Because I am tired of different rules for different people. It need to be the same for everyone. I have seen a handful of people that have all done the same thing, yet they all have different consequences. I understand the DHS child welfare doesn't just come take your children. But what if you where deemed unfit and your children where removed? DHS would tell you do X amount of these things and you have 1 year to get it done, you completed those thing then they tell you do these X amount of things (remember time is running out!) Then what? you continue to jump thru whatever hoops the worker chooses for you to do. Then what if the DHS really likes the other parent and then tells them here do these 1,2 or 3 things and gives your children to the other parent. They dont listen to your concerns because they (really like the other parent and your just vindictive?) then what? Your children are off to live with the other parent or adopted because you ran out of time. I am hoping that my petition gives everyone the same rules. Please sign my petition it only takes a minute. This may not effect you but may effect someone you love. Thank you

There's a lot that's great about being a public servant in California. But there's one thing about politics here (and frankly, nationwide) that needs to change -- and that's the influence of special interests. That's why I introduced this legislation (the ACT Plan) in the California State Senate. While my legislation is common sense, it faces stiff opposition from insiders who prefer the status quo. My legislative package would: - Require weekly contribution disclosures. - Require overnight disclosure of advertising. - Ban contributions to legislators in the final 100 days of a session, when hundreds of bills are voted on, reducing the influence of special interests. - Restrict politicians to one campaign at a time, so someone can no longer get around regulation by cumulatively raising more from a contributor than contribution limits allow for a single campaign.

On the eve of the anniversary of the Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh, one of the worst factory disasters in garment industry history, Jansport is refusing to sign onto the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. The Accord is a legally binding contract that will hold apparel brands accountable for the fire and safety standards in their factories by forcing brands like Jansport to work with unions on the ground. We would hate to see Husky apparel in the rubble of the next great factory collapse. Add your name and pass this along to support the efforts of UW students and Bangladeshi garment workers! For more information check out usas.org or email [email protected].

There are many low and impoverished families who cannot support themselves in our current economy. These disenfranchised members of our society consist of households who are headed by single women fighting for a future that often is perceived as distant and bleak. Among these scores of impoverished citizens the most affected is the African American demographic. In our country African Americans consist of 13.1% of the total U.S. population (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2012), yet this group accounts for only 2.7% of the total wealth (Collins, 2014). I am an African American philanthropist living in San Bernardino California. I have ran a nonprofit business of which I have poured all of my money and time into for the sake of helping the community that I belong to for over 29 years. I have lived in the city of San Bernardino, California for over 56 years and have seen this city’s decent into impoverishment over the past few years. Recently, there was an article written in the San Bernardino Sun Newspaper explaining the reasons for the recent Bankruptcy that the city suffered and its cause; one of these causes was the closing of Norton Air force Base in 1994 (Hagen, 2014). The closing of this base affected the economy greatly, including many of the businesses that were owned by African Americans. Recently the economy has become so bad that much of the new business has been catered to the presence of government assistance. There are currently families living in shelters that have absolutely no assistance, or a means of transportation. The city of San Bernardino knows this and has done nothing to help correct this problem. As an employer in this city and founder of a currently running nonprofit organization I have seen this city employ obvious racially motivated decision making regarding grant funding and related services offered to nonprofit organizations within this city. One such incident was expressed by the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) that offers city funded grants to nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations throughout the city, both my organization and another organization focused on serving displaced minority women within the city were purposely ranked low on the scoring list to ensure that neither of these organizations receive funds. To our surprise this scoring was implemented without an explanation of the scoring system or reason as to why funding was denied based on this scoring. All of this shows proof that while African Americans are granted rights in this country, racially motivated decision making and prejudice contribute to the overall plight that is currently affecting the African American population. As a highly contributing group of people within the total population of the United States I believe that African Americans are due the respect that has been denied them. As a people we have suffered the loss of multiple generations of contributing citizens through the genocide of slavery, we have suffered countless losses through the defense of this country by those service members to gave their all for the sake of a country who is currently in a struggle to maintain the voting rights that these honorable service members fought and died for. I have detailed all of my own experiences relating to the occurrences expressed in this text in an autobiography titled “I Give Honor First to God, You Can’t Hurry God”. This is my own story of the experiences that I have had of a lifetime of struggle as an African American citizen in the United States (Hargrave, 2013). I believe that the evils that have been experienced by the African American community are evils that don’t have to continue. Prejudice has been the primary cause of the glass ceiling that has been imposed upon the African American Community. For this reason I believe that reparations must be paid to account for the staggering loss that has victimized the black communities throughout this country. Segregation, malice, violence, degradation, malevolent opportunism and bigotry are the causes of the inability of total forward progression by African Americans, at the benefit of a country that we have loved which was never truly reciprocated the love that it has received. With all of this being said, a healing process can be started, that healing process must begin with the acknowledgement of our country’s treatment of a very precious commodity. A good start would be the dispersing of reparations. Bibliography Classification 173: Civil Rights Act of 1964. (n.d.). Retrieved from The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration : http://www.archives.gov/research/investigations/fbi/classifications/173-civil-rights.html Collins, C. (2014, January 17). Wealth of 400 Billionaires = Wealth of All 41 Million African-Americans. Retrieved from http://inequality.org/: http://inequality.org/wealth-400-billionaires-wealth-41-million-africanamericans/ Hagen, R. (2014, March 22). Norton Air Force base marks 20 years since closure. Retrieved from The Sun: http://www.sbsun.com/business/20140322/norton-air-force-base-marks-20-years-since-closure Hargrave, L. (2013). I Give Honor First to God, You Can't Hurry God. Bloomington: Balboa Press. The Emancipation Proclamation. (n.d.). Retrieved from National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/ U.S. Department of Commerce. (2012). Retrieved from United States Cencus Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html

