Anyone who has had to make burial arrangements for a loved one that has not had sufficient life insurance to cover the costs has most likely had to sign contracts to cover items that could not be paid for up front such as memorial headstones. In many cases, such as mine, I was led to believe that I had to enter into a payment contract before the burial could take place, even though everything that would be used for burial was paid for up front except for the headstone. Saber Management has claimed that since I signed the contract that the only way that I can ever put a marker down is to pay them what I have found to be at least 5 times the fair market value of a marker. This practice needs to be stopped. Help us take a signed petition to the legislators and court system to ensure the sanctity of the burial/funeral industry.

UPDATE: On Friday, the House did exactly what this petition called for: stopped the fast track package by voting down TAA. But Boehner has indicated he will try to overturn this victory by having another vote on TAA as early as Monday afternoon. Please sign and share our petition to push the House to stand firm on its NO vote on TAA. === DC press has reported that the most likely way for Fast Track trade authority for the TPP to be defeated in the House is for TAA – “Trade Adjustment Assistance” – to be defeated. The Hill reports: “The TAA vote is important, because if it fails it will cause the entire fast-track package to collapse on the floor… Democrats are expected to provide most of the votes for the TAA bill, meaning defections from that party could endanger the package… Pelosi … acknowledged the opportunity exists to take down the entire package by voting against TAA.” [1] Any Democrat who votes for TAA right now is voting to pass Fast Track and the TPP. The AFL-CIO and the Congressional Progressive Caucus urge a NO vote on TAA. Urge House Democrats to vote NO on TAA to defeat Fast Track and the TPP by signing and sharing our petition. References: 1. http://thehill.com/policy/finance/244679-high-drama-as-trade-vote-nears

1) To respect the master plan of the City of Novi and preserve property values in a city that planners intended to develop as an upscale bedroom community. 2) To stop Mayor Gatt from ignoring residents pleas and acting in the interest of builders. 3) Reject rezoning of SW corner of 10 mile/Beck Road

In America, one out of three homes with children has a gun, and nearly 1.7 million children live in a home with a loaded, unlocked gun. Every year thousands of kids are killed and injured as a result. The ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign promotes a simple idea with the potential to help keep kids safe. It encourages parents to ask if there are unlocked guns in the homes where their children play. Parents ask all sorts of questions before their children visit other homes. They ask about pets in the house, discuss allergies and Internet access, and ask questions about supervision. ASK encourages parents to add one more question to this conversation: “Is there an unlocked gun in your house?” It’s a simple question, but it has the power to save a child’s life. 9 children and teens are shot each day in gun accidents 1 in 3 homes with children have guns, many left unlocked or loaded 80% of unintentional firearm deaths of kids under 15 occur in a home Every parent cares about the safety of their children. ASK allows parents to play an active role in keeping kids safe. Any parent can make a difference by asking and encouraging others to do the same. For more than a decade, the ASK Campaign has partnered with over 400 grassroots organizations to spread its message in neighborhoods nationwide. The ASK Campaign is a collaboration between the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the American Academy of Pediatrics who promotes the ASK message to its 62,000 members across the country. The ASK Campaign has successfully inspired 19 million households to ask if there are guns where their children play.

the cable T.V. industry are a monopoly and utilize despicable business practices with no oversight

Driscoll’s -- one of the most well-known names in strawberries, raspberries and blueberries -- is in hot water. Over the past few months, the company has been under fire from farmworkers for low wages, shabby housing conditions, and anti-union retaliation at two of its major suppliers. Strawberry farms are already some of the most dangerous places to work due to heavy use of toxic pesticides. These chemicals can harm people by drifting over nearby communities, including the labor camps where many farmworkers live. Driscoll’s requires its suppliers to sign its “Promise for Workforce Welfare” agreement, which includes “no tolerance” for certain disreputable labor practices. Yet, it claims that the situations at Sakuma Farms and BerryMex are the responsibility of its suppliers. In fact, Driscoll’s has never stopped purchasing from a supplier for labor violations! This hands-off approach to labor unrest is outrageous. Driscoll’s can use its buying leverage to demand that its suppliers establish adequate labor and health protections for their workers. Tell newly-promoted Driscolls' CEO Kevin Murphy to protect and defend the rights and livelihood of farmworkers!

