The current rate of incarceration in the US dwarfs that of any country at any time in the world's history. The vast majority of our prisoners were convicted of victimless crimes, affecting only the users themselves. The costs of the current system to prisoners and taxpayers are unjust and unsustainable.

The cost of living has increased while the social security benefit has shrunk relative to expenses and lost retirement. Seniors cannot pay a mortgage, student loans, buy food, or pay property taxes. Most people are dead or have health problems by age 66 or 67. Job demands are ridiculous now and extremely hard on the older workers. People deserve to enjoy a portion of their lives and be able to have a life-sustaining amount of money coming in after it has been paid into for a lifetime.

There is no other country in the world that allows the kind of destruction we allow in the US from gun violence. It is time to stand up to the NRA and the gun manufacturers and do something to stop the carnage. We need to take back our freedom to live in a civilized country.

I live in Tucson and share the devastation of public acts of murder with those living in Roseburg, Charleston, Newton, Kileen , Blacksburg, San Ysidro, Austin, Edmond, Binghamton, Littleton and on and on-- all of our cities in which mentally ill individuals have sought fame by committing a mass murder. As a psychotherapist, it's obvious to me that major media collude in these heinous acts by rewarding the perpetrator with worldwide fame. At the same time, I am someone who has filed a federal lawsuit against the government in defense of the First Amendment, so treasure the media's right to inform the public about these events. I am asking Congress and the White House to create and adopt legislation that requires the media to RESPONSIBLY speak: In the same manner that we prohibit an irresponsible cry of, "Fire!", when none exists in a crowded theatre, we must limit the media from divulging specific identifying information about the perpetrator to only one readily accessible archival website where those who want to immortalize in their minds the identity of a mentally ill killer of children (or a terrorist committing a beheading) can go and do so.... ...BUT NOT AT THE EXPENSE of encouraging other disturbed people to compensate for their feelings of powerlessness and damaging the American psyche-at-large by the systematic destruction of families, knowing they will be push-glorified, their rantings read and their faces globally seen and remembered for shooting bullets into school children, folks watching a movie, people eating lunch in a restaurant....folks just like us, future victims served up on a platter to all the would-be murderers watching the news, reading the headlines, surfing the web and plotting their immediate paths to similar fame.

Eliminating the pension for elected officials may encourage shorter terms in office. This would allow for more dynamic and innovative service to the people of Pennsylvania and a great savings of funds which could help educate our citizens.

It is my hope that the symbolic value of a flag so frequently at half staff will motivate change that recognizes the value of American lives.

I am a condition of underrepresented community and disenfranchised youth put through one heck of a ride

This October 12, it's time to celebrate the contributions of Indigenous People to Virginia and the United States. In the wake of the first federal recognition for a Virginian tribe, we need to acknowledge that our history books were presenting only one side of the story. In 1492, Columbus began a conscious campaign of extermination policy, and in 2015 we can take action to rewrite history.

We ask that the Malaysian Government to stop the indiscriminate slaughter of stray animals in response to rabies concerns. Two people have tested positive for rabies. We ask that DBKL change their policy of euthanizing animals after 1 week after not being claimed. We ask that DBKL set up an adoption center where these animals can be treated humanely while waiting for new homes. We also ask that a reasonable time limit be negotiated in cooperation with the animal shelter/rescue operators if animals are not adopted. We ask that funding for the euthanasia be redirected to adoption and sterilization. We ask that TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) be instituted and that Rabies vaccinations be administered at the same time the animals are neutered/spayed. Tipping of right ear as identification. We strongly believe that managing instead of killing is the most humane to control the population and by vaccinating. We believe, as does the WHO, rabies will be contained and then eliminated.

The National Rifle Association no longer represents its members. It now represents highly profitable gun manufacturers and manipulates fear and paranoia of the US. I am so tired of our own government profiting off our fears. The Assault Weapons Ban was effective for 10 years but was allowed to lapse in 2004 due to laziness, apathy and/or greed of our Congress. It is time to reinstitute the ban.

I am an Oregon resident, and I live in Eugene, not too far from Roseburg, where the UCC shooting occurred. And I know, as we all do, that this was not an isolated incident, but the latest entry in a history of senseless violence. Thousands of Americans are killed every year by firearms. Not only in large, high profile shootings like Sandy Hook, Aurora, AME, or the recent Umpqua Community College tragedy-but in domestic abuse cases, mass shootings which do not receive national attention and, overwhelmingly, suicides. These deaths are preventable, because they are all directly attributable to the ease of legally obtaining a deadly firearm-an ease unique to our country among all comparable nations. I am, like millions of Americans and Oregonians, tired of the same weary resignation and meaningless platitudes that greet every new shooting and every new family ripped apart by gun violence. We cannot be silent, no matter the outcome, no matter the seeming impossibility of change. The fallen demand action.

With each new mass shooting, and on the heels of the horrendous shooting at Umpqua Community College, our collective anguish is drowned out by resignation that no action will be taken to stop the next shooting. Far too often we give candidates a pass – in the name of respect for cultural traditions, hunting and sport shooting, and the 2nd Amendment, we permit candidates to dodge the question of their support for common-sense gun safety legislation. But these killings must stop.