They have removed court reporters out of the family court rooms. This is very important to have court reporters back in our family courts. There have been very biased cases regarding the way judges are treating people in family court.

Despite last week's ruling in favor of Democrat Chad Taylor to remove his name from the ballot, allowing a two-way race between Republican Senator Pat Roberts and Independent Greg Orman, Kansas Secretary of State, and member of Pat Roberts re-election campaign committee, Kris Kobach is attempting to confuse overseas voters into not voting by placing a disclaimer on their ballots in regards to their vote not being valid if the empty Democratic slot is filled. Kobach is therefore doing nothing short of tampering with the election and purposely acting against a Supreme Court ruling. We must stand up against this corruption and rid our government of such elected officials. We can do this through the power of the vote, and must therefore protect and defend our right to vote... even from the very person who was elected to protect it for us.

Gerrymandering is a major cause of dysfunction in our government. That affects all of us! There is legislation pending in Pennsylvania; however, if it is not passed during this legislative session pressure on our legislators should continue.

Most voters feel one of the most important pieces of information about a ballot measure is who's spending money trying to pass or defeat it. But that information is virtually impossible to find. SB 844 (Pavley) will make it easy to see who's spending money for and against California propositions by requiring the Secretary of State to create an online page with the total amount raised and the top ten funders for and against each one. The official ballot pamphlet will include a link to the page to make it easy to find. Any day now, Governor Brown will decide whether to sign or veto SB 844. Please urge the Governor to sign it, and then share the petition with your friends.

I believe the Great Spirit has shown me this vision. The Native American Counsel of Nations assuming our government in peace and equality and caring for mother earth. I am of German descent. I am going to California in October to speak with the Chief of the Tule River Tribe and it would be a blessing to have signatures, that will be a revelation for the Natives to understand our forgiveness and desperation as our government continues to send our children to foreign lands to secure the 'investments' of the elite few.

My husband is incarcerated in Michigan. Our family dearly misses him, and cherishes every moment we have together. He has started a petition for all inmates who would also like to have over night family contact visits approved. Anyone that does a Family Visit or stay over night has to pay. This is not just from me, this is about everyone in the United States that misses their loved ones. What would this do for the inmates or the visitors? First it will give them life again and not be so violent, second it will help with cost, third people will start doing what they have to do to come home. Inside the prison world it's hard to survive because you have to deal with so much. If you get time with your loved one and overnight stays, you're more worried about staying out of trouble so you can have your visit, and not get it taken away from you if you do get into trouble. I think this would be a great idea because it will help in funds and also give inmates more reason to work on their behavior issues as well as not giving up on themselves as they will have a chance to work toward spending time with their children and wife. All I'm asking is for you to consider this not only for the inmates but for the families who have a long time to be without their loved ones. Family is the most important thing when serving a sentence for a crime. Without communication by letters, phone calls, and visitation, inmates would be more aggressive and violent against each other and officers. I believe that if state prisons allow conjugal visits for married inmates that it would be logical to allow those types of visits in state and federal prisons as well. This type of bonding promotes healthy relationships and morale. Federal inmates have to serve around 85% of their entire prison sentence. Where as state prisons usually serve 50-65% and gain time sometimes for good behavior to get early release. Since this is not the case for State and Federal inmates, then why not pass a bill to allow conjugal visits for State and Federal inmates? The question of whether or not prison is intended to rehabilitate - rather than to merely punish - deserves the scrutiny of all Americans who might one day be affected by the answer. Yes, many agree that it would be a privilege to have these visits when incarcerated. For those who believe that isolation is a way of rehabilitation I would like to say there is absolutely nothing rehabilitating about restricting inmates from intimacy with their spouses. If the visits should require monitoring to be considered safe then, in my opinion, by all means monitor. Conjugal visits will allow for longer, faithful marriages and healthier relationships. Honestly, I think that every inmate's case is different and conjugal visits should be considered accordingly. Please sign, and share this very important petition, so that we can get as many signatures as possible. Thank you to all of you for your love/support/help.

We support keeping the Shrewsbury MA mail processing plant open and maintaining the strongest public post office in Massachusetts.

As an Arkansas voter, I want my vote to show our state candidates why they must support comprehensive immigration reform, the DREAM Act, improved education for all children, and driver’s licenses for all Arkansas residents. With my vote, I want to see these reforms become real this year because we, as a state, can't wait and stand by while local families and communities continue to suffer. Arkansas has proudly doubled the immigrant and New American vote since 2010, and I plan to help our state do it again in 2014, both through my vote and that of all of the voters I will register and take with me to the polls this November 4th.

I think Congress is forgetting something, and with just days before they leave Capitol Hill to campaign, I need your help to remind them: "Congress: Isn't it your job to help grow the middle class?" I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot from these same politicians about how they fight for the middle class and stand up to special interests. But words are one thing, and actions are another. It's time for them to show us they are serious about creating jobs and closing tax loopholes. Time for them to stop protecting companies like Burger King who flee the U.S. to dodge taxes, and instead stand up for the millions of Americans who just want a decent shot at a good job and a high-quality education. Legislation to create 1.9 million jobs, improve schools and reduce poverty -- paid for by taking on special interests and their massive tax breaks -- has been pending for months and months without any action. We think this is something every member of Congress needs to support if they expect us to take them seriously when they claim to be for the middle class.

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.