It's no surprise that in politics the biggest corporate campaign spenders receive the most undeserved tax breaks and special favors. Did you know they often also receive billions of dollars in federal government contracts? And yet, they're not required to disclose their campaign spending on the very politicians who dole out those contracts. The good news is that although Congress is unlikely to act, right now President Obama can use an executive order to require federal contractors to disclose their political spending. Tell President Obama to take this obvious step and at least end Dark Money from taxpayer-funded contractors now!

From Vincent Mina, President of HFUU: I am in support of Scott Enright continuing to being the chair of agriculture for Hawaii! When we have those in government who can work with you, and want to work with you, well you work with them. I am a family farmer of 21 years who also has been an advocate of educational outreach and programs in support of our family farmers for the past 17 of those years producing conferences on "Body and Soil" practicing the concepts of Aloha Aina, Malama Aina. I have been walking the talk and continue to do so, instigating the development of and leading with others HFUU as an alternative to the farm bureau. I appreciate having someone in office who I can relate these values to in support of what we want to see come forward for our family farmers. These farmers are in the trenches every day, doing all they can do to stay on the land and practice what they love and do it without use of poisons or non-renewable practices. I, along with my wife and son, make our living growing food for the community, and we do so using regenerative and renewable practices. Scott has shown his support by standing up in working with the leaders of HFUU in the development of programs that promote soil health. With that said Scott's job is to represent the agricultural industry in Hawaii. We don't support all forms of agriculture yet under US law all are legal. We recognize all forms yet don't support all forms. I appreciate and value the work of Shaka in holding chemical companies accountable. With that said, my focus and kuleana as president of HFUU is to advocate for the creation of vibrant and prosperous agricultural communities. We need to be piloting demonstration projects that will be based on consistent and resilient production systems. We as family farmers need infrastructure in support of recycling of renewable nutrients back onto the farm. We need a food aggregation system of distribution in the form of a community owned cooperative. We need land trust to place our young passionate farmers living on the land they are farming. All this would be a great start if we are going to be able to turn this ship around and actually be able to grow our own food here in Hawaii and support those who are going to grow it. This does not happen in a vacuum and HFUU is committed in seeing this come to fruition and Scott is holding the space for this to come forward which means as we get our collective act together he will not impede us moving this forward. Scott has been advocating for folks to sign up as members of HFUU when he has presented at our chapter meetings on Maui and Oahu knowing that in the legislature numbers matter.

The rising cost of housing is destroying the diverse, vibrant communities that have made California's cities some of the greatest on Earth. Rent control has proven to be effective in keeping communities diverse and keeping housing available for those in poverty and in the middle class. However, landlord-friendly exemptions have undermined these protections, and the patchwork of different rent control ordinances across the state has allowed landlords and developers to play one municipality against another, lowering the standard of living for all throughout the state. I propose that no tenant across the state of California should ever be subjected to a rent increase of more than 2.5% per calendar year, with no exceptions whatsoever. Some people may be concerned that this will discourage real estate investment. Frankly, this state needs less real estate speculation and property flipping, not more.

As of recently, the faculty of Loy Norrix High School have started to send home girls wearing leggings or other "revealing" clothing. Some have even been harrassed by security guards before being sent home. Others have been humiliated or marginalized in front of their classmates. This is simply unacceptable and is unsafe to the well-being of our female student body. Our bodies are ours, and that is not up for interpretation. We will no longer tolerate being oversexualized by the faculty and administrators; we deserve the right to wear what makes us comfortable without being harrassed or being deprived of our right to learn.

Yesterday, behind closed doors, Governor Mike Pence signed a law that would effectively allow individuals and businesses in Indiana to discriminate against LGBT people and others. Opponents have called it a "license to discriminate." Tech giant Salesforce has already announced that it will pull all business from the state, and Gen Con, the largest convention in Indianapolis, has also threatened to move elsewhere in response to the new law. Additionally, thousands of Indiana residents have called on Governor Pence to repeal this hateful new law. Across the nation, states are passing legislation that guarantees the rights of LGBT individuals. Twenty-one states have anti-discrimination laws on the books. LGBT folks can marry in 30 states--and counting! As a nation, we are moving closer and closer toward equality for all, which is why it's all the more shameful that Governor Pence is taking Indiana backwards.

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has announced that he will not run for re-election. [1] Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) has been mentioned as a potential candidate to lead Senate Democrats. But Schumer has signed on as a co-sponsor of two dangerous bills sponsored by Sens. Corker, Kirk, and Menendez, which would undermine diplomacy and risk putting the United States on a path to war with Iran. Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action, said: “Supporting reckless legislation that undermines President Obama’s diplomacy with Iran and risks a dangerous, unnecessary war in the Middle East should disqualify anyone from leading the Senate Democratic caucus. Sen. Schumer needs to withdraw his support from the Corker and Menendez legislation.” [2] Show you agree with MoveOn that Schumer must withdraw support from the Corker and Menendez bills by signing our petition. References: 1. “Harry Reid Says He Won’t Seek Re-Election,” Carl Hulse, New York Times, March 27, 2015, http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/28/us/politics/senator-harry-reid-retire.html 2. “MoveOn reaction to pending opening in Democratic caucus leadership and Sen. Schumer’s position on Iran diplomacy,” Brian Stewart, MoveOn.org, March 27 2015, http://front.moveon.org/moveon-reaction-to-pending-opening-in-democratic-caucus-leadership-and-sen-schumers-position-on-iran-diplomacy/

This same law was passed in Indiana yesterday, and already several businesses and organizations are pulling out of that state, undoubtedly costing them millions in revenue. I don't want the same to happen to Arkansas. This is a discriminatory piece of legislation that makes us look very uninviting to businesses and organizations, not to mention that it is just plain wrong

Basic Income is the best solution available today to free workers from dead-end wage-slavery and empower ordinary people to experience real, meaningful freedom in their working lives and career choices. Basic Income is scientifically proven by numerous studies to improve many different measures of cultural health, improve education, reduce crime, and prevent civil unrest - all without costing more than today's inefficient welfare system or discouraging work incentives. With automation and technological unemployment on the rise, Basic Income is the next logical step toward responsive community economics.

Too many voices have been silenced by Mike Pence and the state legislature. Sign up to be heard in the Hoosier state! Move the state forward and not back. -Billy Niehaus

Because MODNR is not testing around leaking ash ponds and has not indicated that they will update state regulations any time soon. People's lives are being impacted while polluters continue to pollute our state's water and air resources without consequence.

The NRA lobby has gone far enough in our state and in our nation. The idea that people can carry a concealed weapon without a permit to do so is horrifying on many levels.

Indiana's codification of legal discrimination with the passing of The Religious Freedom Restoration Act know as the RFRA directly conflicts with the NCAA's mission and moral beliefs. The RFRA establishes Indiana as a hostile and potentially dangerous environment for student athletes, who may face discrimination based on their Race, Religious beliefs, Sex, or Sexual Identity without protection by law or civil recourse. As fans and graduates of NCAA member institutions, we the undersigned, demand that NCAA CEO Mark Emmert and its Board of Directors immediately relocate to a state that offers equal protection under the law to its citizenry and to exclude Indiana from future consideration for any NCAA sponsored events.