Republicans in Congress are trying to pass an unnecessary tax giveaway to America's wealthiest citizens. The estate tax, which the U.S. has had for more than a century, currently affects Americans with estates worth at least $5.4 million, or $10.8 million for a couple--only 1 out of every 500 taxpayers. And yet, it's been a target of right-wing lawmakers, working on behalf of their wealthy donors. Congress has shrunk the estate tax in recent years—and now the Senate and House, in advisory votes largely along party lines, have voted to repeal it entirely. When the Republicans press this issue again, Senate Democrats will need to be ready to beat back the repeal and block this latest Republican giveaway to the superrich. Good grief, Congress. With all this going on, are you really going to give another tax break to those who need it least?

Washington, DC and the Ward 1 community cannot afford to lose this key healthcare center for low-income families and refugees, especially with so little dental care in the community. 6,500 people stand to lose access to a comprehensive range of health services: medical, dental, and behavioral health care, plus patient navigation, health education, and many other services. Nearly 100 new patients join the medical and dental practices each month. There are so many great aspects of Community of Hope’s Marie Reed Health Center – including a strong partnership with the Marie Reed Elementary School and awards for ranking in the top 10% of health centers in the United States. It is not just a health center; it is a home.

In April, the Oregon House and Senate held hearings on raising the minimum wage. That’s an important step – it allows these proposals to move forward in a legislative session that will be winding down before you know it. A higher minimum wage means more than a raise for our lowest-paid workers. It means boosting the purchasing power of consumers in every corner of the state. That’s money that goes directly into the local economy as workers pay rent, buy groceries and support local stores selling household essentials. It also means fewer families relying on public assistance programs -- and businesses, not taxpayers, paying the full cost of labor. Minimum wage opponents would have you believe that this is a debate about teenagers working a summer job. That’s just wrong. The reality is that today’s minimum wage worker is likely to be a woman in her thirties, working full time, and often supporting a family. And nationally, about 80 percent of all minimum wage workers are now 20 years or older. Let’s keep up the pressure!

The purpose of the TPP/TTIP is to protect guaranteed corporate profits at all cost and as a result, we would be subject to the whims of corporate lawyers and could be sued into oblivion for not understand our absolute lack of rights under this dictatorial doctrine. This so called trade agreement would give them the right to sue entire countries out of existence for inhibiting their guaranteed profits as a result of banning, product destruction or even regulating either the corporation and or its subsidiaries. Hitler would have wet his pants with glee if he had something like this! I strongly suspect many will be afraid to sign this, but if we don't take a stand now, we're all screwed!

We are a 4th grade class in Seattle, Washington. We are petitioning Dow Constantine, King County Executive, to give enough money for the Duwamish River to be clean enough for the tribes and other citizens to be able to fish safely, because the Duwamish River is one of the most polluted rivers in the US and the only river in Seattle. The Duwamish River is affecting people’s health. Residents who live closer to the river die 13 years younger than others who live in Laurelhurst. As a matter of fact, there are three tribes that eat fish from the river. It's in the tribes' culture to fish in the Duwamish and we shouldn't take that away from them. So we want King County to give enough money so that people can know it is OK to eat the fish without the risk of getting really sick. The EPA has already released a $342 million, 17 year-long cleanup plan to help. However, it is not removing enough toxins so that locals can fish from the Duwamish safely. Although it will cost King County a lot of money and time, people and animals around the Duwamish will be saved. There are 3 things that you can do to help: 1. sign this petition, 2. spread the word about this problem, and 3. share this petition with others. Our goal is 3,000 signatures by June 1, 2015. June 2 we will be holding a protest and presenting our petition signatures. If you sign it, it will really make a difference to the people and animals that live or fish in the Duwamish River. UPDATE (6/5/15): Guess what happened after our march on 6/2/15 for the Duwamish River? We met with Dow Constantine and talked to him about the problem and some possible solutions. After our discussion about the Duwamish River, we asked him to sign the petition and he did! Dow told us he supports cleaning up the Duwamish River and said that he already has his own plan: the Green-Duwamish River Watershed Cleanup Plan that cleans the area around the Duwamish. As of June 3, 2015, we had a total 2798 petition signatures (719 paper and 2079 online). All of them were collected in just 5 weeks, with people from 8 countries and 38 states!. Although we succeeded with getting Dow Constantine to sign our petition, we still have other PRP’s (Potentially Responsible Parties) to convince. The EPA has identified over 100 PRP’s, but the 4 major ones are King County, Port of Seattle, Boeing and City of Seattle. If you keep showing support and help get these other PRP’s to join in their support, we will achieve our goal. We will share our petition results with all four PRP’s. From, Miss Margie’s 4th grade class

