I. The Problem: Our expensive, inefficient health insurance system - Between 1991 and 2014, health care spending in RI per person rose by over 250% – rising much faster than income – greatly reducing disposable income. - 62% of personal bankruptcies were medical cost related and of these, 78% had health insurance at the time of their bankruptcy. - Health care is “rationed” under our current multi-payer system, despite the fact that Rhode Islanders already pay enough money to have comprehensive and universal health insurance under a single-payer system. - The federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot control rising premiums, co-pays, deductibles and medical cost related bankruptcies, nor prevent private insurance companies from continuing to limit available providers and coverage. - Fully implemented, the ACA will still leave 4% of Rhode Islanders without insurance – resulting in as many as 116 Rhode Islanders dying unnecessarily from lack of insurance each year. II. The Solution: H. 5378 – Single Payer RI Comprehensive Health Insurance Program - Provide comprehensive health care coverage to all Rhode Island residents. - Improve access to health care. - Save approximately $4000 per resident per year by 2024 and put more money into the Rhode Island economy. - Significantly reduce administrative costs (almost $1 billion in the first year) and shift these dollars to actual provision of health care. - Decrease provider administrative burdens and allow them to spend more time providing health care. - Establish a funding system that is public and progressive. - Eliminate health insurance costs and administrative obligations on Rhode Island businesses and make them more competitive and profitable (e.g., in the first year, payroll contributions to a single payer plan would be over $1.2 billion less than current private health insurance premiums). - Contain health care costs (reduced administration and control over monopolistic pricing) and save 23% of current expenditures in the first year with larger savings in subsequent years. - Create a significant economic stimulus for the state by attracting businesses to and keeping businesses in Rhode Island because of reduced health insurance costs. Read the legislation: http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText15/HouseText15/H5387.pdf

Deal claims Georgia can't afford Medicaid Expansion. Sure we can, we're already paying for it, but other states are reaping the benefits of our tax dollars. What we can't afford is uninsured people needlessly suffering due to political posturing. I want Georgia Legislators to do the right thing.

To fire Kristi Capel for using Jigaboo to describe music on Fox 8 News for her ignorance and insensitivity! And then claiming on twitter that she didnt know what the word meant.

Recently Jan Mickelson called one of the most prominent Latino members of Congress an "open borders Hispanic zealot" and an "open borders and amnesty con artist." He even said that DREAMers shouldn't be allowed to attend public schools. This is a big problem because Jan Mickelson is one of the most influential morning radio show hosts in Iowa. Bloomberg News recently called him one of the "Most Powerful Republicans You've Never Heard Of." Studies have found that Republican voters are more than three times as likely to trust their talk radio hosts than to trust their local reporters. That's why Presidential candidates flock to their shows. But Jan Mickelson doesn't use this influence for the good of others, he uses his spotlight to spread anti-immigrant and anti-Latino messages. That is why we're demanding that all 2016 presidential candidates boycott his show. No respectable public servant should reinforce these harmful messages. Please join with us by adding your name to this petition.

I am a Massage Therapist, a small business owner, the Vice President of the Golden Gate Unit of the American Massage Therapy Association, and appreciate massage in my healing self-care. I will be unable to afford starting a brick and mortar business and will have to increase my prices to deal with the proposed costs of the policy being considered. I have met with Supervisor Tang, attended meetings across the board, and tried to be part of the process of forming the policy. Supervisor Tang is ignoring our concerns.

Workers sickened by pesticides last August still have no justice from Ag Commissioner: Workers will hand in petition to Ag Commissioner during March 6 Rally “I work picking peaches for Gerawan. In August 2013, Gerawan workers entered a peach orchard to starting picking. They noticed a bad smell, began to feel sick & later found that this field was sprayed with toxic pesticides. It frightens me that no one even told them to keep out of the orchard like the law says. What’s scary is it could have just as easily been me. “It’s been more than a year and a half since this happened and Gerawan still hasn’t been punished for their carelessness. The Ag Commissioner ruled against Gerawan back in November. And still nothing has happened. I don’t understand it. They have been found guilty and should be fined already. “I and some of my coworkers visited the Ag Commissioner last Friday. They still couldn’t give us answers. So we want to do a demonstration in front of their office on March 6 and hand in a petition. We are hoping people from all around the country will sign it. We want the Ag Commissioner and Gerawan to realize people know about this and care. Will you sign our petition?” --Uziel Romero, Gerawan farm worker

