Support funding for the Arts through the NEA The arts mean jobs! The nonprofit arts industry generates $166.2 billion annually in economic activity, supports 5.7 million full-time equivalent jobs in the arts and related industries, and returns $12.6 billion in federal income taxes. Measured against direct federal cultural spending of about $1.4 billion, that's a return of nearly nine to one. Grants through the NEA are widely distributed to strengthen arts infrastructures and ensure broad access to the arts. In addition, the NEA distributes 40 percent of its program dollars to state arts agencies, on the condition that each state devotes its own appropriated funds as well. In partnership with the NEA, state arts agencies awarded 23,000 grants to 17,500 organizations, schools, and artists in nearly 5,000 communities across the United States. Federal funding for the arts leverages private funding. The NEA requires at least a one-to-one match of federal funds from all grant recipients—a match far exceeded by most grantees. On average, each NEA grant leverages at least seven dollars from other state, local, and private sources. Private support cannot match the leveraging role of government cultural funding.

The activities and work loads that the PMC would monitor would be published in a monthly report broke down by voting districts and published via the Internet at a site called "ElectedRepresentativeActivityReport.com"  Contents of report: 1. Hours spent at local district office. 2. Hours spent in session at local, state and federal levels. 3. Hours spent campaigning. 4. Hours spent meeting with their voters. 5. Hours spent on vacationing and/or hours participating on leisure activities ( sporting events like golf, and professional and amateur sports) on tax payers expense. 6. Expenses for travel, room and board payed for by the tax payers. 7. Expenses rendered for meetings, community and social gatherings with or without voters present. 8. Total expenses rendered for all events (meetings, trips, room and board, leisure activities) that required tax revenue for expense. (This includes the purchase of investment assets, property which includes foreign or domestic land and housing while on the tax payer's time and with tax payer's expense) 9. All expense and hourly reports would contain with whom, at where and when they were accrued. Operating parameters:      1. The reports would be conducted by randomly assigned auditors (unannounced to the elected official) under normal procedures the elected officials would be randomly picked by an automated system using a coded algorithm that can't make choices that are predetermined    2. The reports would be conducted over a time table of one month and may have periods of observation not realized by the targeted officials to insure pure uninfluenced data. The targeted official will be notified when the audit is published not before that time.   3. The PMC would also receive and be required to respond to citizen complaints or observations from citizens who believe their elected officials have violated or abused their responsibilities as defined by their elected posts. These complaints would be protected from public disclosure ( paper shredders and mandatory email deletion system) and the PMC would be required by law to always keep such complaints anonymous to protect the complainant from intimidation of the accused. If names are leaked from the PMC, severe penalties would be issued to those members who have violated those restrictions.    4. The committee would be able to provide a special audit of an official who has had multiple complaints that exceed the red line limit (designated by the committee) of blatant abuse of their position or post. This special audit may require longer periods of observation and other agents who are not members of the PMC. These others could be local law enforcement, government agencies like the congressional oversight committee or surveillance agencies like the CIA or FBI.    5. All audits would have the option to be conducted secretly either and/or visually via camera and Internet. If an infraction is witnesses by the auditors then an unannounced visit to the congressional office would be scheduled or a direct encounter with the targeted official would be conducted at a schedule time. If resistance is met at such encounter at the congressional office then a search warrant or arrest warrant would be issued through the legal powers granted them ( PMC) by law via the PMC's legal department.     6. To avoid power grabs that may induce bias and unfair audits the political affiliations of the members of the PMC must have certain requirements:          a. The members of the PMC must represent proportionality the voting constituents of our nation. Example: 35% Republican, 35% Democrat, 20% Libertarian, 10% Independent.          b. All PMC members must be members of the same political party for at least 5 years and cannot switch political parties while a member of the PMC. This rule disables a certain party from establishing a working advantage and shift in the balance thus creating political bias.          c. If any member is caught forging, changing or influencing an audit to give any elected official a discrete advantage or false perception of integrity then that member will be dismissed without pay or due benefits. In addition, their name will be attached as a addendum to the monthly report issued by the PMC to make public their name and reason for dismissal. These parameters must be agreed to by the future member upon employment by the PMC.  Limitations to the existence of the PMC:        The PMC would answer to the people not the government. In same way the committee was created it can be dissolved by petition of designated amount of signers and then by majority popular vote at next presidential election. The PMC's unbiased non partisan image and performance is crucial to its success. Right now our government is so aloof and detached from our voters that their accountability is restricted only by the bias media. The PMC would be a tool  that would narrow that gulf that separates us from our government. Funding:          Funding of...