As described in a new cover story in the SonomaIndependent.org, the taxpaying voters of Sonoma County have voted overwhelmingly for both medical marijuana and full legalization. Yet Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch and Probation Director Robert Ochs are asking a sentencing judge to tear my husband Yarrow Kubrin from our four and seven year old children and incarcerate him for up to five years. Yarrow has never been charged with harming or threatening anyone. He registered and legally created a medical marijuana collective, with a bank account, but was arrested, and pled guilty, to legal technicalities (like depositing cash) under the State of California’s arcane marijuana laws. There are many peaceful men and women like my husband Yarrow behind bars in Sonoma County today for legal technicalities related to marijuana. Yarrow has worked hard and successfully as a real estate broker since his marijuana bust four years ago, providing as a productive member of our community, and helping me, as a non-working mother, to raise our daughter and four year old challenged son. What possible benefit could there be to removing Yarrow from our family, forcing us into poverty, and incarcerating him at a cost to taxpayers of $50,000 per year? District Attorney Jill Ravitch campaigned on a slogan of “Keeping You Safe.” Tearing parents from their families and incarcerating them for years for victim-less crimes like growing marijuana makes our families, and community, less safe! Why, then, did Ravitch withdraw a plea bargain agreement that would have avoided jail time and place him on probation for two years? And why is Probation Director Robert Ochs, who has publicly expressed support for alternatives to incarceration, recommending a prison term of four and a half years for Yarrow, whose actions have never harmed anyone? There has been an outpouring of support for Yarrow, with nearly 100 Sonoma County citizens writing letters requesting leniency, and overfilling the hall outside his courtroom. On May 5, Superior Court Judge Rene Chouteau will sentence Yarrow. We ask that D.A. Ravitch and Probation Director Ochs reconsider their recommendations for jail time, and allow Yarrow, and parents like him, to remain with their families for victim-less crimes related to marijuana. It’s time to stop the insanity of Sonoma County’s secret, unsupported, multi-million dollar war on marijuana.

I am starting this because at Mannheim middle school we had silence day where we were silent for those who couldn't speak for themselves. But I don't think we should be silent--I think we should speak out. Help me speak out against racial profiling.

Most of these patients and their families didn't choose to be under insured or to have life changing circumstances place them in such a financial position. During normal working hours, patients are still convalescing, recuperating, sleeping or medicated to a greater extent, and this will disrupt the quality of patient care. After the physical trauma patients have experienced comes the financial trauma, which is the last thing visiting family members want to witness, let alone be a part of or to be asked to be a guarantor for their relations. Send Paul Viviano a message - leave under insured patients alone during the hours when they are convalescing, recuperating, medicated or sleeping. Do you really want to be bothered with a UCSD Patient Access employee collecting a high dollar deductible from you while lying on a table in the middle of the ER after a drunk driver hit you or your loved one, since their employee can't cover a catastrophic health event?

Your favorite flower might be hiding a dirty secret. Neonicotinoids, a highly toxic class of pesticide, are widely used on plants sold by major retailers like True Value and Ace. These pesticides are responsible for killing millions of bees and can have a devastating effect on human health. “Neonics” have been linked to a number of developmental problems, including brain and nervous system functions. Europe has already banned these pesticides because of their problematic nature. It’s time for us to let major retailers, like True Value and Ace know we won’t continue to support their use of neonicotinoids.

Huge news: Senator Bernie Sanders just introduced legislation to make public colleges tuition-free. This is after Senators Elizabeth Warren and Charles Schumer, Congressional Progressive Caucus leaders, and others introduced a congressional resolution saying students should be able to graduate from public colleges and universities without debt. This is part of a big push to make debt-free college a central issue in 2016. Show presidential candidates and others in Congress that you want momentum on this issue. Sign on as a citizen cosponsor of the debt-free college resolution.

