To me, the number one problem in the government today is the extreme partisanship that is exhibited by some members. The main job of elected officials is to represent their constituents, and to serve the best interests of the country, (whether the good ideas come from a Republican, Democrat, or Independent). When legislators fight against a bill that is truly for the betterment of the whole country because that bill is not precisely in their doctrine is criminal and negligent to all of us! We need to continuously remind our ELECTED officials that they are to represent us, NOT their own extreme Dogmatic Passions!

Members of Congress enjoy Federal Employee Status with full benefits including life-long health insurance through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), for which taxpayer dollars pay more than 70% of premiums. Members of Congress who serve more than 5 years also receive a generous pension plan based on number of years served, which is available to former Members as early as 50 years of age and continues, with annual cost of living adjustments, for the rest of their lives. Their tax-deferred savings plan is matched nearly dollar-for-dollar by taxpayers. The total cost to taxpayers for Congressional benefits (not including salary & pensions) in fiscal 2010 was an estimated $4.66 Billion.

Navy to deafen 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more By Lyndia Storey (Contact) To be delivered to: U.S. Navy EIS Comments Stop the killing of 1,800 whales and dolphins and the deafening of 15,900 more by ceasing the operation of the Navy's underwater sound system in the Hawaiian Islands, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico. The Navy is required to include comments on their Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) re: the use of high frequency underwater sound for testing in Hawaii, the California and Atlantic Coasts, and the Gulf of Mexico. According to their estimates it will deafen more than 15,900 whales and dolphins and kill 1,800 more over the next 5 years. Whales and dolphins depend on sound to navigate and live. Your signature and comment will have to be included in the EIS and could stop this Naval program, potentially saving the lives of these ocean creatures. The comments must be in by July 10, 2012. STOP THIS PETITION, WE ARE A GOVERNMENT WHO PROTECTS THIS COUTRY FROM FORIEGN AND DOMESTIC ENEMIES. SOME GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS HAVE CONS, BUT THE GREATER GOOD SHOULD BE TAKEN DEEPLY INTO ACCOUNT. IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE MILITARY, THERE WOULD BE NO PETITIONS LIKE THIS. WE ARE FREE.NEW goal - We need 450,000 signatures There are currently 440,065 signatures. STOP THIS MADNESS!!!

There are NO technical or functional barriers to Residential solar in Washington State. Red tape and competing bureaucracies add significant costs. The process must be streamlined to reduce costs. As it stands Utilities, Labor and Industries, and local governments are the major impediments to clean energy and green jobs in this sector of Washington's economy.

Whereas there are noteworthy disparities between the Wisconsin Recall exit polls and the reported vote results, and Whereas there have been numerous questions resulting from electoral disputes since 2000, and Whereas the Wisconsin Recall elections have never been counted by humans, but only by optical scanners, and Whereas there have been numerous documented instances of counting errors by optical scanners which have subsequently changed election outcomes, and Whereas confidence in the accuracy, fairness and sanctity of the vote is essential for confidence in, and the survival of, our democracy, Therefore, we the undersigned demand that all the ballots from the Wisconsin Recall elections be counted by hand in order to validate the machine-counted tallies, and We further demand that the State of Wisconsin pay for this manual recount as part of its responsibility to ensure fair, honest and transparent election results.

all unused campaign funds should not be able to be reserved for yet another race or for unintended personal uses. Therefore, once the election is over, the rest of the money should be donated to the charity with the most popular donation requests which were given at the time of donation

We have such a deficit now in our country and yet we continue to pay our senators and elected officials even when they are no longer in office. They get their health care,insurance and salary for life. They gave all this for themselves and we should demand that they now live as the rest of the country. When we are no longer employed we must buy our own insurance and live off our retirement if we have any saved. why should they have it any different. Stop their pay and put toward the deficit !!! There should also be term limits in senate and congress !!

Elective office has become for way too many a Career, versus public service. All too often, some elected officials and Judges become entrenched "in the system" and often fall prey to the pressures of big money and Lobbyists, or become out of touch with contemporary issues. We need to press for a Constitutional Amendment that limits public service in the congress, and Supreme Court to eight years maximum. In addtion congressman and senators cannot serve in the House or Senate once they have completed 8 years in either house. All congressmen/senators and Supreme Court Judges may serve if elected, as President of the US for up to the current constitutional limits.

Using the 65 Million People who voted for President OBAMA in 2008, the Occupy Movement and Progressive individual to create a PAC that will surplant every Right Wing Superpac, not because the amount raised might be more significant, but that the number of donors will drive the fear of God up against their Billions of Dollars. Who would bet against such odds if they know that the people in vast numbers oppose Big Business take over of our Government. 65 Million People Plus can make hay with minimum contribution and put that money to work by hiring "summer program workers for the progressive ground game" What can such a group acheive? Getting rid of The Supreme Court's version of Citizens United; Electorial Reform; Tax Reform; Immigration Reform and The Creation of a Small Business Ideas and Bank and Funding Source.

I think that politicial information presented in the media should be required to be "fact-checked" before it is presented to the public. For those representatives, pundants, or individuals representing a politician or political party who misrepresent the facts, or outright lie and present distortions of information, they should be subject to civil suit for liable , malice, and misrepresentation of American policy, and bear fines and penalties imposed by a Court of law. So much of the campaigning that is going on in current elections, on all levels- local, state, and national, is fraught with misinformation and untruths, leading to a populace that is uninformed of the significant facts that their voting decisions should be based on. Unfortunately today, most people get their political information from local t.v. and radio networks who have a vested interested in presenting only their side of the debate. American people should have a right to be presented with the truth about the current events and policies that affect their lives; and individuals that misrepresent the facts, lie, or use untrue advertising attacks must be held accountable for deceiving the American public. They should be sued for liable, fraud, malice, and misrepresentation of public policy. Especially since the Citizens United ruling took the right of the individual to an all time low, the citizens of the USA need legislation that can protect their individual rights of freedom, liberty, and the right to cast a vote based on information that is accurate and factual. Individuals , PACs, or corporations who deliberately misrepresent information during campaigning and electioneering should be subject to strong, stiff, and swift penalties- and those monies should be used toward paying down the national debt.

Since the beginning 2012 no member of Congress,the Courts or the President of the United States have or will have served in the Military in any active war zones. Understanding risks to life and limb, and the risks to self and family is or should be a considered requirement for any Military intervention. There should therefore be a amendment to the Constitution requiring a military service of 4 years.If a person does not do such a service he would be found unqualified as a candidate for National Office After all if one cannot put oneself at harms way than they do not need a job in congress which may last for decades. Many candidates for government office have both sons and daughter who have not performed national service but have /or will benefit from their parents ascending to government office Therefore the need for this added requirement to each member of Congress in order for them to hold office, if you cannot risk your life for the country then you do not deserve to hold office

It baffles my mind that a member of congress just has to serve one term in congress to enjoy full retirement benefits but a servicemember is only eligible for 50% after 20 years on duty! I want servicemembers to be entitled to full retirement benefits after atleast 20 years of service.