Marriage Equality in N.C.

Right now, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans have a fixed rate of 6.8% and Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans have a fixed interest rate of 3.4% - much higher than the rate at which the big banks and the government can borrow money. Despite this fact, President Obama's new budget proposal suggests eliminating those caps in favor of tying interest rates on student loans to the whims of the market, plus a few more percentage points for good measure. This might sound like a good idea now, while interest rates are at historic lows, but there's only one way for interest rates to go: UP. Without a cap on Federal Stafford Loans, future borrowers will see the cost of college rise by thousands of dollars simply due to the interest on student loans, never mind the continually skyrocketing costs of tuition. This gimmick is unfair to students and does nothing to address the $1 Trillion worth of outstanding student debt that is already burying 37 Million Americans. Shouldn't we be encouraging higher education by keeping interest rates low? President Obama and Congress stood firm on this point last year, and they should again this year. With the July 1 deadline threatening to jack up costs by $1,000 per loan per borrower, we don’t have time to wait for a long term plan that may or may not kick in by then. We demand that interest rates on Federal Stafford Loans remain capped at 3.4% - a rate that is already much higher than for any other type of commercial transaction in America.

Telemarketers tie up phone lines with their message. This happens to me once a week sometimes.

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Once again the folks on Capitol Hill are proposing an increase in student loan interest rates from 3.4% to 6.8%.

We shouldn't have nearly as much plastic

Same sex couples deserve the same rights that my wife and I receive as a male and female couple. My view has evolved to this position only within the last couple of years and was personally impacted by the position taken by Republican State Representative Maureen Walsh of Washington state. Please search online for her statement, all I can say is I agree exactly to what she said.

Leave social security alone, no cuts

Help to prevent the proposed housing of up to 30 recently incarcerated men in the center of our neighborhood. Insufficient notice and vague details raise concern for our family’s safety, security and peace-of-mind. Adequate consideration has not been given to secure local citizens, their property and our beloved trail systems. Lack of information and insufficient opportunity for an organized public response calls for an immediate suspension of the conditional use permit.

As our nation's highest court debates the right of gays and lesbians to marry, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans, is among the 17 House Democrats who has not voiced support for marriage equality. Louisiana's 2nd congressional district, which Rep. Richmond represents, gave President Obama the highest percentage of the vote among the 20 districts represented by Democrats who do not support marriage equality. I urge Rep. Richmond to reconsider and support marriage equality for all Americans.

Arizona seniors simply cannot afford a cut to social security. Social security makes up 62% of the typical older Arizonan’s budget. In 2011, the average annual benefit was only $14,300. Cutting social security will drive our older Arizonans into poverty. Almost 800,000 Arizonans rely on social security. These older Americans worked and paid into social security their whole lives. We cannot abandon them now. Please sign on now to stand up for our seniors!

American people paid social security from their paychecks. Seniors are being "doubled taxed" on social security!