Thank you for 100 SIGNATURES in the first 24 HOURS!!!!! ....but we need more. PLEASE SHARE widely. Anyone can sign: - Hanover Residents - Pembroke Residents (it’s on the border with Pembroke!) - Additional North River Watershed towns: Marshfield, Scituate, Hanson, and Norwell - Anyone in the world who wants to support our cause! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE August 28: Permits Denied!! At last night's North River Commission meeting, the commissioners unanimously denied permit for residence at 54 Old Shipyard Lane! The developers have a 30-day window to file an appeal. However, the current commission is unaware of any North River Commission decision that has been overturned in appeals. Many thanks to everyone who provided their support by adding their name to this petition and by sharing it with others who are concerned. You made a major difference in elevating the importance of this rare piece of land in our community. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE July 26: Next NRC Meeting August 27, 7p, Norwell Town Hall New Documents Surface that Change Everything Community members had a major surprise at the July 23 North River Commission meeting. The application file for 54 Old Shipyard Lane included information proving the property had been sold to a real estate development company in December 2014. Remember; this environmentally sensitive and historically significant property can only be developed by the original owner of the land before the North River Protective Order was put in place. It cannot be developed by a new owner. The new property ownership documents are currently under review with attorneys at Massachusetts DCR. The project will come before the North River Commission again on Thursday August 27, 7pm, Norwell Town Hall. With your support, we can make a difference at this meeting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE July 19: NRC Meeting July 23 Update from Board of Health & Conservation Commission We presented the petition to the Hanover Conservation Commission Wednesday night. Thanks to your concern, the site plan was adjusted to afford a better setback from the river and the driveway will be a more environmentally friendly material. The Most Important Meeting is Yet to Come: July 23, 7pm Please mark your calendars to present our petition Thursday July 23, 7p, Norwell Town Hall, 345 Main Street. This is where we can have the biggest impact. Remember: only an original owner of the property can build at 54 Old Shipyard Lane under special permit from the North River Commission. Let’s make it a big crowd! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE June 23: Meetings Moved to June 30 and July 15 In order to get quorum, the Board of Health meeting has been rescheduled to 6p Tuesday June 30. The Conservation Commission meeting is currently scheduled for Wednesday July 15 at 6:30p. As currently proposed, the majority of the septic system's soil absorption area is covered by a driveway. Systems covered by driveways fail earlier as the weight of vehicles break pipes and compact soil. They are also more expensive for homeowners to maintain as they must dig up the driveway to fix them. According to MA TItle V septic regulations, you can only cover a septic system with a driveway if it's unavoidable. Please help us fight for the safest septic system uphill from our neighborhood swimming hole! ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE June 13: Back to Board of Health There will be a new site plan issued soon. Please put Tuesday June 23, 6p (Board of Health) and Wednesday, June 24, 6:30p (Conservation), on your calendar so we will have strong representation at the next meetings at Hanover Town Hall, 500 Hanover St. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ UPDATE May 19: Conservation Commission Meeting Postponed The Town of Hanover's wetlands expert has asked the development team to perform a additional river bank delineations. Hanover's Town Counsel is currently reviewing the issue. ~~~~~~~~~~~~` Dear Supporters, Thank you for joining our cause. Today a developer is seeking permits to build on a rare piece of land at 54 Old Shipyard Lane Hanover through loopholes that only apply to the current owner. By signing today, you send a message to the boards and commissions overseeing this project to review it carefully and ensure it is handled with care. As currently proposed, this project will: - affect the historic scenic views near the North River Bridge originally built in 1656 by removing trees that reveal the newly built home and the homes behind it - create crowding in a sensitive riverfront area - increase erosion by removing trees and vegetation from this steeply sloped land leading to the North River - potentially affect water quality in the North River which affects swimming and fishing by installing a stormwater management system and septic system in rock ledge in a crowded neighborhood near many other such systems - potentially damage nearby 1800’s historical homes with blasting and/or jackhammering into rock ledge during construction of septic system and basement - build on the last undeveloped historical 1700’s North River shipyard location in Hanover Many Town of Hanover residents have had to go the extra mile to satisfy our same boards and commissions just to accomplish simple home improvement projects on existing residences. This project will have a much larger impact on the environment and neighborhood, so this project deserves the same or higher level of scrutiny. As concerned citizens, let’s insist these boards and commissions work with the developer to put the best protections in place. Thank you so much for joining our cause. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ All information about this project including detailed drawings and engineering information is publicly available at Hanover Town Hall. For more Information about this project, please contact: Town of Hanover Conservation Commission: http://www.hanover-ma.gov/conservation North River Commission: http://www.nsrwa.org/about-us/partners-in-conservation/north-river-commission/

UPDATE [4/27]: This language has been added to the trade bills by the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. Now we are working to remove the language. === Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) is expected to introduce an amendment to a bill in the Senate Finance Committee that would demand that the Obama Administration pressure Europe not to enforce policies against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The amendment is expected to be similar to S. 619 [1] which Cardin introduced March 2. Similar legislation (HR 825) was introduced in the House on February 10. [2] Both bills target actions to “limit commercial relations” with “territories controlled by Israel.” By equating “Israeli settlements in the West Bank” with “Israel,” these bills are endorsing the Israeli annexation of the West Bank. These bills are trying to pressure the European Union (EU), which is currently negotiating the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with the United States, to reverse course on the steps it has taken in recent years to oppose Israeli settlements in the West Bank. These include new guidelines preventing entities operating in Israeli-occupied territory from receiving EU funding and a recent push to label settlement products entering the EU. Urge your Senator and Representative to oppose this legislation by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/s619 2. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/114/hr825