The noise and chemical pollution from gas leaf blowers hurts humans, pets, and the local fauna. From the World Health Organization to the Air Resources Board and local government, and a grand jury, have all clearly stated they should be banned. Help our community regain health, strengthen our ecosystem, and give night workers and home workers the ability to work and rest safely. We already deal with constant construction noise and tree service chainsaws and woodchippers. These men do not need to use gas blowers on OUR weekends and summers. This will not hurt their revenue and we can get SOME peace back! This is why gas leaf blowers should be banned at least for weekends & summers: NOISE POLLUTION 1. They make noise at 40 times the ear damage level which is also amplified by surrounding buildings. This is because they are 110db. Noise above 70 dB over a prolonged period of time starts to damage your hearing. The dB rating is not just “how loud it sounds.” Rather, each extra 10 dB means the sound is 10 times as intense. 110 - 70 = 40 times as loud perceived by our ears. 2. Constant motor noise is linked to hearing loss, deafness, heart palpitations, strokes and serious disturbance of brain functions. 3. Gas Leaf blowers threaten living spaces. Those of us who are home workers, day sleepers (because we work at night) or ill can't work, sleep or convalesce. Blower not only assault our health, they hinder our ability to earn a living; 4. The sounds generated by a gas leaf blower cause severe suffering to domestic pets and local fauna whose hearing is so much more sensitive than a human’s. 5. In Orange County, Calif., a grand jury even took up the issue and determined the health hazards citizens are exposed to by the use of leaf blowers outweigh the questionable economic benefit blowers may bring to the cities and the County. The Grand Jury recommended that the cities, school districts, community college districts, and the County cease using gas-powered blowers in their maintenance and cleanup operations. CHEMICAL POLLUTION 1. Toxic exhaust fumes and emissions include carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. The American Lung Association calculated that a gas leaf blower causes as much smog as 17 cars. 2. The high-velocity air jets used in gas blowing leaves whip up dust and pollutants. The particulate matter (dust) swept into the air contains lead, fecal matter, pesticides, fungi, chemicals, fertilizers, spores, and street dirt. 5 lbs of PM per blower per hour are swept into the air and take hours to settle. 3. The Air Resources Board of California calculates the quantity of pollution injected into public air at TONS of pollutants per. 4. Instructions for the majority of gas leaf blowers require the use of ear, eye, and breathing protection for anyone within 50 feet; innocent bystanders don't have this choice 5. The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1995, in an all-encompassing study on the costs and harmful effects of noise on health and society made a single, simple ruling on gas leaf blowers: "they should not be used!" We, the undersigned petition the governing officials of the town of Huntington NY to immediately ban the Commercial use of noise polluting and air polluting gas leaf blowers on residential properties in all areas of their jurisdictions on weekends permanently year round, and on weekdays during summer months from June 1 to Sept. 30th, and in the winter months between Dec. 20th & April 1st. They can use battery leafblowers year-round. Landscapers will still have time for their spring and fall cleanups from April 1 to June 1 and Oct 1 to Dec 19th. THIS IS A REASONABLE COMPROMISE NOT AN ALL OUT BAN LIKE HUNDREDS OF OTHER TOWNS HAVE DONE. THIS IS FOR GAS BLOWERS ONLY, IF THEY NEED TO BLOW SO BADLY IN PROHIBITED TIMES, THEY CAN USE COMMERCIAL GRADE BATTERY BLOWERS WHICH DO EXIST. THE OLD ARGUMENT BATTERY TECHNOLOGY ISN'T THERE IS 10YRS OLD! STIHL 200 IS A COMMERCIAL BLOWER, 6.5HR RUNTIME AND IS MORE POWERFUL THAN A TYPICAL 50CC GAS BLOWER. We also implore them to launch an information campaign in the form of TV and newspaper ads as well as brochures to be distributed to all registered lawn care and landscaping businesses, gardening and eco-centers to inform the public of the health hazards resulting from the use of leaf blowers.

Classical Studies Magnet Academy (CSMA), a public PK-8 magnet school, has been suffering from being divided between 2 buildings one-half mile away from each other for four years, and it is time that the City of Bridgeport find a suitable building to bring all of the students, teachers, staff, administration, and parents together under one roof. CSMA has found the perfect location for their home, 238 Jewett Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06606. Bridgeport City Council needs to approve a grant application by Bridgeport Board of Education and provide investment funding so that the Board of Education can purchase and renovate 238 Jewett Avenue for CSMA. The students of CSMA deserve to learn in a secure environment with sufficient space and resources to allow for their best possible academic and social achievement.

