On January 10, 2013 the news reported a 5 year-old girl living in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania for wanting to invite her friend to play with a bubble gun. She was labeled as a 'terrorist threat' and suspended at first for 10 days but the then nailed down to 2 and terrorized for wanting to shoot a bubble gun. The little girl was overheard by a parent and was not on school grounds when it happened. Here are links to the article: http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/21/us/pennsylvania-girl-suspended/index.html http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2013/01/21/20513981.html?cid=rssnews

My daughter attends Middle School in Las Cruces with the help of an IEP. We are continually told there is not enough educational staff to give her all she needs to achieve real success. Will Governor Martinez support this years NM Congress in taking effectual steps to move New Mexico out of the 40's among the 50 states in our country?

Pre-school education gives disadvantaged children the leg up they need to succeed in school & in life. Many enter kindergarten unprepared because the Governor has given higher priority to business & roads than to education. Our children's education should be MI's highest priority. Repairing roads will cost $1.1B, whereas pre-school for 4 y/o's can be provided for $130M, just $30 per taxpayer. We are ALL paying more in taxes. Let us demonstrate that our children come first, for their sake & the sake of all of us. Taxpayers should be allowed to direct our tax dollars to the full funding of pre-school for 4 y/o's.

Medical marijuana can help patients suffering from cancer, ALS, MS and other chronic and terminal illnesses. Legislation will be introduced in the Minnesota Legislature that will allow a limited number of patients with specific medical conditions to use marijuana if their health care provider believes it would benefit the patient. Minnesota patients and their doctors should be free to make their own medical decisions without the interference of elected officials who lack medical training.

A small percentage of the California population receive free or subsidized health benefits as part of their employment compensation. Currently, this portion of pay is tax free. Citizens that purchase their own health benefits must do so AFTER having paid taxes on their income. This petition proposes that compensation in the form of health benefits be taxed.

Police are arresting Seriously ill Cancer Patients and Stealing their Medicine taking it down to cop headquarters, smoking it up themselves and selling it to their friends. The Marijuana Laws are the Bastard Step-Child of Alcohol Prohibition. All Health Care is Constitutionally Protected.

We need to be aware of some of the incredibly ignorant court decisions when it concerns rape.

All Americans are adversely affected by the Supreme Court's ignorant decision in the Citizens United case when they declared corporations are people and money is free speech!. This decision has further corrupted our political system and weakened the influence of ordinary citizens' votes.

I have a simple solution to some of California's budget woes. We are the only oil producing state that does not have a severance tax on oil and gas production. Even Texas has one.

Well, finally. You probably heard that the last Congress was one of the least productive in history. Even worse than that, they're the first Congress to fail to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). So it's good news that leaders in the new Congress, in both the House and Senate, just introduced VAWA again. Even better, the versions that have been introduced expand protections to communities who are especially vulnerable to sexual and domestic violence--Native American women, immigrant women, and members of the LGBT community. But those expanded protections are the very reason House conservatives shamefully refused to act on VAWA last year--leaving millions of women without crucial protections. So if we don't push Congress, hard, it might not even come up for a vote this year. Reporters are already covering the new VAWA bills, and conservatives didn't face nearly enough pressure when they failed to act last year, so now is the time to speak up. New members of Congress are particularly sensitive to news coverage early in their terms, and want to avoid bad press at all costs. So we need to put pressure on them right away. Can you sign this petition telling Congress to expand and reauthorize VAWA?

Boston's bicycle network currently has a gaping hole at its center which limits the functionality of existing bicycle lanes in the city. Tell Mayor Menino that Boston deserves a new "Bicyclists' Urban Ring" which would fully connect the many bike lanes that radiate outwards from Boston Common towards neighborhoods throughout the Boston Metropolitan Area. This ring would be composed of two primary parts: 1. Boston Common "Bicyclists' Urban Ring": Separated 2-way cycle tracks would encircle the entire perimeter of the Common and the Public Garden with spur connections down Tremont, Charles, and Arlington Streets. 2. Beacon Hill Cycle Track: A two-way cycle track on Charles St in Beacon Hill would connect Cambridge Street, Esplanade, and Longfellow Bridge bicycle traffic to Boston Common. One traffic lane would need to be removed to achieve this goal, but it could be recovered during rush hour if parallel parking was not allowed during peak commute times. Adding these crucial links would greatly increase the number of safe options for bicyclists traveling through downtown, without inconveniencing cars or pedestrians. Including bicycle traffic lights along these routes would also maximize safety for bicyclists and pedestrians. I urge you to sign this petition and voice your support for improved bicycle safety in downtown Boston.

Expand Medicaid, as presented in the Affordable Care Act, immediately to enable thousands of Arkansans to obtain needed coverage.