Tyler McCubbin was already a well-liked track coach and substitute teacher at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, so he was excited to be offered a full-time teaching job. But then school administrators found out that he's gay, and abruptly revoked the job offer. The bishop of Des Moines, Richard Pates, has said that McCubbin wasn't denied the job because he's gay, but because he's been honest and open about it -- even though the Catechism of the Catholic Church says of LGBT people that "every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided." This week, hundreds of students walked out of class in protest, making national headlines. Let's show our support for Tyler McCubbin and his students, and demand that the church stop encouraging people to conceal their sexual orientation.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission will soon be deciding whether to grant a new permit for TransCanada to build the Keystone XL pipeline. But the PUC has said it will not allow the public to testify at the hearing on May 5th -- The SD PUC is attempting to limit the testimony to a few written submissions. They are refusing to hear the people. Let's remind them they work for the people, and that means allowing their voices to be heard. Stand in support of Tribal Nations, farmers and ranchers in South Dakota who are fighting Keystone XL, and join their call on the Public Utilities Commission to let all of the voices be heard at the hearing on May 5. South Dakota Tribes along with Dakota Rural Action have filed official objections to TransCanada's permit application for Keystone with the SD PUC, and will be among those parties allowed to testify at the hearing on May 5. But there are many voices of those who stand in solidarity to protect the land and water that won't be heard, unless we convince the PUC to change course and add a public comment portion to the hearing, so the wide range of voices with concerns about this massive threat to our heartland, climate and the well being of women and children are heard. Sign the petition: Let the people's voices be heard on Keystone XL.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott just announced that he no longer supports using federal funds under Obamacare to provide health insurance to 800,000 uninsured Floridians. But in 2013, Scott said, "Expanding access to Medicaid services for three years is a compassionate, common sense step forward." There's still time for the Florida Legislature to pass Medicaid expansion this year, providing a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Floridians. Will you help hold Gov. Scott accountable for his flip flop and demand that he get the job done NOW?

Every year, some large corporations dodge billions in taxes while their friends in Congress do all they can to protect their loopholes. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it. Let's see if they can dodge this: As we near Tax Day, add your name to our petition and we will put it on a dodgeball and deliver it. By hook or by crook and with considerable help from Congress, a few big corporations end up dodging more than $150 billion in taxes per year -- through offshore bank accounts, phony overseas subsidiaries, and tax breaks written into the law by special interest lobbyists. You and I pay our fair share. Isn't it time for tax-dodging corporations to do the same? Especially when some members of Congress would rather protect these tax giveaways than invest in education, health care or making sure kids have enough to eat? Right now Sen. Nelson is part of the Senate group coming up with the plan for corporate tax reform. We know they are being inundated by lobbyists from the big tax-dodging corporations. Help us send a message that they can't dodge their responsibility to the rest of us.

Every year, some large corporations dodge billions in taxes while their friends in Congress do all they can to protect their loopholes. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it. Let's see if they can dodge this: As we near Tax Day, add your name to our petition and we will put it on a dodgeball and deliver it. By hook or by crook and with considerable help from Congress, a few big corporations end up dodging more than $150 billion in taxes per year -- through offshore bank accounts, phony overseas subsidiaries, and tax breaks written into the law by special interest lobbyists. You and I pay our fair share. Isn't it time for tax-dodging corporations to do the same? Especially when some members of Congress would rather protect these tax giveaways than invest in education, health care or making sure kids have enough to eat? Right now Sen. Bennet is part of the Senate group that will come up with the plan for corporate tax reform. We know they are being inundated by lobbyists from the big tax-dodging corporations. Help us send a message that they can't dodge their responsibility to the rest of us.

We've been asked to reduce the water we use. No one should be exempt, especially the highest users of water in California.

Every year, some large corporations dodge billions in taxes while their friends in Congress do all they can to protect their loopholes. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it. Let's see if they can dodge this: As we near Tax Day, add your name to our petition and we will put it on a dodgeball and deliver it to Congress. By hook or by crook and with considerable help from Congress, a few big corporations end up dodging more than $150 billion in taxes per year -- through offshore bank accounts, phony overseas subsidiaries, and tax breaks written into the law by special interest lobbyists. You and I pay our fair share. Isn't it time for tax-dodging corporations to do the same? Especially when some members of Congress would rather protect these tax giveaways than invest in education, health care or making sure kids have enough to eat? Right now Sen. Hatch is coming up with the plan for corporate tax reform. We know they are being inundated by lobbyists from the big tax-dodging corporations. Help us send a message that they can't dodge their responsibility to the rest of us.

