A new SurveyUSA poll in South Dakota shows Democrats have a strong chance to win a U.S. Senate seat that they’ve long since given up on—but only if centrist independent candidate Larry Pressler drops out. This seat is currently held by Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson, who’s retiring. A Democratic loss here is a gain for the GOP—putting them one step closer to taking a majority in the Senate. Pressler is a former Republican senator who left office 20 years ago. Since then, he’s moved pretty far to the left of the Republican Party—he endorsed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012—and he’s splitting the vote with Democratic candidate Rick Weiland. Just look at the poll numbers: SurveyUSA SD-Sen poll (with Pressler): - Republican Mike Rounds 39 - Democrat Rick Weiland 28 - Independent Larry Pressler 25 SurveyUSA SD-Sen poll (without Pressler): - Republican Mike Rounds 44 - Democrat Rick Weiland 42 Weiland is running a real campaign and has $450,000 in the bank, compared to $750,000 for Rounds. Pressler has a tenth of Weiland’s funds and is relying almost entirely on earned media and residual recognition from his previous time in the Senate. Simply put: This is a sure-fire GOP win if Pressler stays in, and a toss-up if he drops out. Sign the petition to independent Larry Pressler: Drop out and support Democrat Rick Weiland.

Some of our lawmakers are trying to force fracking on us without our approval. It is time for us to stop them before fracking ruins Colorado.

As an Arkansas voter, I want my vote to show our state candidates why they must support comprehensive immigration reform, the DREAM Act, improved education for all children, and driver’s licenses for all Arkansas residents. With my vote, I want to see these reforms become real this year because we, as a state, can't wait and stand by while local families and communities continue to suffer. Arkansas has proudly doubled the immigrant and New American vote since 2010, and I plan to help our state do it again in 2014, both through my vote and that of all of the voters I will register and take with me to the polls this November 4th.

People are taking to the streets by the tens of thousands to demand elected leaders act quickly to stop global climate change -- but some politicians just aren’t listening. Governor Chris Christie yanked NJ from a regional program that reduces climate changing pollution. The courts have called it an illegal stunt, and recently legislators in Trenton started a process that could reverse it. The best part? Christie won't even be able to veto it. New Jersey has already felt the effects climate change through the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. We should be on the front lines of this fight. If Chris Christie won’t show leadership on this issue, our legislators have to step up and do the right thing for our state and our planet.

The four nuclear reactors devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in March of 2011 continue to pose a grave risk to people and the environment around the entire world. An unprecedented three reactor cores have melted down into (and most likely through) their containment vessels on the east coast of Japan. 

 After three years of questionable management and oversight by the government of Japan and Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), enormous quantities of radioactive releases continue to spew daily into the world's ocean from the Fukushima nuclear power facility—with no end in sight. 

 A new, international “Level 8" category must be added to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s current 7-level scale that characterizes the severity of nuclear accidents. This new “Level 8" would firmly identify the need for an internationally coordinated response to a major nuclear emergency occurring in any country that has been overwhelmed by disaster, has had a multi-unit accident, or has failed to provide the timely expertise and resources necessary to protect neighboring countries and the global environment from a substantial, ongoing or imminent release of radioactive materials. 

 Please sign the petition and spread the link widely to help mobilize a global response. 

 To learn more about this worldwide campaign, and how you, your family, and your community can publicly support it, please visit www.FukushimaResponse.org or www.FixFukushima.info

Keeping guns out of our shools. This idea could backfire. I have nieces and nephews that are 4 and 5 years old

Organ transplant medication costs are very expensive, in the thousands of dollars per month. I have had a heart transplant and the costs of the medications in copay on medicare is around 1/3 of my SSDI check. Yet, the rules are such that I cannot receive "extra help" for medication costs. The rules are income limit only, without regard to actual copay costs. Also, cannot receive any forms of assistance due to the same rules. Many times I have had to choose which meds to take and how much food I can eat, just to stay alive. This is wrong. Transplant costs are astronomical, yet once transplanted, there is not a system in place to insure patients receive the life saving anti rejection meds.

So many issues of race, class, and infrastructure have been brought to light by the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson. This action, clearly within the Mayor's authority, would address one of the most damaging circumstances of life in Ferguson for many residents, and show a clear path to a brighter and more just future for the community. Petition Background (taken from this article in Newsweek: http://www.newsweek.com/ferguson-profiling-police-courts-shooting-264744) Read the full ArchCity Defenders report on Municipal Courts here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/vwptqn3mhq9xvy7/ArchCity%20Defenders%20Municipal%20Courts%20Whitepaper.pdf

I find the NFL's recent handling of domestic abuse and child abuse by star players to be abhorrent to the rules of our society. I would like the league to fairly & uniformly mete out punishment to star players & scrubs, alike. And I would like to see the NFL reveal what it stands for by making unequivocal statements regarding domestic abuse & child abuse.

I think Congress is forgetting something, and with just days before they leave Capitol Hill to campaign, I need your help to remind them: "Congress: Isn't it your job to help grow the middle class?" I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot from these same politicians about how they fight for the middle class and stand up to special interests. But words are one thing, and actions are another. It's time for them to show us they are serious about creating jobs and closing tax loopholes. Time for them to stop protecting companies like Burger King who flee the U.S. to dodge taxes, and instead stand up for the millions of Americans who just want a decent shot at a good job and a high-quality education. Legislation to create 1.9 million jobs, improve schools and reduce poverty -- paid for by taking on special interests and their massive tax breaks -- has been pending for months and months without any action. We think this is something every member of Congress needs to support if they expect us to take them seriously when they claim to be for the middle class.

During a rant on sexual assault, this week Rush Limbaugh asserted that sometimes “No means yes.” 
We knew we had to take action after Limbaugh’s reprehensible rant excusing rape on college campuses. In case you missed it, Limbaugh actually said, “’no means yes’ if you know how to spot it.” Here is the audio: http://goo.gl/jIplNt It’s completely unacceptable.

 We want to get as many people as we can pressuring Rush Limbaugh’s sponsors to pull their ads from his show. Sign your name and demand that companies pull their advertising from Rush’s program.

With three Libraries at the University, including 2 on the uptown campus, it has been decided that there was a need for an athletic study area limited to only athletes. By doing this they had to tear down the wrestling room where various club sports hold practice every night of the week. The compensation given to these clubs was a small mat room in the basement of the PE building. This room does not have enough room for a single wrestling match (2 people) no less a practice where up to 40 or even 60 students attend.