The president of the United States and our congress are facing a time line of December 31st 2012 to make a decision on how to decrease our deficit, calling it the Fiscal Cliff. As a citizen of the great U.S., I believe in the fairness of the very rich to give a little more in taxes so we may continue supporting the issues some of us strongly believe in, such as education, unemployment benefits, global warming awareness, employment opportunities for our Vets, PBS, and much more.

One of the reasons there's a stalemate in government is that most of the Republican representatives have signed the Grover Norquist pledge to never, under any circumstances, ever raise taxes. Failure to do so will result in an effort to keep the offending candidate from getting on the ballot in the first place or, if serving, removed during the next election cycle. Grover Norquist wasn't elected to any public office, yet his tactics are holding the country hostage and threaten the entire economic system. It's time to disavow Grover Norquist and his pledge. Tell your elected representative you didn't vote for him to represent Grover Norquist. You voted for them to represent you and your community's interests.

In 2008, the electorate supported raising taxes on those making more than $250,000. But it didn't happen in Obama's first term, even though Obama in 2008 had taken the risk of telling people that's what he intended to do. Let's not let this opportunity slip through our fingers again. Don't accommodate Republicans and give up the opportunity for which we have fought.

equal access to voting

After researching the many ingredients in every-day grocery store foods, I have found an over abundance of preservatives in most. The alternatives are hard to distinguish, unless you know the preservatives by name, in addition, the healthier versions are more costly! Sign this petition to support an FDA regulation mandating clear labeling of foods containing preservatives so we can all shop smart, have less illnesses and shed some pounds!

Yes: I'm faced with 25K to 30K in student loans which is like this huge avalanche waiting to come tumbling down upon me soon. The President can sign an Executive Order forgiving all outstanding student loan debt for all Americans earning 250K or less annually as an excellent stimulus for Poor and Middle-Class Americans.

A friend's son was convicted Nov. 1, 2012 on a first offense possession and conspiracy to distribute LSD and MDMA charge. The mandatory minimum sentence for this crime is 10 yr.in prison! He could be sentenced to as much as LIFE in prison. He is a sweet, young, community-oriented, spiritually engaged man. He is non-violent and has never hurt anyone. He did not name names and so he is being sent to prison. He will be sentenced in Jan 2013. HELP please. http://www.famm.org/ Mandatory minimum sentencing laws require harsh, automatic prison terms for those convicted of certain crimes, most often drug offenses. Congress enacted mandatory minimums for drugs in 1986 and toughened them in 1988 to apply to drug conspiracies. The sentence is determined solely by the weight and type of drug.

We need to reform the Federal Reserve Bank to create new owners of future productive capital investment in businesses simultaneously with the growth of the economy. The solution to broadening private, individual ownership of America's future capital wealth requires that the Federal Reserve stop monetizing unproductive debt, including bailouts of banks "too big to fail" and Wall Street derivatives speculators, and begin creating an asset-backed currency that could enable every man, woman and child to establish a Capital Homestead Account or "CHA" (a super-IRA or asset tax-shelter for citizens) at their local bank to acquire a growing dividend-bearing stock portfolio to supplement their incomes from work and all other sources of income. Policies need to insert American citizens into the low or no-interest investment money loop to enable non- and undercapitalized Americans, including the working class and poor, to build wealth and become "customers with money." The proposed Capital Homestead Act would produce this result.

The killing of innocent people has to stop NOW!

The U.S. Supreme Courts decision called Citizens United has undermined the foundations of our democratic society in so much as special interests feel they can buy the government and representitives. It is essential that we end this threat to our country as quickly as is possible. I don't want my government up for sale. I don't want big money interests manifesting themselves in the form of Grover Norquist to control public officials. I would also ask that operations such as Grover Norquist be outlawed since it corrupts members of government.

We obviously need to explain to the Parties why the Majority voted the way it did.

The Debt Ceiling negotiations with Republicans are a threat to Medicare and Social Security. There should be no cuts to Medicare or Social Security in the :"Grand Bargain" with Republicans.