SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE

The proposed 80 foot / 8 story cell tower does not belong next to a neighborhood and school--they should put it away from residential areas and schools. It will destroy our historical views and our home value, as the base station will keep the neighborhood awake all night. Say NO to the variance.

There is overwhelming evidence that President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and others lied to the US Congress and the American people to achieve their goal of invading Iraq. This unnecessary war caused the deaths of thousands of US soldiers as well as hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens and seriously injured countless others, both Americans and Iraqis. The Bush Administration is directly responsible. No one should be above the law. For a president, through deception to take America to war is a crime without precedence. Justice demands that the responsible parties be held to account. America needs to reclaim its moral compass and its future leaders need to know that crimes, especially of this magnitude can't be perpetrated with impunity.

What Washington gridlock over the last several years has illustrated about the conflict that stalls our government is that it’s not about right vs. left, liberal vs. conservative; rather, the struggle lies between voters and the buyers of political influence. When push comes to shove, it’s usually buyers of political influence who come out on top (see the overwhelmingly passed Monsanto Protection Act, as well as President Obama’s consideration of cuts to Social Security as example of elite interests prevailing over voter consensus). What is at work to thwart our aim of self-governance is an influence gap between voters and a lobbyist/wealthy campaign donor syndicate. Through large campaign contributions coupled with lobbying efforts, they’ve wielded their considerable financial resources to disproportionately influence the decision making of elected officials. As voters, we take responsibility for this influence gap—because of apathy and our unwillingness to work together to hold elected officials accountable for selling their decision making to the highest bidders. By not demanding a limit to campaign contributions as a condition of electability, we’ve gradually allowed members of a small, exclusive establishment game the political process for their own advantage.

Thousands are losing their jobs or getting furloughed because of the cruel sequestration that congress voted in. The sequestration is the result of congress's inability to work together and agree on a budget. Congress is turning a blink eye to all the pain that sequestration is causing.

The U.S. FAA is funding an airport expansion project in the Marshall Islands that is dredging a living coral reef to get fill material. Coral reefs are important worldwide for food, recreation, erosion buffers, and more - this reef is worth much more alive than dead. Corals are already in precipitous declines globally and the U.S. should be directing money towards conservation efforts, not destruction. Not only is this project in direct violation of Executive Order 13089 (Coral Reef Protection), the silt screen the contractors were required to use is non-functioning and smothering adjacent sections of the reef with sediments and the screen itself. The local EPA has a history of mining coral reefs and serious steps should be taken to avoid this issue in the future. Alternative fill materials are available and should be used over the destruction of this valuable ecosystem. Other agencies (the Florida Deportment of State, for example) fine people for damaging and destroying coral (see the Florida Coral Reef Protection Act). Why is the FAA funding it? Please require the Department of State to apply the protection that is required by Executive Order 13089 and stop the U.S.-funded mining of a living coral reef.

THE FIGHT CONTINUES: WE HAVE NOT WON - WAKE UP, MAINE! DISALLOW THE 1 MILLION CU. YDS of DREDGING IN PENOBSCOT BAY - SOON TO START FOOLISHLY Waldo County is celebrating!

Prohibit the sale or transportation of equine or equine parts in interstate or foreign commerce for purposes of human consumption.

The residents of Chicago, Illinois, hereby petition Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City of Chicago to immediately do their fundamental duty and protect the citizens from this rash of senseless deadly violence we are in the grips of

Social Security cut-backs are frightening for me and all who depend on it. This makes me very upset.

Everyday in North Korea, men, women, and children alike are abused, imprisoned, tortured, and starved. It is our duty as human beings to be concerned about these individuals, and to prompt our government to take action and stop the inhumane practices in North Korea.

After Sen. Johnson's announcement that he supports marriage equality, we would like to thank him for continuing his legacy of fighting for doing what's right.