Forget the political rhetoric about unemployed coal miners and support anything and everything that has to do with clean, safe, low-cost energy and power for our populations.

The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) is the main public system of higher education on the island. It consists of 11 campuses, more than 58,000 students, 5,300 faculty members, and approximately 14,000 administrative staff. It is a government-owned corporation with a board of trustees—consisting of private citizens—that is supposed to represent public interests. However, the board is highly politicized and its structure changes as often as the governor. This game of musical chairs makes the university a tool for the government in power instead of a resource for the people, and it changes the UPR’s vision, strategy, and plans every 4 to 8 years according to the political party in power. For the past 5 years, the UPR has suffered a reduction in funding of more than 150 million dollars. Therefore, wages were reduced, and job vacancies have not been filled. Currently, the Fiscal Control Board and governor of Puerto Rico are making huge cuts to the UPR’s already reduced budget. This translates to potentially the closing of 8 of the 11 campuses and firing more staff members. The UPR faces becoming a tragic casualty of the island’s fiscal crisis. Because of government corruption and mismanagement, its students are at risk of losing their only source of higher education and its employees are at risk of losing their jobs and the pension they’ve been paying into for many years How can Puerto Rico overcome its economic crisis when the plan is to sacrifice education? Lack of or poor education has devastating effects on an economy, including fewer professionals to fill vacancies, fewer businesses created, and ultimately fewer jobs. Cutting funds to the UPR and eliminating campuses is not the solution. This petition is to ask that the US Congress step in to stop the cutting of funds to the UPR and come up with a better plan in order to prevent further debacles that will harm not only the university, but the stability and future of Puerto Rico. Although the current structure is that the UPR receives about 9% of the Puerto Rico’s general funds, it seems that a better way to structure the process is making it so that: 1- the UPR be financially unhitched from the island’s central government 2- any and all federal funds destined for the UPR go directly to the university 3- the board of trustees be composed of qualified individuals (including financial experts) who truly represent the public’s academic interests 4- the board of trustees reports directly to the state treasurer 5- the state treasurer ensures federal funds destined for higher education go directly to the university 6- the board of trustees keeps detailed and irrefutable records of the use of federal funds and reports to the state treasurer 7- the state treasurer provides an education financial report to congress or the US Secretary of Education

Because we believe that every child deserves a safe and welcoming school! Check out the full text of our resolution that we passed on February 28, 2017 - http://www.vacateachers.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/VACAVILLE-TEACHERS-ASSOCIATION-RESOLUTION.pdf

Only RICH people can afford to run for office. This ought not be. ANY qualified person should be able to run for office. EVERY CANDIDATE should have PRECISELY EQUAL AIR/MEDIA TIME at NO COST TO THE CANDIDATE (so that no one candidate has an unfair advantage merely by having deep pockets and an ability to greatly OUTSPEND opponents). Done right this could help eliminate POLITICAL DEBT and FAVORS (in terms of, "You helped elect me, now I'm going to make you Sec'y of State) . . . that kind of BS.

In 1960 IKE warned us against the "military-industrial complex." People are making a profit off war. This ought not be for this provides an financial 'incentive' for war -- which ought not be. Similarly, other things should not be for profit (see the suggested list).

Not enough people vote for a so-called "winner" of an election to have an actual "mandate." WHY not make voting mandatory? There's no downside to doing so -- only an UP side.

TWICE (in my lifetime) the winner of the POPULAR VOTE *lost* the election. This ought not be. In the last election the ELECTORAL COLLEGE FAILED TO ACT PROPERLY. The college is not there to merely "rubber stamp" someone's victory -- not if there are signs and indications that someone is not "fit" to serve.

Using nuclear weapons may very well bring about the end of the world (as we know it) . . . could possibly make it so it's like human history never happened. The past, the present, the future . . . gone up in mushroom clouds of smoke.

If you haven’t yet – meet Sebastian Gorka – leading Islamophobe and key “anti-terrorism" advisor to President Trump with ties to racist, anti-semitic political groups in Hungary. Sebastian Gorka has spent most of his career on the far-right fringe of the conservative movement. Now his radical views on Islam influence the President of the United States and shape unconstitutional policies like the Muslim ban. Here are the facts that have been revealed about one of the President’s key decision makers and a close ally of white nationalist champion Steve Bannon: · Sebastian Gorka was appointed with no real credentials or background, other than a reputation for virulent Islamophobia. In fact, he’s unable to obtain a security clearance. · At the Inauguration Ball, Gorka wore the medal of a defunct, far-right, Nazi-aligned political party from Hungary. · On March 16, The Forward reported that Gorka is a "sworn member" of what the U.S. State Department calls a Nazi-aligned group, known as the Vitézi Rend. · On April 3, The Forward obtained video of Gorka in 2007 voicing his support for the far-right anti-semitic militia Magyar Gárda (Hungarian Guard), calling the group (which would later be shut down for promoting racial violence) a "societal need". The American Jewish community — and all Americans — need to know the truth: Demand that the Chairman of the House Oversight Committee investigate Sebastian Gorka and his close ties to antisemitic, racist groups.

The devastating civil war in Syria, now in its seventh year, has claimed at lesat 400,000 casualties, and displaced more than 6 million people, creating a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. Following the ruthless chemical attacks carried about by Bashir Assad's forces that killed over 80 Syrian civilians, Trump declared, "No child of God should ever suffer such horror." Yet, rather than help the Syrian people who are trapped between Assad and Isis, the Trump administration has attempted to slam the doors entirely on Syrian refugees and gut funding for international aid and diplomacy. It's time for Trump and his fellow Republicans to actually take actions to reduce this suffering. The U.S. government must match the generous and humanitarian impulses of the American people and live up to our international responsibilities to support the people of Syria—by expediting the acceptance and resettlement of 100,000 Syrian refugees.

President Trump has attacked Syria without Congressional authorization, violating the U.S. Constitution. Congress must assert its war powers, invoking the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. Congress must insist that no further attacks take place without Congressional authorization and that U.S. forces be withdrawn from unauthorized conflict. Congress must invoke the War Powers Resolution to debate and vote on a privileged resolution for the withdrawal of U.S. forces if President Trump refuses to remove U.S. forces from the conflict. Urge your Senators and Representative to invoke the War Powers Resolution to compel withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict by signing our petition.

Inspection stickers and check engine lights. Not being able to get inspection stickers. I have had my truck in the shop 4 times. No one can find out why the check engine light is on. Cannot get inspection sticker. Spent $3500 so far with no answers. Risk getting fined. This is a problem.