CURRENT UPDATE (2/23/2015 7 PM): Per Mayor Tom Theodores: We have put a total stop to the spraying indefinitely. I will meet with staff tomorrow to get fully briefed on the issue and the options; we will then decide when and how to proceed with getting input from the public and bringing it to council. I will let you know what and when the process will be. Rest assured that no spraying will take place without the review of the city council with the opportunity for public input. *** Sausalito's Martin Luther King Park is scheduled to be sprayed with herbicides Roundup and Surflan on Tuesday, February 24. This multi-use lawn is frequented by children and dogs and both substances have been found to have serious adverse effects on health and the environment. Glyphosate, the active ingredient of Roundup, has been linked to cancers, reproductive harm, genetic damage, thyroid disorders, respiratory illnesses and other ailments. There is also active concern about a specific inert ingredient, polyethoxylated tallowamine (POEA), which may cause more cellular damage than even glyphosate. Oryzalin, the active ingredient of Surflan, is linked to reproductive harm, central nervous system depression and is a possible human carcinogen according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Both substances are at least moderately mobile in soil and have the potential to contaminate connected or nearby water sources. Articles in Scientific American and Reuters noting the dangers of Roundup: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/weed-whacking-herbicide-p/ http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/25/roundup-health-study-idUSL2N0DC22F20130425 UPDATE 2/23/2015 (4:50 PM): Thank you to everyone for spreading the word! The spraying has been delayed for the time being. Here is the response from the mayor and my response to him. I will update with any details on a public hearing, and please continue to spread the word in opposing the use of Roundup in our public spaces. From the mayor: Tanya, Thanks for your concern. We are not spraying tomorrow and will delay spraying until staff has had a chance to brief council and assure us that spraying will be safe. Tom My response: Thank you for your response. Can you confirm a time and date on the public hearing of this matter? My ongoing concern is that we will get the same canned response from the Department of Public Works that justifies the use of Roundup while disregarding the strong research and ongoing findings proving the health and environmental risks of these herbicides. There have been great alternative suggestions from the public including a volunteer gardening task force or use of a safe and effective herbicide such as Scythe. We are currently up to 122 signatures on the petition. It goes without saying that nobody on that petition thinks any amount of Roundup is safe or acceptable to use and will be content with simply a delayed use of Roundup. Tanya

We call on the New Hampshire state legislature to support a constitutional amendment overturning the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC). Since this flawed decision, New Hampshire has faced a deluge of outside spending. In the 2014 congressional election, outside groups spent more than 49 million dollars on three congressional races in New Hampshire- one of the highest amounts of outside spending in the nation. We believe that this is unacceptable.

Because we the lower income peoples Human Rights should be protected.

Later transit rides enables more consumers and workers to participate in Marietta’s growing economy, dollar for dollar. Buses running a later schedule reduce risk to those who work late night and early morning shifts, preventing them from having to walk for miles down darkened streets and providing them with a small improvement in their quality of life. Low income individuals often work irregular schedules and are the most loyal customers. Based on that, their demand for later services should be met. Equally important is how later transit (directly or indirectly) reduces the number of injuries (pedestrians being hit) in the community. In the past year, there has been an increase in ridership and it is time to take the next step in reinvigorating ridership. While it is up to the discretion of the board how funds are allocated and spent, we believe future revenues should be focused on establishing regular late night ridership on a consistent schedule.

Children are learning to just focus on beauty instead of their education. I believe that education is first, so focusing just on your beauty isn't going to take you as far which is why I believe that you should help sign this petition to just let those 13 and older be allowed to participate in beauty pageants! Thank you!

I worked in the recovery field and saw first hand the need for more time in rehab facilities. Short term treatment was usually not effective.