I work in the lending industry and every day talk to people who are underwater on their homes . The first time homebuyer usually has very little established credit, low down payment and entry level incomes making it very difficult to qualify them for a home. We need to loosen up credit standards and move the affordable loan FNMA/FHLMC cutoff date beyond May 31st, 2009

Maryland's child access prevention ( CAP) law needs to be amended. Its intent 20 years go was to prevent children from accessing firearms due to irresponsible firearm owners. Maryland's CAP law ,one of 28 nationwide, defines a child as under 16, has no penalty for accessing an unloaded firearm, and a maximum $ 1,000 fine for a firearm owner allowing a child to access a loaded firearm. CAP laws do not take away a gun owner's constitutional right to own a firearm , nor do they they tell gun owners how to secure or store their firearms.

For the past three years Governor Chris Christie organized a bear hunt. During a year garbage bears are caught by the NJ Fish&Wildlife tagged and transported all around the state. In response to the siting of confused bears the state statistics show increased presence of bears. While the bear population is actually dropping. Black bears should not be moved to other areas of NJ. It introduces bear hunt around the state.

Texas has one of the highest poverty rates in the country. We need to raise the minimum wage to $14 an hour and for small businesses the highest paid employee must not make more than 10 times the least paid employee.

Bettas are intelligent and sensitive fish that are cruelly confined in tiny cups by most stores who sell them. The leading pet store chain PetSmart receives many complaints about its cruel treatment of these fish, but continues to brush them off with misleading statements that these tiny cups are 'comfortable' and 'safe' habitats. Besides trapping the fish in an undersized space, the presentation of Bettas in this manner misleads customers into thinking that tiny spaces are acceptable for Bettas. They are not. The wholesale mistreatment of these innocent creatures by PetSmart must stop.

This petition is to bring awareness to the American Public about the murder of US Navy SEAL, Chris Kyle. I have the highest respect for his service to our country and to others he has affected.

This is for everyone in general! Why go looking for a breed of animal and spend all that money because of the name of a dog or cat? adopt an animal Save A Life they will bring you just as much joy and love if not more than a breeders animal would! There's millions of dogs and cats being put to sleep everyday because they can't find home for them. Look into your hearts go to a nearby shelter and look around before calling up a breeder please! Help us save these poor innocent animals from being killed!!! They have been and seen so much in there lives all they want is a real home and a real since of love. So please help this cause please! ADOPT NOT SHOP!!!!!!

as an animal advocate, i support alabama HB27, HB51, and HB238. please read these bills and follow your legislators votes on 'alison' (alabama legistation information systems online).

Ryan Smith has been an RA here at Georgia Gwinnett College for the 3 years now, an excellent one at that. He has NEVER even been written up, and he got fired over something simple. Although Ryan should have been more responsible, this is his first time ever getting in any kind of trouble at GGC. As residents here, we believe that Ryan should get another chance. He loved his job so much and he always gave it his all. He made it a point to have every student comfortable with coming to him for anything. We look up to Ryan and also look to him for guidance. We are petitioning this issue because we want Ryan rehired. No one deserves to lose their job over one mistake. Believe it or not, Ryan getting fired is affecting all of us. He needs to be rehired as soon as possible.

HB14 currently proposes bonding authority for 9 building projects, mostly within the University System. Eight of these projects are locally approved and considered desirable. One project in Missoula has drawn wide criticism, and according to a recent newspaper poll is opposed by a majority of residents. If approved, it would cause chaotic traffic problems, destroy an iconic open space, and create a Missoula College configuration with 4 widely separated units rather than a single campus.

Most people know February as Black history month, to shed light on the atrocities that the slaves were put through, however, most people are not even aware that the last Native American Assimilation School did not close down until the 1990's. Due to the assimilation schools, thousands of Native Americans lost their culture and language, and some moved off the reservations to protect their children from the abuses that were taking place in those schools--many people and children are unaware that they are Native American and do not have the oppertunity to learn about their culture; For Native American History month, people of all ages should be give the oppertunity to learn about any indigenous heritage and their relationship with the dominant culture whether it be the first nation tribes of America, to the indigenous people in China and Peru. Please sign this potition to give back the voice of the Earth's Indigenous people.

I believe that minimum wage should be increased from7.25 to 9.00. Fmilies are not able support their household on such an insufficient income. Please please consider the increase!