We have nothing but respect for our Secretary of State in California, Alex Padilla. However, it is his office where voter records can be switched from valid to invalid, and by extrapolation, one party to another. Further, it has been demonstrated that voting machines are hackable. Finally, the voting rules are complicated and potentially confusing to the decent citizen pulled off the street to run the polling stations and errors are made that can cancel votes. These are just some of the risks in running a fair and just election. The Secretary of State's office is responsible for the election process and accountable to the people in this great State of California - a beacon to the nation and the world. Mr. Secretary, you are on notice. As Citizens, we are called upon to watch.

For all of us, tuition rates have been astronomically increasing. Working families are struggling to send their children to college as they work longer hours while their wages stay the same. I am in one of those working families. My dad is an immigrant, a small business owner who provides jobs to our community. I have worked at the Portuguese consulate, I have worked in political campaigns, and throughout my career I have worked legally, and havecontributed my fair share of taxes. And yet, there are some who wish to deny my family the opportunity to send their child to college. At the University of Rhode Island, out-of-state tuition would mean an additional cost of over $16,000 per year. An unfair and unjust burden. We are Rhode Islanders and Americans as much as you and your families are. We are all trying to make a better life, which are contributing economically, to this great state of ours. With the passage of H7374, myself along with hundreds of others will not have to worry about a future administration rescinding tuition equity in Rhode Island, as it would then be codified in law. Read the full bill text here: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText16/HouseText16/H7374.pdf

One out of every three women is sexually assaulted in their lives. I am one of them. We need to help victims of rape and sexual assault and not blame them for what has happened.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture just gave the green light to a genetically-modified mushroom that... stays whiter? This is a foolish use of GMO technology, and yet another example of how high-minded GMO rhetoric falls flat in light of more common vanity applications. Now, the product is headed to the FDA for review. As the agency dedicated to protecting citizens from potentially unhealthy or even dangerous products, the FDA has a responsibility to fully test these mushrooms before they go to market. Tell the FDA: This genetically-modified mushroom should not be approved for sale until the health and ecological impacts have been fully tested.

My step daughter was raped at a party because she was drunk and passed out. It was still rape! Rape victims go without reporting crimes because of laws such as this that make them ALWAYS the victim because the criminal act isn't dealt with and NOW has been deemed not criminal. We talk about protecting our women and children from criminal acts yet we allow things such as this law to be put into effect. All this does is re-victimize individuals who have been violated. If this were your mother, sister, aunt or daughter would you still feel the same? But also, women aren't the only victims. Many men and boys are molested and raped just like women. What if this happened to you? Would you still feel the same about this law? What if it happened to your son? Let's blast this craziness right back off the books!

All a Fargo Lutheran church wanted to do was be more welcoming of the community...the ENTIRE community. If protecting our freedom to be who we are isn't worth protecting, what is?

British corporation Oxitec has been working since 2011 to release genetically engineered (GMO) mosquitoes in Florida. These GMO mosquitoes would kill off one species of mosquito, but pave the way for possibly more-dangerous mosquitoes to move in, carrying harmful diseases like West Nile virus and dengue fever. Why release these biotech insects if they could cause the introduction of something worse? 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an initial finding of "no significant impact" for allowing these mosquitoes to be released in the Florida Keys. Public comments on this finding are being accepted until May 13. Join us in telling the FDA that it's too risky to allow the release of GMO mosquitoes in Florida — or elsewhere.

Our community doesn't want to change because of some people ! We love something and we are a BIG community !

The dysfunction and chaos of the 2016 Colorado caucuses highlighted the many flaws with this system. Hundreds of Democrats were barred from participating due to overcrowded caucus sites. Republicans did not have a say in their party’s presidential nomination process. Unaffiliated voters were completely shut out of the process. And anyone not available for three or more hours on the evening of March 1st had no way to participate. Luckily, there’s a better way. We have the exciting opportunity to restore the presidential primary in Colorado, while simultaneously preserving caucusing for smaller races. Please take action NOW and urge your legislators to vote YES on HB16-1454, which would allow every Coloradan to have a say in the presidential nomination process. The presidential primary allows more Coloradans to participate in the presidential nomination process. The caucus system bars those who cannot physically participate in the caucus. This includes those serving in the military overseas, parents without access to childcare, and employees who work in the evening. In contrast, the presidential primary will give voters the option to vote by mail, vote early, or vote in-person. In addition, research has shown that turnout rates for presidential primaries are significantly higher than presidential caucuses. The presidential primary gives unaffiliated voters a say in the presidential primary process. Colorado’s current system bars unaffiliated Coloradans—who make up 40% of registered voters—from participating in the presidential caucus. The presidential primary will give voters the option to temporarily affiliate with a party for the primary, and automatically un-affiliate after casting their ballot. The presidential primary amplifies Colorado issues in the national debate. Holding the presidential primary in late February or early March will entice presidential candidates to spend more time in our state, and bring Colorado issues into the national spotlight. It’s time to bring the presidential nomination process in Colorado into the 21st century. Please tell your state legislators to restore the presidential primary in Colorado by voting YES on HB16-1454.

