The cost of textbooks is exorbitant. Recently my stepson was told he needed to pay over $200 for an elementary algebra textbook at a community college. This is more than the cost of the course itself. I support a nationwide effort to lower textbook costs modeled on California's SB 1052 and SB 1053. For details see http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/09/free-digital-textbooks-to-be-made-available-after-gov-jerry-brown-signs-bills.html

Medical Marijuana was voted and passed by the people of New Jersey for use by ill people who are determined by a State appointed Physician as useful for an ill patient. Yet in one of the most populace states in the Union, only one distribution store is open, and their hands are tied by only being allowed to grow at certain times of the year, and to only grow a limited amount. Other distribution centers would like to begin growing and helping patients, yet as of this moment, are not allowed to, while the state legislature is still accepting applications, accepting the money the patient is required to send along with the application, and issuing I.D. cards to these patients. The one distribution center is over 1000 patients behind, and since they are only allowed to grow a limited amount, will not be able to help these patients, who are hoping for the relief the marijuana could give them. So even though it is the will of the people, voted on and passed as law, Gov.Christie and Republican legislatures have made it impossible for deserving patients to receive help, circumventing the law.

This information was brought to me by Fox News. Why should we be paying teachers for not teaching our children.

It's only a matter of time before the next school shooting occurs at current violence rates, and Illinois has already been struck by a tragedy at Northwestern only a few years ago.

Stop vote rigging/gerrymandering for President and Congress representatives. Demand the popular vote.

I am a new resident to North Carolina and I am concerned about the Health Care for the lower income in this State and the Educational options for the lower income to get an Education that is progressive to the future of technology and the Country as a whole.

Minimum is currently $7.25/hour. Minimum wage to meet the "livable wage" criteria is $12.50/hour. We need to be moving ahead to lift our workers out of poverty. We taxpayers are subsidizing business owners. Increasing the minimum wage and increasing our poorest workers' buying power is the road to economic recovery and expansion. It is the right thing to do!

California already has some of the most restrictive gun laws in the country, and many of those laws do nothing to increase safety, but harrass and annoy responsible gun owners that may otherwise support effective regulations aimed at reducing gun-related crimes or accidents. These mis-guided laws generate ill-will towards any new laws that might actually be effective in increasing public safety. The Legislature and the Governor should empower a commission composed of equal numbers of 2nd Amendment Advocates and Gun Control Advocates to perform a complete review of existing laws, and to make recommendations as to the advisability of repealing any and all restrictions that do not directly enhance public safety.

I believe fox news is brain washing my mother with hate filled non full truths. I have compared other news stations and fox is always so negative and not giving the full information.

I live on Staten Island and have to pay a hefty toll to get home either on the Gothals, Verazzanno or Outerbridge Crossings. I get a Staten Island resident discount but it is still a great deal to have to pay each trip: $5.76 on the Verazzanno, $10.25 on the Outerbridge and Gothals and if people visit me they pay $13.50 per trip! These bridges are the only way onto the island by car and I think it is absolute robbery one has to pay such a lot just to get home!

I just recently relocated from Washington state to Alabama an was shock to learn that they have tax on food. This is something we need everyday an it should not be taxed.

President Obama has nominated John Brennan, whom the New York Times calls the "chief architect" of the secret drone war, to head the CIA. A bipartisan group of eleven Senators led by Ron Wyden and Dick Durbin has demanded that the Administration disclose its legal justification for using drone strikes to kill Americans overseas. In response, the White House leaked a "white paper" that summarizes its argument, but has still not released the legal memos, even to the Senate Intelligence Committee. Urge the Senate to demand answers to basic questions about the drone strike policy before Brennan is confirmed as head of the CIA. What is the legal justification for drone strikes? How many civilians have been killed? Will Brennan get the CIA out of drone strikes, as Human Rights Watch and the Washington Post editorial board have demanded? Is it true that the CIA has targeted rescuers with "secondary strikes," which the UN has said is a war crime?