Beltway insiders have the most successful social safety net programs in their cross-hairs. Despite the fact that Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid keep millions out of poverty these same insiders want to destroy them for the sake of compromise and greed. They are trying to drum up public fear by inventing a "fiscal cliff" narrative and now demand drastic cuts. Seniors, the disabled, soon to retire baby-boomers and even the young would experience unnecessary financial hardship while millionaires and billionaires might pay a few more pennies on the dollar. We need strong progressives leaders like Senator Gillibrand to draw a line in the sand: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are off the table.

I have been personally affected since I moved to Manassas Park, Virginia. The bus that I need toi get home stops running at 7:39. That is the OmniLink bus MPK-B. I take the OmniRide commuter bust from West Falls Church Metro and I am often delayed by the Orange Line Metro an/or the traffic on 66 West. This gets me to Manassas too late to catch the last bus to go to Manassas Park. I do not always have money to catch a cab home. I have been stranded in Manasas more than once.

One of the austerity measures proposed as a remedy to the fiscal cliff suggests that if families wish to qualify for any SNAP or TANF funds they must sell their cars and rely on public transportation. This is an absurdist reaction. For one thing there are countless families that live in rural or suburban areas where there simply is NO mass transit. For another thing, a car can be one of the first items a prospective employer asks about, "Do you have reliable transportation?" While a car valued at over $30,000 might be unfeasible, allowing families who are striving to regain their independence one or two older vehicles doesn't seem contradictory to the idea of being able to get to interviews, job training, and once employed to drop children off at care and get to that job. In addition, seniors and the disabled who are able to drive and on assistance, should be allowed the ability to get to their doctors, grocers and again often live where mass transit is not feasible.

Obamacare has already slammed seniors that have been carrying Medicare Advantage Plans by almost doubling premiums, increasing co-pays and in some cases quadrupling deductibles up ward of $2,500 per year. Most seniors can barely pay their property taxes and are losing their homes and leaving themselves with no where to go. Social Security on the other hand has not kept pace with inflation for years as energy and food costs are totally ignored when calculating the yearly COLA. Just like everyone else's food and energy costs go up - seniors and the disabled are also paying $4.00 a gallon for gas and we're getting the smaller boxes and cans at the grocery store just like everyone else. Property taxes have been increasing by double digits since the financial crisis, last year alone took an extra 18% to cover the taxes which in York County are some of the highest in the state of PA. For a house worth $100,000 which isn't much you'll pay around $4,000 a year, about $335 a month. The average Social Security check is about $14,232 a year or $1,186 a month less the property taxes of $335 and about $170 a month for Medicare premiums leaving roughly $666 a month to pay all the other bills, food, doctors, medications, utilities, car insurance, homeowners insurance, etc. Figure $100+ for heating or cooling and $150 for communications (TV, phone, internet) forget the smart phone because there's only $416 left to live on for the month or $14 per day and we still haven't paid all the bills for the month. Does that sound survivable to anyone? And Obama has already indicated his desire to cut the social programs. We must say NO NOW and we must say it LOUD! Not only do we have huge increasing expenses for medical care but our monthly Social Security checks ARE NOT COVERING OUR EXPENSES. Does Obama want to create a new criminal? The Senior Swindler that has to go out and steal other people's money to save themselves? Is this really how we want our seniors to live?

We’ve been coming at our massive traffic problem all wrong. The freeways keep getting bigger, yet the traffic in and around Los Angeles remains abysmal. Wasting billions of dollars researching SoCal’s traffic problem has failed. Spending millions expanding our roads and freeways has failed. Billions wasted talking about train systems has failed. Our existing infrastructure already provides the solution to our traffic problems, as well as environmental and budget difficulties too. We need to implement a smart, efficient and advanced rail system down the middle of every freeway and major road. It will be completely powered by solar energy and riders will pay for the project when they purchase tickets, unlike freeway expansions, which is tax-payer money out the window. This modern rail system will be safe, clean and connected allowing riders to smoothly switch routes at any intersection. This will reduce traffic, pollution and be a model for other cities around the world. Imagine 50% fewer cars on the road and happier commuters, shoppers and travelers. Imagine relaxing on a WiFi-enabled rail system as you commute from the Santa Monica to Downtown, from the Valley to Century City, or from Irvine to Hollywood. The bus system cannot solve this issue, as buses sit in traffic with everyone else. This rail network will be incredibly efficient and, most importantly, beautiful. SIGN IT IF YOU'D RIDE IT! Sign your name below to say “I want this affordable, efficient, traffic-free, environmentally-friendly and beautifully modern train to travel and commute in and around Los Angeles on our existing major roads and freeways.”

Welfare and food stamps' intentions when first introduced were to help those less fortunate stay afloat and get back on their feet. That's how it should remain, and abuse of the system needs to be stopped. Congress needs to enact legislation that will prevent abuse of welfare money and get those who do not need it off it. In addition, a specified list of "approved" foods needs to be enforced as to curb those who abuse food stamps and buy items that are not "necessities."

Tax payers have a right to expect scrutiny and accountability in all social programs being funded by their tax dollars at state and federal levels. For example, each one of has witnessed misuse of food stamps. Who is on our side? We want more transparency and be able to vote programs out that are wasteful. Have to take some of the power back and not be silent spectators.

Rather than experience traffic jams, wouldn't you rather step or wheel aboard a train, bus, trolley, streetcar, ferry, etc? Children, the disabled, elders, homeless-people-in-transition and veterans are some populations who could immediately benefit from more transportation options. If you favor rebuilding and enhancing existing transportation infrastructure, please consider signing this petition and passing it on to people you know. Thanks!

We are hearing far too much about cutting "entitlements" when they should not be cut, they need to be increased and funded by increasing the level of income where we pay into the sysetem.

Quick, easy and fair solution for guaranteeing Social Secuirty benefits for American workers - now and into the future.

The President and Congress are talking about lowering the COLA, Cost of Living Adjustment of Social Security recipients who are retired or disabled. This reduction would be very hurtful as the formula they would adapt would eventually reduce the benefit so much as to be nonexistent. I am on Social Security disability for severe, chronic migraine headaches. I rely on this cost of living benefit each year. Without it I would not be able to keep my head above water. We need to speak up so that this benefit for the elderly, disabled and poor among us do not do the suffering while the rich just get richer.

Even by Washington standards, $26 billion is a lot of money. That’s the amount spent by taxpayers annually to provide housing for needy Americans. But there’s significant evidence that some of the monies have been poorly spent for years." - The Center for Public Integrity (2011).