I am a Democrat living in Texas. I am represented by Republicans in the House and Senate. I didn't vote for these individuals. They don't support the Affordable Healthcare Act, bills for equal pay, regulating pollution/clean air and water, supporting domestic violence victims, a woman's right to choose/access to contraceptives, ending the Bush Tax cuts for the very wealthy. Are you represented by congressmen/women, and senators that you voted for/didn't vote who don't represent your interests/beliefs? These men and women were bought by special interest lobbyists. If so, I urge you to fire the bums and vote for Democrats/Progressive candidates. It's time for the gridlock caused by Republicans and Tea Party congresspeople/senators to end. It's time to move forward and address many issues that affect Americans. We need to pass legislation that will help veterans, students, the unemployed, women, the poor, illegal immigrants, the elderly. The time has come for change in Congress.

My name is Mike McCready, and I play guitar for Pearl Jam. I also have Crohn's disease, a chronic condition that requires regular medical care to control my symptoms. I'm thankful our band has done well and I have the resources, monetary or other, to cover health care costs rejected by my insurer. Not everyone is so lucky. I think about all the kids I've met with Crohn's and other chronic illnesses and worry that they will not receive the health care they need. We have a unique opportunity this November to declare that health care is not a luxury, but a right. Beginning January 1, 2014, the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, will prevent insurance companies from denying health insurance to people with pre-existing conditions. Further, insurers will no longer be allowed to set premiums based on health status. Without ObamaCare, many people will automatically be denied enrollment into insurance policies, regardless of what they are willing to pay, based solely on suffering from a pre-existing condition. ObamaCare will also make it easier for everyone to purchase private health insurance by requiring states to set up marketplaces, which provide clear comparisons of the various health insurance options. Some candidates have vowed to repeal ObamaCare, but claim they would still somehow protect those with pre-existing conditions. Don't fall for it. We had to fight for years to get these protections. Some provisions of ObamaCare have already been implemented, benefitting millions of people. More than 2.5 million young adults can now remain on their parents' health plans until the age of 26. Pre-existing condition exclusions for children under the age of 19 have been eliminated. Fifty-four million Americans now receive free preventive care. ObamaCare increased annual limits on policy coverage and removed lifetime limits. This provides more health care for patients with chronic conditions, who may have otherwise reached their limits from a few procedures. Additionally, ObamaCare expanded our right to appeal insurance company denials for payment or coverage under your policy. We now have the right to appeal to an Independent Review Organization that can overturn your insurer's decision. Because of this process, the external review board was able to overturn denials from my insurance company for life-supporting treatments of my disease on two occasions. Our health insurance providers no longer have the final word. This November, we must ensure that all Americans receive access to health care coverage. Pledge to vote only for candidates who support President Obama's Affordable Care Act.

As with many other students, I am having a difficult time paying my student loans. With the every increasing prices of just about everything, it has been hard to make ends meet. I am asking for politicians to create legislation which allows working people the opportunity to have pre-taxed income deducted from their paychecks and for the funds to be applied directly to Federal Student Loan balances. I am not asking them for a "bailout", just an opportunity for me to pay them down with the money that I am earning. I know pre-taxed contributions are removed for FLEX spending plans and retirement funds. I would like to request that students may take up to 12,000 a year in pre-taxed money that is electronically sent to the Federal Student Loans Department. This is a solution that will help lower student loan defaults and allow working citizens to survive financially.

Republicans Mark Folay and Will Cain spoke on the Bill Mahr Show recently along with Bill McKibbin, environmentalist, about what to do about global warming. Bill McKibbin pointed to scientists' conclusions about the changes that have begun to happen and will escalate if we continue to use fossil fuels at the rate we currently do. He was in favor of adjusting our use of fossil fuels. But the Republicans supported the US Chamber of Commerce's point of view that there is no need to adjust our use of fossil fuel use because the human physiology will adjust to the new conditions on earth when it needs to. I'd like these two Republicans to come back on the show with a statement from the Chamber of Commerce to explain why they feel that it is better to rely on their prediction that the human physiology will adjust to decreased oxygen in the atmosphere, the disappearance of clean water and air, reduced ability to grow crops in the earth, increased hurricanes, tornadoes, draughts, high temperatures, extreme weather conditions in all seasons, and so on. Who does it benefit to wait for the human physiology to adjust to these changes, evidently through a survival of the fittest process? Why do they prefer to hasten these changes, and their predicted physiological adjustment of the human species? Why is this better than adjusting use of fossil fuels? What's the preference based on?

We are asking that the city of Santa Rosa stop the use of the highly controversial herbicide Round Up. Sonoma County is known for its forward thinking and general care for the environment, so promoting the use of this product is a step backwards. Round Up contains 1,4-dioxane, which is carcinogenic and is known to damage the liver, kidney, brain, and lungs. Spraying vinegar or other natural herbicides seems to be a much better and cost-effective solution. I walk my dog and my children play in areas that have been sprayed, and it concerns me that they are in contact with this product. We stand up and ask the City of Santa Rosa to find an alternative, safe herbicide.

Our democracy depends on accurate counting and verification of votes. Machines that do not have a paper trail have been suspect. Every voter should have the assurance that every vote cast will have back up verification that can be recounted.

There has been a noticeable change in how restaurants display pricing for alcoholic beverages, in that most have completely removed all pricing information. There are several negative results of this action. First, it means that prices can change often without notice to the consumer. Second, it means that consumers are forced to ask in advance for pricing information everytime they visit the venue. This is an unfair business practice that should be corrected, because it puts the consumer at a disadvantage.

I'd like to petition them to do their utmost during the coming few years to help resolve the long-standing Palestine Problem by helping the Israelis and Palestinians sign on the speedy creation of an independent Palestinian State in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, alongside Israel, with dual Palestinian-Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem, making the Palestinian part its capital.

Women should have the right their own decisions about our bodies.That should a woman and her doctors. We know when to make such a choice. My concerned that the Republicans wants to take away any and everything we have such as cutting Parentphandhood programs they are already working on it in some States and program that helps a lot of us.

While unemployment, underemployment, the economy, the housing crisis, diminished equity/ individual net worth’s, energy costs and the Federal Deficit have changed dramatically the group whose job it was to prevent and protect us Congressional Senators and Representatives are not shared the burden. Their pay, benefits, retirement accounts and expense accounts have improved while most of their constituents have gone the opposite direction.

We petition Congress to pass an act to permanently protect all private retirement accounts from being "raided" by an employee's company. This act would make an employee's retirement account the exclusive property of the employee. Retirement benefits are COMPENSATION FOR WORK PERFORMED. As such they absolutely must be protected by Federal statute from any and all corporate/company diversion from the original retirement fund purpose. We now have a Federal agency (that is broke) which pays some retirement to retired employees of businesses that have wiped out the employees' retirement funds. This fund should NOT be use to bail out irresponsible companies with taxpayer money. It would be unnecessary if we had proper legislation to protect employee retirement accounts.

As President Obama prepares for the debate tonight, I was wishing there was a way to convey to him that I believe in him, and that I believe in his vision for our country. I started this petition to see how many signatures we can get before he takes the stage in a few short hours. Please join me in showing him the love.