to stop contractors from taking away our home privacy

As a consumer of all things film and television - especially N.C.-based productions - I am appalled by the new grant program put forth by the N.C. General Assembly to replace the current film incentive program. The film industry provides numerous jobs to people from all different backgrounds. The industry also helps spark tourism revenues at filming locations across the state, helping many local businesses. Please read this story on my blog for more information: http://reflectcw.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-case-for-nc-film.html

Should we be surprised anymore? Leaked audio shows that Cory Gardner recently spoke at a private retreat for the Koch brothers' financial network that has been spending heavily in his race this year. We know the Kochs have an agenda. Ask Cory Gardner what he promised to get their dirty money.

If one chooses to participate in a habit which is detrimental to ones health, that is a sad state of affairs, but it is their protected right, as long as it is legal. When people choose to smoke in public, they not only endanger themselves, but non smokers, as well. These non smokers are often our children. Smoking in public should be prohibited.

This year, most school districts across Washington state were forced by Secretary Arne Duncan’s selective enforcement of the No Child Left Behind Act to send letters to all parents that labeled our schools as failures. We are parents, teachers, students and community members who reject this label that has been placed on our schools. We know that our schools are not failures. In fact, their accomplishments have been remarkable, especially given the deeply flawed policy imposed on them by the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). While there are certainly changes needed for our schools – many due to the legacy of racism, class inequality, and lack of equitable funding for our schools – we believe that those changes should be directed by communities that make up local school districts, not by top-down mandates. This website will share stories and testimonials about the great things that are happening in our schools that should be supported and connect our communities so that we can organize opposition to Arne Duncan’s policies and No Child Left Behind. According to NCLB, our schools should have had 100% of students test at proficient levels in reading and math by 2014. No county, no state, and no school district has ever achieved 100% proficiency on standardized tests and, in fact, the way the tests are designed make it statistically impossible to achieve that goal. Washington, like many other states, originally had a waiver in place that would have exempted it from this absurd NCLB mandate. However, when the state legislature refused to pass bills tying teacher evaluations to test scores (following overwhelming evidence that this would not improve teaching or learning), Arne Duncan chose to punish Washington state by revoking the waiver. With the waiver gone, nearly all of Washington’s schools have been labeled failures, we have lost control of millions of dollars in federal money, and some schools will be at risk of state takeovers and mass layoffs of teachers. This kind of political game-playing has no place in our schools. Our schools and teachers should not be labeled as failures simply because we have rejected extremely flawed education policies. In August 2014, 28 school superintendents from around the state authored a letter, where they declared that their schools’ successes are not reflected in these ratings and criticized No Child Left Behind. We agree. It’s time for the voices of parents, teachers and students to be heard and respected. Endorsed by: Parents Across America (PAA), Seattle Education Website, Social Equality Educators (SEE), Wayne Au, PhD, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Washington Bothell*, Jesse Hagopian, Teacher, Garfield High School*, Kshama Sawant, Seattle City Council member*, Sue Peters, Seattle School Board Director* *For identification purposes only For more information, visit http://www.ourschoolsarenotfailing.org

The U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world, and until the Affordable Care Act, millions of working class Americans couldn't afford health insurance, yet didn't qualify for medicaid. To repeal the Affordable Care Act will doom working class Iowas to financial catastrophes if they no longer can afford health insurance or are removed from Iowa's medicaid program. This will cost at least some of these Iowans their lives as they put off needed medical care, and reduce their use of necessary prescription drugs to ineffective levels. In addition, the inability to take advantage of lower cost preventive and early intervention care means more medical care gets provided when medical conditions become severe and initial treatment occurs in emergency rooms. That's going to increase costs for all of us as hospitals try to cover losses that occur when people simply can't pay. To repeal the Affordable Care act will also cost families of young adults (18-27) significantly more in terms of assuring their children have health insurance coverage. Repeal is, quite simply, a very bad idea, unless we replace the act with a single payer plan such as exists in almost every other industrialized nation in the world where, by the way, health care is also much, much less expensive.

Senator Bruce Bradley voted for Obamacare when he served Iowa in Senate, because he knew that it would help Iowans gain health coverage. Now as he runs for reelection, his opponent Joni Ernst has made it clear that she does not share his sentiments. Joni Ernst has repeatedly said that she wants to repeal Obamacare, even airing a television advertisement in which she fires a gun at a target while a narrator says, "Once she sets her sights on Obamacare, Joni's gonna unload." Obamacare granted 148,000 Iowans access to affordable healthcare, and now Joni Ernst wants to shoot it dead. I am one of those 148,000 Iowans, I am a hard working tax paying citizen it is just with a family of 4 and prices of goods these days this is best insurance for me. Please let Joni Ernst know that we want Obamacare to stay in Iowa

Due to individuals consuming and selling illegal drugs on the west side of Verbena Park in Denver, Colorado at the covered pavilion which impacts the neighborhood and those wishing to enjoy Verbena Park without encountering such criminal activity. We wish to have the covered pavilion removed and placement of secure fencing installed on the west side of Verbena Park.

I'm starting this because I care about Nebraska's natural resources, our wildlife and climate change, there is no reason why Nebraska can't be a leader in wind energy!

You never know what tomorrow might hold, you don't even know if you will see tomorrow. This is major for me, because I might be deploying in 2015 and I will be done with school this fall. My deployment would be before spring commencement, I will lose my opportunity to walk and I have given six years of my life for that one special day. Also others who don't see that date because they where taken from this world.

My son Mikey (a minor) was a victim of unwarranted excessive force by police(tasered) when walking home from a local store. My son committed no crime and carried no weapons. The police officers offered false scenarios in defense of their actions. Citizens have the right to have the truth be seen and told correctly to ensure safety and ensure police officers are not abusing their authority.

Senator Mitch McConnell has found himself in hot water yet again—this time surrounding, his now former campaign manager, Jesse Benton. Benton has officially resigned from Sen. McConnell’s campaign, as questions arise around the country, of his involvement in an ongoing federal investigation. Before working for Sen. McConnell, Benton served as political director for the then-Representative Ron Paul. His involvement in that campaign has tied him to a scandal in which thousands of dollars were exchanged for political endorsements ahead of the Iowa caucuses. The McConnell campaign has already done much to distance themselves from Benton. Now reports say that in the recent months, Benton had already been playing a greatly reduced role. Which begs the question: What did Mitch McConnell know about Benton’s involvement in this campaign financial scandal and when did he know it? Sen. McConnell owes Kentuckians an explanation to the shady politics he, and the people around him, are involved in.