Student loans held by veterans should be forgiven

We need to urge our state Governor, President Barack Obama, and the head of the NRA to facilitate a ban on military type weapons and ammunition.This is the concern of a group of seniors from Manchester Center, VT. The safety of our citizens, especially children, depends on it.

The mass shootings that have taken place this past year have shown that gun laws don't work and simply aren't the answer to solving this countries problem with mass shooters. Proper mental health care, available to everyone would do more to identify and care for people who need it.

Now that the NRA and these gun (nuts) advocates have tried to get Piers Morgan deported, for his sensible stand on gun control! Your stand and your coverage of these mass shootings has been excellent! Having Mark Kelly and Gabby Gifford on has been wonderful at informing the public!! Thank you Piers and CNN !

Later this month, the Philadelphia City Council will introduce legislation that would guarantee all workers in the city have paid sick days off from work. It's about public health. It's about family health. It's about employee respect. Four Philadelphia City Council members could stand in the way of this important legislation. Contact them now and make sure they do the right thing.

The critically endangered population of Pacific Northwest orcas has been reduced to only 84 individuals. Now, they face a new threat from anti-environmental groups seeking to strip away their Endangered Species Act protections. Tell the National Marine Fisheries Service that this unique population deserves full protection under the law. These unique marine mammals have been decimated by the decline of salmon—their primary prey—and by toxic pollution and habitat degradation from shipping, sonar and other human activities. They need more, not less, protection. Please voice your support for continuing vital protections for the Pacific Northwest's irreplaceable killer whales.

A number of big ranches sold out to developers in the 1980s. Developers, in order to keep a rural lifestyle in mind, developed sites of 35 or more acres in these subdivisions. Many have covenants requiring landowners to fence in their livestock (cattle) in order to protect the property rights of other landowners. However, these have failed because some unscrupulous ranchers and out-of-state investors who want illegal agricultural tax status have allowed cattle to roam freely in these subdivisions, causing thousands in property and overgrazing damage and pollution to the water table which supplies well water to those of us actually living on the land. Most of us in these subdivisions are retirees on a fixed income living off the grid and trying to live a peaceful, sustainable livestyle. That is being destroyed due to these people misusing the Colorado Right-To-Ranch law.

Last year five Utah women were killed by dating partners. They knew these people were dangerous, but couldn't get protective orders because they were not married or living together. The Dating Violence Protection Act will change that. Tell your representatives to support it.

It is time to mobilize against the unreasonable influence of the NRA. With only 4.3 million members, the NRA should not be the only voice that Congress hears in any discussion about gun regulation. There are many millions of citizens who need to be heard in favor of strong gun regulation and reform. Here's the place to speak out.

The latest "Too Big to Prosecute" Bank, HSBC (look on the back of your credit cards) has knowingly laundered money from Mexican drug cartels as well as moved funds from sanctioned countries who support terrorists like Iran, Cuba, Sudan and Libya (http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2012/December/12-crm-1478.html). The U.S. Department of Justice has found evidence but has deferred prosecution on the company or any person in the company that allowed the illegal activities to transpire. No person or corporation will be prosecuted. This petition will be sent to the U.S. government to remind them that U.S. citizens are paying attending and want corrupt companies and people in corrupt companies to be accountable, not just with a fine, but with prosecution that any other person would be submitted to in this country. If the company is "Too Big to Fail or Prosecute" then break up the company so that it can be accountable like any other corporation or person in this country.

Congress has worked less than 200 days in calandar year 2012 the average pay for a congressman is $174,000 the average American family is $36,000, which is 4 times greater should we not expect 4 times the work Congress is notoriously known for not getting the job done. So let's make their jobs pay performance based. The easiest thing to do for any legislator is to show up for votes and many do not. So if you are a no show you do not get paid. No one in congress has the right not to show up for their job and be able to get paid. This is basic to any employee employer relationship, you must show up on time and be prepared to do your daily diligence. Congress has also been working less days per week, and months but they keep getting pay increases. If Congress decide to leave early and not complete "We The People", business their pay should reflect that. They should not receive full pay for no work or partial work.

Immigration officials in Arizona recently targeted and raided the family home of a leading immigrant rights organizer. On January 10, Erika and her family were at home spending time with each other. That evening, someone knocked on the door. As Erika answered, the first thing she saw an ICE officer handcuffing her brother, who had been outside talking to a neighbor. Another ICE officer stood in front of Erika asking for Maria, her mother. Erika asked the officer if he had a warrant and why they were taking her family. He answered that they were undocumented and had to go. The officers detained her mother before driving away. Erika and her younger brother were left alone in the living room, forcibly separated from their closest family. Erika leads immigrant youth nationwide; her story and activism are well-known. Recently, President Obama and ICE announced they would not deport individuals without a criminal record, but our families are torn apart every day. If this could happen to Erika, it could happen to anyone else. End their deportation now. Help us keep Erika's family together. Erika and her younger brother were left alone in the living room, forcibly separated from their closest family. Erika leads immigrant youth nationwide; her story and activism are well-known. Recently, President Obama and ICE announced they would not deport individuals without a criminal record, but our families are torn apart every day.