My petition would take several steps to clean up the federal election process so that one man, one vote actually means what it says. The current process is corrupted by corporate and private money, by political redrawing of election district lines, by voting restrictions and by the existence of the electoral college.

There is no good reason why political leaders should be on a retirement plan, income and health benefits, that is different and better than the rest of us. After all, we voted politicians into office to serve the public, not to be served by the public.

End tax exemptions for all religions, religious institutions and all related businesses and property related to religions.

Shortening bills being proposed to single line items instead of lumping together several issues that do not correspond to each other. This would substantially eliminate favors, earmarks, pork & blackmail. A common sense bill that everyone agrees on, such as recent Income Tax Holiday Extension could get signed thru without all the drama that large bills take on. Senate reviews a proposal, hammers out the details & sends it onto the house, for their review/modification & passes on. Example... recent extension of the income tax holiday lumped with unemployment insurance extension, & oil pipeline snuck in as bonus, should have been three seperate bills. 2011 was a stalemate in DC because the bills were too big, too lumped together. No one was ever happy with EVERYTHING, so NOTHING got done. Citizens have been terribly disappointed with our representatives, & this is one way to make sure they are actually earning their income & benefits by working harder for us, instead of saying NO to everything. This is fair for both parties, it still may be bypartisan, but common sense hopefully will prevail.

The Supreme Court's Citizen's United decision has opened the flood gates of undisclosed and unlimited funding in support or in opposition to a particular elective candidate or policy matter. This decision has placed our political system in the hands of the wealthy and powerful to serve their own special interests.

Preferential treatment for churches is unfair and unwarranted. Since governments, local and otherwise, are struggling for revenue, this tax break is especially burdonsome. Many churches are multi-million dollar enterprises and do not need or deserve to pocket these much needed funds.

The pension policies for people who serve in Congress are far too liberal and far too expensive for the American people to keep enduring. It is time to update them and make them reflect modern values and modern standards.

The onslaught of political ads & the expense to participate in campaigning to be President is making the President's role only available for the rich to participate- and obligating the candidates to those willing to contribute to the Campaign. This cycle needs to stop. BAN POLITICAL ADS- INSTITUTE CAMPAIGN REFORM. Some analysts believe that President Obama, who raised & spent about $750 million in the 2008 campaign, will come close to $1 billion this time around. Enough is Enough. Despite your party affiliation, the country needs to get back to the issues & not have our leaders focused on fund raising- which used to be every 4 years but is now more often. Sign the Petition and let's send a message to congress that we want Campaign Reform!

The US Congress and US Senate need to be held to limited terms in office. The benefits they accrue by virtue of their service need, likewise, to be limited to the time spent in office.

Reduce 2012 pay and benefits for all members of the U.S. House and Senate, plus corresponding reductions in costs for staff, travel and the like. In 2011, they accomplished so little that was important. No passed FY 2011 budget. No grand bargain on deficit reduction. Failure of "Super Committee" to come to any accord. Failure to extend payroll tax cut another year. Widespread failure to approve executive appointments, so that the Government could run with a full managerical complement.

Abolishing Primary Elections

The Oneida County Board of Supervisors meets during morning hours, making it difficult or impossible for working families to attend. On January 17, the Concerned Citizens will present to the board, the petition requesting more convenient meeting times. We also wish to present a banner listing names (and reasons) of citizens who could not attend the presentation on the 17th. In addition to signing, in the Comment section, please state the reason you are unable to attend the meeting on the 17th. "Working", "Supervising kids", "Volunteering" "at the Dentist Office", or anything that daytime meeting hours causes difficulty for your active participation. Thanks so much!