Response to NC State Auditor's report released July 22, 2014.

Americans are renouncing their citizenship at alarming rates, the IRS has seen its budget cut and is still being tasked with chasing people who do not reside in the country. Is it moral to tax someone who does not live in the country and whose income is not derived from the country? Citizenship based taxation is a relic of the Civil War when the Union attempted to punish the Confederacy for seceding by taxing all, ''citizens'' (persons born on American soil) and was not repealed following the reunification of our country. President Obama chided Americans for being, ''lazy'' in foreign investment, but investing abroad often entails residing abroad and double taxation discourages this. Residency based taxation would make Americans more competitive abroad, reduce the burden on the IRS and is the morally the right thing to do.

Because they do not have Rule of ethics,

Are you mad about 38 Studios...the insider loan that went bad and will cost Rhode Islanders more than $80 million of their hard earned tax dollars? Here's one way to channel that anger! Sign this online petition to support the appointment of an independent, outside counsel to investigate ALL aspects of the disastrous 38 Studios loan. Rhode Island taxpayers deserve to know exactly how this happened. Our General Assembly voted NOT to look at this fiasco. It's time for Rhode Island voters to join in demanding truth and accountability. We won't get that through sham investigations such as the one being run by Secretary of State Mollis. State officials cannot be allowed to investigate themselves; only a third party with no fingerprints at the scene of the crime can produce the truth!

The New York Times published a disturbing report based on a 3-month investigation on Gov. Andrew Cuomo's interference with the work of the Moreland Commission that was created to address corruption in Albany, a commission he started himself and then closed when it began looking into organizations that did business with his campaign. According to the story, when the commission issued a subpoena to a firm that was related to Cuomo, Cuomo’s aid contacted a commission co-chair and told him, “This is wrong” and then “Pull it back.” The commission then did. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Gov. Cuomo started this commission and grabbed headlines as a reformer, but he's now been seen repeatedly and directly obstructing the investigation when the investigation turned to his dealings. This kind of violation of public trust is the deepest problem we have with our democracy today. These kinds of corruptive practices create a broken democracy and keep many of us on the sidelines, disappointed with what our representative government can do. It must be rooted out immediately. Join us in demanding that Cuomo resign now. If all of these reports are true, he has lost all credibility when it comes to reforming Albany - he represents the problem, not the solution. Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/nyregion/governor-andrew-cuomo-and-the-short-life-of-the-moreland-commission.html

Corporations affect our lives every day in multiple ways, including what we eat and drink, the air we breathe, the cleanliness of our water, our working conditions, and our living conditions. Court decisions giving them "free speech rights" based on the amount of money they can spend are inherently anti-democratic. Instead of one person, one vote, these Justices have made the U.S. a corporatocracy of one dollar, one vote. Their anti-democracy beliefs make them unfit to serve on the Supreme Court and betray their oaths to the U.S. Constitution.

In the words of my daughter, a veteran who served 2 tours as a nurse at the beginning of Iraqi Freedom: "Much has been uncovered about the problems veterans have been facing in receiving services and obtaining employment. Based on my personal experience, and discussions with fellow veterans, I believe these issues are related to the fact that many current VA employees are not veterans, let alone combat veterans. They cannot understand our needs, our language, or our demeanor. This can be changed if more combat veterans are employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs." NOTE: When actual legislation is written, we agree with comments we've received that 10 point preference eligible disabled veterans should be considered together with combat veterans. UPDATE: After extensive research, we've found that direct healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and physician assistants, are hired under Title 38, which does not mandate veteran preference. We believe this group needs to be covered by veteran preference requirements. VETERANS CARING FOR VETERANS!

This man harasses the community. This man does not meet the adequate standards or beliefs or morals of an exemplary police officer. This man has harassed me and surly other patrons of Tidioute for 12 years. I strongly believe that he should be removed from his position as a Tidioute borough police officer.

This announcement comes after threatening to cut off water to nearly 100,000 working-class and poor Detroiters. A temporary reprieve is a hopeful sign, but it’s not enough-- the water shutoffs must end permanently. In our comprehensive report last November, we pointed out that Governor Snyder and his colleagues in the legislature appeared to be angling for control of the Detroit Water and Sewerage System by either transferring it to a new governmental agency or outright privatization, or a little of both. The city is bankrupt, not this enterprise. The real political game being played out is to wrest this huge enterprise from the City Water and Sewerage Department and transfer the operation—and the valuable business that can be handed out to allies and potential contributors—to the state. We’re on the verge of victory now, and we need your help to amplify the voices of those on the ground. Sign our petition to end the Detroit water shutoffs and this public health crisis.

Following the "Hobby Lobby" decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, the President did not include any religious exemptions in his executive order! Now, untold thousands of LGBT workers will be protected from discrimination!

WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WANT ALL MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO STOP THE RACISM, HATRED, AND THREATS OF IMPEACHMENT BEING IMPLEMENTED BY THE GOP AGAINST THIS PRESIDENT, AND THE FIRST FAMILY. NEVER BEFORE IN HISTORY HAS THE LOSING PARTY RACIALLY ATTACKED A SITTING PRESIDENT IN A TIME OF WAR. THE WORLD IS WATCHING, AND WE ARE DESTROYING AMERICA WITHIN BY THOSE WHOSE ACTS SPEAK OF HIGH TREASON. CONGRESSMEN/WOMAN TOOK AN OATH, AND THEREFORE MUST STOP THESE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES NOW!

Great news! Governor Brown just allowed SB 1272, the Overturn Citizens United Act, to go to this November's ballot as Proposition 49! Now, California voters will have the chance to tell Congress to pass a Constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's terrible Citizens United and McCutcheon decisions, and to say that corporations aren't people, and money isn't speech. Please sign the petition thanking Governor Brown for letting Prop 49 go to the ballot and urging him to support it and SB 52, the California DISCLOSE Act.