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Paying for it once is enough!Urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to reject Congress’s request to charge fees for access to their data. Congress cites soaring costs for the data collection as the motivation for this request. This is a red herring. Most of the would-be purchasers of the data are other government agencies. As such, charging for access to NOAA’s data would be little more than robbing Peter to pay Paul. It would, however, stifle America’s tradition of free and open access to information generated with public funds. It would suppress the creativity of academics working with little or no funding. It would push the United States further along the path toward becoming a full-fledged pay-as-you-go, ownership society. Urge NOAA to reject Congress’s attempt to turn the United States into a plutocracy. NOAA is funded by tax-payer’s dollars and tax payers should have access to the data it generates. So please join me in urging NOAA to reject Congress’s request.39 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Daniel M. Cadzow
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Gov. Corbett Must ResignThomas W. Corbett, while he was Attorney General of Pennsylvania and later as Governor, has allowed politics to supersede sound judgment in the child abuse scandal at Penn State. While Attorney General, he delayed making an arrest for years despite having eyewitness testimony of child rape. As Governor he gave millions of dollars to Second Mile despite his knowledge that they were at the center of the child rape scandal. At best, Corbett has used poor judgment. At worst, Corbett allowed politics to trump protecting children and prosecuting criminal actions. It is time for Corbett to resign.2,475 of 3,000 SignaturesCreated by William Morris
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Student Loans in Default: Billing on InterestsThis petition is about student loans that go into default. As a divorced mother of three who has lost her job, home and car during the economic crisis over the past few years, sadly my student loans went into default. Not having a home makes it difficult to be stable, as you have no center to work from. Making matters worse, loss of job is loss of income, loss of income means loss of car, and other basics. The current gov't attitude towards loans in default is to garnish your income based on a percentage of the interest accrued on your loans. This means, if you have 56,000 dollars in student loans and your interest rate has become a 16,000 dollar amount, that your payment to take your loans out of default will be over 400 dollars. Finally, after four years of absolute chaos, I have managed to secure a permanent address, and a foot in the door as an adjunct professor at a local college (with help from my partner for basic needs acquisition making it possible to dress appropriately, get to work, and daily living). Now, the income for an adjunct is $1565 per semester, a semester being 15 weeks. New adjuncts usually get one class. I got one class to teach. This is my first employment since being transitional or dislocated. After the loans went into default, collection calls began. In order to get my loans out of default, on the percentage of interest is a monthly payment that exceeds my monthly income. There is no "plan" offered to me otherwise. After speaking to the credit collection company twice, at length on my situation, they claim there is no other option to begin repayment. With a Masters degree & a half of second Masters degree, one would think me to be highly employable. However, in the current climate, no one wants or probably can afford, to pay me what I would need to in order to begin loan repayment on all my student loans. My county is on a highering freeze, and places are highering less educated people a whole lot cheaper. Even if they cannot do the same job that a qualified person with the proper education can. Student loans even if having gone into default, should not be able to make repayment plans that exceed your income through a collection company or not. Income-based repayment plans should be available even if loans have gone into default. How else will anyone ever be able to live and work & repay? The current practice means that I would have to work teaching, for absolutely no bring home monies after each paycheck. In fact, the only repayment option available makes it so that I would have no income after, and the fact is I still wouldn't make enough to pay the proposed amount. Making matters worse, the credit collection place calls the college that highered me, even though they have my direct number to harass me to call them repeatedly (not only making me look derelict, but illuding that I have not spoke to them specifically on this matter when I have). Furthermore, if the secretary and the college has repeated calls for an adjunct who has only taught one class, who has no office, and no promise for a second semester teaching yet, how does that look to them as an employer?!) I have specifically told them of my circumstance, and been told by atleast four different people, that for me there is no other options available, and when I asked them not to call the college because they are going to make the college not want to higher me back, they would not just use my home number. Please help me to stop these companies from being able to harass, and garnish wages at a rate exceeding income when student loans go into default in an economic climate such as this! No agency, collection company, organization, or guarantor should be able or capable of garnishing 100% of an income! Slavery is not a viable response to this economic crisis & employment crisis! Please help me to stop this from happening!16 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Danielle Cranmer
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Pass A conceal & carry law in illinoisCrimes are getting worst, more people getting robbed & killed. We should be able to protect ourselfs from the criminals out there.862 of 1,000 SignaturesCreated by Josh Salser
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Stop the meager settlement with the BankstersThe Administration is intent on settling with the mortgage servicers who stole trillions of dollars from us for less than 25 billion dollars!55 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Jeffrey L. Kravat
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Stop The Penguins of Madagascar from Being CancelledAfter the 3rd season of The Penguins of Madagascar, the show is about to be cancelled. In October 2009, it was Nick's #2 show, airing several times a day. However, starting in Spring 2010, the airing went down, until late 2010, when it airs around once a week. The motive for this is unknown. We would like to earn The Penguins of Madagascar a 4th season and a larger and better time slot. That way, we could remind Nick that there are several people who would watch The Penguins of Madagascar if aired more, as well as make it easier for fans to watch The Penguins of Madagascar. Also, I'm not sure if anyone is signing the petition multiple times, but it invalidates the petition. In order to make the petition as legitimate and believable as possible, EVERY INDIVIDUAL SHOULD ONLY SIGN ONCE.8,111 of 9,000 SignaturesCreated by quasombroso
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Indefinite Detention of Citizens without due process.President Obama signed a defense spending bill that provides for indefinite military detention of anyone suspected of terrorism, including American citizens.1 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Dozier Hunter
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Saving American Democracy petitionEnd corporate personhood1 of 100 SignaturesCreated by gerald berke
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Support Michigan House Bill 5000HB 5000 proposes to establish a commission to study the governance structure of state universities in Michigan. The bill will not change any law or the constitution but will simply gather information on various governance models from other states and what problems the current governance system may be fostering. Current governing boards for UM, MSU and WSU are elected but nominations occur at party conventions without primaries. Thus, boards are often filled by political favors and special interests. When combined with the autonomy granted by the State constitution this is a recipe for state universities to become unresponsive to the needs of the citizens of Michigan. A study of the problems and alternatives of the current governing model is called for.16 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Douglas Smith
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Stop Sign InstallationWe, the residents of Garrison Avenue, would appreciate an installation of a stop sign at the intersection of Garrison Avenue and Bond Street and a speed bump. We feel as though this action is crucial as we are concerned with the safety if our children and the motorists who consistently speed through the neighborhood.1 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Alexis Domenech
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Say "NO" to APS......Do Not Close Beecher Hills Elementary SchoolBeecher Hills Elementary School is listed to be closed based on a demographic study initiated by APS school board. Beecher Hills is a historically high performing school, meeting AYP consecutively, and is due to meet AYP this year. BH is an authorized International Baccalaureate school, one of two in the South side of Atlanta. As an IB school, Beecher Hills follows a rigorous set of standards and practices that ensures that all including Administrative, Teachers, and Parents must meet.355 of 400 SignaturesCreated by Melody Cook-Blount
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Stop sending our technology and jobs to ChinaThere are more than150,000 Chinese students enrolled in American Universities. More than 80% are graduate students and most of them have their tuition and living expenses paid for by federal taxpayer funded grants. These students are learning economic and military technologies that they take back to China and set up businesses to compete with American businesses and to modernize their military. American professors have gone to China to lecture on anti-satellite weapons, cruise missile guidance systems, ballistic missile nose cone technology and many other military and dual use technologies. If we stop subsidizing these students through taxpayer funded grants we will create more of an incentive to recruit American graduate students in engineering and science.33 of 100 SignaturesCreated by Douglas Smith