On Monday, a Secret Service agent choked a Time photojournalist who stepped out of a press area at a Trump rally. (http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/29/politics/donald-trump-event-protest-rally/) Secret Service has an important role in protecting presidential candidates. But they should not be employed as thugs. The Secret Service agent should be punished for these actions, and all agents should be reminded of their appropriate role in a heated campaign climate. Trump rallies have incited violence before, and he has forcibly rejected journalists from press events. He is attracting enthusiastic support from white supremacists, and as recently as Sunday refused to disavow the KKK In a televised interview. He has verbally attacked women, immigrants, the disabled, and Muslims, while proposing policies that are bigoted, xenophobic, and unconstitutional. Trump events are already heated enough—the Secret Service has an important role, but it should not be adding to the chaos and violence.

Nebraska Republican Senator Ben Sasse has courageously stated that he would not vote for Donald Trump, if Trump becomes the Republican nominee. He cited "Trump's relentless focus ... on dividing Americans, and on tearing down rather than building back up, this great nation." This was a day after Trump refused to disavow the KKK in a televised interview on Sunday, dishonestly claiming he didn't know who former KKK grandmaster David Duke was, which former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney called a "disqualifying and disgusting response." It is time that all Republican office-holders and office-seekers publicly state whether they would support a Trump candidacy or, if he is the nominee, they will declare they won't vote for his brand of bigotry. The KKK response was only the latest in a series of incidents that have revealed the dangerous connection between Trump's campaign and white supremacists. Furthermore, Trump supporters have committed acts of violence, including at Trump's own rallies. And the candidate himself has verbally attacked women, immigrants, the disabled, and Muslims, while proposing policies that are bigoted, xenophobic, and unconstitutional. It's time for Republican leaders to tell us where they stand—and declare they will not vote for, endorse, or campaign for Donald Trump if he is the Republican nominee.

I am a veteran of the Iraq war and served for almost 10 years to protect our country. Many soldiers have given their time and some have made the ultimate price to ensure the People are protected and have a voice. Respect the sacrifices we have made and let the voters decide elections.

We the people of New Mexico demand the Superdelegate system be abolished. Until that happens we demand that the Superdelegates vote in accordance to the will of the people, and without regard to personal preference or any other thing. I sign this petition with the understanding that I will make positive effort to attend the DPNM State Pre-Primary Convention at the Isleta Casino, meeting On March 12th to protest. We need delegates and non-delegates alike. We need to pack the house inside and out. This is important to our cause. Isleta Pueblo Resort 11000 Broadway Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM. #FeeltheBern National Coalition of Delegates for Bernie Sanders https://www.facebook.com/groups/NCDBS/

In 1988, Proposition 73 made publicly funded elections in California illegal. Simply put, democracy was stolen from us. Our voices are no longer heard. Our opinions no longer matter. This is an injustice that must be corrected. We must let our legislators know that we will not support those who work for special monied-interests instead of "We the People." To do that, we must repeal the state’s 28-year-old ban on publicly funded elections and demand the restoration of democracy by changing the way our elections are funded. Elections should be free of the corrupting influence of money and fair enough that anyone can run for public office, not just millionaires and their allies.

It is of vital importance that all progressives support the Democratic presidential nominee as well as Democratic candidates straight down the ballot in 2016.

Despite Bernie Sanders' big win in New Hampshire, both he and Hillary received the same number of delegates. Why? There are two different types of delegates in the Democratic Party Presidential Nomination Process; Pledged Delegates and Unpledged/ Superdelegates. During an interview on CNN, Jake Tapper asked DNC chair and Florida congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz about the difference between to two delegates. Tapper asked Schultz, “Hillary Clinton lost to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by 22 percentage points, the biggest victory in a contested Democratic primary there since John F. Kennedy, but it looks as though Clinton and Sanders are leaving the Granite State with the same number of delegates in their pockets because Clinton has the support of New Hampshire’s superdelegates, these party insiders. What do you tell voters who are new to the process who say this makes them feel like it’s all rigged?” Schultz replied, “Well, let me just make sure that I can clarify exactly what was available during the primaries in Iowa and in New Hampshire. The unpledged delegates are a separate category. The only thing available on the ballot in a primary and a caucus is the pledged delegates— those that are tied to the candidate that they are pledged to support, and they receive a proportional number of delegates going into our convention. Unpledged delegates exist really to make sure that party leaders and elected officials don’t have to be in a position where they are running against grassroots activists. We are as a Democratic Party really highlight and emphasize inclusiveness and diversity at our convention, and so we want to give every opportunity to grassroots activists and diverse, committed Democrats to be able to participate, attend, and be a delegate at the convention. And so we separate out those unpledged delegates to make sure that there isn’t competition between them.” Tapper responded, “I’m not sure that that answer would satisfy an anxious young voter..." Tapper is correct. As an anxious young voter myself, I am concerned that the Superdelegate process of the Democratic Party is undemocratic. If, Party elites are the ones who ultimately get to decide who the nominee will be, then what's the point of casting a vote for a candidate? I my view, the American people are the ones who should decide, not the Party elites. Please sign and share this petition, demanding that the Democratic Party abolish the Superdelegate system and restore the power to the American people.