Despite nearly 2 million comments from the public and scientists saying we don’t want GMO salmon, the FDA may still approve it. This new “frankenfish” could end up on your dinner plate -- and it likely won’t be labeled. This would set a dangerous precedent, since GMO salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal approved for human consumption. It could pave the way for GMO pigs, chickens, and cows to enter the market. Even if the FDA approves this risky fish, by ensuring that the world’s biggest retailers refuse to sell it, we can send a strong message that there is no market for it. Demand that Costco keep GMO salmon off its shelves.

We have just one month to get Massachusetts solar back on track before lawmakers leave Boston for more than a month of summer break ... or risk slamming the brakes on the state’s clean energy success story. Tell Governor Charlie Baker that the time for solar action is now! Massachusetts is one of our nation’s solar leaders with enough installed to power more than 120,000 homes and support the second largest solar workforce in the U.S. Now that’s at risk, due to an unnecessary cap on net metering. Net metering is a successful policy that makes sure solar customers get full credit on their utility bills for the valuable clean electricity they deliver to the grid, after subtracting the energy they use. Many parts of the state have already hit the program cap, bringing planned solar projects in more than 170 communities to a standstill – and the rest of the state is not far behind. We need action from state leaders now so that Massachusetts solar can keep shining. Governor Baker says he supports solar power, but so far his Administration has been repeating the electric utilities' anti-solar claims and has opposed immediate action to address this arbitrary barrier to continued solar growth. We need to change his mind, and we need to do it fast.

Gov. Snyder signed into law an Indiana-style adoption RFRA bill that lets adoption agencies discriminate against prospective parents based on their religious beliefs. Tell Gov. Snyder that you won’t stand for tax dollars going toward discrimination.

Texas' minimum wage should be raised to $9.25 per hour because most Texas natives cannot live off of $7.25 per hour. With this raise, our economy would prosper and income inequality would be reduced. This raise can majorly impact all of our lives for the better.

The State of New York is likely to make a decision next Thursday, July 16th, on whether every New Yorker should have access to renewable energy! Renewable energy is already delivering tremendous benefits across New York, but the traditional panels-on-your-roof model simply does not work for many consumers who do not own the perfect roof for solar. Now state leaders are considering a new program that would allow these customers to choose clean energy for the first time. A shared renewable energy program would allow communities to come together to build a clean energy project, and see the economic benefits of that clean energy directly on their utility bills. We are urging the Governor to move forward with this program and to make it a priority in 2015 so that all New Yorkers have the opportunity to plug into clean energy.

"There are outcomes we can calculate—the number of newly insured families, the number of lives saved... Then there are the outcomes that are harder to calculate—yes, in the tally of pain and tragedy and bankruptcies that have been averted, but also in the security of a parent who can afford to take her kid to the doctor. The dignity of a grandfather who can get the preventive care he needs. The freedom of an entrepreneur who can start a new venture." - President Obama on the Affordable Care Act This is a compelling statement that reinforces the pain, economic hardship, injustice, and setback to civil rights if the U.S. Supreme Court rules to deny subsidies to the millions of Americans who obtained affordable health insurance on the Federal exchange. It is so obvious that the ACA was designed to offer subsidies to all who qualified. If the Supreme Court rules otherwise, it will be an example of extreme judicial activism and unconstitutional legislating from the bench. We need to stand ready to protest and mobilize to turn the Republicans out of office if the right-wing stacked court comes up with a ruling to deny ACA subsidies to those who qualify and enrolled for health insurance under the federal exchange. Sign on to pledge that you will do what you can to ensure such a decision will have huge political repercussions that will boomerang against Republicans.