Once home to the CA grizzly and CA condor, the Santa Ana Mountain range is severely threatened by urban sprawl, pollution, altered fire regime, abuse and neglect. Currently, there are multiple landowners, including US Forest Service, OC Parks, Riverside County Parks, Rancho Mission Viejo, CA State Parks, military, NGOs, private individuals and investment groups. The US Forest Service owns one of the largest portions, but lacks the budget and staff to adequately manage for natural and cultural resource value.

Have you felt the shift within the Democratic Party? Not long ago, in fact as recently as 2013, many Democrats including President Obama indicated a willingness to cut Social Security benefits. But things are changing quickly in Washington. Just before Congress left on their holiday recess, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) joined forces with Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to introduce a budget amendment to expand Social Security benefits for millions of Americans. And guess what? Expansion received support from 42 Senate Democrats. That’s over 90% of the Democratic caucus! Expanding and protecting Social Security is quickly becoming one of the hottest issues in the country and a mainstream Democratic plank. But what happens if the Democratic nominee for President doesn’t embrace expansion? With Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton having announced her candidacy, and other Democrats potentially jumping into the race this month, it is time to get all Democratic presidential candidates on the record supporting expansion. Call on all Democratic presidential candidates to make Social Security expansion a cornerstone of their campaign platforms. We already know where Republican presidential candidates stand. Thanks to their votes opposing the Warren/Manchin amendment Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are all firmly opposed to expanding earned benefits and even favor cuts for millions of future retirees as well as children, veterans and disabled workers. If Democrats want to win the White House in 2016 and take back Congress they must inspire the American people. They must demonstrate a sharp contrast to the right-wing ideology being offered by the Republican Party. And with 79% of likely voters – Democrats, Republicans and Independents – supporting Social Security expansion, Democrats have THE ISSUE to run on. We are in position to make Social Security expansion a driving issue in the next presidential election. Stand with us today!

• The City should also move toward Food Justice Certification for all food suppliers and food service contractors. • The City should likewise increase the percentage of Minority- and Women-Owned Enterprises for all food-related contracts. • The Good Food Procurement Policy can be the means by which to satisfy the City’s goals of supporting businesses and social enterprises that produce and distribute healthy food, as put forth in the City’s “Healthy Chicago” program. • Work with the Chicago Food Policy Action Council to establish a technical committee to create the GFPP implementation process, including setting required guidelines to be met by food suppliers and service contractors in the areas of Environmental Sustainability, Valued Workforce, Animal Welfare and Nutrition. • Assign the Chicago Food Policy Action Council the authority to monitor City food contractors for compliance and provide the information needed for the City of Chicago to remove contractors for non-compliance.

Discrimination in any form is wrong-headed and wrong-hearted. This outrageous bill should be stopped in its tracks.

We need to legalize medicinal cannabis! Too many Hoosiers are suffering from cancer, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and other illnesses. We need to stop spending $150 million in taxpayer money on sending innocent cannabis consumers to jail and make room for more serious offenses. Look at the facts, Indiana! Do research on the studies that come from outside the United States. Throw away all bias and look at the facts and statistics with a clean slate. 13,198 men and women, from our great Hoosier state, died from cancer in 2013. Cannabis can lower these numbers! (And we all know Indiana isn't a petition state but WE THE PEOPLE can change that too!) Also, we want the state to hear our voices and RECOGNIZE our petitions. We should have a say in our government, and voting for governor isn't what I'm talking about. We should be able to have a say when it comes to enacting a new law or changing a law. Our state wants to make laws solely based on what they (the people in office) believe is right, but what they believe isn't always right and people get hurt, lose families, and lose jobs. Currently they are trying to make possession of 1/4 of an ounce of dried cannabis flower a felony. This is outrageous and backward! Come on Indiana, sign your name, and if you want, call the governor's office or your representative and spread the enlightenment about cannabis!