I am tired of being represented by elected officials who have no skin in the issues they legislate. It is time that our representatives in government, get back to being one of the people, if they are truly to represent all of our interests. -You can't legislate health care law, when you get full coverage for free. -You shouldn't refuse a (minimum) wage increase to others but raise your own. Any salary increase to elected officials should be tied to a minimum wage increase. -You can't pass laws that favor 401k in lieu of pension, or talk social security reform, when you are guaranteed a large pension, even if convicted of corruption or other illegalities. -No election contributions above $100.00 from anyone. Only Individual contributions are acceptable, by check or money order only. Including political action groups and committee members, as well as lobbyist. -If corporations are people, then they should be subject to the same tax, criminal, and bankruptcy laws as regular people; and not something different. -Electoral districts should conform to the lines of a strict uniform geometric grid. -Ongoing multi-year, unresolved issues that distract the legislation, and don't have a concise resolution, should be put to vote to the citizenry, via a referendum, at the next state or federal election. -All votes by a legislative representative at the state and federal level should be made public to its constituents via the internet on a single government managed website within 24 hours. -Vote for the interests of the people you represent, not your personal belief and/ or interest, or that of a political party. Be an American citizen first.

Trump is enriching himself on the backs of taxpayers while cutting funding to programs that aid taxpayers. This is not fiscal responsibility.by Congress, Senate, or Trump.

I'm sick of government officials either apparently not knowing the contents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act, or flat-out lying about it. I MADE THE EFFORT TO READ IT, THEY CERTAINLY COULD! Sponsors of bills should provide an overview quiz, and if a representative cannot pass it, he or she should not be allowed to vote on it, and that should be made public. That will inform their constituents whether their representatives are actually doing their jobs, are incompetent, or are playing us for fools. ENOUGH NONSENSE ALREADY!

Donald Trump and his cabinet full of Wall Street insiders are preparing the largest tax giveaway in American history. It’s expected to cost $6 trillion over ten years – double the size of George W. Bush’s tax cuts. Stand united in opposition to Trump’s massive tax giveaway to the wealthy and large corporations. Sign the petition today!

The National Endowment for the Arts and its corresponding National Public Radio and Public Broadcast System have been an essential part of our culture ; enriching the lives of all in this country , bringing this into the living rooms of all America. President Trump's Budget that cuts all funding cannot be allowed and must be voted against in both the House and the Senate- and as I have done in naming my state- we must also send the message to all our State Governments to make sure that the fight is carried locally and the message is sent to Washington DC.

To ensure that all Americans have equal protection under the law, in 1974 Congress created a legal aid program to ensure that all Americans have access to civil legal assistance when they need it. Nearly one in five Americans – 61.8 million people – are eligible for legal aid when they need legal help. But the Trump Budget takes aim at legal aid, by eliminating funding for a program that provides legal services to 1.9 million people each year. The Legal Services Corporation funds lawyers who represent homeowners facing illegal foreclosures, help secure housing for veterans, protect seniors from scams, stop illegal harassment by debt collectors, deliver legal services to rural areas, protect victims of domestic abuse, and help disaster survivors. We can’t let Trump deny justice to Americans who can’t afford legal assistance. Tell Trump and Congress: don’t deny justice for all. Fund legal aid. Read more: http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/heads_of_over_150_law_firms_warn_trump_administration_against_defunding_leg Letter of Support from Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators, Legal Services Corporation: America's Partner for Equal Justice, 02/28/2017, http://www.lsc.gov/media-center/blog/2017/02/28/letter-suport-conference-chief-justices-and-conference-state-court http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/trump_budget_eliminates_funding_for_legal_services_corp

The Trump Budget slashes and burns crucial programs that help fight eviction and homelessness, and aid the rural and urban poor. The budget proposes a 13 percent cut in funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The National Low Income Housing estimates that these cuts will put more than 200,000 seniors, families, and people with disabilities at immediate risk of evictions and homelessness. This cannot stand. Tell Congress to reject the Trump Budget. The Trump budget: * Eliminates a $3 billion program (the Community Development Block Grant) that provides funding for public facilities improvements like parks, health-care and child-care facilities, and disaster relief; helps struggling homeowners stay in their homes; and allows rural communities to repair crumbling housing stock. * Totally eliminates the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, which coordinates the federal response to homelessness. One of this council’s goals is to end veteran homelessness. * Eliminates NeighborWorks America, which supports neighborhood organizations that develop and maintain affordable housing. Read more: * 10 Ways President Trump’s Agenda Will Harm His Supporters in Rural and Small-Town America, Center for American Progress, https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/poverty/news/2017/03/16/428315/10-ways-president-trumps-agenda-will-harm-supporters-rural-small-town-america/ * Denise Lu, Trump federal budget 2018: Massive cuts to the arts, science and the poor, The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/trump-federal-budget-2018-massive-cuts-to-the-arts-science-and-the-poor/2017/03/15/0a0a0094-09a1-11e7-a15f-a58d4a988474_story.html * Diane Yentel on President Trump’s Budget Request, National Low Income Housing Coalition, http://nlihc.org/press/releases/7613.

I don't believe that President Trump should be allowed the honor of placing a person on the Supreme Court while flauntingly disregarding the norms and established precedent of the previous Office holders. The Senate must demand he adhere to our minimum expectations. He must not be allowed to trample the Presidential norms. What will he trample next.

NY lawmakers agree on pay raise for caregivers March 15, 2017 04:58 AM ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - The New York state Senate and Assembly are in agreement on a plan to increase funding for the care of the developmentally disabled. The Republican-led Senate and Democratic-controlled Assembly both included $45 million in additional funding in their chamber's proposed state budgets. The money would support pay raises for the direct support professionals who care for people with developmental disabilities. Low pay has created high turnover and staffing shortages. Harvey Weisenberg, a former lawmaker and father of a disabled son, says some caregivers are so poorly paid they're choosing to work fast-food jobs instead. Now supporters must convince Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who did not include the money in his own state budget proposal. A vote on the budget is expected by April 1.

Fuel standards may be the most important environmental regulation we have, and they make sense on many levels. They save us gas costs, they keep American car companies competitive and they protect our environment. Tell the EPA and car makers, we won't buy yesterday's gas guzzlers. Move forward not back.

Western Environmental Law Center is a nonprofit, environmental law firm dedicated to defending wildlife in the West. On March 7, 2017, WELC served a Notice of Intent to sue the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for failing to protect wild winter steelhead.

Steve King making outrageous racist remarks is unfortunately nothing new. However, his awful consistency is no excuse for complicity. Most recently, King shared a racist meme regarding Emma Gonzalez, a Parkland survivor and #NeverAgain movement leader, criticizing her for wearing a Cuban flag. He has also tweeted "you can't rebuild civilization with someone else's babies" which won him the praise of former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke who called upon white supremacists to move to Steve King's congressional district, Iowa's 4th, if they wanted to have leadership that reflected their values. The very next day on WHO radio Steve King doubled down on his bigotry when commenting on demographic trends indicating Caucasians will someday be in the minority "Blacks and Hispanics will be fighting each other before that happens." This calls for unequivocal condemnation from all respectable leaders and political parties.