It's time for extreme partisan politics to end, and time to end minority rule by hostage taking and brinksmanship.

Tea Party Republicans should be removed from office and prosecuted, especially if they use the debt ceiling as another tool of extortion. It is time Americans use due process the way it was meant to be used and put an end to the Tea Party Republicans abuse of power.

As 1,100 of our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters are being deported every single day we call on Congressmen Jeff Denham, Devin Nunes and David Valadao to act with urgency to create an earned pathway to citizenship that would protect our communities and keep our families together.We thank them for their public statements in support of a path to citizenship, but with so much at stake for our families, now is the time to put words into action.

In the last year there have been over 3,000 veteran teachers terminated. Many of these teachers pay into the pension system. Of the over 50 schools closed and 6 turn-arounds, 90% of the schools closed last year and 99% of the schools closed in previous years have been in the African American communities on the South and West Sides. In the last 4 years at least 6,000 African American teachers have lost employment. In addition, since these firings were spontaneous many teachers were left with the only option of survival, pulling their pensions down. Most of these teachers were near retirement will never be able to accumulate substantial years of service again. Hardest hit by this crisis are single parent educators. The option for paying back into the pension fund and buying back years of services is that teachers will work in reciprocal systems in the State of Illinois for two years to buy their pensions back. Many teachers have reported trying to get jobs but cannot be rehired by CPS or any other reciprocal system. Many have the money to pay back but cannot find work for two years to fill the requirement under the pension contract. We are asking that if teachers have the monies and are able to pay back, that they would be allowed to do so without working in a reciprocal system for two years. We would like teachers to have that option of buying back their pension since jobs in these reciprocal systems are virtually non-existent for thousands of veteran teachers.

I am starting this petition because the hero worship of this horrible human from history needs to end. He murdered thousands of natives, encouraged the sex trade of girls aged 9 and 10 years old, started the slave trade, tortured native peoples and robbed them of anything of value. This "holiday" was created in the 1930s, when we celebrated anything that held up the power of the white male. It's 2013 and we are VERY clear as to the history of Columbus and his maniacal and greedy desire to get as much gold as he could for himself, and to "rule" the natives as a king. There is absolutely no reason that we should celebrate this man any longer and it's time for us to move forward and end the hero worship of this murdering lout.

A little over a week ago, a new right-wing recall petition process began against another good progressive Colorado lawmaker, Senator Evie Hudak of Arvada. If these extremists manage to take out just one more progressive Senator, the radical right will take control of the Colorado Senate.

The re-opening goes against what the award is about, which is leadership. It's not fair to the kids who applied on time. The parents can't say they didn't know about it, because I myself talked to the kids and they said they didn't want to write the essay. Me and my sister asked to have a meeting with them to explain how we felt and we haven't gotten a response on a meeting. Help us get our message to them. (Note: This petition is written by a 12 year old but sponsored by a legal adult 18 years or older) UPDATE 10/14/13: We got a message that we could have a meeting either tonight or tomorrow (10/15/13) night with only 2 of the members of the board. We are waiting until all 3 members of the board are present like we asked. It is important that all people that made the decision to reopen the deadline are there.

Why do we honor a man whose legacy has been a total misrepresentation of historical facts and actually a tragedy in America's history. Why not honor Native Americans whose land our ancestors stole and whose populations were decimated by the invaders like Christopher Columbus?

My Son has a rare form of cancer that only the best medical facilities in the country can help him. He can't work and is on Social Security Disability and only insurance that he can get is state run Medicaid. A Cancer Treatment Centers of America facility is less than 100 miles away around Chicago and he can't go there because of it being in Illinois and his Indiana Medicaid won't cover him going there. Is it fair that government red tape is more important than a human life? Please sign this petition and tell Washington that this is wrong. Thank you.

Because our history can only be righted by our present actions. Native Americans are the indigenous people who truly deserve to be remembered for being the reverent gate keepers and martyrs of and for our country. We, as individual American citizens and as it's present day communal land keepers need to acknowledge and remember those ancestors that showed us how to truly honor the land and live in harmony with all life. This will send an important and necessary message to present and future generations.

Honoring Christopher Columbus with a national holiday as an American Hero is disgraceful.

Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner said that Republicans were locked in an "epic battle" to keep the government shutdown going. As a World War II veteran, I fought in six epic battles. I helped fight the Nazis in the North African seas, and took part in operations that liberated Italy and the South of France, from Germany. The Tea Party Shutdown is not an epic battle -- it is bad governance. Americans and veterans like me depend on our entire government being open. I filmed a television ad with VoteVets, and it's on the air. I hope you'll watch it and sign my petition today. - Redge Ranyard, WWII Veteran.