America used to promise that working hard and playing by the rules would in turn bring a paycheck that could support a family, opportunities to advance and build a better life for your kids. But today, America’s promise to provide equal opportunity and reward hard work has been hijacked by companies like Walmart and the richest 1% of Americans who practice a double standard that treats workers one way and rich executives another. On the one hand, Walmart fired me and another worker and disciplined a third who spoke out for better work conditions. I was fired for taking sick days to care for my ailing grandmother and have since been evicted from my home – despite the fact that my manager approved the leave. It turns out, we all have one thing in common – we’ve been speaking out publicly about uniting our co-workers across the country for fair wages, full time hours and most of all, respect and dignity at Walmart - America’s largest private employer. On the other hand, despite its own ethics statement calling on employees to “follow the law at all times” and “reveal and report all information truthfully, without manipulation or misrepresentation,” Walmart rewarded top executives with promotions and bonuses – despite the fact they ignored and covered up the bribery of public officials. Something isn’t right. We need to come together to end this double standard that is dividing America. Even super-rich-and-powerful executives need to play by the same rules as the rest of us. Tell Walmart that CEO Mike Duke and Chairman Rob Walton must resign for their roles in the bribery and cover-up scandal and demand that hard working associates their jobs back.

The Jacksonville School District 117 in Jacksonville, Illinois, has implemented drastic austerity measures that include CLOSING some neighborhood elementary schools. We urge Jacksonville School District 117 to renovate ALL Elementary Schools instead of closing any of them. Closing neighborhood schools is detrimental to neighborhoods, lowers property values, and decreases the neighborhood population over time. Closing a school is a permanent action that harms education. It also threatens neighborhoods by reducing property values, causing an exodus of homeowners, and eliminating a community focal point. Studies show smaller neighborhood schools help to reduce the achievement gap, provide better education, and bridge socio-economic differences. Neighborhood schools are sites of educational excellence, and are anchors for their neighborhoods and our historic districts. By signing this petition, we, the homeowners, parents, business owners and residents of Jacksonville, Illinois, want the Jacksonville School District 117 Board Members, and Administration, to know that we OPPOSE any plans to close Jacksonville's Neighborhood Elementary Schools, and ask the School Board to rescind their decision to close Franklin Elementary School.

The Republicans keep trying to get tax cuts for the wealthy because they "Create Jobs". Not only does the theory of Supply-side economics not make sense, but the practice has proven that the wealthy do not create jobs because we give them more money. Why not subsidize only those wealthy or those businesses that actually create jobs. In this way, the American taxpayer can be saved a lot of money: As an example, let's say that instead of giving all of the wealthy and all businesses tax breaks before they've created jobs, we only give those wealthy individuals and businesses money after they've created jobs. If only 20% of the wealthy individuals and businesses create jobs, we've saved 80% of the money that would have been given away for no reason. This is why I have little faith in Republicans and Democrats: Why couldn't they get support for an idea such as this, let alone come up with it in the first place.

Are you as tired of the lies and half truths by the our elected officials and the media as I am? We are all entitled to know exactly what is going on and not the part "they" want you to hear or read. It is time that anyone giving information to the public be held accountable. They must tell you the complete truth not a dialogue designed around a manipulation of words .

ask the gop in congress what there position on gas prices are now,is it the presidents fault for higher prices,then it should his fault for prices dropping

Haters have got out of hand and the outcome of haters have become detrimental to many in so many ways and it needs to be outlawed.

Haters have got out of hand and the outcome of haters have become detrimental to many in so many ways and it needs to be outlawed.

Hispanic Americans are singled out as being Latinos,the thing is that no nation in the world speaks Latin. Hispanics are just as much american as other ethnic races in the USA!

It's absolutly amazing to me that in a country riddled with so much political and social injustice, that a person can be arrested for smoking marijuana. While men and women fill our prisons and jails for possesion and use of marijuana. Washington continues to rip us off. And deny us the right to smoke a joint. The laws that prohibit this are older than all of us. Many people have been arrested for this non violent act. Medical marijuana has passed in 17 states to this point, but every patient who uses, posseses or cultivates is subjet to fedral prosecution. Do we really have the money in this country to continue to put people, who are hurting noone in jail. If you want to solve the defficet why not start by leaving people who smoke weed alone, and stop turning them into criminals.

A large percentage of "Beltway" lobbyists consists of former Congressional members and former presidential administration employees. Once these folks serve the needs of the electorate (hopefully), they are equipped to seek a new vocation as a paid lobbyist.

The new guidelines for Disaster Preparedness for Florida have been posted at Floridadisaster.org. The recommendations for infant feeding are not based on evidence and some of them are not only wrong but dangerous and pose a threat to our infant population should a disaster strike. The mission of the Florida Department of Health and Florida Division of Emergency Management is not being fulfilled by this type of information being given to the public. The Governor's office has access to the latest and best evidence based guidelines for bottle and breast fed babies during a disaster but has not used them in their publications. Sign our petition to get the Governor's office to use evidence based information on infant feeding, and help save the lives of our youngest residents in the case of an emergency.

It's time to hold organizations with tax exemption status accountable. Organizations with tax exemption are using those dollars to undermine how our government should work depriving citizens of equal access to healthcare, equal opportunity, and marriage equalilty.