Mitch McConnell is trying to sneak a provision that gives the wealthy even MORE control over our democracy into the must-pass government funding bill. If Senate Majority Leader McConnell gets his way, a billionaire could donate an unlimited amount to a Super PAC -- which could then coordinate directly with candidates who, once in office, will owe that donor favors. And because he’s using a rider -- an unrelated provision attached to the spending bill -- to get it done, the only way we can stop it is by speaking out! Help us stop this legislative trickery today. Congressional negotiators are also considering riders that’d make it even easier for wealthy donors to hide their identities by blocking the IRS and the SEC from shining a light on secret campaign spending. Yet another rider would prevent the President from requiring federal contractors -- who receive hundreds of billions in our tax dollars -- to disclose their campaign-related spending. And those are just the ones about money in politics -- this deal is full of poison pills and unrelated ideological riders. This attempt at gaming the system to pass policies that the public would never agree to is outraging Americans of every political stripe. Sign the petition today and tell Mitch McConnell to cut every last rider and special interest giveaway from the government funding bill!

Donald Trump espouses views that are anti-American, racist, bigoted, and mysogonistic.

Providing Trump a national stage in the face of his latest rhetoric would make the GOP complicit in it. He now fits the classic definition of a "demagogue: a leader who makes use of popular prejudices and false claims and promises to gain power." His behavior reflects on us as a country, hurts our standing in the world, and negatively hinders our legitimate efforts against extremists. We must speak out against it.

Maryland’s districts are comically gerrymandered. These maps are drawn behind closed doors, with no meaningful opportunity for public comment or review. As a result, they slice and dice counties, communities, and neighborhoods. Your legislators now need to hear from you that Maryland needs a change in how we draw our districts.

Before our eyes, a tide of hatred, violence, and suspicion is rising in America. Just a few months ago, Donald Trump took his hate a step further and called on the U.S. to ban all Muslims—including U.S. citizens who may be traveling abroad—from entering the country. These are not the statements of an isolated demagogue, but the Republican presidential nominee. The United States was founded in part on the core belief that all people should have the freedom to practice their religion. If we don't stop this now—if we don't stand with our Muslim friends and neighbors—then we will be tacitly supporting this new and dangerous wave of hatred and xenophobia. In similarly dire times in the past, Americans have stood together in solidarity—both symbolically and in actual gatherings to show that we will not be divided. We will let members of the media know the number of Americans who are ready and able to resist hateful fearmongering in order to change the current narrative driven by Trump and other demagogues. Then, with a host of partners, we'll begin to organize actions all across the country that demonstrate what Americans really believe and continue a steady drumbeat of solidarity to back up our words. We are a nation at a crossroads. The paths before us are clear: we can choose to be divided by hatred, or we can continue to build a just, inclusive, and safe country, together.

UPDATE: The Legislature passed Senate Bill 13 late at night on December 16th, and it is on its way to Governor Snyder. Tell Gov. Snyder to veto it today: http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/gov-snyder-protect-michigan This idea has been proposed before in Michigan and rejected by a vote of the people. This time, they've added an appropriation so it can't be overturned at the ballot box. The bill has passed the Senate and the House, but the versions are slightly different so this is not yet done. Please take a moment to let your legislator know that you are watching, and want them to work on solutions that will help people to vote (such as no reason absentee, early voting, same day registration), NOT disenfranchise Michigan voters. More about the bill: http://michiganradio.org/post/local-clerks-blast-bill-eliminate-straight-ticket-voting-michigan

Symbols of hate have no place in our military. The Confederate flag is not a symbol of southern pride but rather a symbol of rebellion and racism. Over 600,000 Soldiers dead or wounded and 1 President died defending the United States of America against the Confederate Army, and the U.S. military is still affected by this racist symbol today. It's time to put that symbol of rebellion and racism behind us and move toward healing and a better United States of America! I will leave you with two quotes that explain the intent and legacy of the Confederacy and its symbols. William Tappan Thompson, creator of the Confederate Flag is quoted in the 1872 book, "Our Flag: Origin and Progress" by George Preble, " As a people we are fighting to maintain the heavenly ordained supremacy of the white man over the inferior or colored race; a white flag would thus be emblematical of our cause...Such a flag would be a suitable emblem of our young confederacy, and sustained by the brave hearts and strong arms of the south, it would soon take rank among the proudest ensigns of the nations, and be hailed by the civilized wolrd as THE WHITE MAN’S FLAG." If this is not convincing to you, consider what the Vice President of the Confederate government, Alexander Stephens said in the Cornerstone Address, specifically addressing America’s belief that all men are created equal: " Its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world based on the great physical, moral, and philosophical truth." If you know these beliefs do not belong in today's US military sign the petition.

Congress is about to pass a government funding bill chock full of ideological riders and special interest favors that makes it even easier for wealthy donors to dominate our democracy. It’s the result of backroom negotiations between lobbyists and lawmakers, using the upcoming must-pass budget bill as a political football, with the American people cut out of the equation. We have until December 11 -- when the federal government’s current funding expires -- to get these riders out of the current budget bill and stop any more last-minute shenanigans. Tell Congress to pass a clean bill to fund the government -- without riders that pay back donors or weaken our campaign finance rules.

Rahm Emanuel has lost the confidence of the people over the cover-up of the Laquan McDonald murder. At this point Emanuel makes claims to media that are widely considered not credible. Toni Preckwinkle, Chuy Garcia & Kim Foxx have the confidence of the people signing this petition. Rahm Emanuel & Anita Alvarez do not.

The bill for medical marijuana should be passed to help with the many medical conditions including Cancer and AIDs. Medical marijuana is needed to help with the pain of these conditions. Also, it helps with neuropathic pain associated with nerve damage and would be beneficial. Another advantage to passing the bill is that it will help lower marijuana crime rates.

I want to run for the office of Senator in Oregon State. I have resided here in Oregon for 37 years. I have seen things in the last 2-3 years that have horrified me, especially about the justice system. It badly needs fixing. Our education system, has no money, because Oregon puts more money into prisons then education. We need more police presence. We need to protect or gun rights. There is so much more that could be done to make Oregon great once again.

How could our representatives allow corporate tribunals to determine the price we owe investors when our health and safety regulations interfere with their profits? Do they really support a global corporate court system staffed by corporate lawyers with no ethical requirements of neutrality and no way to be reviewed, appealed or challenged in existing domestic court systems? How could our representatives support an agreement with laughable enforcement measures for environmental issues when compared with the rights of corporations to profits? 13 leading environmental organizations [Sierra Club, NRDC & more ] have reviewed the TPP, and stand opposed. This agreement only talks the talk, doesn't require walking the walk. Why would our representatives support an expansion of the number of American jobs going overseas? Or an expansion of the race to the bottom by allowing the importing of labor from other countries to the US without our laws and labor rights prevailing. How could our elected representatives believe that an expansion of protection for patent medicines and biologics (and a resultant decrease in the availability of generics) is good for the public and for public health??? We, the voters, will know by your vote on this issue just whom you are representing, the people or the corporations.