Hollister is the next cheapest place on the border of Silicon Valley. Rents are skyrocketing. Affordable rentals are nearly impossible to find. Long time residents are doubled and tripled up, couch surfing, living in sub-standard units, homeless, or leaving the area. The upper floors of downtown sit empty. A proposed new homeless shelter does not include the "housing first" solution. We could easily fill 200 tiny houses. This is a critical point in the development of this community.

We as yidlifecrisis.com feel, for totally irrational reasons, spited by this and will not rest until it is solved (although for anxiety reasons we just tend not to rest, so if this is not solved, meh, not such a big deal).

On November 2, 2015, I had to have a meeting with my son's school because they restrained him and said a therapist said to do so. My son is 3 years old and disabled. Prior to the meeting on November 2, this is what happened leading up to the meeting: I asked for the name of the therapist, which I could not be provided with from the teacher, nor the principal. I proceeded to call the Boston Public School system and was told that no therapist has been assigned yet!! I then explained this horrific dilemma and they told me, we will call you back. They called back with a recommendation to have a meeting with the principal (who couldn't give me a name before). At this meeting, I was trying to figure out the name of the therapist who prescribed a weighted jacket (10+ lbs) on a child who weighs 25 lbs. and has low muscle tone in his legs and core; I was never provided with the name. I then left the school. Two hours after I left, the principal called DCF/CPS/DSS and stated I was impaired at this meeting. So, if I am impaired at an elementary school, I do not see a principal and/or teacher letting me walk from the 2nd floor through the school, with all these children in school, nor seeing them wait two hours to claim I'm impaired. DCF met with me; I offered a drug screen which was denied, and they took my son from school where my son's father was waiting for him. DCF asked his father to walk into school with them and talk to his son. They refused to let the father or the grandmother have custody of him, so the father went up to talk with him, and while holding his boy, the principal ripped him out of his dad's arms, making my son scream and cry and it was so rough his father said if he didn't let go his son would've been injured. He probably has marks on him. DCF proceeded to take him out the back door and stuff him in the car screaming, crying, and flailing around, so knee to chest and forced him in. His Grandmother was denied because... Still don't know. So I had a court date the next day and offered a drug and alcohol analysis supervised and it was denied. I had not been given any chance to prove the allegation is wrong. Now almost 6 months later, with 12-15 homes, 3 different hospitals, 10 workers at DCF, 6 supervisors, one area program manager, 2 directors, 3 surgeries, parental rights never taken, but no one will give the parents any information to which they are entitled. The hospital told me when I asked if my child arrived dead, would you call me? Ah well...yes or no, would you call me if my boy arrived dead - NO! It's up to the Department of Children and Families if they want to call you. Now why would I ask a harsh question, you may be thinking? Well, in the 12-15 homes he's been kicked out or removed from, mentally, physically, emotionally abused, with pictures and documentation, as well as being starved. When his grandmother, his dad, or I would bring him food, he would shove it in his face so fast he was gagging while trying to eat. They still never proved my impairment, but I've proved no illicit substances are in my system - no alcohol either. I can't get a meeting or one vital question answered; what else or what more can I do to get MY son home?? Almost 6 months, and no answer to this one question. Meetings are canceled, calls are not returned, or when they are returned the subject is avoided or I'm told to ask someone else; always avoided. There is no consistency at all as you see, all the people involved in the case from the department, no schedules for visits, never can I tell my boy on this day, this time, I'll be there. Nope, every day, every time, and almost every visit is in a different place. On the surgery date, I was allowed by the judge to be there. It was suppose to be for all 5 days and 4 overnights as suggested by the surgeon at court and the judge, but right before surgery I was asked if I would like to go in back to hold the mask so he's relaxed while anaesthesia was given - of course I wanted to go in, but DCF said she was going in!!! The doctor and hospital never saw or heard of anything like this. So let's not let another family nor child be tortured through what they call "protective services"! That's the furthest thing I'd call whatever they've done to my 3-year-old disabled child. He's so afraid, lonely, and feeling unloved; he wants to know. why he can't come home??? How do I Answer?? I just tell him that he did nothing wrong; when things get figured out you will be home. I don't know what to say. He went to school, was restrained and never came back and has been tortured; this will affect him for a long time. The longer he's gone, the worse it's getting. One of the homes he was at before and from which he was taken from or kicked out if, he's back staying there. After he went back, his dad saw him the next day and he had a new cut on his face and on his back. His dad asked, what happened? My son said, "A bigger kid tried to take my food and we fight, I'm hungry, it's my food Daddy." Stop this from continuing, please.