Writ of Indictment Brought by the People of the United States of America Versus The Congress of the United States of America Specifically against all members presently in office as of this date 22 November 2011, serving as members of the 112th Congress as either direct leaders, active participants,passive participants, participants in collusion or simple incompetents unworthy of their office. 1} Whereas the People as citizens of the United States of America periodically and according to law elect members of the Congress of the United States, either as Senators to sit in the Congressional Senate or as Representatives to sit in the Congressional House and to conduct the business of the People, lawfully under the Constitution of The United States of America. 2} Whereas the present 112th Congress has blatantly failed in an egregiously insidious manner to pursue such business of the People, both individually as to members and collectively as to the body of Congress to properly conduct said business of the People in either a timely manner or according to the requirements of the Constitution of the United states as responsibility and authority are assigned to Congress under the Constitution. We specifically cite Amendment 14, paragraphs 4 and 5 of the Constitution as to maintaining the full faith and credit of the United States. 3} Whereas Congress has participated in ideological confrontations between its members, specifically between those ideologues designating themselves as Tea Party members and those not of the Tea Party membership to the detriment of the timely execution of the business of the People of the United States. Said ideological confrontations having been specifically contrived and intended by those instigating them to disrupt said business of the People is blatant. 4} Whereas Congress has deliberately brought the government of the United States to the brink of fiscal default more than once on its lawfully engaged in debts, established by this and previous Congresses, to both the American People and to the governments and financial institutions of other nations and their nationals. 5} Whereas Congress has by the above deliberate actions caused the lowering of the credit rating of the United States of America among investors and nations, resulting in great loss of value and increased expense at that time to the People engaged in capital markets such as national and international stock markets and business ownership, direct or by stock ownership and indeed to the United States itself by way of increased costs of borrowing. 6} Whereas Congress has by the above deliberate actions and inactions caused increased uncertainty in the economy of the United States, creating a high potential for a second stage recession and further loss of wealth, jobs, homes and livelihoods for the People of the United States. Indeed the potential loss of that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence of the United States. 7} Whereas Congress continues to maintain a clear and deliberate policy of inaction, obstructionism, uncooperativeness and destructiveness regarding any plan for betterment of the current economic conditions of the United States and the People of America proposed by the Executive branch of the government of the United States or within Congress itself. On the basis of the above causes for charges of malfeasance in office, we the People of the United States charge the Supreme Court of the United States of America to demand of said Congress of the United States, both individually as members of Congress and collectively as the Congress, why they should not individually and collectively be removed from office and punished for malfeasance.

My email to the BOE, sent a few moments ago: Dear Members of the MarlboroCentralSD in NY Board of Education, On February 23rd of this year, I sent an email to all of you. I received no response, not even a polite acknowledgement, from a single one of you. In light of that, I respectfully request that this letter be read aloud and made a part of the public record at the BOE meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening, April 11, 2014. I must encourage all of you not to adopt the budget that was put forth to the community last Thursday, April 4th. “Adopt” is defined as “to vote to accept.” I don’t understand how you can accept this budget. Certainly, you must know that this community cannot and will not accept this budget. You might say, well, we don’t like this budget, but we have to accept it. And I would disagree with you. I would say that by accepting it, you are endorsing it, supporting it. Please don’t do that. How can you do that? It would make much more sense for you to reach consensus on the fact that a 25% increase in the tax rate this year, in addition to the 37% increase we soaked up four years ago, plus anticipated tax rate increases of 7%, 5%, and 5% over the next three years places an intolerable burden on the taxpayers of this town. Then, if you truly believe you have done everything you can to both preserve residents’ income and defend the educational program, why not at least make an attempt to take back the power on the taxpayers’ behalf. Write to the governor and our other elected officials, the NYS Commissioner of Education, and the NYSSBA, and contact the media. Tell all of them that under the circumstances you cannot put forth a reasonable and acceptable budget to the Marlboro community. Tell them that the taxpayers in Marlboro feel powerless, and that you feel your hands are tied, that you’re unable to do better. Tell them that we are about to be mowed down by a speeding school budget locomotive, powered in large part by the legislative brick wall known as the Tri borough Amendment, a patently unfair law unique to only New York State. Tell them that the teachers of our district could have and might have been our heroes in our time of desperate need, if they had offered concessions and made a meaningful contribution to decreasing the immense tax burden increase, but that their union representatives stubbornly refused to even consider it. Tell them that you cannot in all good conscience push a budget that is unacceptable – and in the long run unsustainable – on the very people who elected you to work on their behalf and look out for their best interests. Then, after you have written the letters and spoken to the media and made your case – our case – repeatedly, in plain English for all to hear and understand, only then tell us you’ve done the best you can do. You represent the collective will of the people in this town. If you haven’t heard the people by now, then you simply haven’t been listening. I hope we can agree that it is your duty to represent the taxpayers; by extension, we should be able to agree that you should not adopt this budget.

National Petition to reinstitute the WPA to create a 21st century economy, & infrastructure, and job market for the United States.

Chronic delays, re-routes and track issues have been a nightmare for commuters traveling to and from New York Penn Station on NJ Transit in April 2017. Hundreds of thousands of commuters have been late to work because of negligence and NJ Transit has been largely silent. We demand that ALL persons who purchased weekly and monthly passes for April 2017 to and from Penn Station New York be reimbursed in full as an acknowledgement and reparation for the untenable, unreliable and subpar service provided.

Please sign the letter to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau establishing the first set of federal regulations specifically focused on small-dollar lending. Docket No: CFPB-2016-0025

The Freedom Caucus has made their stand! The Freedom Caucus has played their hand. They are publicly stating in writing they want a change. The two leaders, Mark Meadows and Jim Jordan, along with 9 other Representatives of United States Congress have decided to write up and present Articles of Impeachment related to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein. Conservative lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a resolution calling for the impeachment of Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, in a move that marks a dramatic escalation in the battle over the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. We need, as a nation, to stand by our judicial system and the rule of law, and tell Congress that the things our system is doing is the "right" thing and to stay out of interfering with the process. No impeachment should take place, as Rep. Trey Gowdy has stated.