It's been an unwritten rule for four decades. By disclosing their tax returns, presidential candidates have let us know if they had potential conflicts of interest - BEFORE they were elected to negotiate and make war on our behalf. It's time to write down this unwritten rule. It's time to require this of any candidate wanting to be placed on the Maine ballot, and wanting to be our next military and policy commander-in-chief.

We would like to express our concerns to our elected officials.

Donald Trump is emotionally unstable and makes military strikes, with no plan and no congressional authority.

Until Trump releases his tax returns, we can't know who he's doing business with, or to whom he owes money. We can't get a complete picture of his conflicts of interest, though the ones we do know about—from guests at Trump hotels to involvement with foreign entities—are genuinely alarming. This is dangerous for America. That's why I filed Senate Bill 982 to require any candidate for President or Vice President—including Donald Trump—to release their tax returns in order for their name to appear on the Illinois ballot in 2020. In Illinois, a state that has been controlled by money and the machine for so long, releasing tax returns is just as important. It sends an important signal that our chief executive is ready to be held accountable to the people, and only the people. It's why I released five years of my own personal tax returns and called on all Democratic candidates for Illinois governor to join me. Governor Rauner released his returns, making us aware of potential conflicts of interest. If we are now calling on President Trump to release his returns, we should demand nothing less from any Democratic candidate for governor. Passing this bill is one way to demand transparency not only from Trump, but from all the big-money politicians who seem to think the rules don't apply to them. Together, we can send a message that we are serious about restoring trust in government and putting Illinois on a new course. Join me in supporting Senate Bill 982 to tell Donald Trump: Release your tax returns or your name won't be on the ballot in Illinois in 2020.

House Speaker Paul Ryan and Republican leaders in Congress are trying to silence the resistance movement and protect Donald Trump. They are blocking legislation that would force President Trump to release his tax returns. Working together, we can smash through their blockade. Using a parliamentary procedure known as a DISCHARGE PETITION, Democrats are attempting to force the release of Trump’s tax returns. They need 218 signatures from Representatives to force a vote on legislation requiring Trump to release his taxes. Today, they have 173 signatures. That means we have just 45 more members of Congress to go. Sign the petition today calling on your member of Congress to sign the DISCHARGE PETITION to force the release of Trump’s tax returns.

When President Trump conducts the public’s business from the White House, the public has a right to know who he’s conducting it with. That’s why his decision to keep the White House visitor logs secret is an attack on the principle of open government our democracy relies on. Trump’s decision reverses President Obama’s policy of publishing visitor logs, which was hailed by open government advocates as a step forward for transparency, and provided a valuable resource to journalists and anyone seeking to hold the President accountable. But the current President’s administration is shrouded in controversy -- from his unaddressed conflicts of interests to his unprecedented refusal to publish his tax returns, to him and his team’s undisclosed ties with the Russian government. His repeated attempts to shield himself from public scrutiny and oversight should alarm anyone who cares about transparency. President Trump works for us -- the American people. And if he won’t be straightforward with us, it’s up to our representatives in Congress to make him come clean. That’s why our lawmakers must immediately pass the MAR-A-LAGO Act, which would make public visitor logs from the White House and anywhere else the President regularly conducts business, like the Florida estate that lends its name to the bill. It’s our right and duty as citizens to hold the President to the highest standards of ethics and transparency. Congress must pass the MAR-A-LAGO Act so we can hold Donald Trump accountable.

We want a face to face interactive town hall meeting with our representative in Congress. Mr. Gohmert refuses to meet with us. He has "tele-town halls" that are useless. He calls us a "small group of liberals", "paid protestors", "disruptive", and "a distraction." He thinks he can ignore us because he has a safe seat. But we are his constituents and it's his duty to represent us!

All Members of Congress have been sent to their home Districts specifically in order to connect with their constituents - those whom they represent - in events such as Town Hall Meetings and casual gatherings, so as to better represent the sentiments of those whom they serve. However, since the 145th Congress first convened this January, they have shown an utter disdain for the voice of the public, instead pursuing their own interests and those of their donors. They have been actively seeking to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency so that major corporations could make more money without have to be concerned with environmental protection. They've also sought to dismantle the Department of Education, and many others that protect endangered species, while at the same time passing bills to allow both suspected terrorists and those declared mentally ill the right to own a firearm of any kind. Not to mention the healthcare repeal and Trumps proposed Federal budget which would basically take billions from humanitarian efforts in order to spend it all on military action.

Based on all information that is readily available to the Public, it is evident that our right to free and fair elections was stolen from us, specifically in swing states such as PA, WI, MI. The American Public deserves an election that is free from Russian Interference, free from misinformation, free from active measures, free from corporate donors trying to control the vote, free from voter suppression, and free from any other unfair measures that are used. We demand that we be allowed to redo the vote. We also demand that paper ballots be used nationally so that there is no hacking done.

Not yet , but Trump's stupidity AND recklessness in dealing with North Korea and Russia will eventually back the country and world into a nuclear war. THIS REASON IS ENOUGH TO START SUCH A PETITION. THE NATIONAL PRESS SHOULD DEMAND HIS RESIGNATION. THEY HAVE PLENTY OF EVIDENCE OF HIS INCOMPETENCE

Stringent job qualifications are required for most high-level positions in the government and in the private sector, but this is not so for the most critical position of all, the President of the US. The candidate for this office should at least be able to pass a basic civics exam, should know from experience what public service entails, and can prove to the voting public that he or she will not carry business conflicts of interest into the Oval Office.

Sean Spicer's bumbling, insensitive, false, and outright bizarre statements on Syria and Nazi atrocities proved he is unfit to do his job at the White House. He must go.