I have watched and been in charge of research on Bork when he was nominated. Many organizations pointed out his flaws in personal beliefs and character. Both Republicans and Democrats pressured the Senate to chose another option. Luckily for our country, we were able to provide enough pressure to nominate someone equally qualified but more suited to serve.

The Workers’ Protection Coalition is fighting for a fair and just Workers’ Compensation System for all injured workers. We must stop the proposed cuts and slashing of worker protections. Here's what's at stake: 1. Disabled workers deserve full settlements. The Budget would eliminate the Aggregate Trust Fund, in turn slashing settlements for workers who are permanently disabled, widows and dependents of workers who died on the job. It would be a second reduction for the permanently partially disabled workers whose compensation was decimated by the 2007 caps, and would do enormous damage to those who are permanently totally disabled or who are beneficiaries in death cases. 2. New Yorkers who work two jobs or are paid by the hour should not be treated as second class citizens. The Budget would unfairly change the way a worker’s salary is calculated, reduce benefits for hourly workers in all types of employment, and prevent those who work two jobs from being compensated for all of their lost wages. Workers deserve fair compensation for their lost wages. The law shouldn’t be changed to deflate their average weekly wages and in turn, provide substandard compensation. 3. Workers must be able to choose their own doctors and manage their own health care. The Budget would allow for workers’ employers to choose their doctors, while giving the Workers’ Compensation Board unchecked and undemocratic authority to regulate doctors and remove them from the system. Workers are entitled to manage their own health care, and doctors should be regulated by qualified medical professionals, not the Workers’ Compensation Board. 4. Injured workers deserve a fair hearing. The Budget would remove the right of workers and employers to have their cases decided by the same judge who heard their case. Instead, the Workers’ Compensation Board would be allowed to assign any case at any time to any judge in the state for any reason, when making a final decision. This would deny workers their fundamental right to a fair hearing and an impartial, reasoned decision. 5. Injured workers deserve a democratic process and the chance to appeal. The Budget would eliminate the right of workers and employers to have appeals decided by a panel of three Commissioners appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature. Instead, it would allow most appeals to be decided by any lawyer employed by the Board; and end all meaningful Legislative participation in the workers’ compensation system. 6. Doctors should be regulated by doctors, not bureaucrats. The Budget would eliminate the role of the Medical Societies in qualifying doctors to treat injured workers. Instead, the Workers’ Compensation Board would be given broad power to require doctors to sign “authorization agreements,” and to bar them from the system if it chooses to do so, limiting the medical treatment available to injured workers.

Reasonable Americans should band together and make a collective visual statement to voice our disapproval and disavowment of Donald Trump's candidacy for President. It doesn't matter what party you belong to--Trump should not be legitimized.

President Obama has issued a signing statement opposing Congressional efforts in the Customs Act to erase the Green Line and put Congress on record defending Israeli settlements in the West Bank. President Obama wrote: "Certain provisions of this Act, by conflating Israel and 'Israeli-controlled territories,' are contrary to longstanding bipartisan United States policy, including with regard to the treatment of settlements." [1] President Obama reaffirmed his intention to ignore Congressional demands that the U.S. try to interfere with European moves to enforce European policies distinguishing the settlements from Israel. But a year from now, Barack Obama will not be President. These laws passed by Congress will still be on the books, and the next President could try to carry them out. Rubio or Cruz would surely do so; what a President Trump might do is anybody's guess. While Bernie Sanders has called for ending Israeli settlement building on Palestinian land [2], Hillary Clinton has yet to clarify where she stands on efforts in Congress to legitimize Israeli settlements in the West Bank. [3] That's why it's important that we push Members of Congress now to stand with President Obama and longstanding U.S. policy that settlements are not Israel. Urge Congress to stand with President Obama in affirming that Israeli-settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are not Israel by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.jta.org/2016/02/25/news-opinion/united-states/battle-over-defining-bds-makes-it-into-presidential-signing-statement-but-that-wont-end-it 2. https://berniesanders.com/issues/war-and-peace/ 3. http://prospect.org/article/note-hillary-boycotts-and-settlements

Article II, Section 2 lays out the Senate's role in providing advice and consent to the President regarding his nominee to the Supreme Court. In the past 60 years, every nominee has had a hearing before Congress. This year should be no different. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans, including our own North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, have already said they will not consider any nominee to the Supreme Court whom President Obama delivers to them. By refusing to consider any nominee before any are even put forward, Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are clearly violating their constitutional duty to the American people. Next week arguments will be heard in the Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstadt case. The verdict in the case may impact whether opponents of abortion will continue to pursue their strategy of attacking providers as a way to stop access to legal abortion, and will have far-reaching consequences right here in North Carolina. Playing politics with women's health isn't just wrong, it's dangerous.