We can't have a replay of 2010! If Independent Eliot Cutler and Democrat Mike Michaud divide the vote against LePage, he’ll be back pontificating and bad-mouthing everyone in sight — for another four years! It’s time now that we start thinking about what we can do. Here’s a simple, straightforward idea: Two weeks before the election, the Michaud and Cutler camps should take an honest look at the most recent poll, and if one or the other is at least 10 points behind, he should do us all a favor, drop out and throw his support to the leading candidate.

My family has a lot of food sensitivities and dietary restrictions and the only place I can shop in Woodlawn for healthy foods is the 61st Street Farmer's Market. As I worked with a local organization to further research this issue, I discovered that while our community has significant buying power, our current stores are not providing healthy fresh options and the grocery store brokers are not counting our daytime population which includes the University of Chicago, U of C Hospitals, and many more large employers.

The average student loan debt for the class of 2012 was $29,400, a one year increase of more than 10%, with an average annual increase of six percent from 2008 to 2012 (as reported by the Institute for College Access & Success' Project on Student Debt). Students are being priced out of higher-education and sacrificing their futures in order to go to college. In the long term, the nation is losing the benefit of these students being able to dream, plan their lives, start their families, own a home, contribute to the community and live the American dream. Universal access to higher education should be the legal right of every high school graduate. Dream, educate yourself, live your life, and contribute to your community and our nation should be the vision and gift extended to every high school graduate in the United States.

It is about equity. I am not personally affected, as I already have good Healthcare coverage. However, I believe that our society should try to assist those who sometimes need help, and Medicaid expansion is one effective way to accomplish this in Utah

I am not personally affected except as a senior citizen living in another state but deeply disturbed by the unjust impact of the Stand Your Ground Law. I urge and support its repeal in Florida (and in any other states where such law exists) and want to impress upon the legislators at federal and state levels that this law contravenes the spirit and essence of our Constitutional commitment to disburse justice equally.

To gain additional community support.

Arizona is the latest state to be hit by anti-LGBTQ bills that have been sent to the state legislature by hate groups that are doing everything in their power to roll back civil rights laws. Since these groups know that they can no longer be up front about their hatred of LGBTQ Americans, they've now taken to using "religious liberty" bills (that are neither religious nor rooted in preserving liberty) to shield their hatred. Arizona's SB1062 would give anyone a free pass to discriminate against anyone -- not limited solely to the LGBTQ community -- as long as they invoke religion as the reason for their discrimination. This would mean that hotel owners could turn away interracial couples, police officers could refuse to help Muslim motorists, and firefighters could watch as a gay couple's home burns to the ground. Businesses in Arizona do not support this bill, and one business has even said that they will not relocate to Arizona -- already costing the state 1,000 jobs. This bill is bad for business, bad for the state, and devastating to all Arizonans. The bill has passed both the House and Senate in Arizona, so it is now on Governor Jan Brewer's desk for signature or veto. We're calling on Governor Brewer to do the right thing and veto SB1062!

According to Bob Braun's Ledger, "The state administration of the Newark Public Schools (NPS) is expected to lay off hundreds of experienced city teachers and replace many with new hires, including more than 300 members of Teach for America (TFA). The report comes from union sources but is supported both by the latest version of the state’s “One Newark” plan and by the Walton Family Foundation website. The foundation is expected to subsidize the hiring of the new teachers. It was not denied by an NPS spokesman who said future personnel actions were determined by enrollment declines." The education of our most needy children should not be taken lightly or seen as a play ground for those who lack the background and experience. Our schools need experienced teachers who want to make a career out of educating our children, while also developing relationships with their families and communities. The students need people who will be dedicated to their service to the children and the larger community. It is unjust for anyone to allow untrained college graduates to come into our most needy areas to "play school" or use our children as guinea pigs or lab rats. Additionally, our basic democratic rights are violated when teachers can be fired at will and replaced with low-salaried workers/bodies without due diligence. The effort to ignore and waive the tenure rules already in place is not only an attack on our schools, teachers, and communities, but it is an attack on our democracy. It is only a matter of time that the types of reforms that are taking place in our most needy areas move into our more affluent areas. This sets a precedent for all communities especially as districts face fiscal challenges with the implementation of the Common Core Standards and PARCC assessments; this could be a reality all over New Jersey. We are asking that you honor our democracy and fight for its existence. The Walton Foundation, and Teach for America should not be able to alter the course of our democracy and community and we ask that you stand with us to fight against anything that will pose a threat to our children and democracy. Remember, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" (Martin Luther King Jr.)

I think the major reason we cannot respond legislatively to the needs of our time is our process is completely engulfed in continuous electioneering. The attack ads and confusion generate a distrust in government and an unwillingness to work across the aisle for fear of political retribution. This is not conducive to a healthy governing body. The windows must be shortened and the money carefully regulated.

The Arizona legislature has passed a bill that would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBT customers—or any other customers who they claim it would be against their religion to serve. Gov. Jan Brewer has until Tuesday to sign or veto the bill. She has not taken a position yet, despite having vetoed an earlier version last year. Right-wing bigots are pushing such “okay-to-discriminate” bills in state legislatures across the country, and we must make sure they lose in Arizona. Sign our petition urging Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to say “no” to discrimination and veto SB 1062.

The People of the Town of LaPointe and Madeline Island deserve a healthy quality of food. GMO seeds have been touted as a solution to production and overall yield and yet, the companies that are promoting this view have conducted no health studies and can offer no data as to the long term effect of GMO products on the human body or the surrounding environment. However, private studies conducted by individuals in academic research have shown conclusively that GMO products have an adverse effect on the natural biological function of both the human body and the natural environment. We the undersigned are not willing to sacrifice health and security over privatization of the public seed domain. Our ancestors survived without the use of GMO seeds; We The People resolve to do the same.

What I receive in pension money has been devastated by the additional 20% cost of my health insurance. We're being taxed right into poverty.