Last week, New Florida Majority and its partners turned in over 127,000 petitions in Miami-Dade County calling for an initiative on the ballot this November to reduce the power of big-money interests and give ordinary people a stronger voice in our elections. While this fight is local, its success could strengthen the movement to get big money out of politics across the country. Wealthy special interests have too big a say in who gets to run for office and what laws get passed. Political donations have a large amount of influence over the political process, and the vibrant diversity of communities around the country, such as Miami-Dade County, isn't represented in the donor class. For example, Black people make up one-fifth of Miami-Dade County's population, but only two percent of donors to mayoral candidates. The donor pool for county commission candidates includes more Black donors but is still not representative. The ballot initiative in Miami-Dade, which successfully gained 127,000 petition signatures, would encourage a more diverse donor pool and empower the county's Black population, and it could pave the way for similar legislation around the country. The initiative would lower contribution limits, prohibit contributions from big county contractors and their lobbyists, and strengthen enforcement and update the county's public financing program to replace the large donations from wealthy special interests with small donations from ordinary people. The people of Miami-Dade have spoken, and they want this initiative on the November ballot. Will you stand with them and make sure their voices are heard? All the rules regarding petition circulation and delivery were followed in Miami-Dade, and now it is time for the Elections Department to fulfill its duty to count and verify the petitions in time for the 2016 election. Mayor Carlos Gimenez and the county commissioners cannot ignore the voices of 127,000 people and deny the right to free and fair elections to Miami-Dade's residents.

Donald Trump has demonstrated that he is a bigoted narcissist who will say or do anything to promote himself. The best way to get through to him is through his wallet.

During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump became the first major nominee to refuse to release his tax returns in 40 years. If Trump thought he could dodge releasing his tax returns forever, he was wrong, and we’re going to prove that. We won’t stop until we get the full transparency we deserve from the highest office in the land. He works for us now, after all. That’s why thousands of Americans are marching on April 15th in Washington, D.C. with taxmarch.org

The Washington Post claims that Hillary Clinton won't be able to fulfill her promise to increase domestic infrastructure spending, because House Republicans will insist on cuts elsewhere to pay for it. [1] But that would only be the end of the story if we assumed - as the Washington Post apparently does - that the bloated Pentagon budget is sacrosanct. Not every House Republican votes in lock-step with the Pentagon. Forty House Republicans - many of them members of the House Liberty Caucus - voted with the overwhelming majority of House Democrats to stop the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [2] Urge Democrats and Republicans in Washington to put cuts to the bloated Pentagon budget on the table to pay for domestic infrastructure spending by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2016/08/11/daily-202-hillary-clinton-s-agenda-would-flounder-in-congress-here-are-seven-reasons-why/57abd94bcd249a2fe363ba11/ 2. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/obama-heeding-close-house_b_10516480.html

President Obama is still pushing for a vote on the corporate power-grabbing Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in a "lame duck" session of Congress after the election. If Obama gets his way, the presidential election wouldn't count - the TPP would be approved before the next president takes office. As Michigan Rep. John Conyers recently wrote in The Hill, "even those lawmakers and officials who support the deal should recognize that lame duck consideration of such a highly controversial deal would create a crisis of legitimacy in American politics." [1] Six House Republicans who like Rodney Davis voted for "Fast Track" authority to negotiate the TPP last year recently urged President Obama not to push for a lame duck vote on the TPP. They wrote: "A 'lame duck' Congress should not vote on an agreement of this consequence – it would be an end-run around the American people immediately following an election." [2] Urge Rodney Davis to join these House Republicans in publicly opposing a lame duck vote on the TPP by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/290791-lame-duck-tpp-vote-could-be-disastrous-for-dems-and 2. https://candicemiller.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/miller-trott-urge-president-against-forcing-lame-duck-tpp-vote

John Podesta, Hillary Clinton's campaign chair, says Clinton "opposes TPP BEFORE and AFTER the election. Period. Full stop." [1] But Obama is still pushing for a vote on the corporate power grabbing Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement in a "lame duck" session of Congress after the election. If Obama gets his way, the TPP would be passed before Hillary Clinton could take office. As Michigan Rep. John Conyers recently wrote in The Hill, "even those lawmakers and officials who support the deal should recognize that lame duck consideration of such a highly controversial deal would create a crisis of legitimacy in American politics." [2] Urge Senate Democrats to press Hillary Clinton to advocate against a lame duck vote on the TPP by signing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/289369-podesta-says-mcauliffe-wrong-about-clinton-and-tpp 2. http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/290791-lame-duck-tpp-vote-could-be-disastrous-for-dems-and

I am concerned that Hillary Clinton will be assassinated by someone inspired by Donald Trump's call to use violence against her. The threat should be taken seriously not simply "investigated" and dismissed by the Secret Service. Donald Trump should not be allowed to incite violence.

We the undersigned petition to the US Secret Service to arrest and incarcerate Donald J. Trump for advocating assassination of his Democratic opponent. His language, though veiled, is clear enough to rational Americans that he is advocating that someone commit assassination. Signed, John L. Casey, Whitehouse Station, NJ

I have a relative who is an ex-felon living in a southern state. The reinstatement of voting rights for ex-felons, and preservation of voting rights for non-felons!, is a personal issue for me as well as something I think every citizen of the US should be concerned with. Wholesale rescinding of voters' rights, and the placing of obstacles in the way of justice, fly in the face of American values.

The Zika Virus is a major health crisis. Women and families who want to start families deserve and have a right to demand that government act to minimize and ultimately eliminate the pain and tragedies the Zika Virus will bring to many families.

Donald Trump is attacking immigrants with hateful racist rhetoric, and his campaign of fear and anger has inspired some his supporters to harass and attack people of color here in Colorado and across the country. But rather than standing up to Donald Trump defending his constituents against Donald Trump racist rhetoric, Colorado Republican, Mike Coffman, is twisting himself into contortions to gain the support of immigrant voters in his district while pandering to Trump supporters motivated by fear and anger. Recently, in the course of a day, Coffman’s campaign ran ads distancing himself from Trump, while simultaneously refusing to rule out an eventual Trump endorsement. Mike Coffman is trying to play both sides, but we’re not buying it. Incidents of violence toward communities of color by Donald Trump supporters are on the rise, and it’s time for Mike Coffman to pick a side. History is watching.

We get it: Hillary might not be your first choice this election. But many of us know that Trump, a serial liar, rampant xenophobe, racist, misogynist and someone who regularly incites violence and political discord, is NOT an alternative that we can live with. If elected President, he will destroy our values and our country. The options might not be satisfactory, but we MUST stop Trump. If each one of us succeeds in changing the mind of just ONE Trump voter, he will lose.