Please sign this petition if you support raising the debt ceiling immediately and protecting important social programs such as Social Security and Medicare.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has a long history of using faith as a political weapon. Now Gov. Perry has asked a hate group, the American Family Association, to organize a Christians-only event on August 6 in Houston that will sharpen divisions among Americans along religious and political lines. Other organizers of the event, "The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis," have a history of anti-Catholic rhetoric and other religious bigotry. One is so extreme that he has called the Statue of Liberty a “demonic idol.” Sign on to an open letter from the Texas Freedom Network urging Gov. Perry to stop using faith to divide Americans.

The Supreme Court (Citizens United decision) says that Corporations have the same rights as individual Citizens. Okay. Then individual Citizens should have the same rights as Corporations. RIght? We should be able to file bankruptcy and keep our property like they do !!!

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. The Centers for Disease Control have stated: "Schools may have an ethical obligation to act in response to the precipitous increase in the incidence of obesity among children. Because children are required to spend half their waking hours in school and because they consume a substantial portion of their daily food there, school is a logical focus for efforts to encourage healthy dietary behaviors to prevent obesity and its consequent individual and collective costs...Opponents of school food regulation argue that people have the right to choose the foods they eat. However, we structure and regulate many student activities in the school setting and do not consider doing so an abridgment of children’s rights....For example, parents would rarely serve candy alongside vegetables on the dinner table and expect their children to choose the vegetables instead of the candy. Similarly, school authorities are responsible for offering foods from which the child can select but limiting choices to those that provide nutritional benefit rather than harm." For these reasons as parents we feel that highly processed snack food/junk food/competitive foods/candy such as Doritos, Cheetos, Pop-Tarts, etc. should not be sold on school campuses (cafeterias, vending machines, student stores, etc). More freshly cut fruits and vegetables, and less processed snacks that do not contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, artificial flavors, trans fat (trans fatty acid) and preferably contain less than 4 grams of added sugar per serving should be offered instead. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. Right now CVUSD middle and high school students do NOT have access to a salad/produce bar during lunch. For this reason as parents we feel that each Conejo Valley USD school cafeterias (elementary, middle and high school) should have a salad bar/produce bar available for students to choose fresh vegetables and fruits. This bar is to be replenished throughout the lunch period so every student eating at the cafeteria has the ability and option of choosing a fresh fruit or vegetable daily. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As long as we continue our system of allowing the very rich and corporations to rule by donating to our representatives, obviously, it will be they who rule our country. That is, in my opinion, the reason for the mess we are having now! If we have serious campaign finance reform, allowing anyone running for political office to have equal chances with public financing, we will have a very different political outlook!

Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison and was fined $10,000 for bidding on oil and gas drilling leases in an attempt to protect public lands. In the eyes of the American people, Mr. DeChristopher has done nothing wrong. His dissent stems from something greater than ourselves, our ability to sustain all forms of life on this planet.

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. The American Heart Association (AHA) has stated that "over the last decade, at least 6,000 excess deaths from any cause and 21,000 life-years lost can be attributed to the increase in sugar-sweetened drinks" and "Sugar-sweetened soda, sport and fruit drinks (not 100 percent fruit juice) contain equivalent calories, ranging from 120 to 200 per drink, and thus play a role in the nation’s rising tide of obesity" (AHA March 5, 2010). The sugar in these drinks often exceeds the AHA daily allowance of sugar for children and young adults. We would like more water and fruit juices without added sugar to be offered instead. For these reasons we are asking that the CVUSD Health & Wellness Policy state that all drinks including electrolyte replacement beverages (ERB’s) with added sugar, artificial colors and flavorings (Gatorade, Powerade, Nesliquick, sodas, etc) be removed from all school cafeterias, vending machines, and student stores. Sport drinks/ERB’s should only be offered to athletes at sporting events in conjunction with water. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently flavored milk (chocolate) is being served to school children at breakfast and lunch. Chocolate milk has 56% more calories; 108% more sugar (4 tsp); 11% less protein, 50% more salt and 25% less Vit C than unflavored milk. Due to the fact that 1 in 4 children are obese, and 2 out of 3 adults are obese we feel that kids should enjoy the benefits of milk without the sugar and additives of flavored milk. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to state that no flavored milk (chocolate or otherwise) will be offered or served on school campuses. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently ‘birthday celebrations’ are being held on school grounds during recess, before/after school, that involve food (cake, cupcakes, doughnuts, candy, etc). This food/candy is given to kids WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems in class, not eating lunch, etc. We know that parents want their kids to feel special on their birthdays, but we want these celebrations to not involve food or beverages; instead read a favorite book, give out pencils, share something special, wear a birthday hat, etc. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given for birthday celebrations on school campus. School should be about education; let’s leave the birthday celebrations involving food off school campus. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. Currently candy is being given out by some teachers, principals, school nurses, after school activity leaders, etc. to our children for testing, good behavior, ‘boo boos, etc. This candy is given WITHOUT parent permission. This is an issue due to allergies (8% of kids), obesity (1 in 4 kids), cavities, special needs children, behavior problems, and the basic idea that you are giving or withholding food to reward kids. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to include that no food or beverage shall be given as a reward for student accomplishments or withheld as punishment on school campus. Let’s find other ways to reward kids that doesn’t involve candy or food! Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html

As concerned parents of the Conejo Valley Unified School District, we are writing to enlist your support in cultivating a healthier environment for our children. One in four children in the US is obese, and two of every three adults in the US are obese. Obesity is the leading cause of death in America after smoking. Unless measures are taken to reduce obesity, the youth of today may live shorter lives than their parents. For this reason as parents we feel that nutrition education should be a major concern to schools as they are our nation's primary institutions of education. Schools help teach children how to read, write and become problem solvers. As parents we believe schools can also help educate children (and parents) about eating right and keeping their bodies healthy. We want the Health and Wellness Policy for Conejo Valley USD to require that nutrition education be included as part of the curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students. Please see the other petitions involving healthy changes for CVUSD: http://www.parentsforhealthyschoollunch.com/sign_the_petitions_.html