My partner and I are both KY residents. We want to stay in KY and have our family. But until we can achieve the same marital status as everyone else we will never feel as though KY recognizes us as equal citizens. Please allow same sex marriage in KY so all of us in the LGBT community can be true equal KY residents. We pay our taxes, work, and help KY to grow. We deserve the same as everyone else.

It has been seven months since government contractor Edward Snowden exposed the NSA’s highly questionable—and often illegal—methods of surveillance. He is still in Russia under the watch of Vladimir Putin, eluding extradition back to the United States where he faces serious criminal charges. As the New York Times put it in an editorial this week, it is time to grant clemency to Edward Snowden: "Considering the enormous value of the information he has revealed, and the abuses he has exposed, Mr. Snowden deserves better than a life of permanent exile, fear and flight. He may have committed a crime to do so, but he has done his country a great service." Sign our petition, urging President Obama to grant clemency to Edward Snowden.

If our leadership had to live under the same rules, laws, and programs, they would likely "fix" many of the problems in a quick hurry !!!

The failure of the "Grand Bargain" - the proposal to cut Social Security benefits and raise taxes to protect the Pentagon budget from cuts - shows that Washington can be made to do the right thing if the choices are framed correctly. It turned out that the 1% preferred cutting the Pentagon budget to having their taxes raised. Chuck Schumer and Robert Menendez are trying to blow up the President's diplomacy with Iran by pushing for a Senate vote on new sanctions. If Schumer and Menendez blow up diplomacy, the only thing left on the menu in the restaurant will be war. Before the Senate votes on the Schumer-Menendez bill, the Senate should tell us who is going to pay for the war. Urge economic populists Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders to introduce Senate legislation saying that if the U.S. goes to war with Iran, the top 1% of the income distribution should have their taxes increased to pay for the financial cost of the war.

There have been longstanding inequities in how hospitals have been funded through past Medicaid waivers and other decisions. Over the past ten years, we have witnessed the closure of 19 hospitals in New York City, with many of those closings occurring in low-income, immigrant, and communities of color. Financial distress has been one of the major causes of these closures. Right now, central Brooklyn is experiencing a health care crisis that includes hospitals teetering on the brink of closure. These closures would exacerbate already existing disparities in access and quality care. Any strong definition should then be based on the following criteria: 50% Medicaid and Uninsured patients in all services with a minimum of 70% Medicaid and Uninsured for outpatient services.

Since Tamms Correctional Center was shuttered, the problems of overcrowding and understaffing have been compounded. Inmates again are riding the circuit and the safety valve that Tamms Correctional Center had provided has been removed. Frontline employees are facing increased danger and inmate deaths have occurred as a direct result of the closures. Expert testimony was given during the COGFA committee hearings and yet the voices of AFSCME and frontline employees were ignored. Tamms Correctional Center also provided over 300 jobs in Southern Illinois, and this has had a devastating effect on the local economy. We the undersigned believe that Tamms Correctional Center should be reopened and serve the region as a correctional facility.

The man that murdered Jennifer Evans is Billy Joe Brown. Dustin Turner made some very poor decisions that night when a killer was screaming at him to just drive, but he has now spent 24 years behind bars for his mistakes. It is time to set him FREE, the real killer is behind bars.

Lawrence's sentence was way to much and it needs to be looked into. There were many "behind the scene" issues that were not brought to the publics knowledge. Again the connections the victim had. The judge even stated to Lawrence "this is a excessive sentence, but were going to give it to you anyways". One of his codefendents is on his third felony and again will be walking the streets before Lawrence. Lawrence was promised the world and than given two weeks to decide on a 15 year sentence. Again, nobody hurt, nobody injured, no fire, no previous record, worked hard to com home on bail and did just that. His sentence was wrong, it needs to be looked into further or reduced greatly. He has much support, everyone that knows him knows the amazing person he is. We will support and fight this.

My fellow car enthusiast and I are pushing for some way to have a legal safe street racing event. Adding the race to the car show and pig out could be the perfect opportunity for getting it done, and drawing more cars and people to the event and the town of Pleasantville.

My friends who receive TANF benefits are being singled out for drug tests. It's only fair to ask the Governor and Legislature, who receive taxpayer money in the form of their salaries, to be tested also.

Most states allow organizational license plates issued from DOT/DMV for an additional fee of course. I want to show my pride in the organization I belong to and how much we do for the community. Freemasons and concordant bodies (Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shriners, eastern star etc...) have been part of our community for many years. We donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities, children hospitals, relief funds, red cross, etc....

becuase it bs when people are trying to go to work and better them selves and their lives and they loose a job offer becuase of a peace of paper? some people received felonies they didn't even commit but got stuck with them due to lack of funds for a real lawyer public defenders work for the state and right beside the prosecutor they are not really there to help you just placed there to keep you in the system if you cannot afford an attorny one will be appointed for you and then you still have to pay even tho you couldnt afford one to begin with