Let's withhold the paychecks of the Congress and Senate until they are able to do their job and pass a budget that will benefit the majority of Americans, the 98%. They enjoy perks and benefits the rest of us do not get and yet threaten to take away things, or put in place things that directly effect our lives.

We are concerned about the rise of abusive private armies such as Blackwater, DynCorp, Blackhawk, et al.

Mitch McConnell needs to resign Now. He is prime example of the Republicans that have ruin the lives of millions of Middle Class Americans. In his recent use of a Filibuster on his own bill shows he is not fit to be in any form of government.

For the past four years the Republicans in Congress have filibustered, obstructed, and stopped every Bill presented to protect the economy and provide jobs for Americans. It's time for them to go!

Media consolidation is dangerous to our democracy. We need a knowledgeable citizenry informed on issues that affecting each of us in the most critical ways. How can we vote on issues or candidates when the media has control of the information. The FCC needs to start pulling licenses of those who do not offer real news and info on a regular basis, and also needs to insist on more limited ownership of tv, radio, internet, print, so that no market is saturated with one corp. Also, a limit on how much each corp can own, insist that they divest since it has become too monopolized. Inn the 80's , 50 owners of tv, radio, newspapers, now there are only 6. Outrageous.

right to form and join unions, without having to sign pledge cards and have to do it again after employer harassment , job termination and other anti union busting schemes. A pledge card needs to be signed once and that should be enough.

The most sensible financial reform would be to separate sound banking practices from gambling via derivatives trading and other activities such as High Frequency Trading ( now 70% of all stock trading). Simply re-instating the Glass-Steagall Act, which kept banks from reckless speculation and entering other business areas, would be a true return to sensible policies of the past. As legendary former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker has stated, " The only worthwhile innovation in Banking in the last 30 years was the ATM machine."

This petition was created to pressure the NFL, it's players, and owners to help bring the "made in USA" label back to much of the merchandise sold that benefits the league.

I am self employed and pay 15% of everything I make into Social Security and Medicare. I will have difficulty retiring at all if these vital programs are cut. I grew up in the military and worked for the military for a short time and have witnessed first hand how much waste of money occurs in this department of government. I've also read how the military budget has now doubled in size so that 40% of all military spending on the planet is done by the United States.

Currently, Americans pay Social Security payroll tax only on earnings below $110,100. That means that people with high income pay a much lower tax rate than those with low income. Eliminating the cap will greatly increase Social Security revenues, and allow it to continue much longer into the future. Republicans in Congress say that they will allow federal revenues to increase, not by increasing tax rates, but by eliminating loopholes. The cap is a loophole that has hobbled Social Security. It is inherently unfair. Let's eliminate it now!

Protecting Ethnic Minorities Civil Rights The State of Colorado doesn't protect Ethnic Minorities Civil Rights. The Civil Rights Commission is weak and doesn't have enforcement power. As an activist, I have experienced and hear about many civil rights violations, Ethnic Minorities can't afford attorney fees. The state of Colorado must protect Ethnic Minorities civil rights. Legislators must make this a priority in 2013.

The Flash Crash should be seen as a shot across our collective bow. High Speed Trading can go out of control within 10 minutes and 70% of our economy could evaporate, because of it. One of the more moderate suggestion is to place a SETEC on those and other trade transactions. If Wall Street created the economic mess should we not be talking about re-instating a SETET (Security Exchange Transaction Excise Tax) both on within company internal trades if money goes outside our boarders and external trades on all US exchanges. Which would be better for the market a bunch of new regulations to stop flash crashes caused by automated trading on the high speed system or a 1% to 6% SETET to make these high speed trades less lucrative and slowing the that traffic some. While producing income deficit reducing for the US Government. Shouldn't we turn to those who caused much of our deficit help pay down those deficits?