AN OPEN LETTER: BRENDAN JOHNSON SHOULD RUN FOR SENATE We believe that South Dakota needs someone in the U.S. Senate who will continue and expand upon Sen. Tim Johnson’s record of fighting for everyday people in Congress – even when that means standing up to big health insurance companies, Wall Street executives, Ag corporations, and oil tycoons. We need a senator who will stand up for core Democratic values – someone we can rely on to do the right thing without fear, especially when it comes to fighting for people who work for a living. We need someone who believes that the role of government is to help people, and who is not afraid to ask the rich to pay their fair share. Someone who will make smart investments in our future and grow the middle class. We believe Brendan Johnson should run for Senate. As South Dakota’s U.S. Attorney, Brendan is our state's chief federal law enforcement officer. He has used that power to fight for the little guy. Under Brendan Johnson’s leadership, South Dakota is the national leader in cracking down on deadbeat dads – with over 50 percent of the nation's total federal prosecutions happening in South Dakota. Brendan Johnson was named 2013 Prosecutor of the Year by groups combating violence against women. And Johnson has played a national role in fighting on behalf of Native Americans. We need Brendan Johnson’s South Dakota values and Democratic principles in the U.S. Senate. We invite all South Dakotans to join us in urging him to run. Sincerely, Ryan Casey, Sioux Falls -- Lincoln County Democratic Party Chair Ann Tornberg, Beresford – Union County Democratic Party Chair, Former President of Sioux Falls Education Association Bill Muller, Mitchell -- South Dakota Young Democrats National Committeeman Sylvia Oothoudt, McCook Lake -- Member of the Union County Democrats, Former Community Development Director of Siouxland Interstate Metropolitan Planning Council Thea Geotas, Rapid City – former accountant and real estate broker G. Darlene Weis, Sioux Falls – retired test proctor Vincent Gormley, Sioux Falls – Former healthcare worker, artist, activist, volunteer Ann Lamer, Brookings – Mother of five Shirley Lautenschlager, Rapid City Jerry Bartels, Vermillion – Advisor for GoTeachSD, PhD Student at the University of South Dakota Jackie Beilke, Sioux Falls -- Teacher

This petition is about dogs being on leash for the safety of children, parents, and other dogs because aggressive dogs who are off leash can hurt them.

We will boycott GMO foods worldwide. Launch a Nationwide Phone Bank to Congress and the White House until the "Monsanto Amendment" is rescinded.

In recent weeks, the Indiana Legislature has passed Laws that require Welfare Recipients to pass Drug Tests in order to receive Benefits. This law will cost Millions to implement, makes No provision for the Children who will go hungry if a Parent fails said tests, and seeks only to target the least fortunate among us. If that isn't Outrageous enough for You, they also passed another Law that would require Women seeking an Abortion to undergo Not One, but Two invasive Vaginal Probes before getting a procedure that has been their right since 1973. This same Law puts requirements and restrictions on Planned Parenthood, that will force even their Facilities which don't offer Abortions, to have a State-of-the-Art" Surgical Facility in order to even dispense the Abortion inducing Drugs that so safely end a pregnancy in its first weeks.

Comcast is a corportation that provides and operates cable, internet, and phone service. This company is one of the few companies that service the local areas:(Shreveport, Bossier, Minden, etc.). Overall the company's performance has been substandard, poorly managed, and poorly operated. Comcast customers are screaming for change. This petition is intended for Comcast to address the suboptimal sevices being provided to local customers.

Dangerous genetically modified foods and seeds are now occupying almost half of the United States croplands. The bacteria in them continue to live inside the intestines for a long period. An unknown-to-science organism has appeared in many GMO fields and is spreading rapidly - it has no name as of today, is smaller than a virus, and it has been clearly linked to infertility and neonatal deaths in cattle that have been fed GMO crops. Should you wish to verify these claims, please visit: http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/dr_hubers_warning/ or watch his videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzlwAAf9DRg&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8BTrG7VKmI&feature=player_embedded Who is Dr. Don M. Huber? For 50 years, he's been a scientist studying plant diseases in the U.S. and around the world and spent 35 years at Purdue University as Professor Emeritus of plant pathology. He has a 41-year military career as a retired Colonel, evaluating natural and manmade biological threats, including germ warfare and disease outbreaks. He coordinates the “Emergent Diseases and Pathogens Committee” as part of the USDA National Plant Disease Recovery System under Homeland Security.

Woman Dies in Riptide, Amagansett 2010. Woman Drowns, East Hampton Village Beach 2012. Off Duty Lifeguard saves man from drowning, Montauk Beach 2012. Most drownings only take a few minutes. The best resource we have for a drowning victim is the closest lifeguard. Why is it that only a select few are notified of water rescues? If safety is our top priority then all town and village employed Lifeguards willing to respond to water rescues should be notified of water rescue near them.

We are a nation with problems. One of these problems lies in the ability of corporations like Monsanto to throw vast sums of money at Congress to bend the law to fit an underhanded scheme. Tell Congress that we have had enough- consumers deserve the right to know if what they are eating contains under-researched GM food substances-- after all, it is your right to know what you put in your body. Label GM foods now!

With all of the thousands of flights that happen every day, animals die. Wouldn't those eggs be better with some fresh fruit than an anemic piece of meat? Certainly humans can go 6 hours or less without eating meat.

Name the new West Side Trail in honor of Green Bay Wisconsin's only Iraq veteran to give his life in support of freedom in Iraq. Marine Sgt. Benjamin C. Edinger died November 23, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom

Although there is a National Marine Sanctuary for Humpback Whales in Hawaii, the Sanctuary has no regulations or protection for these endangered whales or their habitat. Hundreds of thousands of whales are dying annually from net entanglement, vessel strikes, military Sonar and other acoustic impacts, pollution, and fisheries by-catch. There are other human caused threats to whales including habitat degradation, and ocean acidification. The State of Hawaii co-manages the “Sanctuary”. Local fishermen have been pressuring State politicians to reject all regulations for the sanctuary, leaving whales and their habitat unprotected. The state politicians need to hear from the rest of us who do want regulations. Published research documents that our Ocean ecosystem is dying, and that protection such as speed limits, No-take Marine Protected Areas and pollution controls do help significantly. Help us be voice for the whales and get some protection for this endangered species in their mating and nursery grounds. What's the point of having a sanctuary if it's not safe? For more information on the threats to whales see www.koholaleo.com

We are all responsible of the future of our kids, whether we have, we are planning on having or we simply want a better future for the next generation. So, it is important to denounce societal behavior that can put them at risk.