and security for both people. Already 135 United Nations member states (70%) have recognized the state of Palestine, and European and other states now are considering doing so. The drive for recognition of the state of Palestine is being led by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and is supported by a majority of the Palestinian people who are citizens of Israel, and those living in the occupied territories of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Recognition of Palestine is a step toward resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict, although it will not resolve the conflict. Rather it is a symbolic action to show support for the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and freedom from occupation, and sends a message to the Israeli and United States governments that occupation must end in a way that all people in the region have political, civil, and human rights. For that and other reasons, recognition of Palestine is in the best interest of the United States and the community of nations. This petition calls upon the President and government of the United States to recognize the state of Palestine and accept Palestine as a full member of the United Nations. A strong showing of support for Palestinian recognition among Americans is especially important as the Obama Administration considers how it will act when Palestinian membership and the Israel-Palestine issue are debated in the U.N. Security Council over the next several months. We must do all we can to prevent an American veto of Palestinian recognition.

I had the opportunity to visit Cuba. It's a beautiful country with a beautiful people. The embargo is antiquated and hypocritical. This embargo has given the Cuban government an excuse for the lack and deprivation the people experience on all levels in Cuba. This petition is asking Congress to support President Obama's efforts to open and normalize a relationship with Cuba, and end the embargo.

Following successful diplomacy to secure the release of U.S. citizen Alan Gross, President Obama has called on Congress to end the U.S. embargo of Cuba. [1] President Obama is right when he says that the 50-year U.S. embargo on Cuba has been a failure. [2] The embargo hasn't improved the lives of Cubans or Cuban-Americans; the embargo has imposed unjust hardships on Cubans and Cuban-Americans. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, President Obama moves to improve U.S. relations with Cuba and ease the embargo are already under attack by Republicans like Senator Marco Rubio. [3] Show your support for normalizing U.S. relations with Cuba and ending the embargo. References: 1. “Obama Calls on Congress to Lift Embargo,” New York Times, 12/17/14, http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/17/obama-cuba-embargo/ 2. “Obama Calls Cuba Embargo a Failure,” New York Times, 12/17/14, http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/17/obama-calls-cuba-embargo-a-failure/ 3. “Rubio Calls Obama ‘Willfully Ignorant’ on Cuba,” New York Times, 12/17/14, http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2014/12/17/rubio-calls-obama-willfully-ignorant-on-cuba/

I am from the Pacific Northwest where we suffered the loss of the 25th infantry division on Guadalcanal. We fight but God damn it: we fight with honor or we go home.