Some members of Congress (both the House and Senate) have signed a pledge to lobbyist Grover Norquist--a pledge about not raising taxes under any circumstances. The result has been virtual road bock to the development of any reasonable solutions to many of our nation's economic problems. Let's tell the ones who have signed the pledge that we expect them to renounce their allegiance to Grover Norquist.

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling: "I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election"

Big spending on elections and lobbying is preventing meaningful action by Congress and state legislatures to address the urgent matters of severe unemployment, inadequate health care, and an alarming and growing disparity between the incomes and standards of living of the wealthiest 1% of our citizens and the remaining 99%. Under the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Citizens United case, spending by individuals and by corporations is constitutionally protected speech that cannot be effectively limited by Congress or state legislatures. The only way to undo the harms caused by the Citizens United decision is a constitutional amendment that removes the free speech obstacle to needed action by Congress and by state legislatures. Under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, at the request of the legislatures of two-thirds of the states, Congress must call a constitutional convention to consider the need for a constitutional amendment.

Remove talk radio host Rush Limbaugh from the American Forces Radio and Television Service

Much has been said in the last few years about the Founding Fathers and our constitution. One thing that is certain, however, is that the Framers did not forsee or intend the career politicians we are saddled with at this time. Serving should be a public service, not a chance to sell your soul to lobbyists while you forget that it is the American people that you are supposed to represent. We will have no true political change until big business, through their lobbyists, can no longer own our politicians.

The American government is falling apart. The two-party system is no longer serving the needs of the American people as a whole, which is causing the rise of stronger third party candidates and protests such as Occupy Wall Street. The American people need to know the platforms and names of candidates other than Republican and Democrat candidates to where they know that there are other options. This petition is to allow third party candidates from the Libertarian, Socialist Party USA, Green Party, and Tea Party to be included in national presidential debates. It will allow the American people to have an alternative to who they are voting for and give the third party candidates a chance to be known and heard instead of stifled because of the lack of corporate funding and support.

The people of WNC value their postal service, and demand that their services be at the same or higher level as any other major community in this country! The Brevard Processing Center in Asheville NC is currently being studied for closure which will mean that all WNC mail will be trucked to Greenville SC for processing and a postal mark.

History and Logical Development Leading to this Indictment The following is a background historical description and logical development leading up to the necessity for this action. A great deal more could be said and arguments engaged in, but not within the scope of this present web site and its purpose. This is not intended as an argument on economic policy nor ideology nor party politics in general. It is intended to show the logical inconsistencies of positions and actions taken and the sheer idiocy and lack of all logic of the total behavior of Congress in these circumstances. This is intended to show why the intransigence of Congress and individual Congressional members and their refusal to do their duty under the Constitution and their Oaths of Office must be terminated by the concerted action of the People of the United States of America. 1} A long list of Republican presidents, standing high or not so high in the Republican Party hagiology, have espoused and acted upon taxing the rich as a necessity of fairness. Here is a list of those from modern times: Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan. A balanced review of this position with additional and current information, including Democrats and their viewpoints is available here: http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/Columns/2011/10/07/7-Top-Republicans-Who-Taxed-the-Super-Rich.aspx#page1 It is very difficult to fault the logic of all these past presidents, both members of the Republican and of the Democratic parties, including those not mentioned here based upon the logical truism that it is of course necessary to tax the rich more highly because by definition the rich have more money and the poor have less or none. The existence of a national government and national goals in a society that recognizes the private ownership of property and wealth requires the availability of money to do the People’s Business and therefore the requirement for taxation. This is a long established basis of our country, back to its very beginnings. 2} A history of the yearly record of income deficits and surpluses for the United States Government is available on the Internet from the fiscal years of 1789 to projected for 2011 in inflated dollars and uninflated dollars. This history is available on this link: http://www.davemanuel.com/history-of-deficits-and-surpluses-in-the-united-states.php This includes graphical data from 1940 to 2011 and also 2000 to 2011. 3} Trickle-Down Economics is the general concept that reductions in taxes on the wealthiest members of society will result in gains for all of society as those with the most wealth are induced and allowed by their increased income resulting from tax cuts and breaks to create and expand businesses and create jobs to the benefit of the majority of workers and citizens. A web site which statistically examines this concept and graphically indicates the failure of the top tax rate to correlate with Real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, Income growth rate, Hourly Wage growth rate or Change in Unemployment over a 50 year period is available here: http://www.faireconomy.org/research/TrickleDown.html This seems to be more than adequate as a basis of information to say that the concept of Trickle-Down Economics is an entirely self serving fallacy on the part of those who wish to benefit from it. Further information on historical tax rates to a later date is available here: http://www.businessinsider.com/history-of-tax-rates In general, marginal or the top tax rates, do not correlate with economic activity and the boom or bust cycle of the economy. Furthermore, there is much more to the tax rates than the degree of progressiveness with the rate of taxes on the rich. There is also the major factor of the different rate for taxes on income from employment and the rate for taxes on dividends which is much lower. This is the primary cause for the multiply noted fact that a multi billionaire frequently pays a lower tax rate than his secretary as noted for example, here: http://www.thestreet.com/story/11221086/1/buffett-tax-the-rich-mailbag.html?cm_ven=GOOGLEN It is without doubt that those who possess the greatest levels of wealth and income in the United States, inarguably receiving the greatest benefits from membership in this society, presently enjoy historically low taxation rates and there seems no real basis to argue against this as fact. 4} Paragraphs 4 and 5 of the 14 Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America: 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. 5} Senate oath of office: “ I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God. 6} House oath of office: “I, AB, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and fait...

A bill to stop "insider trading" in Congress: Like everyone else, members of Congress should be subject to current insider trading laws. "However, current insider trading laws do not apply to nonpublic information about current or upcoming congressional activity -- that's because members of Congress aren't technically obligated to keep that information confidential."(CBSnews.com) By Signing this petition you will let Congress know that insider trading should be illegal for all and that serving our country is more important than lining their bank accounts. Ask your representatives and Senators to pass "The Stock Act".

Capital Gains, the bulk of income for the 1%, is taxed at 15%, while income from work is taxed at 15-35% PLUS 7.65% payroll tax on roughly the first $100,000. This means the marginal tax rate for the 99% is roughly 22-42%. Ending the special treatment for Capital Gains and taxing it at the same rate as wages, salaries and tips would bring Warren Buffet's tax rate in line with the rest of us.

The privately owned Federal Reserve sets the monetary policy for the entire U.S.A. There is absolutely no public or governmental oversight of it. It is entirely owned and controlled by the too-big-to-fail banks. This is a petition to transfer all powers & functions of the Federal Reserve to the U.S. Dept. of Treasury.

Congress is not better than we are. We hired them to work for us; however, the republicans are not doing their job for the people! They had the nerve to sign an agreement with Grove Norquist which is proof they are not working for the people! As such, they should receive the same Social Security and health care benefits any other retiring person or disabled person receives!