Unemployment benefits. With unemployment being high in North Carolina it is not the time to cut benefits, especially when labor isn't allowed in the debate. The State legislature and The N.C. Chamber of Commerce(unions of business) is deciding this. All parties are not included. Let's stand up against big business deciding what's best for us.

Having worked in inner-city schools, lived in several big cities, I believe everyone in the United States is adversely affected by unfettered gun culture. I learned to shoot a rifle at 12 when I was admitted into the NRA. It shapes your values, and in some ways, even warps them, giving people a false sense of pride and security. The invocation of patriotism in defense of the Second Amendment is not only often hysterical, it is simply deluded, as legal firearms by themselves do not have the capability of posing a violent political challenge to the agents of the United States Federal Government. In fact, if "freedom" is used as the last argument to defend the Second Amendment, well then, those that would abuse "freedom" in this manner are also likely to ignore all law. I think it's important that people who have NOT been directly affected by gun violence speak up on this issue. That's why I'm speaking up. All firearms, except for registered antiques, should be manufactured, without exception, to have fingerprint technology which recognizes only one gun owner's handgrip at a time, and GPS technology which instantly provides law enforcement the geographic position and time when a firearm is ever again discharged. The Second Amendment is an obstacle to putting all the technologies of government surveillance on gun owners. It is just a law. Harmful laws should be repealed. What could be more logical?

The Governor is still considering whether or not to allow big gas to destroy our beautiful state for money by FRACKING for natural gas. I want to make sure he gets the message that New Yorkers don't want that to happen. FRACKING has already destroyed water sheds and ground water supplies and people's lives where ever it has been allowed. There is NO SAFE WAY TO FRACK. No regulations will protect the people or the environment from the horrors that FRACKING creates. Let's get this message to him in time. Please sign my petition. You don't have to be a NY citizen either. Tourists don't want to come to a place that looks like a war zone after the war. Please everyone join me by signing and sharing this.

Gov. Heineman has proposed doing away with State income tax, and making up the difference by raising sales taxes and removing sales tax exemptions. This will raise the tax burden for the lowest 80% of Nebraskans, while giving huge tax reductions to the wealthy and some corporations. Family farmers and agribusiness will be hurt badly.

GMO's in Corn and Wheat are making big end roads into our food supply - dont let our children be the guinea pigs for this food. If it s not in the products it is being fed to the animals that are processed for our children.

All of us have been adversely effected by overly elected U.S. Cogress seat holders becoming self important, corrupted by their positions of power and their loss of site of what is best for the state. They become concerned about being re-elected and overly influenced by special interest groups and large campaign donors . Term limits would go far in ending this cycle and would help to bring in fresh energy, ideas, and talent to these positions.

All of us have been adversely effected by state elected gov. officials becoming self important, corrupted by their positions of power and their loss of site of what is best for the state. They become concerned about being re-elected and overly influenced by special interest groups and large campaign donors . Term limits would go far in ending this cycle and would help to bring in fresh energy, ideas, and talent to these positions.

UPDATE!! It is clear that your voices are being heard. The power of community coming together has forced ATF to cancel the auction of Mary Smith's Home! ATF has agreed to begin negotiations. After struggling for almost 10 years to get a fair payment plan with American Tax Funding, Mary Smith publicly stood up against ATF only 3 weeks ago. In three short weeks her 10 years of struggle has been turned around by Mary, Take Back the Land Rochester, overwhelming community support, and the support of the many signers of this petition. ATF's lawyers Phillips Lytle LLP say they have canceled the Feb. 26 auction and have promised to work out a fair deal with Mary. We are halfway to victory! Now it's important we continue to spread Mary's story and the petition and expose ATF's practices. 1)We need to make sure ATF closes the deal with Mary so she can keep her home. 2) We need to change the City/County/ATF tax foreclosure process so these disasters never happen again. Noboby should have to go through the anguish Mary's been through. Stay tuned for more updates. Let's keep the heat turned up! Tell your friends! The following is from Mary Smith: A for-profit company in Florida, American Tax Funding, is trying to throw me out of my home even though I’m willing and able to pay. I've lived here at 53 Cutler Street for 30 years, raising six children. I paid off my mortgage 12 years ago, but still they are planning to hold an auction on February the 26th to take my home and kick me out. After years of serious health problems, I fell behind on my taxes. The City of Rochester and Monroe County then sold my taxes to a for-profit company in Florida called American Tax Funding. I'm willing and able to pay now, but rather than negotiate with me, the company is choosing to profit while I lose my home. I want and need to get back ownership of the home that I love. My community is a major part of my life. I feel a deep commitment to my neighborhood and my neighbors. I’ve been an active member of the Cutler PLUS Community Block Club since I moved there in 1983, and am currently its vice president. I have devoted great amounts of my time to bringing together my neighbors and to helping us raise each other’s children. In doing so, I believe that I have contributed to stemming the decline in the quality of living that has afflicted many streets in this area. I want to continue to live in the community that I have nurtured and cared for. I deserve thanks, not foreclosure. If American Tax Funding is unwilling to work out a fair settlement so I can keep my longtime home, I will be forced to launch a series of protests, with the help of Take Back the Land Rochester and my neighbors. This will shine a light on American Tax Funding’s unjust practices, and have the City and County reconsider its contract with ATF. We have already begun extensive neighborhood outreach and received many signatures on a petition that will be presented to ATF. If necessary, there will be a protest at the Feb. 26 auction and community defense of a possible eviction.

The population of Wake County is likely to double over the next 20 years, and traffic congestion will continue to get worse and worse. The Wake County Transit Plan doubles bus service, creates commuter rail, and initiates light rail. Durham and Orange County have already passed a similar plan. Without action, Wake County risks being left behind. The Wake Board of Commissioners has the power to move forward with review and approval of this plan right away. Help us build support for more transit in Wake County.

I have gay and lesbian friends in this state who are not given the right to marry the people they love. This is unconstitutional. Amendment XIV, section 1 of the U.S. Constitution says "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States...nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws." We must overturn ND's ban on same sex marriage. Furthermore, we must clearly state that we in ND affirm the legality and full rights and privileges of same sex married couples.

20,000 Hoosiers have signed petitions and 41 school boards have signed resolutions in support of Central Time for Indiana. On their behalf and that of the 1.35 million students whose safety and educational well-being are being compromised, and on behalf of the Indiana businesses that are being inconvenienced by Eastern Time, I request that a legislative study committee be established to evaluate Indiana’s time designations. That way an educated decision can be made to either keep it as it is or take the steps to return Indiana to its original Central Time Zone. You are the state’s leaders and you have the power to get this done. Please, do it!

You know you’re out there when Paul Ryan thinks your idea is wrong. But Tom Corbett and his Republican allies in the PA legislature appear to be moving ahead with their idea to change the way we hold presidential elections. Corbett’s idea is to allocate PA’s Electoral College votes by percentage instead of winner-take-all. Using this formula, the 2012 results would have given the GOP (Romney/Ryan) 8 votes to 12 from PA for the Democrat (Obama/Biden). At first glance this might sound like a more fair system, but it would only work if all states had the same system. But the only states considering the Corbett Scheme are states where President Obama won, and where Republicans control the state government--Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. If the Corbett’s Scheme had been in place last year in these states, we would have a President Romney who won only 47% of the vote. How unfair is this plan? Even Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) opposes it, even though he would be Vice President today if it had passed last year.