I am personally affected by this issue. It has become Vital for ALL seniors!

I know a woman whose life was saved by an abortion. Planned Parenthood has provided high quality health care to Wisconsin women for decades--and we're not going to let that change.

This petition is in defense of Planned Parenthood in the face of a national campaign against it.

I know of young women in Africa who died very young from infection secondary to non-sterile abortions. No one wants to see Arizona become a place where affordable, legal and medically safe abortions are not available. No one wants to lose a daughter, niece, grand-daughter, or sister because of male politicians trying to control women. Women need to stand up for their rights over their own bodies, now and always.

Beginning 2007, the world witnessed the arrival of an exciting and fascinating political development -an unparalleled event that seemed unfathomable to comprehend in a society that had for centuries adopted a master-slave cult relationship - put forward the first African American petitioner to petition for the highest elective office in the world's most dominant hegemony since the pinnacle of Imperial Rome. As a Liberian political writer in the midst of such exhilarating life-changing event, I refused to sit by idly without writing about it. It's 400-page volume, precisely detailing "Republican Bigotry Towards Obama in America, " now languishing at the Partridge Africa Publishing for quite some time now, owning to the fact that I've defaulted in installment of fee to the company due to bad health, rendering me unable to work at this time in America. For me, it's not about monetary gain; it's really about the state of my writing career in America and whether or not I have what it takes to compete with well-established authors in such renowned society. This is my dilemma in America. The nature of the book, apart from its reporting aspect, offers also a vivid narrative of the struggle of American Liberalism an whether it will be able to sustain itself in post Obama era, in particular, in the face of continue Republican and conservative assaults in America. This segment of the book is very critical in that if progressivism or liberalism is to prosper and remain arguably the greatest governing philosophy for Americans and the world at large, we liberals must do all we can to ensure that such plan remain our center of focus. Andrew Kofi Robinson/ [email protected]/470-685-5632

I feel strongly about women's health issues and am concerned that attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood will harm the health of women and infants, especially those who need their services the most. We suffer from an unconscionably high infant mortality rate in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Without the services of Planned Parenthood, I fear the problem will only get worse. As it stands now, none of our not-for-profit public charities, such as hospitals like UPMC, and AGH, seem willing to provide these services at affordable rates to those most in need. We need Planned Parenthood to fulfill this role and provide these vital public health services.

Women's access to healthcare is in jeopardy--all in an attempt to make abortions impossible in the State of Texas.

I support President Obama's historic nuclear deal with Iran and I am afraid if Congress does not support it, such a decision may lead to war with Iran.

Had the minimum wage of 1968 been adjusted for inflation, it would be well above $10.00 an hour today. Productivity has also risen considerably since 1968: The typical worker is almost twice as productive today as he or she was then. Adjusted for both inflation and productivity gains, therefore, the minimum wage should be at least $15.00 an hour. American workers deserve to make a living wage. The President and Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have proposed raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, but the minimum wage should be $15 an hour because: (1) $10.10 an hour isn't enough to lift full-time workers and their families out of poverty; (2) Unlike 45 years ago, today's typical low-wage worker is not a teenager; he or she provides all or a large percent of family income; (3) The minimum wage would be at least $15 an hour if the minimum wage we had back in 1968 were adjusted for inflation and for the productivity gains we achieved since then; (4) Because some employers now pay wages that don't lift their employees out of poverty, the rest of us pay for their Medicaid, food stamps, housing, and other assistance -- in effect, subsidizing these low-wage employers; (5) Some jobs may be lost by raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour, but many more people will be lifted out of poverty; (6) The economy will also benefit as low-wage workers have more money to spend, thereby creating more jobs; and (7) At a time in our nation's history when 95 percent of all economic gains are going to the top 1 percent, raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is the right and decent thing to do.

Florida is blessed with a unique and beautiful environment, from America’s Everglades to endless miles of pristine beaches. Our economy and quality of life depend on keeping Florida clean – and that’s not worth sacrificing for the short-term gain of corporate polluters intent on using hydraulic fracturing – “fracking” – to extract fossil fuels under ground and off our coastline. Protecting Florida’s groundwater is absolutely critical – our aquifer is our clean water source, and fracking puts it at great risk. Add your name. Sign the petition to ban fracking in Florida!

Listed among NOW's priorities is ending racism and promoting diversity. However, they are seemingly a part of the patriarchal supremacist thought machine as they have alienated stay-at-home mothers, limited the number of women of color in leadership positions and as members, and had to be publicly embarrassed by their refusal to admit lesbians. It's difficult to understand the lack of diversity in a national organization for women. Not until Sandra Bland has NOW spoken up for women of color who have been criminally discriminated against, brutalized, jailed and murdered. Where was the voice of support from NOW for Marissa Alexander, who was jailed, has faced decades in prison and now has a permanent criminal record for protecting her children and herself from an abusive husband and a jaded judicial system? Where was the voice of support from NOW for Bree Newsome, the courageous young woman who removed one of the symbols of dehumanization of immeasurable proportions? Where was the voice of support for the twelve year-old girl whose ribs and jaw were broken by police officers? Where was the voice of NOW when seven year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones was murdered by police in Detroit in 2010 while sleeping in her home? Where is the voice of NOW for the many trans women currently being killed? The voice of NOW was missing for these women killed during police encounters: Tanisha Anderson in Cleveland 2014, Yvette Smith in Texas 2014, Miriam Carey in Washington, D. C. 2013, Shelly Fry in Houston 2012, Darkish Harris in Louisiana 2012, Malissa Williams in Cleveland 2012, Alesia Thomas in Los Angeles 2012, Shantel Davis in New York 2012, Rekia Boyd in Chicago 2012, Shereese Francis in New York 2012, Tarika Wilson in Ohio 2008, Kathryn Johnston in Atlanta 2006, Alberta Stroll in New York 2003, Kendra James in Portland 2003. NOW has been asked and has yet to answer: "Is the leadership of NOW racially and culturally diverse? Where are the women of color in leadership positions?" They must make moves to include and help all women or get out of the way ~ remake or break, NOW!

Terrance Shaw is one of the hardest workers I know. He has an opportunity with the Veteran's Hospital to get treatment for the first time for his PTSD and then to take their training to become a mentor for other Viet Nam veterans who are also suffering from this malady. He was one of our compassionate release candidates but was denied. This is another example of the DOC's refusal to take into account the fact that people change.