This is a call for Governor Rick Perry to allow the working poor in the great state of Texas access to Medicaid as provided by the Affordable Care Act. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, for every 172 new enrollees in Medicaid, there is one less death. Therefore by refusing to allow Texans access to the Medicaid expansion, one can plausibly lay nearly an additional 6,000 Texans deaths per year, directly at the feet of Gov. Perry. This Christmas, please honor your Christian faith Governor Perry and accept the Medicaid expansion offered by the Affordable Care Act. You will be preventing the needless deaths of 6,000 people over the next 12 months. Texas Christians are praying for you to do the right thing.

In light of tragic accidents resulting from children involved with toy representations of deadly weapons, including the recent tragedy in Santa Rosa, Calif., where 12-year-old Andy Lopez was killed by police while carrying a realistic replica of an AK-47 assault rifle, we petition the Consumer Product Safety Commission and Congress to immediately initiate a recall of all "toys" that realistically resemble dangerous weapons. We also petition a ban on the future manufacture, distribution or sale of all "toys" that realistically resemble dangerous weapons. The inclusion of an orange marking on the barrel of a toy gun, or any similar minor alteration of any otherwise realistic representation of a weapon, shall not be deemed acceptable for compliance with this ban.

Education is very important and should not be taken lightly. The FCAT system is flawed and with new "rigorous" testing with increased expectations it will hurt more students than help them. The newly applied scoring system in April of 2012 shows just that. Per a letter I received on 5/1/12 it says "The combination of a much more rigorous FCAT test,coupled with raising the threshold for receiving a passing score may result in a dip in student scores.For example, students that have consistently scored Level 3 (passing rate) THEIR entire school career could easily score below the passing level with the new standards." This only puts more pressure on young children and is not responsible.

The School District of Philadelphia has COVID policies that are too loose. For example, students that have been directly exposed to COVID in school and are vaccinated are allowed to come back to school the next day with no COVID test. Also, there is little enforcement. Some teachers get away with not wearing masks in classrooms, even when they are within 3 feet of students; the CDC's recommended social distance for a K-12 school setting and some teachers, particularly Physical Education teachers (who a lot of times are also Health teachers), ironically let their kids take off masks when they are outside, even in contact sports such as Football. These policies must be made stricter and they should actually be enforced.

The House on Thursday passed legislation that would amend the Americans With Disabilities Act over objections from disability rights advocates and Democratic leaders, who warned that the bill would remove incentives for businesses to comply with the law. The ADA Education and Reform Act passed on a 225-to-192 vote, with 12 Democrats joining all but 19 Republicans to approve a bill that proponents say is aimed at curbing unscrupulous lawyers who seek profit by threatening businesses with litigation without actually seeking to improve access for the disabled. But activists say the bill, if enacted, would essentially gut the ADA’s provisions dealing with public accommodations by removing any incentive that businesses have to comply with the law before a complaint is filed.

For over 30 years, Access Tucson has served the Tucson community at little to no cost, educated thousands of people, and served independent voices and nonprofits alike in a commitment to open, independent media access for residents of our city. The savings presented by the City Manager pale in comparison to the worth of this treasure. Please do not let Access Tucson disappear!

Consider signing this petition and then forward this petition to a minimum of twenty people in your address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around. _*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, that is to include having Medicare and Medicaid. 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 12/31/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen/women. Congressmen/women made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work. If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in the U.S. ) to receive the message. Don't you think it's time? THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS! If you agree with the above, pass it on. If not, just delete. You are one of my 20+ - Please keep it going, and thanks.

Tell your U.S. Senators: "Please sign on as a co-sponsor of the FAMILY Act before leaving for the August recess!"

Tell Rep. Tom MacArthur: Drop your bill to take health care away from millions, including people like me with preexisting conditions.

Press the U.S. government to work effectively for the elimination of cholera in Haiti. Press for protections of Haitians in the U.S. in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Support Haitian efforts to ensure a credible electoral process.