According to a recent Oxfam report, the world's richest 400 people have as much wealth as half the world's population! The top 1% in US holds 35% of all wealth, with the top 10% controlling over 80%. Meanwhile, in this "land of opportunity," social mobility is declining and lower than almost any other developed nation. The president's modest proposals, to raise the minimum wage and revise overtime rules, are positive and should be supported, but they will NOT impact the underlying structure of the problem. To do so, the US should: 1. Enact a progressive wealth tax, beginning on fortunes above $5 million. 2. Impose a small financial transactions tax on stock trades. 3. Use the revenue to create a public jobs and training program for all who want/need it, to... 4. Establish the "universal social plan": all who want a job can find one and earn a modest living of basic human dignity. This replaces welfare with work and would have a salutatory impact on the economic and spiritual health of the nation. It's a long shot, but only radical surgery can save this patient!

Congressional Reform Act of 2012 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office. 2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

Currently we are in debt as a nation and common sense efforts need to be made to reduce the deficit. The US Government has the Consumer Price Index in place to determine inflation rates and this same formula needs to be utilized for ALL Federal wage earners to include the military and all military allowances. In the past Federal wage earner's Cost of Living increases have been tied to nothing and while Social Security receiptants have received 1% Cost of Living increases Federal wage earners, at the same time, received anywhere from 3% to 5%. As the result of this past policy, it has been identified Federal wage earners are substantially overpaid compared to their private sector counterparts. This insanity MUST stop now. Demand our legislators lead by example versus leading by exclusion and immediately enact a law that is applied fairly for all receiving Federal dollars. This law once enacted will make our law makers less likely to use smoke and mirrors to cut Social Security and at the same time will reduce the deficit.

Congressional Reform Act of 2012 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office. 2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women.

We the undersigned petition the US Senate, US Congress and the President of the United States to enact legislation that makes ALL veterans have equal presumption of exposure to Dioxins while in the service of the United States at any location or unit. We feel that ALL veterans MUST be treated equally with respect to Dioxin exposure by the US government and Department of Veterans Affairs. NOTE: Veterans must also still prove they have a recognized condition that maybe caused by Dioxin exposure during or after service to get DVA benefits. Currently only veterans of the Vietnam Conflict are afforded this in a limited presumption, “Boots on Ground” legislation, if they were in the Republic of Vietnam (Served in the Republic of Vietnam between 1/9/62 and 5/7/75) per the Department of Veterans Affairs. In fact any current end date for any location would be invalid as Dioxins stay active for much longer than the time since the 1962 admitted RVN Agent Orange / Dioxin start date, current end date is the end date for RVN service, per the DVA.

Children's Hospital Center is contracting with Douglas Development Corporation to build a parking garage directly behind Comcast near the Brookland Metro Station in Washington, DC's Ward 5. This project will bring thousands of additional cars and shuttle buses to our already congested residential neighborhood. More cars will mean increased traffic, increased pollution and will threaten pedestrian safety. The garage will operate 24 hours a day and is slated to provide parking for Children’s Hospital employees as well as “pay to park” hourly spots. It is estimated that this garage will add up to 3,000 additional cars and shuttle buses per day – snarling traffic, spewing pollution and threatening pedestrian safety in our residential neighborhood. The garage will be for Children’s Hospital Corporation not Brookland residents. Advisory Neighborhood Association members in the area closest to the proposed garage voted unanimously to oppose the garage. If you are concerned about this project and are worried about increased traffic, air pollution and community safety please join us in asking Children’s Hospital to pull out of the deal and DUMP THE GARAGE CONTRACT!

Congressional Reform Act of 2012 1) No Tenure / No Pension 2) A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they're out of office 3). Congress (past, present & future) participate in Social Security. 4). All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Securitysystem immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. Social security funds cannot be used for any other purpose. 5) Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 6) Congress will no longer vote them selves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%, 7). Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people, 8). Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people, 9). All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women, and with anyone which presents a potential conflict of interest, are void effective January 01, 2014.

Congressional Reform Act/Constitutional Amendment 1) No tenure/No Pension...Any elected representative to Congress, and President receives a salary only while in office. No salary or pension after they leave office. 2) All Congressmen and Presidents, past, present and future will participate in Social Security. The money in the Congressional Retirement fund moves to Social Security immedeately. 3) Congress and Presidents can purchase their own retirement plans as do other Americans. 4) Congress can no longer vote themselves a a pay raise. Congressional pay will raise by the CPI or 3% which is ever lower. The presidents salary can only be raised by congress not to exceed the CPI or 3%. 5) Abolish the Congression Health Care System, and participate in the same system that all Americans have. 6) Congress must abide by all the laws that they impose on all Americans. 7) All contracts with past and present congressmen are void immedeately. 8) No person may serve more than 12 consecutive years in any congressional position House and Senate combined.

Congression Reform Act/Constitutional Amendment 1) No tenure/No Pension...Any elected representative to Congress, and President receives a salary only while in office. No salary or pension after they leave office. 2) All Congressmen and Presidents, past, present and future will participate in Social Security. The money in the Congressional Retirement fund moves to Social Security immedeately. 3) Congress and Presidents can purchase their own retirement plans as do other Americans. 4) Congress can no longer vote themselves a a pay raise. Congressional pay will raise by the CPI or 3% which is ever lower. The presidents salary can only be raised by congress not to exceed the CPI or 3%. 5) Abolish the Congression Health Care System, and participate in the same system that all Americans have. 6) Congress must abide by all the laws that they impose on all Americans. 7) All contracts with past and present congressmen are void immedeately. 8) No person may serve more than 12 consecutive years in any congressional position House and Senate combined.

1) Require manufacturers and/or bottlers to offer a redemption value on bottles and plastic. Placing a recycle value as was done with glass bottles and aluminum cans created a business that made recycling a profitable enterprise. This could be legislated at the state and/or national level with tax incentives to compensate the companies for their conservation efforts. Such programs in place in other countries and works quite well. 2) Issue more tickets and enforce fines for littering. 3) Continue to educate about the importance of separating paper and plastic and recycling on the environment. 4) Encourage separation of paper and plastic and recycling by placing trash containers that are clearly labeled "paper", "plastic" and "aluminum" locally around your town. The town could derive financial benefit from accumulating and reselling such recycled materials. 5) Petition state and national governments to implement legislation that would require all industries to replace non-biodegradable packaging materials for bio-degradable ones, and offer tax-saving incentives to do so. If anyone can think of any other ideas, please let me know. Fred Pulver