Small retail businesses are having to accommodate many thousands of different state and local tax codes and be subjected to enforcement by out-of state revenue boards in out of state courts. With no system available to apply appropriate taxes at the time of purchase, the businesses will be forced to raise prices by up to 10% to cover the various taxes once all records are reconciled.

Rape is a brutal attack. First, Missouri Republican Congressman Todd Akin made the infamous "legitimate rape" remarks. And today, while debating restricting a woman's right to choose, Congressman Trent Franks claimed that “the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.” Rape isn't some political game. These sort of remarks have no basis in fact and show no understanding of the trauma that women go through.

The US Government is going the route of George Orwell's 1984. The outright and unlawful actions they have taken "to protect us' is based on fear-mongering and a carefully calculated campaign machine designed to infiltrate our lives and takes us one step closer to the possibility of tyranny and oppression. Each little of power the government takes is power they never give back. It's time to give it back. In order to do so people have to understand that this is a gateway problem. Today, it's watching us. Tomorrow it's oppressing us. It doesn't matter if you're doing nothing wrong so you don't care if they're watching you. You should simply care that they are doing it. In a country that is supposed to be the home of the free shouldn't we feel free? Do you feel free if every move you make is monitored? Do you think you're free when there are people who have unfettered access to all your private communications? Do you think you're free when you can innocently say a keyword or combination of keywords that will instantaneously add you to the NSA watchlist? You're not. In order to be the land of the free and the home of the brave we have to do things right. That means respecting the constitution, our rights to freedom, our respect for each other and most of all - to not give into a fear that is generated through acts of terror. Never let an act of terror manipulate you. Stay strong, stay brave, stay a hero.

Congressman Kevin McCarthy's vote to defund Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was a major disappointment to me and other constituents of the Central Valley. These students want nothing more than to contribute as productive citizens to the country they call home. His vote proposes to deprive the world of the contributions these young people could make in the future. ¡Sí Se Puede! Dolores Huerta President Dolores Huerta Foundation

Hours are being drastically cut at the Burton Post Office. This is the first phase to closing the post office. The Burton Post Office is located on Vashon Island and provides service to hundreds of people, particularly on the south end of the island. The Burton post office is an important part of the community.

State workers provide the basic services to fulfill the human rights of the people of our state - teachers, mental health workers, sanitation workers, bus drivers, housekeepers, transportation workers. Yet, the state General Assembly wants to take away all the resources they have to quality jobs, denying their ability to provide quality services. Many state workers have been visible as part of the Moral Monday Together Forward Movement and now need your support!

Apple has allegedly avoided paying billions of tax dollars in the U.S. by using a complex network of Irish subsidiaries. They were recently called to congress to answer these allegations. What followed was an apology and then praise for creative accounting practices. Apple has just recently filed a patent that covers processes that are ubiquitous as the mobile phone. These are the kinds of monopolies that plunged us into the Great Depression and have smothered innovation this time around. Last time the monopolies were at least paying Americans and not off shoring everything. The only unique element to this patent is the shameless favoritism afforded monopolies. Congress needs to act now. http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/06/apple-files-imoney-patent-for-virtual-currency-digital-wallet-and-free-stuff/ http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=10&p=1&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=(apple.AS.+AND+20130606.PD.)&OS=An/apple+and+pd/6/06/2013&RS=(AN/apple+AND+PD/20130606)

The people need a voice.

Why is there so little change in Washington? How do politicians get so entrenched in their offices? Seniority plays a large part. Senior members of congress hold unbalanced power over those that are supposed to be their equals in congress. To reward voters for voting for the same politicians over and over again with an increased presence in congress is counter to the ideal of equality.

My name is Sachal Malick Next year I am starting highschool and am very excited but also very worried because a new high pressured gas pipeline is being built just blocks from my school. These pipelines often blow up and when they do it can kill a lot of people. I am also worried because this gas will expose kids in NYC to radon poisoning which can cause lung cancer. A lot of my friends already have asthma. Also we all usually live in small apartments. So we kids in NY have a lot to worry about if this gas is brought here. But so do kids around the country where they get the gas such as in PA because it is exposing them to large amounts of air and water pollution. Adults are making decisions today that will destroy our future. Fracking is a very dangerous process that will contaminate our air, water, and land resources for generations to come. Even though we can't vote yet we want our voices heard. This is unacceptable to us. Please join me and sign his petition. We are youth and students from New York but we will be inviting others from around the country to join us. If you want to please include your age when you sign this. Thanks

Political television ads skew the playing field for our democracy. They unfairly favor the wealthy and corporations who can afford skyrocketing costs of running for office, due to tv ads. Also, there is nothing ensuring truth in advertising, which harms the voter and the integrity of our elections.

No more money for unsustainable use of resources and young people to support war. Change the focus to mediation, solutions, and education. We can do it!