The first words of the constitution are “We the People of the United States”. Not “We the Parties”, “We the Politicians”, or “We the Politically connected”. Since the founding of this country, those with power have worked tirelessly to take the power from the people. Our democracy is not representative. It has never been truly representative of all of the people. The current dysfunction within the federal and state governments, punctuated by the federal government shutdown, and the inequality within society show just how far we have gotten from the people. It is time for a revolution. A revolution of thought. A revolution of process. In order to divest power from the few and giving it to the people, we must start with the election process. The time has come to make our democracy truly representative of all of the people. Political parties and politicians must no longer be able to manipulate the election process for self gain. A true democracy stands on the simple principle of one person, one vote, no exceptions. The purpose of this petition is to give the power of the vote and elections unequivocally and irrevocably to the people (A detailed explanation of each piece of this petition can be found here: http://www.bowlofmice.com/2013/10/we-the-people/ )

Healthy food options are essential to healthy minds and bodies and as a educational institute it is our belief that this should be provided.

To help lawmakers look at their responsibility to their constituents and reign in spending.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&ved=0CDcQqQIwAw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.politicususa.com%2F2013%2F10%2F18%2Fsenate-constitutional-power-expel-ted-cruz.html&ei=a_1hUvHoELep4APqu4H4CA&usg=AFQjCNGMDwl5nYqF_1uL8ly5I0RMs4mTxQ&sig2=dSVED-PC48q6z8eMbnN5jA&bvm=bv.54934254,d.dmg

Gen. Keith Alexander is stepping down as head of the National Security Agency. Fresh, civilian leadership is needed at the NSA to ensure that the NSA's surveillance activities fully comply with the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all U.S. laws. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, has been a consistent and vocal critic of blanket NSA surveillance of Americans that violates the basic civil liberties guarantees of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Senator Wyden is an ideal candidate to restore public confidence in NSA compliance with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and all U.S. laws.

There is no sign in the hours since the shutdown ended that Cruz has touched base with reality, in fact he has doubled down and seems to have an agenda beyond anything related to the Affordable Care Act or any actual policy. Somebody has to deal with him before he and his not-very-bright followers in the house have a chance to drive American into a second gut wrenching shutdown, or cost the country another $24 billion or its credit rating with a shutdown in January. Please pass this along.

I took a check to the bank that issued it. I was troubled when I found out that even though the check was from the bank I was cashing it, there was a $7.50 fee for cashing the check simply because I didn't have an account there. When it happened to me at another bank on two occasions, I decided to do something about it. One may consider this a non-issue if they have an account where they can easily cash or deposit a check without (maybe) a fee. But for individuals less fortunate it's a real issue. It's simple, if the bank issued the check, they should honor it without penalizing the public for not banking with them. .

Why it is important is explained at http://www.laprogressive.com/mandatory-minimum-sentencing/. The bill is designed “to prevent unjust and irrational criminal punishments.” If enacted, it would allow judges more discretion in sentencing below the mandatory minimum for many federal crimes if they are convinced that doing so would not endanger public safety. Not only would it save lives and money from being wasted, it would also demonstrate to politicians and average citizens in this time of ideological rigidity that Congress still can, at least occasionally, come together to work for the common good.

Roesland Ballroom has been part of New York's history since 1919 evolved from ballroom dancing in the 20's to the music of today. It has featured revered musicians and artists in the genres of Rock, Disco, Grunge, Modern Rock, Jam, Pop, Urban, and Electronic Music. Everyone from The Rolling Stones to Madonna has graced the stage of this venue. To this day, Roseland Ballroom is still a highly trafficked and sought out venue hosting live concerts and events. The closing of this venue will be a huge loss to the city of New York and changing Roseland Ballroom into anything but a live music venue will prevent patrons from revisiting its history. Roseland Ballroom needs to stay open in order to be able to be remembered for its history that spans over 90 years. Please sign this petition in order to keep Roseland Ballroom open and preserving one of New York's treasured Art & Musical landmarks!

My friend Kibbey is convinced that because someone created a petition on a "solidly mainstream Lefty group like MoveOn.Org having THOUSANDS of members" to charge those conservatives who pushed for government default with treason or sedition that it represents the views of MoveOn.org or in fact any large portion of the population. It doesn't. What Kibbey, who is a brilliant engineer in his own right, forgets is that web sites are not strictly liable for the content that users post to that site. It's not true for Twitter, for Facebook, for Fox News or for MoveOn.org. Help me teach Kibbey that sometimes on the Internet things just aren't what the paranoid might believe them to be. Oh, and let's throw him in prison because he doesn't agree with me. Thanks.

As an institution of higher learning, and as the biggest employer in the community, Western Washington University plays a major role in the economic development in the region, and the actions (or inaction) taken by the university affect the quality-of-life of workers not just employed by the university, but those of all parts of the economy Western interacts with. Because of the weight accorded to the voice of the university, it is troubling that, as the only major tenant confirmed to occupy the waterfront redevelopment zone, whose stature would then be used to attract other businesses, Western’s administration has decided to stay silent on the issue of whether workers employed on the waterfront should be paid a decent, living wage. This is even more troubling as the Port of Bellingham is set to approve a plan that would give away 200 million dollars in public money in welfare for the wealthy. The community has noticed the silence on the part of the university, and by not supporting a living wage in the area, it calls into question whether the actions taken by the administration are in line with the values of the university as a whole and of the students, who themselves are paying, now more than ever, to keep the university running. Western plans to start a center to teach on the “Green Economy” down on the waterfront; making our economy environmentally sustainable does not mean continuing to pay workers less than it takes to support a family and letting it fall on the taxpayer to subsidize poverty wages. In this petition, we are calling on the university to recognize this fact and add their voice to that of countless community members who are demanding that the Port makes sure workers in the area are being paid justly.

Women and African Americans have never been declared legally "equal to white men". The Declaration of Independence (1776) does not even mention them. In the Pledge of Allegiance (1892), liberty and justice do not mean equality. We still had to fight for the right to vote (1920), sit on juries, and we still don't get equal pay. It won't take away the harms done, but it is a step in the right direction. School children will learn that we are all equal and should be treated accordingly.