Workers at the Embassy Suites hotel in Irvine, CA, have been standing up against management. Albertina Solorio, who has been a vocal supporter of the organizing effort at the Embassy Suites, was recently fired after working there for 12 years as a housekeeper. The hotel is owned through investments from public pensions, including the pension system for thousands of public employees in Los Angeles County, known as LACERA. It makes no sense that a worker's investment fund is being used to hurt other workers! It's time to tell LACERA and MassMutual, the parent company of the investment manager, to stop the abuse and do what's right for the workers, and it's time for the Embassy Suites to give Albertina her job back.
 Please read the article, "L.A. County pension fund is taking heat over hotel investment", published on Sept 16, 2013, in the LA Times: http://lat.ms/151kBEl

By failing to expand Medicaid, the Republican majority turned their backs on 70,000 uninsured Montanans. They turned away $1.5 billion in federal funds and more than 12,000 jobs across Montana. They refused to throw a much-needed lifeline to the rural and critical access hospitals and clinics that struggle to provide care to the uninsured. They ignored the voices of thousands of Montanans who spoke up in support of Medicaid expansion. Now is the time for special session to expand Medicaid.

This measure would make a significant tangible, and symbolic effort to address the recent financial difficulties Penn State University is facing as a direct result of the negligence of several top administrators (including $60 million via the NCAA fines, estimated hundreds of millions of dollars paid out in lawsuits and settlements, mismanaged healthcare initiatives, etc.) These tremendous costs should not be borne by the faculty, staff, and students of this University who are clearly not responsible for what can only be considered administrative failures at the highest levels. For the past five years, faculty and staff salaries have been limited to what are essentially below cost-of-living increases, and tuition rates have continued to rise annually for students already burdened with massive loans. It is unacceptable, unethical, and wholly unjust for the top administrators not to share the burden of responsibility in their earnings. As members of the Board of Trustees of the Pennsylvania State University, you have both leadership and fiduciary responsibilities—to act on behalf of the entire Penn State community. We urge you to take this action.

Bill SB 1435 is unconstitutional and in general allows stolen property to be sold by thieves.

Before his mother's death, she and Noah were to move here to N.C. with us so Noah would be removed from the influence of gangs. To be in an environment conducive to having a fair shot at education, a social life without having to hide away in his apt. to be safe, was our goal. Child Protective Services in Newport News, Va., where Noah is from can do nothing according to them. Child Protective Services in Seattle, Wa., where Noah has been taken can do nothing w/out the police being involved according to them. The police there say they can do nothing unless the police from Newport News, Va. contact them concerning this situation. Now, the police in Newport News say there is nothing they can do, according to the states attorney. Where is the justice for Noah? He is in an environment with a 40 yr. old man who has a felony record, gang affiliation, and Noah is not used to this type of an environment. We, [his Aunt] and I are very worried about Noah.

To much police brutality In America People do not feel safe people are afraid of the very people who work for the people so much abuse by police shooting innocent bystanders Police drinking while on duty Police sexual abuse among woman when being stopped while driving Children afraid of the police Just to much crime in the police department and to many cover ups by dirty cops something has to be done now Stop Police Abuse

House Republicans have a plan to cut SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as the food stamp program), by at least $40 billion over ten years, affecting up to 6 million hungry families—including children, seniors and veterans.. The plan to vote on these life-threatening cuts in the coming days. The new House proposal is harsh, and continues the attack on working families and poor people by the GOP. Their scheme would deny SNAP to at least 4 million to 6 million low-income people — including some of the nation’s most destitute adults — as well as to many low-income children, seniors, and families that work for low wages. The people the proposal would cut off SNAP include but are not limited to:  2 million to 4 million poor, unemployed, childless adults who live in areas of high unemployment — a group that has average income of only 22 percent of the poverty line (about $2,500 a year for a single individual) and for whom SNAP is, in most cases, the only government assistance they receive;  1.8 million people, mostly low-income working families and low-income seniors, who have gross incomes or assets modestly above the federal SNAP limits but disposable income — the income that a family actually has available to spend on food and other needs — below the poverty line in most cases, often because of high rent or child care costs. Some 210,000 children in these families also would lose free school meals;  Other poor, unemployed parents who want to work but cannot find a job or an opening in a training program — along with their children, other than infants. We demand that Congress cease playing political “hunger games” that hurt vulnerable families, children, and local communities. Instead, Congress should close corporate tax loopholes and make large companies such as Apple, General Electric and Verizon pay their fair share of federal taxes. Please sign our petition to stop the cuts of food to our most vulnerable neighbors. As former Vice-President Hubert Humphrey said, “The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.

In the wake of Congress' rejection of an Authorization for the Use of Military Force in Syria, the Administration has announced that the CIA is increasing its efforts to supply weapons and training to armed rebels in Syria. Since it is widely acknowledged that Al Qaeda types are the most important faction among the armed rebels in Syria, it is very likely that weapons supplied by the United States to Syrian rebels will fall into the hands of people who could use them to kill Americans. The most dangerous weapons that could plausibly be supplied to Syrian rebels are anti-aircraft weapons, because these could be used to shoot down civilian aircraft. Congress can make sure this doesn't happen by prohibiting the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies from supplying - or facilitating the supply of - anti-aircraft weapons to armed rebels in Syria. One opportunity to do this may come when Congress considers the intelligence authorization that establishes funding levels for U.S. intelligence agencies. Such a Congressional restriction on the paramilitary activities of the CIA would be unprecedented in recent history, and is only likely to succeed if it has very broad political support, so it is strategic to focus Congressional attention on blocking the most dangerous possible arms transfer to Syrian rebels.

Congress has 5 days scheduled before the Sep. 30 budget deadline to avoid a government shutdown. But some Republicans won't even negotiate unless Obamacare is defunded — and they're using the deadline to gain leverage. We need Rep. John Shimkus to prioritize expanding the middle class during the budget debate. Unless we act quickly, he may join with Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan and support more cuts to education, healthcare, and other vital services.

Congress has 5 days scheduled before the Sep. 30 budget deadline to avoid a government shutdown. But some Republicans won't even negotiate unless Obamacare is defunded — and they're using the deadline to gain leverage. We need Rep. Aaron Schock to prioritize expanding the middle class during the budget debate. Unless we act quickly, he may join with Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan and support more cuts to education, healthcare, and other vital services.

Congress has 5 days scheduled before the Sep. 30 budget deadline to avoid a government shutdown. But some Republicans won't even negotiate unless Obamacare is defunded — and they're using the deadline to gain leverage. We need Rep. Randy Hultgren to prioritize expanding the middle class during the budget debate. Unless we act quickly, he may join with Republicans like Rep. Paul Ryan and support more cuts to education, healthcare, and other vital services.

The rapid growth of the restaurant industry in Inwood has escaped thorough oversight by city agencies, This mismanagement by the responsible agencies has led to marked decrease in quality of life, an increase in environmental problems, and discord within the community. We ask that the current laws, statues and policies be enforced by regular inspections during all hours of operations. Fair and neutral inspectors can educate business owners on how to comply with city regulations, which would reduce the burden on the residents to report observed infractions. Having our local restaurants operate safely and legally would improve quality of life in the neighborhood for all.