Our nation's public school funding, structure, and methods are stuck in 19th Century economics. If we are to compete economically as a nation, we must convert to a science-focused system and curriculum NOW. This is eloquently elaborated by Dr. Michio Kaku in a 4 minute video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xke_ddc2C8s

This petition will force legislators and lawmakers to know what the basic civil rights of each individual are. This is a good idea because it will eliminate ignorant or uneducated candidates from the election process, leaving voters with intelligent and ethical politicians.

It's time to begin imagining ways to live more peaceably on the planet. Fund the schools instead of the wars. Teach non-violence as a way to stop funding the jail system. Teach respect for life for the already born. Pass laws that better protect women and children. Deadline? November 25, International Day to End Violence Against Women.

and in all levels of government. The E-CON -my is going to tank!

In recent decades business has chipped away at worker's rights. Among these are the 8-hour day and the 40-hour work week. Restrictions on how much overtime a person may work will cause businesses to hire once again. Eliminating overtime will not only generate jobs, it will restore work/life balance that has been whittled away, bit-by-bit, over recent years.

All people are equal in our constitution. Our country is sectoral and therefore not governed by a single faith or religion. Religion must never be used as a basis for denying rights for a chosen minority.

Republicans refuse to raise the debt ceiling unless Obama makes large spending cuts, while opposing any tax increase whatsoever. If we hit the debt ceiling, the government will have to stop paying the spending currently financed by borrowing. Will it stop sending out Social Security checks? Stop paying doctors and hospitals that treat Medicare patients, or the contractors supplying fuel and munitions to our military, or the interest on the national debt? The President must stand up to this "taking America hostage;” he must defend the Constitution and not give control of government to a party with a majority only in the House. outcome about. In effect, they will have ripped up the Constitution and given control over America’s government to a party that only controls one house of Congress, but claims to be willing to bring down the economy unless it gets what it wants.

Despite a $600 million surplus in the state's School Aid Fund, Republicans have voted to decrease funding to K-12 by a total of over $700 per pupil to pay for an 86% tax break to businesses. It is an indirect assault on the Teachers' Union and other public employee unions done in the most cynical way -- by making children pay.

Washington State's proposed budget will slash 1.6 to 1.8 billion dollars from education. Schools will close, classes will get larger, programs will be cut, teachers will lose their jobs, recruiting high quality teachers will be even more difficult, and students will not receive the education they need to compete in today's market place. As schools and education deteriorates, our communities will as well. There are no plans to restore these cuts once they are in place. Washington students will suffer for years. We are denying our children their future, and our communities will suffer even more.

Call on Congress to invest in America by getting our Federal and local governments to purchase goods made in USA! No more American flag lapel pins, worn by Congress, made in China! For things that are not made in America, we need to invest in what is necessary to make them. Incentivize companies to manufacture goods and hire employees right here in America. It creates millions of jobs. It invests in education. It makes our tax dollars work for us and keeps our tax dollars circulating in our own economy. Every tax dollar our government spends on products should be invested in purchasing goods made by workers right here in America!

Today, Democratic Senator Herb Kohl announced that he is retiring from the United States Senate after 24 years as a Senator from Wisconsin. Former Senator Russ Feingold is a natural to step up and run for Senator Kohl's seat. He is an experience Progressive Champion having served for 18 years in the United States Senate and is respected by members from both major parties. During this time of strife and party division, he is needed now more than ever. Please sign the petition to urge Senator Feingold to run for Wisconsin's open seat for the United States Senate in 2012.

The Young Progressives, a University of Wisconsin-Madison political organization, is calling on fellow Wisconsinites to reelect Russ Feingold back into Senate for 2012.