The Syriza party won Greek parliamentary elections on January 25 on an anti-austerity program [1], after 6 years of depression [2] that were prolonged and exacerbated by Eurozone authorities (including the European Central Bank, European Commission, and the International Monetary Fund [IMF]). On February 4 -- just 10 days after the Syriza government was elected -- the ECB cut off the main source of financing for Greek banks [3]. There was no reason to do this other than bullying; it was more than three weeks before the deadline for the decision. This and other threats and statements by the ECB have driven tens of billions of dollars from the Greek banking system. The ECB has also refused to lift a cap on the amount that Greek banks can lend to the government, an action that it did not take against the previous government. The ECB’s actions have already contributed to serious damage to Greece’s nascent economic recovery: the Greek economy was projected to grow by 2.9 percent this year, but partly as a result of this instability stoked by the ECB, this forecast has been cut in half. On April 1 the Greek government put forward a detailed and credible reform plan [4] to increase revenues, so as to ensure that it can make its debt payments. The Greek government has negotiated in good faith; the ECB should not be pushing the Greek government to the brink of default, and undermining the economy, in order to gain advantage in these negotiations. The ECB should immediately lift the cap on Greek bank lending to the government, and the restore the government’s ability to borrow from the Central Bank that the prior government had before the elections. Urge President Obama to press European authorities to end their destabilization of the Greek economy to undermine democracy by signing our petition. References: 1. http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/3/destroying-the-greek-economy-in-order-to-save-it.html 2. http://www.cepr.net/index.php/publications/reports/the-greek-economy-which-way-forward 3. http://www.cepr.net/index.php/op-eds-&-columns/op-eds-&-columns/greece-ecb-kicks-syriza-in-the-face-syriza-turns-the-other-cheek 4. http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/55b27a7e-d87c-11e4-ba53-00144feab7de.pdf

Voter participation is dropping and the change introduced by this bill could help reverse that trend. Fuller participation will assure that our legislators will continue working for the needs of the people instead of being persuaded to work more for the special interests of the lobbyists.

I am starting this petition because I believe in equal rights.

Just over 1 in 10 workers receive any paid days off to give birth and bond with a newborn or care for a sick family member. Ohio families shouldn't have to choose between a paycheck and caring for a loved one.

Gov. Brown exempted Big Farms from the mandatory 25% reduction in water use during the drought. Big Farms use 80% of all of California's water. A real attempt to deal with a serious drought requires real focus on all the water users, not just 20% of water users.

When Credit Suisse pleaded guilty to criminal charges last May, many called it the end of "too big to jail" for Big Banks. But guess what: No bank executives actually went to jail. Instead, they paid a fine – $2.6 billion – to settle the charges. That may sound like a lot to you and me, but to a major financial institution, that's a cost of doing business. And it’s just one in a series of settlements by big banks​ after wrongdoing when none of the executives went to jail. That isn’t justice. It’s time we demand equal enforcement of the law. If we want big banks to respect the law, they should be held accountable when they break it. We’re calling on the Department of Justice to end the "too big to jail" scheme the big banks enjoy today. After all, just because you're the banker doesn't mean you should get out of jail free. Add your name and help us stand up to big bank abuses!

Today, Governor Nathan Deal of Georgia is expected to sign into law a bill that was passed at the 11th hour in the current session to help transportation. To raise the funds, our state elected official passed a bill to add a $5.00 tax to all guests who stay in a hotel/motel in Georgia. This tax is in addition to the state tax that is already being charged. Furthermore, this tax is for every night a person stays. This is completely unexpected and wrong. Georgia will lose millions in revenue because of it. Please call the Governor's Office at 404-656-1776 and ask to speak with Governor Deal. If they say no, then tell the person that you are opposed to House Bill 170 and that you want the Governor to VETO the bill. This bill is not in Georgia's best interest. Please pass this along to everyone.

While the Billionaires are buying the Republican Party, the Democratic Party must counter by buying Working American. Wage inequality is by far one of the issue that should be resolved by our elected officials for 2016. It is time to take on the Billionaires and the Corporation who's greed is causing the major distress of the United States of America.

2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the United States atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It also marks 45 years since the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entered into force, obligating all States parties to undertake good faith negotiations for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Instead, the world’s nuclear-armed nations are spending over $100 billion per year to maintain and modernize their nuclear arsenals. The danger of wars among nuclear-armed States is growing, and with it the threat of unimaginable death and suffering. We are at a crucial juncture, a time when the unresolved tensions of a deeply inequitable society, great power ambitions, and the destructive effects of an unsustainable economic system are exploding into overlapping crises. From April 27 – May 22, 2015 representatives of the 189 members of the NPT, including the original nuclear-armed States (the U.S., Russia, the U.K, France, and China) will come together at the United Nations in New York City to review the Treaty’s operation. The recent Vienna Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons set up the potential for a direct challenge to the nuclear- armed States: States not possessing nuclear weapons will be demanding a new diplomatic process to achieve nuclear disarmament. It is long past time for the world’s governments to implement the global obligation to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world. This petition campaign is part of the Peace & Planet Mobilization for a Nuclear-Free, Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World. In a demonstration of their determination to build a fair, democratic, ecologically sustainable, and peaceful future, people will gather in New York City and around the world for international days of action April 24 – 26, 2015. The Peace & Planet Mobilization will culminate on April 26 with a festival in Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, across the street from the United Nations, where millions of signatures collected in Japan and around the world will be presented to NPT and UN officials to demonstrate the wide-spread popular support for nuclear abolition.

