On January 1st, 2013, a proof of citizenship requirement for all citizens registering to vote for the first time in Kansas went into effect. This marks the full implementation of new voter restrictions outlined by the Kansas SAFE Act. Photo identification requirements at polls outlined by the SAFE Act went into effect in 2012, resulting in 532 votes blocked in the last general election. With the number of votes blocked by partial implementation of the SAFE Act far exceeding the number of alleged cases of voter fraud in Kansas, not to mention the almost non-existent instances of those prosecuted, KanVote is calling on lawmakers to repeal the proof of citizenship restriction this legislative session. New voters in Kansas are now required to produce expensive and difficult to procure proof of citizenship documents before being allowed to register to vote. For those born in other states, a replacement birth certificate can exceed $40. A U.S. passport costs $135. For naturalized Americans, replacement citizenship documents cost at least $220. New Kansas voters now have to jump through bureaucratic hoops, provide supporting documents, fill out forms, and wait as long as a year for their requests to be processed. If the cost and effort to obtain these documents doesn’t disenfranchise a voter, the time waiting can and, for some, will. Additionally, the new voter registration restriction is a blatant obstruction of traditional grassroots voter registration efforts. No longer are volunteers, citizen’s organizations, or even political parties able to table outside of community events and grocery stores, or walk door to door registering voters. Unlike the 532 voters whose provisional ballots provided evidence of their disenfranchisement, Kansas will not know how many of its citizens will be prevented from voting under voter registration restrictions. Like all of those who simply did not attempt to vote due to lack of photo identification, those who cannot register will simply go uncounted. Not only will the voter registration restriction present challenges to voters, it may also present the state with legal challenges. After several legal disputes, a federal appeals court has blocked Arizona's proof of citizenship requirement. The court ruled that the state requirement is "seriously out of tune" with the requirements presented on the federal voter registration form established by National Voter Registration Act of ‘93. Kansas' implementation of the proof of citizenship requirement will create similar conditions for such a challenge to be leveraged against our state.

I would like Homeland Security to assure that internal terrorists are reported anonymously, investigated, institutionalized or incarcerated as applicable for their sociopathy or psychopathology, or evil natures. The mentally ill or developmentally disabled who have not received the benefit of treatment interventions and families who make their cases known are more likely to suffer pscyhotic breaks. It is my opinion and that of my friends and colleagues that there needs to be mandatory and obligatory, anonyomous reporting and processes required to assure the safety of our citizens, especially our innocent children. Newtown was the most recent example of internal terrorism (massacre by guns) but others have occurred without anyone forewarning authorities of the mental illness or evil nature of the suspect/perpetrator. This type of closed society allows the rights of one to preempt the rights of all of our citizens by assuming the family will get treatment and the psychologist or psychotherapist or the school will report. Our current status of external terrorist suspect reporting is defined well and executed presumably well at the Homeland Security site on the internet or by telephone. Anonymous reporting is available. Homeland Security never responded to my report that there are suspects out there, and their psychotic breaks are imminent contingent upon their actions and our security. Safety is our right as citizens. Homeland Security needs to step up to a formalized reporting system, so we experience fewer massacres in schools, colleges, public malls, churches, synagogues and temples. We are the USA and not the Middle East, but that makes our internal massacres no less lethal; and no less a reason to report dangerousness or suspicious behaviors.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides funding for health research to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS. Over the past several years, the NIH budget has remained nearly flat. As a result, less research is being funded.

The Violence Against Women Act is a landmark piece of federal legislation that was first enacted in 1994. This comprehensive approach to violence against women combined tough new provisions to hold offenders accountable with programs to provide services to survivors. The 112th Congress let the VAWA expire in October after protections were extended to undocumented immigrants, Native Americans and the LGBT community. The United States is a diverse nation and all people should have the right to be protected from sexual and domestic violence.

Yes I have been damaged by this type of credit reporting. When certain things are suppose to be removed in two years or seven years or even ten years and they are not removed, then you have to fight them to get bad reports removed and after all of that, you can apply for credit again thinking they have been removed and the credit bureau puts them back on the report, now you have another strike against you for even applying for the credit and being denied, then you are still penalized for paying items off and forclosures or repossessions that were not your fault, they are practically unfixable. Now it even effects your ability to get a job, because employers are now asking for credit checks. This is not a good system and it is helping to destroy this countrys economic balance and recovery. Something needs to be done and Equitable is the worst one of them all, because for some strange reason, they always report lower ratings than the other two, why are there three major credit reporting agences and why don't they all report the same credit rating. I now have 167 as my new credit rating since I lost my job almost 2 years ago and UC Benefits were scatterly coming in, if and when they could be reached by phone or you could go to a CareerLinks office and get directly through to them without the two hour wait.. Also when we have an enormous economic down turn our credit rating just runs off the track like a runaway locamotive, how is it the fault of the person when they loose their jobs and don't have an income. What are they suppose to do to stop this train wreck from happening. Any assistance with this horrific issue would be greatly appreciated.

We damage our land, water, and air. We pay 10,000 times more than neccessary. We do all of this for bottled water. And bottled water is not better or healthier than tap water. We are polluting earth for nothing. We need to reduce our usage of bottled water.

Help to limit the use of tethering and chaining dogs in Washington State. Chaining is inhumane and unsafe for dogs. Dogs are, by nature, social beings who thrive on interaction with people and other animals. A dog kept chained in one spot for months or years suffers immense psychological damage. A continuously chained dog usually becomes neurotic, anxious, and aggressive.

There are too many mass shootings. There are too many children losing their lives. Politicians are openly asking the public to take a stand for gun control legislation.

Products and warenties, to many products with a zero life and no repair parts. We are being sold crap, Corprate profits are up because of the sale of new items only, nothing is repairable. Product support is sold to other companies or nonexsistant in this Country.. Because of this we are sold junk, most advanced countries in the word have laws requiring product manufactures back there products for a period of time like 3-10 years, requiring spaire parts, manuals with eather online or phone support with waranties. I have spent my life in the repair services Electrical, Electronic and equipment. Now days if it's a year or less old it's desposable not fixable, think of the products going into our land fields with fees to dispose of most of the items.

We are all equal under the law. It is unfair that Congress has health insurance and rates that are different from the rest of the Country.

de-clawing cats

THERE SEAMS TO BE ALOT OF BICKERING BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT ANY GOOD IDEAS. ACT LIKE MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE PUT IN OFFICE IN GOOD FATHE.