Florida, unlike Texas, does not recognize Muscovy Ducks as Native and therefore, they are not protected against abuse.. These ducks have been in Florida for 1,500 years from when the Spanish Explorers were on the Okeechobee Trail and that qualifies them as being here over 250 years for the Florida Fish and Wildlife's requirements (See Okeechobee Trail and Spanish Explorer History). However, Florida only states that they have been here since the late 1960's (I have photos of my Grandma feeding Muscovy Ducks in the 1930's). This statement from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission is untrue about the Muscovy's only being here since the late 1960's. Please ask Gov. Rick Scott to accept them into the Florida Fish and Wild Life's list as Protected against abuse.

Gambling is the number one mental health issue in the United States. I prefer my state not be an enabler the less intelligent and those of a lower economic status

The petition concerns raising taxes on homeowners who still own their homes. To compensate for the loss of revenue, we have been forced to pay for those that can no longer pay. If services stay the same, or are less, I feel that the american people still living in their homes should not have to pay extra to compensate for those that can no longer pay. My homeowners taxes have steadily gone up for the last four years, and it's a burden on my wife and myself. I don't want to lose my home to back taxes, but the state will definately take my home if I default one time.

Insurance coverage for birth control is on the table in the legislature presented and based upon Rep. Carlos Bilbao's religious beliefs. Making birth control unaffordable, or unavailable to women will result in unwanted pregnancies, unwanted births, increased cost for children's health care services paid for by the tax payers of this state. Keep taxes down, keep children safe and keep women healthy. Please sign this petition.

The petition would be to replace Joe Biden with New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter for Obama's VP choice. We foresee the GOP influencing the Republican nominee for president to select a woman for his VP choice, as well. Ms. Slaughter is fighting against the GOP's war on women's reproduction rights, and fair health care rights for all Americans.

Ofc. Jim Peters shot JOHN LOXAS while he was holding his grandchild just after he called his daughter to tell her to come because of the police commotion. Mr. Loxas had no weapon, was turning away from officers to walk back into the home, and probably was setting his grandson down as the reports say he was lowering the child from around his head to the lower right side of his body. In other words, when Ofc. Peters shot and killed Mr. Loxas, Mr. Loxas was not an imminent physical threat to anyone, not police, not his grandson, not anyone.

Budget cuts to Florida Atlantic University and the State University System are short-sighted and will have long-term detrimental effects to both higher education and the economy. Florida Atlantic University has an estimated economic impact of $4 billion annually in its six-county service region. Economists estimated that the universities and related businesses are responsible directly and indirectly for about 771,000 jobs in the state, or 7.9 percent of the state's work force. 1. Cutting FAU's budget will hurt not only the students, faculty and staff directly, but also the community at large..."Florida Atlantic University has an estimated economic impact of $4 billion annually in its six-county service region, according to a recently released sponsored project report to the Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida. The study was led by Alan W. Hodges, Ph.D., at the University of Florida, and Julie Harrington, Ph.D., at Florida State University. To put it into perspective, the $4 billion economic impact is the equivalent impact of 10 Super Bowls, 15 Oasis of the Seas cruises or seven Fort Lauderdale boat shows. The report also states that FAU has had a positive direct or indirect impact on 59,000 full-time and part-time jobs across the service region. According to the study, present value over a 30-year period of a bachelor’s degree from a state university in Florida is $550,000, while a graduate degree is worth $1.87 million." In terms of percentage of gross national product, the economic impact resulting from an SUS-earned degree is comparable to the economic impact of all defense spending in Florida — 7.25 percent and 7.5 percent, respectively," Harrington said.” “The study found that the 11 public universities had a nearly $52 billion value-added economic impact on the state's economy during the 2009-2010 fiscal year, which ended in June 2010. That represents a little more than 7.25 percent of the state's total economic activity and includes regional multiplier effects produced by government and household spending by those who work for, attend or conduct business related to the State University System. The economists estimated that the universities and related businesses are responsible directly and indirectly for about 771,000 jobs in the state, or 7.9 percent of the state's work force. The study did not include spending on college sports events, nor did it include spending by university technology "spinoff" companies.” Since 2008, state spending on education has dropped by 24 percent. 2. Budget cuts to FAU and the State University System will affect the long-term development of industries and jobs and the earning potential of Florida's residents for years to come. If well-educated workers are unavailable companies won't be attracted to Florida. If Florida doesn't have well-paying jobs the individual earning power of Florida residents will be affected. This in turn will affect their spending power and Florida’s overall economy. “A new economic study suggests that having a degree from one of Florida's 11 state universities can be a financial lifesaver — equivalent to more than $1 million in a worker's lifetime earnings. Using data from the state's Department of Education, the study found these average annual earnings for Florida high school and university graduates in fiscal year 2009-2010 who were employed in Florida that year: those with a high school diploma, $20,924; those with a bachelor's degree, $36,520; those with a master's degree, $58,698; those with a doctorate, $66,743, and professionals, such as physicians or attorneys, $70,716. The salary gap between college degree holders and those with high school diplomas was not unexpected, but the results were substantive nonetheless, Harrington said. The Board of Governors of the State University System (SUS) requested the economic study to update earlier figures, said Julie Harrington, director of Florida State University's Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis. The team included economists from FSU and the University of Florida.” Sources: http://www.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/economic-impact-analysis/pdf/SUS-of-Florida-FY-2009-10.pdf https://fauf.fau.edu/wordpress/?p=3648 http://www.fsu.edu/news/2012/02/14/bog.study/ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/us/florida-set-for-new-cut-in-spending-on-colleges.html?_r=1&hp http://www.fau.edu/mediarelations/releases0212/021222.php

Currently, Medicare pays for routine eye exams, but does not pay for glasses, especially not bifoals or trifocals, unless a senior has had glaucoma surgery (which it does cover). Medicare does not cover routine hearing exams or hearing aids of any type, despite the fact that most seniors need these. Medicare will not cover routine dental checkups, cleanings or pay for fillings, and will never pay for dentures, although a large proportion of seniors need dentures. Why are these parts of the body not included in our Medicare coverage? Seniors have problems with their eyes, ears, teeth, that need to be taken care of. Medicare should include all health-related issues, not ignore some for unknown reasons.

end special treatment for politicians

U.S. Trademarks and Patents are impossible to obtain without thousands of dollars. President Obama has spoken about the importance of U.S. inventions being made in the U.S. The President and the U.S. Congress members are capable of making the application process easier and prices lowered for average Americans.

This is about a law already on the books. About cars and talking on texting. Right now the Commerical Trucking businesses get hit with higher fees because its a commerical trucking business. I do not think that this is fair. Everyone should pay the same thing when it comes down to a violation in a truck or a car.

The Obama administration has broken its word. When Obama was running for office, he promised he would leave the question of the use of medical marijuana to state law. In December the DOJ began raiding marijuana growers and dispenseries in California. Now the effort is spreading, next is Colorado, which makes $2.3 billion in taxes for the state from the sale of medMJ. Despite what the DOJ claims most MedMJ is for treatment og chronic pain