Michigan’s election laws have taken major strides forward in recent years—but extreme lawmakers are now trying to wipe out that progress. Three bills in the Michigan Legislature— SB 751, SB 754 and SB 803—would dramatically limit the ability of legitimate voters to make their political voices heard voters in Michigan elections. All of these bills have one goal: making it more difficult for Michiganders, particularly the working poor, the elderly, students and people of color, to participate in our democratic process. These bills would regulate groups that register voters, impose stricter photo ID requirements for voters and add a citizenship check-off box to ballot applications. Though lawmakers are using the false claim that voter fraud is the reason these measures are needed, a recent letter from the Michigan Secretary of State Bureau of Elections shows this is not the case and that clerical errors are the reason for supposed instances of voter fraud. The bottom line is these extreme lawmakers are trying to consolidate their political power at the expense of the rights of Michigan voters. This is wrong and we need to stop it.

Violence is never the answer to conflict: What were YOU thinking the last time someone came into your "space" and physically forced you to do something? Did it work?

We're urging both Veolia Transportation and communities of Long Island village and towns mayor to improve NICE Bus Service Alert.

This November, the US Supreme Court will consider whether corporations can get away with murder. In Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum (Shell), the very same justices who gave corporations free speech rights as people in Citizens United will hear Shell's lawyers argue that corporations bear no legal responsibilities for their role in human rights abuses. Shell has argued that corporations should be immune from human rights lawsuits--because they are a corporation--and that Shell can’t be sued for supporting abuses outside the United States. In the wake of the Citizens United decision, which gave corporations the right to influence U.S. elections, it is critical that we don't let these corporations get away with murder. The Obama administration took a firm stand for human rights earlier this year when their lawyers argued to the court that Shell and other corporations could be sued for their participation in crimes against humanity. But now the Supreme Court is re-hearing the case, and the administration hasn’t announced whether it will support holding Shell responsible when the abuses occurred outside the United States. Shell is arguing that corporations should be able to operate above the law when outside of the US and we can’t let that happen. If our country and our elections are open for business, then our courts should be open too--especially for victims of corporate crimes against humanity. Any day now, the administration will decide whether they go to the Supreme Court supporting corporate rights or human rights. We must encourage them to stand with the victims of human rights abuses worldwide.

I believe the right to have chickens in my yard is part and parcel of my right to self sustaining and environmentally sound living habits. I am able to provide a chemical free and organic food supply with high nutrient and protein value to my children at very little cost and work. It is my right to self determination that is being infringed upon. It is a violation of my civil liberties to be blocked in doing this while others who own two acres or more can own chickens on their property, my in Prince William County. In addition to the above, chickens eat harmful insects that can destroy your vegetable garden and provide excellent fertilizer to the garden through their droppings.

The Topanga Creek Watershed is a fragile and important ecosystem, home to over 8,000 people and a rich variety of native plants and animals, including endangered species. For many years community members have tried to stop the dispersal of toxic chemicals designed to kill unwanted plants and animals, and to urge the adoption of non-toxic methods of pest control. Despite our efforts, in April and May of 2012 Caltrans resumed spraying herbicide along the side of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and California State Parks, along with our elected officials, have continued to allow herbicide to be dispersed in Lower Topanga. We are now calling for all citizens, elected officials, and entities operating in our watershed to finally respect the will of the community, and to end their participation in or support for this antiquated, short-sighted, and dangerous practice. For more information about the Topanga Creek Watershed Committee and non-toxic methods of weed and pest control, please go to www.TopangaCreekWatershedCommittee.org.

Processing errors, or delays in their renewal process cause their rents to be hiked tremendously despite their eligibility.

It's a new Celebration of Food. Annaprashana. On the 6th Day of the 6th Month of Every year, we relish our beautiful Earth in all her life-giving beneficence, by Pledging to eat and feed our families ONLY Organic* food for the entire day. The name Annaprashana comes from a Hindu ceremony (adapted from an earlier Buddhist tradition) which celebrates, after 6 months of life, an infant's first bite of "real" (solid) food. We celebrate our first bite of "real food" when we eat the way Nature intended- without pesticides, herbicides and other harmful chemicals. Realizing that we can change our diet for even one day empowers us to realize that we can change our lives. Organic food means better health, better soil, respect for the environment. It means distancing ourselves from the Chemical/ Pharmaceutical corporatocracy that now rules our world and our food choices. Tell everyone you know to pledge to eat organic food all day for one day. We can change the world. It starts at the table. Take the ANNAPRASHANA PLEDGE! *By organic, we mean food that is known, by you, to be untreated by chemicals. It is not necessary that it be certified. Created by the author of "WORSHIP YOUR FOOD."

Why not provide jobs for Americans by bringing 'call centers' back to local people. Everyone complains about the fact that call centers are in foreign countries, causing great difficulty in understanding what they are saying, and their inability to understand what we are saying. Let us have call centers in our own country and employ the locals. Calls will then be shorter and clearer.

Steve King is using Twitter to campaign on tax payers' time. This isn't just outrageous -- it's a direct violation of House ethical standards. For example, on Wednesday, May 30th, Steve King sent a tweet from the house floor calling out his opponent, Christie Vilsack by name. Congressional ethical standards clearly state that "House rooms and offices are not to be used for events that are campaign or political in nature." Congress put these important regulations in place to protect our tax dollars from being wasted on non-stop political campaigning. But Steve King doesn't really seem to care. In fact, this is just the latest example in a long string of violations. Last winter, Steve King used his Congressional Twitter account to bully Rep. Shelia Jackson while she was speaking at a congressional debate. From his Congressional Twitter account he tweeted that he was so bored by her remarks that he was killing time by surfing the internet. This action wasn't just outrageous; it was embarrassing for voters across Iowa. And it doesn't stop there. Just recently it was revealed that a few months ago, Steve King retweeted a racist joke that was quickly deleted and covered it up. But lucky for us, Congress states that, "The misuse of the funds and other resources that the House of Representatives entrusts to Members for the conduct of official House business is a very serious matter. Depending on the circumstances, such conduct may result in not only disciplinary action by the House, but also criminal prosecution." It's time the House Committee on Ethics investigate Rep. Steve King. If he is violating these provisions in public, who knows what he's doing behind closed doors.

I think it is the worst show of a lack of respect for servicemen & women to have Taps played on a boom box and no Military Honor Guard to render a 21-gun salute. You give your all in the name of freedom and democracy and all you get at your grave side is a boom box? How utterly disrespectful!!!

Every time the US kills "suspected militants", the US is pouring fuel on the fire for "Blowback". When the polls show that a majority of US Citizens oppose these obscene strikes on potentially innocent peoples, something is wrong.