Her opinion will matter. As a potential candidate for President, she owes it to the public to speak out in support of this now --- especially when the enemies of the agreement are dominating the air waves.

The owner of Yankee Springs Dairy, Paul Lettinga, was responsible for the deaths of two young men aged 17 and 18 in 2010 due to unsafe farming practices. This farmer knowingly sent these two young men into a silo without proper equipment, which resulted in suffocation and loss of life. These losses have torn at the families who have been left to try and continue on without their loved ones. The penalty for his crime: a $14,000 fine which was later reduced to half that amount. Perhaps if farmers were sentenced to jail time rather than minor fines and inconveniences, we would see a reduction in extreme farm accidents. This case has been held up in litigation and risks being dismissed without any real loss to the farm. Please ask for changes, ask for justice and safety on farms. All life is precious regardless of location. Please use this opportunity to discuss what responsibility should look like and how justice can be served.

The Illinois Appropriations-Human Services Committee held a subject matter hearing for public response to Governor Rauner's proposed 2016 Budget. The Committee heard testimony from advocates for Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Development Disabilities and Rehabilitation Services, Health and Family Issues, Special needs populations, HIV, Breast Cancer, Children's Services, and Department of Children and Family Services. Based on reports by members only, the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) estimates 51,447 children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and/or serious mental illnesses will experience limited access to, or lose access to, community-based services and supports under the Department of Human Services’ proposed fiscal year 2016 budget. “We find these conservative impact estimates on individuals with disabilities and mental illnesses and their families disturbing,” said Janet Stover, IARF President & CEO. “Even with the Department making efforts to preserve core and essential services, every proposed cut will cut bone, and these estimates make that clear,” continued Stover. The Department’s proposed budget cuts $193 million in funding from community-based services and supports for children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illnesses in the critical areas of residential services for individuals with high medical/behavioral support needs (ICFDD), psychiatry, housing supports, early intervention, respite, autism, dental and epilepsy services. Below are examples of certain areas in the state that are being reduced due to our current tax system: Medicaid: • $1.5 billion reduction to Health and Family Services budget, including elimination of Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation facilities. • 16,533 individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI) will lose access to psychiatry, care coordination, evidence-based mental health services and housing supports – which will lead to increased hospitalizations and incarcerations; • 808 adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities will lose residential and developmental services and supports in ICFDD settings – which will lead to increased utilization of state-operated developmental centers (SODCs); • 1,798 individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families will lose access to respite services – which will lead families to seek out-of-home services, higher cost services and supports; • 11,208 children ages 0-3 will lose access to early intervention services – which will lead to higher long term costs in special education; • 21,100 individuals with epilepsy will lose access to case coordination, case management and outreach services; Human Services: • Division of alcohol and substance abuse – $27.5 million reduction • Division of mental health — $82 million reduction • Elimination of Best Buddies, Project Autism, Arc of Illinois, Homeless youth services, Immigration Integration Services, Illinois Welcoming centers • $23 million reduction to Early Intervention Program Public Health: • $19 million reduction from 2015 Pensions: $100 billion savings over 30 years in payments $25 billion immediate reduction in unfunded liability. $2.2 billion in savings from pension payments in this budget. According to a January 2015 report by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (http://www.itep.org/pdf/whopaysreport.pdf), Illinois has the 5th most unfair state and local tax system in the country. In their analysis, when all state and local taxes are included, such as sales and excise taxes, property taxes and income taxes, lower income Illinoisans pay an overall tax rate almost three times that of the top income earners in Illinois. The lowest 20%, with incomes less than $19,000 per year, pay an overall tax rate of 13.2%, whereas the top 1%, with incomes more than $498,000 per year, pay an overall tax rate of 4.6%. “We have to be more flexible in how we structure our tax code, and we must consider a fair income tax in which the income tax rate a person pays increases as their income increases,” said Ford. “This legislation would amend our state Constitution so we can design a fair tax code and not be limited to a flat tax rate like we have now which is the same rate whether you make $35,000 a year or $35 million a year. We still have much work to do to improve Illinois’ financial health. It is clear that more revenue is needed, but it must be fair and progressive and not regressive, as the proposed expanded sales tax would be. Regressive tax policy only hurts working families and those working to enter the labor force.”The legislation also provides that any such tax imposed on corporations shall be at a non-graduated rate, not to exceed the average of the lowest and highest individual rates by more than a ratio of 8 to 5. “This legislation does not change the current flat tax rate for corporations, and also creates predictability for corporations as they look at their tax rates,” said Ford.