On Saturday February 11th, Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina declared that, following discussions with Colombian President Santos, he will present a proposal for drug legalization in Central America at the April 14-15 Summit of the Americas. Guatemalan Vice-President Roxana Baldetti will begin a tour of Central America to discuss the proposal with regional leaders and garner support for it, starting with Panama, Costa Rica and Salvador on February 29th. Unsurprisingly, the move was greeted by a quick rebuke from the US government. President Molina’s initiative is unprecedented and marks the first time since the launching of the War on Drugs by Richard Nixon in 1971 that a foreign head of state actively challenges the US-led policies of drug prohibition and try to build a coalition against it. A former general of the Guatemalan army, President Molina has impeccable credentials to launch such a move: he was elected in November 2011 on a law-and-order platform, pledging to restore security to the country. Guatemala is on the major transit route from Colombia to the US and drug violence has exploded there over the past few years, turning this already impoverished and unstable country into one of the most dangerous countries in the world. We all need to show our support to President Molina and his potential Latin American allies. We also need to put pressure on the Obama administration to ensure that it doesn’t stall Molina’s proposal, and that it allows a truthful debate to take place at the April 14-15 Summit of the Americas and beyond.

The New Jersey Division of Investment should force disclosure through shareholder advocacy on behalf of the citizens of New Jersey. The division, which votes the shares held by nearly $70 billion in state pension funds for the state’s middle class should adopt a policy supporting transparency in political spending of the corporations it invests in This is a necessary response to the US Supreme Court Citizens United Decision utilized by the 1%.

Raising the minimum wage for servers and bartenders from $3.63 an hour to that of the regular minimum wage.

Kentucky Senators voted down a bill which would enable their constituents to decide whether or not gambling casinos would be allowed within the Commonwealth.

The Nebraska legislature is set to debate a voter ID bill today. We know that the bill, LB 239, makes it harder for Nebraskans to vote while racking up costs to fix a problem we don't have. Our state senators need to know Nebraskans do not support costly bills that make it harder for us to vote. Counties estimate they could spend $200,000-$600,000 more per election just to implement voter ID. About 10% of Nebraskans do not have photo ID. We all know grandparents who no longer drive or folks who use public transportation that simply do not have a government-issued photo ID. LB 239, the voter ID bill, will be up for a debate today or tomorrow. We need to let state senators know before they vote on advancing the bill that Nebraskans will not accept our constitutional right to vote being taken away.

Legalizing same sex marriages or Civil Unions.

A commercial waste composting operation is proposing to locate on Archibald Ave, between Edison and Chino Ave. This means; PROPERTY VALUES WILL DROP from Bio Aerosols, unsightly truck traffic, odors, flies and dust will have an adverse effect on land values.

Congress has not taken the action necessary to extend the Biodiesel Tax Incentive Reform legislation (US Senate Bill 1277). Biodiesel customers will experience a minimum increase of $0.50 per gallon. This credit supports energy independence, a sustainable future, and American jobs!

Floridians are required by law to purchase car insurance with personal injury protection (PIP) to cover medical expenses in the event of an accident. House Bill 119 (HB 119), sponsored by Rep. Jim Boyd and supported by Gov. Rick Scott, seeks to "reform" PIP insurance and will limit consumers’ right to choose their doctors. HB 119 requires every person injured in a car accident to be seen by ER physicians within 72 hours of their accident and eliminates access to conservative, drug-free, cost-effective treatment by chiropractic physicians, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. Despite strong objections by the provider community, attorneys and consumer groups, HB 119 has passed every House sub-committee on PIP/No-Fault reform on a straight party-line vote. In addition to overwhelming already overburdened emergency rooms, injured parties will suffer with limited treatment options, increased pain medication use, high medical bills from ER visits, and difficulty finding legal representation for those with permanent injuries. We're calling on Governor Rick Scott (a former hospital executive), Rep. Boyd (an insurance agent by profession), and the members of the Florida State Legislature to stand-up for consumers rights and VOTE NO on HOUSE BILL 119 or any piece of legislation limiting consumers rights to equal access among health care providers.

The Mifflin County School Board is proposing to subcontract the school district's 40 custodians. They want to allow a private-for profit corporation to take over the work. This would mean tax dollars leaving the county, and current employees being fired. The for-profit company will make money by hiring workers at lower wages and lower benefits. In the end, subcontracting often ends up costing districts more money in the end.

Taxing seniors who can least afford a tax increase and who are already in the retirement pipeline making ends meet with a fixed income is unconscionable. This decision should have been taken to voters instead of being decided by legislators intent on giving wealthy business owners an 86% tax cut.

Governor McDonnell has proposed $10 million in fee increases for the Department of Motor Vehicles and now he proposes a tax on Virginia residents in the form of tolls. This toll tax will increase economical profits for Government and Corporate gain, while the citizens of the Southeastern Region of Virginia pay the cost of expense.