The use of the electoral college for electing the President of the United States should not last another election. Because of this laughably outdated system, the candidate who receives the most votes can lose the election. This has already happened twice in American history and once in our lifetimes. If that weren't enough, the current state-by-state system is also weighted against states like New York that have the misfortune to have a predictable majority. While the concerns of people from sharply divided “swing states” like Iowa receive lavish attention from presidential hopefuls, the concerns of New Yorkers get virtually ignored on the campaign trail, except when the candidates drop by to pick up their big money contributions. In the last two months of the 2012 presidential election, the presidential and vice presidential candidates of both parties did not even visit New York once. The battleground state of Ohio got 73 visits. We need to replace the state-by-state system of elections with a national popular vote. It was thought that doing this would require a constitutional amendment at the federal level. However, all that is required is for states representing 270 electoral votes to agree to commit their presidential electors to whoever wins the popular vote. This proposal is called the “National Popular Vote Interstate Compact,” and it has already been voted into law by a host of other states, from Maryland to California, representing 132 electoral votes. Here's the link: http://www.nationalpopularvote.com/. New York should join them and put the project past the halfway point. This bill has passed the State Senate twice in the last two years with large, bipartisan majorities and odds are, if it was voted on in the State Assembly, it would pass. But it has never been brought to a vote in the State Assembly, most likely due to the reluctance of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Speaker Silver needs to allow the legislation to be introduced for an up or down vote, so that New Yorkers can have a more equal voice in choosing our next President. You don't need to wait four years to let your voice be heard. Sign on now! And tell your friends about this exciting opportunity to make our votes count.

After a Public Hearing, the Planning & Zoning Commission, 6 people decide this issue. This is too important to be left in the hands of a few officials.

taxpayers need to stop paying non working government officials.

Most Progressive initiatives are oriented towards specific policies the legislature has failed to address when what we really need is a change in the constitutional rules of the game. Preferably a seemingly small change that is easily understood and that radically changes the political landscape in a way that undermines centralization is what is needed. We need a state initiative in every state with initiatives, an initiative proposal that basically can be said in two sentences: "All elections to political office in California shall be my majority vote. In cases where no candidate receives a majority instant run offs as are currently the case in some California cities will decide the winner." Imagine the difficulty of the two main parties arguing against majority rule when most Americans hold both of them in contempt. If these initiatives were on as many ballots as possible, and repeated regularly until passed, the issue would remain in the public eye. As both gay marriage and marijuana legalization demonstrate the more these issues are in the public eye the more receptive the public becomes. But unlike gay marriage and marijuana legalization, majority rule is already regarded as legitimate. Advantages I. With majority vote rules for elections a vote for a third party candidate will not help your opposition politically in any sense. If one of the two main parties gets a secure majority, compared with a plurality election the outcome will be the same. But when majorities are not secure the dynamic changes. II. A candidate may need another party’s voters to win. In order to get them he or she has to treat the issues they raise explicitly and would be well advised not to trash their candidate. As a result issues will be discussed that normally would not get discussed. Further, the third party will be treated with a degree of respect, legitimizing it in otherwise skeptical eyes. III. Voters will be encouraged to vote their real preferences, and make the main party candidate a second choice. In doing so I predict we will rapidly see that third parties have a lot more support that currently seems to be the case. This is because under current rules I may prefer Greens or Libertarians or something, but never vote for them because I don’t want to help the other main party. As third parties become more competitive they become more interesting to undecided voters. IV. Because they have a chance, third parties will attract candidates who are in it for more than ego and feelings of self-righteousness. We will get a pool of more competent candidates. This will make them more effective in attacking the positions of main parties. There are no strong progressive organizations with much public visibility in the way a strong third party would be visible. V. Over time ‘third parties’ will get more strongly established in the public eye, win elections, and provide genuine competition to the corporatists. Given current levels of disgust with corporations, banks, and the main parties it might not take much time. VI. Majority vote elections will also be cheaper. Currently most states help finance party primary elections. Primaries were established because we have a two party oligarchy and it is only through primaries that much democracy exists in the US at all. But when many parties exist they can pay for their own primaries if they want them. The financial savings would not be negligible. Here in California as best I can tell a primary costs about $70 million. Let the parties pay for one if they want one.

Iowa's Governor opposes the expansion of Medicaid, is opposed to a woman's right to have sole control over her body, and appoints his own son to a state office; he needs to resign for the good of the state.

Hi Everyone, Please take a quick moment to sign my petition below. We can’t let our State Legislators get away with this! This session, the Republican-led Legislature has put forth legislation which falls drastically short of fixing the problems that led to the 2012 elections debacle. As members come home to their districts, FL Dems are activating their grassroots network to urge lawmakers to make substantive changes to fully reform Florida's elections system, including but not limited to returning early voting hours to the 14 days voters received prior to the passage of HB1355. That's why I created a petition to The Florida State House, The Florida State Senate, and Governor Rick Scott, which says: It's time for the Republicans to stop the lip service, stop the games and fully reform the elections system they broke today. Will you sign this petition? Click here: http://signon.org/sign/gop-broke-fls-election?source=c.em.mt&r_by=7378787 Thanks! Jim Tate MoveOn.org

Tell Congress "what is good for the goose is good for the gander", support S. 436: Sequester for Congressional Pay and Accountability Act,

Governors, as all elected officials, must respect citizen initiatives.

Congressmen have wonderful pay and benefits that are at a cost to taxpayers. Congress needs to provide evidence their performance has justified their salaries and benefits. If they are unable to pass legislation that is for the good of the American people, they should not be allowed pay or benefits. It's called pay for performance and Congress should not be exempt!

Texas is one of 3 remaining states that has yet to actively repeal a law criminalizing the private, consensual, intimate, sexual relations between homosexual people, 10 years after the Supreme Court of the United States invalidated such laws as unconstitutional in 2003. We do not want Texas to place its role in history as the very last state in the nation to repeal this language from the law books. Please stand up and say you want this stigmatizing law to go once and for all!

The Patriot Coal bankruptcy will be a lost health care and pension engine for thousands of mine workers.

The furlough of over 800,000 Department of Defense civilians and countless other federal agencies will negatively impact the safety and security of this nation. Most federal employees are middle-class families who will be faced with the 20 to 40% pay cut this year! They're much better ways to reduce the nations deficit And stop wasteful spending.