Pennsylvania's legislature cost us $309 million last year. By comparison, California, a state more than twice the size of PA, spent only $256 million. That works out to over $1.2 million per legislator. To make matters worse, the PA General Assembly held on to a $140 million slush fund. All of this while cutting programs that benefit working families. Tell the Governor, your State Senator and your State Representative to cut their budgets before even considering cutting programs that help hard working tax payers. If there needs to be sacrifice, they should be first in line.

We all know politics are broken in the United States these days. We can take a big step in fixing those problems by demanding campaign finance reform to stop big money from buying our elections before the 2014 elections.

Filibusters are killing everything we care about: gun control, climate, jobs, health care, protecting and enhancing the safety net, etc. We have to change this. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had a great opportunity to bring about reform at the beginning of the 113th Congress, but he caved in. His "compromise" gave us nothing. He must take firm action to bring about reform that really will make filibusters rare. Sen. Reid is from Nevada. The only influence most of us have over him is the tourism that Nevada depends on. By choosing to vacation or gamble elsewhere, we can put economic pressure on our Majority Leader to take the actions we all so desperately need. So let's take our tourism dollars elsewhere. Instead of Las Vegas or Reno, visit San Francisco or New Orleans. Help Native Americans by going to an Indian Casino. Instead of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, stay on the California side. Don't spend any less money or create any fewer jobs; just choose where you want that money to go. Nevada residents: We understand you can't actually pledge to avoid Nevada. Please sign, though, as a sign of solidarity with us. We are not out to hurt Nevada. We fully expect that getting a good number of signatures on this petition will help Reid feel he can take action. Knowing Nevadans will be with him on filibuster reform will make it easier for him to make this decision. And when Reid acts, we'll tell everyone to make a point of spending EXTRA money in Nevada. Filibusters used to be rare. It was understood by both parties that they should be used only for exceptional circumstances. Many bills passed with a slim majority, less than what would be needed to overcome a filibuster. Now we have rule by "two-fifths majority." Nothing can get passed without 60 votes. And running a filibuster does not even require showing up. Only the number of votes to end debate matters. Not voting and not showing up counts as if you want debate to continue in order to kill the bill. If we are to have a filibuster at all, we must at least require a "talking filibuster." Those wanting to obstruct government must care enough to be dedicated to show up and keep talking. A filibuster must end if fewer than 41 senators are present to keep it going, and the majority must be able to keep retesting the resolve of the minority by calling for periodic cloture votes. Endorsements of filibuster reform: http://www.kentucky.com/2013/04/23/2611533/senate-filibuster-hurts-governing.html http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/29/opinion/sunday/filibustering-nominees-must-end.html http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-senate-rules-filibuster-20130502,0,7466527.story http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-judges-20130602,0,4411661.story http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/04/20/3265607/editorial-the-filibuster-has-to.html http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/opinion/editorials/nuke-em-harry-reid-should-break-the-minoritys-filibuster-grip-690399/ http://www.registerguard.com/rg/opinion/29882117-78/filibuster-senate-rule-reform-block.html.csp http://www.sentinelsource.com/opinion/editorial/senators-should-have-to-filibuster-with-their-words/article_dd2944bc-b777-58b2-bb34-f1ed2f5d5ccf.html

Congressional entitlements.

Start to act responsibly and fairly.

For far too long lawmakers in Washington have ignored the will of the “People” they were elected to represent and instead have catered to the whims and demands of corporations, lobbyists and the richest 1%.

My petition deals with the problems that arise when something totally unrelated to a bill or initiative is tacked onto that bill or initiative. prior to voting. Many a good bill has been defeated because something unacceptable has been added and many bad bills have been passed because something very important (probably deserving a separate bill of its own) is tacked onto it. I believe that bills should be STAND ALONE, with no additions, riders or non-related issues attached.

We need better representation.

I think we cannot have a true democracy unless the Senate allows votes based on what the majority of Senators want. The arcane rules of the Senate make it a club for the oligarchy rather than a forum for the will of American citizens.

The US Senate is using the filibuster to thwart democracy.

This year the California legislature has the unique opportunity to take the lead in meaningful election reform. The State Senate Elections Committee hearing on April 30 is the first step to pass the DISCLOSE Act now. DISCLOSE stands for "Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections". The California DISCLOSE Act, SB 52, would bring transparency to California elections. SB 52 requires clear identification of the top three funders of tv, radio, print and online political ads, as well as billboards and websites. It includes a "follow the money" requirement to report the actual, original contributors to a political ad. By this petition, we urge the California Senate Elections Committee to take action on April 30 to pass the DISCLOSE Act now.

STOP GUN VIOLENCE : On April 20,2013 My Husbands family suffered a Tragic Loss My Sister-in-Law lost her 31yr old son who was a father to 2 young children to GUN VIOLENCE at the hands of her own husband who PRE-MEDITATED her sons MURDER!!! We NEED TO MAKE IT KNOWN TO CONGRESS NOW!!!! AMEND THE 2nd Amendment!!!