In the state of Indiana it is a Class A misdomeanor to possess marijuana in quantities less than approx. 1 oz. This offense carries a maximum penalty of up to 1 year in jail, 2 years probation, and a $1000 fine. However domestic battery in which there is bodily injury sustained by the victim the maximum sentence is the same. This means that possession of 1 gram of marijuana is equal in the eyes of the law to physically battering your spouse or child. Decriminalization would allow for the recreational use of Marijuana to be recorded and tracked without causing extreme ramifications to the user. In this way Marijuana is still illegal but not a criminal offense and would be placed in the category of infractions which also contain such offenses as running a stop sign, speeding, and reckless driving. This would make those people who are not capable of handling the substance to be held accountable. It is not a question of right and wrong but a question of cruel and unusual punishment.

Gun violence is a public health and safety issue that is largely unregulated. According to an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association, US taxpayers paid over $1 billion in a single year for gun-related injuries (http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=191001). Liability insurance on guns will hold gun owners accountable for the proper use of their guns, while protecting the public and lowering health care-related costs for everyone. It will encourage gun sellers to sell only to responsible people, thereby reducing their own risk. Courts will see it is in their "compelling interest" (and, therefore, constitutional) to make it mandatory. There are many legal precedents for liability insurance. Fully privatized underwriters will offer lower rates to responsible gun owners. Insurance companies will appreciate the new source of profits. This is a win-win proposition.

Congress is being overpaid and doing nothing to help the voters. We need to only pay them what they are worth - $50,000 maximum per year.

Absolving all Republicans who signed Grover Norquist's demand that those sign his pledge (ongoing for 30 + years) or suffer political consequences.

There is a lopsided salary scale with corporations and businesses offering outrageous salaries. THey are able to do this in part because the remuneration is an allowable business expense. This petition caps the business expense. It has a secondary benefit of placing more pressure on keeping minimum wage in line with increases in cost of living.

If enough people understand place this petition, on the ballot in their city during 2014, we can bring the change we need. Pot laws changed, city by city. Feed-in Tariff laws can also be changed, city by city. Start a petition in your city today. Yes, it is a lot of work to gather 9,000 signatures, but it can be done. It is necessary to educate people. It is now 2014. If you work real smart now, by 2015, you could have 9,000 signatures and maybe a city council person or Mayor will place it on the ballot. Solar has been proven to be the best way to create 22 million new jobs for the US, generate $9 billion new cash flow for the US, and best of all shut down all nukes. Germany is doing just that. Germany just achieved 51% of all its power from solar in May 2013. Germany will shut down all its nukes by 2022. California could achieve 100% solar power by 2030. Residential home owners should be allowed to oversize their Renewable Energy systems and participate in the State mandated goal to achieve 33% renewable energy by 2020. California resident who purchase an electric vehicle can expect a 60% increase in their electric bill, as shown by a study done by Purdue University in summer of 2010, unless they have solar panels. Due to these laws, we have automatically barred over 8 million roof tops, that would be able to generate over 11,500 MW of power. That's 5 San Onofre nuclear power plants. Solar can shut down all nukes. Germany just made over 33 Gigiwatts of solar power. We need to let our Home Owning citizens in on a Feed in Tariff that pays 0.54 cents per kwh., and allow Homeowners to oversize their Renewable Energy Systems.

Smart meters are bad for your health ( they use Electromagnetic Radiation like microwave and cell phones,but in a much higher concentration). Besides, it is not mandatory to have one. I refused to have a smart meter and still have my analog meter. I had to pay $75 as an "opt out" fee plus $10 each month in addition to my electrical bills. The fees are supposed to go up, may be double, in 2013.

We should approach gun ownership in the same way we handle automobile ownership- licencing and mandatory liability insurance because mistakes will happen like accidently killing over 3500 children a year- every year. The NRA should provide the insurance for the gun owner/gun and help them reduce accidental gun killings by better gun management.

When I was going to college, students had little experience, and even fewer options than to borrow excessively in order to fund their education. This created a slippery slope, as many feel that regardless of their major they are guaranteed jobs on the basis of having an undergraduate degree. With the present state of the economy, many are now leaving their passions behind and instead choosing in-demand professions, or working in sales or retail. History will look at America's decline much the same way it saw the decline of Ancient Rome, Medieval Italian city-states such as Venice and Florence, and even enlightenment France and Germany. It first arises with a decline of the artist class, where financial constraints of the state cause many to abandon the profession. After this follows morality, Faith, and general progress leading to decadence.

The current issue with the fiscal cliff and upcoming debt ceiling that needs to be resolved by the White House, Democrats and Republicans is causing major problems on Wall Street. The Federal government has had been extending these issues for years with no final solution. This is bad business for America and the American public deserves not just an another extension but a fair bi-partisan law to fix these problems once and for all. Stop this irresponsible political maneuvering and game playing.

I was banned from Walmart (by their "Security") due to giving witness statement to police about their treatment of an alleged shoplifter.

We must take a big step along with our many small ones. The United States Bill of Rights works well to protect our fundamental freedoms because it's enforceable in court. There is now an European Bill of Rights that is enforceable in the courts of 47 countries as diverse as Turkey, France, Romania and Denmark which also works well. It is time for an International Bill of Rights that is enforceable in the courts of all countries -- this is humanity's written agreement to live together. Please go to www.internationalbillofrights.org and sign the document!