John Kennedy Toole was a tragic figure of Louisiana culture, and his satirical novel is a testament to the pride and awe he had for his home state. Religion, while a major component of many peoples' lives in Louisiana, has become a divisive issue, with a particularly negative effect on people who are not associated with the majority religious practices of our state. We feel it is best to keep religion out of things like this, such as the idea of an official state book that represents the various individuals who make up the citizenry of Louisiana. Choosing a relatively modern literary masterpiece, not only widely praised by critics around the world, but with it's core roots firmly embedded in Louisiana, seems like a more fair and democratic choice.

The Sonoma Developmental Center needs to remain open and operating so that the needs of the most severely developmentally disabled citizens are met. There is no other safety net at this time and too many developmentally disabled who have dangerous behaviors are ending up in the prisons and those who are frail with multiple disabilities, many of them are ending up in nursing homes. The board and care homes and the group homes are not equipped to provide this specialized care at this time and until then, the Sonoma Developmental Center needs to remain open and operating and providing the specialized care that so many families have fought for over many years for their beloved severely disabled children.

On March 28, AP and other media reported that under pressure from Saudi Arabia, the U.S. was considering allowing shipments of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, or “manpads,” to Syrian rebels. (1) These dangerous weapons can be used to shoot down civilian aircraft. While U.S. officials previously ruled out the transfer of manpads to Syria, a senior U.S. official said “it was being considered anew,” AP reported. On March 31, a State Department spokeswoman said that there had been no change in the U.S. position, and that the U.S. had not discussed the issue with Saudi Arabia. (2) Unfortunately, when it comes to CIA “covert” actions, U.S. officials sometimes publicly deny things that they are in fact doing or thinking of doing. And once these actions start, they are very difficult to stop. If President Obama were to approve the supply of manpads to Syrian rebels, he would violate several international antiterrorism agreements that prohibit the supply of manpads to non-state actors. This would put air travelers at risk and destroy the international anti-terrorism norm against supplying manpads to non-state actors. In the past, weapons transferred to “moderate rebels” in Syria have wound up in the hands of Al Qaeda-types. (3) Urge Congress and President Obama to oppose the transfer of manpads to Syria by signing our petition. 1. “Saudi Arabia: Obama seeks to ease backlash over Syria: US president said to be considering sending air defence systems to Syrian rebels following discussion with King Abdullah,” Associated Press/The Guardian, March 28 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/29/obama-king-abdullah-saudi-arabia-air-defence 2. Daily Press Briefing, State Department, March 31, 2014, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2014/03/224211.htm 3. “Obama Approval of Manpads for Rebels Would Violate US Agreements, Policy, and Endanger Airliners,” James McMichael, Syria Comment, March 26, 2014, http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/obama-approval-manpads-rebels-violate-us-agreements-policy-endanger-airliners-james-mcmichael/

I have not been personally affected by this issue, other than to be ashamed that the U.S. is number one in prisoners per capita. Whatever it is we're doing, we're doing it wrong. Let's take the profit out of keeping people in prison.

Over the last three years, students across Pennsylvania have been subjected to deep budget cuts. Families have been forced to pay higher property taxes. School districts are expected to meet higher standards with less funding. Pennsylvania has become one of only three states without a funding formula. Please do everything you can to support Pennsylvania's greatest investment: our children.

Thanks to a state law passed in 2007, Colorado's for-profit utilities, like Xcel Energy, have eliminated energy waste equivalent to 210,000 households, reducing over a million tons of air pollution and saving millions of dollars. Now, however, Xcel wants to roll back their effective energy savings programs by a third, and they’re asking the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to let them do it. Stand up for Colorado energy efficiency: Tell the PUC to stop Xcel's energy savings rollback. Comments are due to the PUC by April 21st, so we need to act fast. And the PUC doesn't get a lot of public comments so trust me: your voice can make a difference. Sign the petition and we'll hand deliver it by the 21st.

I'm nervous that this might not pass again...and upset at the thought that we might lose the House reform of the tip credit.

I am tired of the apathy of this country. The way we see democracy as a "who the ufck cares" issue. This is why we have crazy people in gov ruining "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for the masses. To you, the masses, I say PARTICIPATE! If we institute mandatory voting on all levels and for all issues up to and including presidential elections, then we make sure that everyone gets to vote and every vote will be counted.