Joliet is the largest, most diverse community in Rep. Kinzinger's district. He has recently taken positions which strongly impact Joliet citizens, yet has not held a town hall there for six months. We call on him to announce one soon, giving at least five days public notice.

It is time that each individual vote actually counted. One person, one vote - a true democracy. The electoral college stands in the way of this idea. It was designed to protect the rich & powerful interests in government.

Goal is to make this the law of the land... 5 violations - need to resign from your post if you are in the public sector. You may correct an untruth within 24 hrs. Need to state the correction in the same public forum.

What's happening in Madison is unlike anything I've seen in my career in politics. Scott Walker and his allies embrace the cruel, selfish philosophy of Ayn Rand that is devoid of any social responsibility. At a time when we need our leaders to work together to solve our serious problems, Walker and his allies have pushed an extreme agenda that slashes millions from education, makes it harder for seniors, students and minorities to vote, and strips away collective bargaining rights from thousands of workers -- all while handing massive tax breaks to corporate special interests.

SB 1151 would establish a three member board to carry out the mandates of the Act 47 plan in Harrisburg, if City Council did not approve the plan. The board would have the ability to sell the city's assets, overrule arbitrator rulings and not allow the city the option of Chapter9 bankruptcy. This would usurp the ability of Harrisburg City Officials to govern their city and the voters wishes when they elected them.

There are 23 old Mark 1 GE Boiling Water Nuclear Reactors in the US, all around 40 years old. A recent Associated Press investigation shows the Nuclear Regulatory Commission relaxes safety standards to allow companies to push these old reactors beyond their life spans even though they are uncontrollably leaking radioactive material into the soil and have proven design flaws like their sister reactors in Fukishima.

Congress needs an overhaul to eliminate the current votes for sale attitude in congress. the proposed amendment to the constitution will change how congress doesw the public's business

We all know a hard days work should pay a decent wage but 300,000 Maryland workers currently earn $7.25/hour - the lowest POSSIBLE minimum wage in the U.S - not enough for a family to survive on. Putting more money into the hands of those who need it most and will spend it quickly on goods and services will create jobs and help rebuild the middle class and our economy. Please sign this petition to call on the Maryland General Assembly to raise the minimum wage to $10/hour over 3 years. Then please forward it to others, learn more, and get involved at RaiseMaryland.org.

Background: According to a 2008 study by the PEW Center on the States, an estimated 2.3 million adults are currently incarcerated in America. If people on parole and/or probation are included, the total number in the criminal justice system nationwide more than triples – to approximately 7.2 million. In addition, an estimated thirty million people in the U.S. have felony convictions. Seventeen million people have served time in jails and prisons; and three million are expected be released from prison over the next five years. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office 2008-2009 data, the average cost to incarcerate an inmate in a California prison is approximately $47,000 per year. Nationally, the unemployment rate among formerly-incarcerated people is estimated to be 65% to 70%. The number of women in prison grew by 832% from 1977 to 2007 •Two thirds of women in prison are there for non-violent offenses, many for drug-related crimes •Women of color are disproportionately represented in prison •There are more mothers in prison than ever before •Nearly two-thirds of women in prison are mothers •Seventy-seven percent of mothers in prison reported providing most of the daily care for their child(ren) -Children of incarcerated parents are more likely to drop out of school, engage in delinquency, and subsequently be incarcerated themselves. Issue: As social workers, we recognize that employment is critical for formerly-incarcerated people to achieve successful reentry. However, almost every job application in the United States asks the question, “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” Although they may be qualified for the position, those with prior convictions find difficulty in obtaining those employment positions due to employers unwillingness in allowing them to continue through the hiring process once they disclose their criminal history. In California, more than two-thirds of its state parolees are returned to prison within three years of being released; in addition, 39% of these re-incarceration rates are not due to new crimes committed, but have resulted due to technicalities in their parole violations. Denying former prisoners a chance at gainful employment denies them a second chance to become self-reliant members of society. Every ex-offender who finds gainful employment and successful reintegration into the community is one less recidivist depleting criminal justice and corrections resources. Ban the Box is a grass roots campaign initiated and led by formerly-incarcerated persons. Its aim is to remove questions about past criminal convictions on public employment applications. This will allow applicants with prior convictions the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and experience alongside other applicants. Increasing the employment opportunities for ex-offenders will result in reduced rates of recidivism from prisons by 50%, reduced taxpayer’s spending on prisons; an increase of self-sufficient workers, stronger families due to ability to provide financial, cognitive, and emotional support for children, and a society which encourages rehabilitation. Over the past year, major U.S. cities including Boston, Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis, and San Francisco, have adopted model hiring reforms that promote employment of people with criminal records while protecting the integrity of their City hiring process. Describing the significance of the Chicago initiative, Mayor Richard Daley put it best when he said, “Implementing the new policy won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do . . . We cannot ask private employers to consider hiring former prisoners unless the City practices what it preaches.” Key points to the initiative Banning the box will not affect jobs where a BCI (Bureau of Criminal Investigation) check is mandated by law, such as working with children, disabled, and elderly (also exempts sensitive positions, where cause is shown); Banning the box will allow for a BCI check upon a conditional offer employment. Banning the box will not adversely affect employers. Banning the box increases the pool of qualified workers from which to choose. Many employers have found that people with past criminal records are excellent employees, with useful job skills and good work habits. Banning the box will not stop employers from conducting background checks, or from considering job-related convictions for a specific position. If a position requires a background check, the record can be reviewed after an initial offer of employment is made.

The only acceptable timeline for bringing our troops home is the fastest responsible withdrawal possible. The danger for the United States is not a military defeat; it is a slow bleeding of our economic vitality at a time when we can least afford it. While billions of taxpayer dollars are spent on this war, America's cities - from New York to Omaha - are facing profound economic crisis. Don't wait, end this war today.

We believe there should be a Global day that honors and highlights the impact of the Beatles on the world- musically, culturally, and consciously. Signing the petition will call attention to the movement, so that Global Beatles Day becomes a recognized day celebrated throughout the world. we have chosen to deliver the petition on Feb 9th, 2013. Please keep sharing with your friends and family!

Our country's 'war on drugs' has been a miserable failure. Every year we spend billions of taxpayer dollars prosecuting people guilty of victim-less non-violent drug crimes, and every year the prevalence of drugs in our society only increases. Mexican drug cartels grip our border with violence that comes from the marketability of their illegal drug trade. Today, this Thursday, June 23rd, 2011, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) will introduce legislation to end the federal ban on marijuana. Sign this petition to show your support for the end of the federal ban on marijuana.