A friend of mine, whose wife has just completed treatment from cancer, was furloughed from his job. As a result, there has been added stress to his family at a time when they need security. Please do the right thing.

Tea party Republicans have held our government hostage for too long! During that time, more than 800,000 government employees have been unable to work, 3,200 children have been locked out of Head Start, and 401 national parks have been closed to the public. We've had enough -- it's time to end the shutdown, raise the debt ceiling and help America move forward.

I've had to pay for groceries for neighbors who can no longer get food stamps.

Maine's clean water is our most valuable asset. Our clean rivers, lakes, and groundwater support our health, our outdoor way of life, and our fishing, guiding, and recreation jobs. Last year, lawmakers rewrote Maine's sulfide mining laws potentially paving the way for new mines across the state. The Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) is accepting comments on the rules through October 28th. We must let them know that Maine people find it unacceptable to sacrifice our clean water and that mine companies must be responsible for paying ALL clean-up costs. Please sign this petition to add your voice today! We will deliver the petition with our comments to the BEP.

Shutting down the government is bad enough. As we roll toward a debt default because some Republicans want to win with terrorist tactics what they cannot win at the ballot box, it is time to start calling them out. Members of Congress take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the U.S., and to faithfully discharge the duties of their office. The Republicans impeached Bill Clinton for having consensual sex. It's time that the Republicans supporting this shutdown be told plainly that shutting down the government and defaulting on our national debt is not fulfilling their oath of office and that the sane members of Congress will seek to bring impeachment proceedings against them if they don't relinquish the gun that they have at America's temple. The Democrats have got to stop being doormats for the Republican bullying tactics and realize that the only way to stop a bully is to call their bluff and teach them a lesson so painful that they will think twice. For 200 years, the only issue serious enough to divide the country like this was slavery, and it tore the country in two. The Republicans are taking us right down the road to being a third-world country. Maybe that's OK with Rand Paul and Ted Cruz--it is not OK with me. It is no longer enough to get a clean CR. We need to impeach the Congressmen and women that supported this idea of legislating by hostage. Our system of republican government requires that the majority and minority compromise and that can only happen within the bounds of parliamentary procedure. When one side thinks it no longer applies to them, they are no longer governing--they are fomenting revolution--and no one, Republican or Democrat should stand for it. It is worth noting that when the Republicans had the White House, the Democrats never played these games. Only one party believes it has a monopoly on truth, justice and the American way--and it's always the ones who proclaim their piety and patriotism for whom you have to watch out.

The fish I buy from my local co-op comes from a cooperative which also sells to the restaurant at Acadia National Park. Since the park is closed, the fish is not being delivered. I never imagined the shutdown would affect my grocery shopping! I am incredibly offended at how the Tea Party faction is bullying Congress and the nation. Suddenly I feel more hostage than citizen.

I work for a federally-funded tribal college. Some spending at the school has been curtailed but fortunately for now we are still getting paid through conservative fiscal management. However, this will have a huge impact on many at the school: students, employees, and their families, if this continues and we hit the debt ceiling. This partisan game-playing has really gone too far and Congress needs to come together for the common good of the American people and everyone whose lives depend on a functional federal budget.

My son, who has Down syndrome, relies on a Section 8 housing voucher to maintain his independence by living in his own apartment. The shutdown puts funding for Section 8 housing in jeopardy. My daughter-in-law has a federal job. She is not permitted to work during the shutdown.

Republican extremism has impacted me because it made financial planning of any responsible kind impossible.

Republican extremism has impacted me personally. I am unemployed, want a job. Now they're wanting to take away my support, including food stamps and unemployment.

My daughter knows two young professionals out of work who grew up in northeast Ohio: one works for NASA, another is her sister-in-law working in the D.C. area. I am worried everyday how this shutdown will snowball and that Americans will be less secure financially.

My sister works for the federal government, for the Department of Defense, and as a result of this shutdown she is not getting paid. This, of course, affects her ability to pay her mortgage, car payments, and other necessities.