Standardized tests are crippling education! The high costs of testing materials and the high stakes of the test is stressful to the teachers, the students, and the parents. These tests are causing our educational system to be completely overwhelmed. I want to move our educational system away from teaching to the test and back to teaching critical thinking skills and a balanced enriched curriculum. Kids need more time with Science experiments and less time on worksheets.

Standardized tests are crippling education the high costs of testing materials and the high stakes of the test on teachers, students, and parents is causing our educational system to be completely overwhelmed.

Marijuana is a healthier cure for depression, pain, etc., than Pharmaceutical Drugs being prescribed today. Too many people are being arrested and jailed for this non violent crime that's over filling our jails and wasting tax payers money.

Our Congress and our two party system are broken resulting in an out of control budget deficit, a crushing recession, a divisive polarizing of much of our nation and a continuing decline of the very essential middle class . Between the extreme escalation in financing campaign costs and the monetary reward of the spoils to the election victors they have usurped in Congress accomplishing what are in the best interests of the people and the country and instead basing their actions on what benefits big money contributing special interests and their respective parties.

This country's founding fathers knew the necessity of the principal of separation of church and state. Put simply, this means that religious groups, churches and non-profit organizations do not have the right to verbally, and actively support a political candidate or party. We have attended church, and during the sermons been instructed not only how to vote, but been steered to specific candidates , agendas and stances.

To stop employers wanting people social security number when they initially fill out an application. Their social security number should only be given out to them after the interview , if the company is going to hire them.

I worked for a health care company and at the time of hire they misrepresented my wage and their were other ambiguities with the offer letter. When I became aware of the misrepresentation I followed the channels of communication to rectify the issue and was told they made a numerical error and the issue wasn't rectified. I didn't believe it was fair. I emailed the next person to try to make an appointment to discuss the matter and was terminated because the stated I didn't follow the channels of communication. Due to At Will employment laws I believe other people have, can, and will lose their jobs for situations like this.

I'm calling for a stand to help those who are in debt from Student Loans. I am college graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. I was lucky enough to find a decent paying after college. However, between the amount I have to pay for my monthly student loan payments and my other bills, I don't have much of my paycheck left. Currently, I am living with family because I cannot afford a place of my own because of my student loan payments. I have added up my total expenses and have found that if I didn't have taxes taken out of my paycheck that I would be able to afford a place of my own. Given the situation of the economy and seeing as how the government has made very little effort to help those who are struggling because of their student debt, I feel that the people who have finished their higher education should be exempt from paying both Federal and State taxes until their loans are paid off.

The petition is about preventing Liberian warlords invoved in committing crimes against humanity and war crimes from using the holy pulpit to promote their personal agenda. On September 23,2012, Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, and a major warlord of the brutal 14 year civil war in Liberia spoke at the Abysinnian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York.

Our veterans are coming home and not giving the right kind of care that they need or just simply being turned away. The result is a high number of overdoses of presciption drugs and suicide.

The average college student graduates with a staggering amount of debt. Many grads are able to find work in their chosen field but the salaries for college grads don't justify the cost of higher education. I myself have held a job in my field for almost 6 years & my salary doesn't allow me to support myself or pay off my student loan. Companies still want cheap labor & it's wrong to require someone to have a degree & pay them close to what they could make without one. We have minimum wages in place for hourly workers and a system needs to be put in place for the salaried workers. Higher education in America is turning into a expensive joke.

An end is needed to allow legislation to be passed or obstructed based on party donor affiliation. These affiliations are directly related to lobbyists whose interests go beyond the common good. The Supreme Court needs to ensure Bills are not put forward or obstructed, and prevent direct correlation to campaign donors who are clear to gain or lose financially.