I believe that for too long an internally supervised process has created grave injustice in the salaries and benefits that lawmakers "earn" as "public servants." Throughout the difficulties of the economic recession none of them has had any reduction in salary or benefits, while an extremely high number of Americans who pay the taxes that pay their salaries have had to face major economic setbacks.

Last year, more than 30 states proposed laws that would restrict the right to vote, restrict ballot access and hamper democracy. But luckily not Connecticut. From our landmark Citizens’ Election Program to our adoption of Election Day and online voter registration, Connecticut has always been a leader when it comes to guaranteeing a transparent, participatory and responsive democracy. That's why it's so alarming to see one bill advance in Connecticut that would be a major blow to our democracy. The bill, SB 1146, which would ban cross-endorsement, was recently passed in committee in the legislature, but we've got to stop it. Under the cross-endorsement system, familiar to most Connecticut voters, minor parties can support either their own candidate or the candidate of a major party. This is healthy for democracy. Banning cross-endorsement would narrow the electoral process, limit voter choices, and discourage voter participation, especially from voters who don't feel well-represented already, like students, immigrants and low-income voters. More than 80,000 people voted on a minor party line for a cross-endorsed candidate in 2012. There's no justification for limiting the choices and expression of those voters. The legislature would do our democracy and our citizens a serious disservice if it passes this proposal. Please join me in calling on the legislature to shelve it immediately. Thank you for all you do, Miles Rapoport, Former Secretary of the State of Connecticut and President of Demos

California's courts have endured relentless budget cuts over the past five years, with catastrophic impacts on the public -- and disproportionately affecting the poor, the disabled, the elderly and the very young. This is our third branch of government and a basic tenet of democracy is: Justice for All. We demand that Governor Brown restore funding to the courts and stop the next round of budget cuts, scheduled to take effect in the coming weeks.

Congress is not doing their job. Every year, they are supposed to pass a budget. Because of their incompetence thousands of federal employees are facing furloughs. Everyone in my agency, the Bureau of Indian Affairs received furlough letters. Many agencies across the government are facing furloughs. Congress needs to have some accountability.

limit terms in congress just as example of president can only serve max, 2 4yr terms.

Relates to the licensure of therapeutic recreation specialists.

The Embargo has been driven by a corrupt Cartel in Miami that profits from it secretly and which is made up of the remnants of the Batista Dictatorship that Fidel Castro overthrew. There are terrorist living in Miami who have killed dozens of innocent people and who have been given protection by members of Congress and past GOP Administrations.

I'm writing to aks Congress (yes Congress themselves and the Senate along with the President) to cone together and change the way they recieve compensation for their work as elected officials. Instead of having them recieve payment that is unaffected during tough economic times they should ammend the way they recieve payment based on whether the economy is doing well or not. If the economy is in the slumps, then their pay gets cut in half until the economy shows signs of improvement. And won't return to its full ammount until the economy and job situation has reached the level it was at before it was considered bad. A simple ammendment to help in these difficult times.

Any one who wishes a position of leadership in the government of the united states of america , must first pass a IQ test , sanity test and criminal background ck .this would insure that our candidates would be qualified, on a basic level ,to make decisions for americans , just as any one on a job interview for a non political job would be ask to qualify with .

We're incredibly close to passing online voter registration in Illinois, but we need to make our voices heard before lawmakers in Springfield adjourn for the year! A bill that would bring online voter registration to Illinois has already cleared a major hurdle in the state Senate, but it still needs to pass the full House and Senate before the end of the week, and a vote could be as early as today. Sign the petition TODAY so that Illinois can create a more innovative, open, and accessible democracy. Once you've signed, take a second to CALL your lawmakers to tell them to support Illinois online voter registration! Petitions are great, but phone calls will make a huge difference as the vote nears. Find their phone numbers here: https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6121/c/10054/getLocal.jsp.

Congress should have to suffer just like the population that they are "supposed" to represent. We should demand they take 25% pay cuts, slash their pensions, and limit their medical.... Also, demand that once they retire, there is no double dipping i.e. becoming a Lobbyist and making millions.

The federal government, at the initiative of the President should buy, expropriate, or acquire by any means the site of the massacre at Wounded Knee and turn it into a monument. The United States has since its inception carried out a racist Holocaust against Native Americans, broken the treaties it made, confiscated land, destroyed a culture, and herded free and ancient peoples into concentration camps called reservations where they reside to this day. These crimes against humanity are a record of shame that stains the flag and identity of the United States. Not to honor this site and create a memorial would be yet another stain. See http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/12/opinion/save-wounded-knee.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130412&_r=0.