FOLLOW THE FCC!! In August of 2013, a decade after families of prison inmates asked for action, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed to limit how much companies can charge for phone calls made from behind bars. The FCC ordered that commission payments from telephone service providers to correctional facilities could no longer be included in any interstate rate or charge. They also issued a rate cap for the price of long-distance calls. It is now up to the individual states to lower the rates for in-state calls through its prison phone contract. WHY is this important?? A few reasons…. Currently it is cheaper for an incarcerated individual to make a call to California than it is for that individual to make a call to their family in Conway, Arkansas. This simply makes no sense! According to the FCC ruling, “Studies make clear that inmates who maintain contact with family and community while in prison have reduced rate of recidivism and are more likely to become productive citizens upon their release. Lower rates of recidivism also benefit society by reducing crime, the need for additional prisons, and other costs.” In addition, thousands of Arkansas children would benefit from increased communication with their incarcerated parent. The exorbitant price of phone calls from correctional facilities today actually DISCOURAGES such communication! The Arkansas Prison Telephone Contract is out for bid….again! There is no legitimate reason why families here in Arkansas should have to bear the burden and pay the inflated phone rate. We are asking the Arkansas Board of Corrections to FOLLOW THE FCC… and ensure the new contract is based on an equal cost for in-state and out-of-state calls. You can help Arkansas families by signing this petition and/or writing a letter to the Arkansas Board of Corrections at PO BOX 20550, White Hall AR 71612-0550 asking them to FOLLOW THE FCC!

Benton Charter Township has discontinued its funding assistance to the Benton Harbor Library. As a result of this lost revenue and other factors, the Benton Harbor Library has been forced to make drastic reductions in staffing, hours and acquisitions. WIthout additional funding, the Library will face even more draconian cuts. The Benton Harbor Library is a vital resource to residents -- particularly the youth -- of Benton Township and Benton Harbor. The Township Board needs to recognize the Township's broad support for the Benton Harbor Library, and restore funding.

We are tired of watching our young people attacked and murdered by the very men and women we employ to serve and protect us. We all have a right to know how frequently the police employ brutal methods on the job and along what race lines this is happening. By creating a national database, we are creating the tools we need to study the problem on a national level in order to come to workable solutions in our individual communities.

Citizens United prevents the average person's voice from being heard. Voter turnouts are already low this will only influence more people to not be involved in their government. What good is a democracy if elections can easily be influenced by massive amounts of money. The U.S. Supreme Court made a mistake, now it is up to the people to fix it.

We support keeping the Pendleton OR mail processing plant open and maintaining the strongest public post office in Oregon.

We support keeping the Bemidji, MN mail processing plant open and maintaining the strongest public post office in Minnesota.

Maine's last election for Governor was won by the Tea Party with 39% of the vote because Independents and Democrats did not collaborate to support one of their two candidates when the race came down to the wire. This year we face the same three-way race, and the polling looks very similar. If we don't vote for whichever challenger is ahead in the polls , we will face the same outcome and the Tea Party in power for another four years.

Last month, California Assembly Democrats killed the DISCLOSE Act, which would require telling the truth about who is behind ads about Ballot Propositions. You can send a message to those Democrats about how you feel about their caving in to pressure from special interests, by signing this petition. Oh, and, by the way, as you sign the petition, you can give them a piece of your mind about what they did! We’re tired of ads that are really paid for by the Koch Brothers or PG&E or Monsanto saying they’re paid for by fake front groups with high-sounding names like Americans for Prosperity (a front group for the Koch brothers) or California Drivers Alliance (a new front group for the Oil Companies), or Americans for Mom and Apple Pie. We demand to know who is really paying for the ads, and the DISCLOSE Act will require that. Make a bold statement for truth in advertising–sign the petition. The whole progressive agenda will be helped by the DISCLOSE Act. Imagine how different things would be if special interests opposed to LGBT rights, civil rights, healthcare reform, and corrective actions to reduce global warming and protect the environment, had to clearly disclose themselves to voters on their ads about ballot propositions. Ask your legislators to stand up to the Special Interests and vote for the people–sign the petition. You’ll be glad you did!

As Americans we are being spied on and making our lives very translucent. Are politicians should lead the way. Especially since greed, corruption and oligarchy is destroying once a great democracy. It's time for "the new deal to save our democracy".

This baseless law is the main reason that the usually lucrative brunch service has not taken off in Mobile as it has in New Orleans, Nashville, Pensacola, Savannah, Atlanta and other Southern cities. Brunch service traditionally starts at 10:30AM but if you can't have a Bloody Mary or Mimosa until noon then it isn't really brunch is it? It's just lunch.

Law enforcement agencies are backed by strong lobbies. Thus, there are no laws mandating that law enforcement agencies report the number of people they kill or injure.

Uganda's dictator Gen. Museveni has ruled Uganda by the barrel of a gun and hate campaigns for 28 years. His army has invaded neighboring Congo causing the deaths of millions and much destruction. Early this year he declared that Gays were "disgusting" and promoted attacks against Uganda's LGBT community when he signed the anti-Homosexuality act. His resume is filled with hateful statements: He once said "Hitler was a smart guy, but I think he went a bit too far by wanting to conquer the world” and told The Atlantic Magazine in September 1994 “I have never blamed the whites for colonizing Africa: I have never blamed these whites for taking slaves. If you are stupid, you should be taken a slave.” He doesn't care that Uganda's hospitals have no medicines and schools lack books: In 2011 the U.K.'s The Daily Mail reported that he diverted $50 million in foreign aid money to purchase a private Gulfstream Jet. http://tinyurl.com/63xbcff Now he's diverted $600,000 that can go to Uganda's hospitals and schools to pay Mercury llc, an American PR agent, to "spin" positive tales about his regime.