I’m writing to ask you to ratify the CRC, send it to the Senate, and get it approved before the end of your first term. No child should endure what many of our children experience daily. No child should be subjected to corporal punishment. No child should be seen as the property of their parent. No child, as young as 11, should be tried in adult court and given a life sentence. To the youth of America you said, “It's embarrassing to find ourselves in the company of Somalia, a lawless land. I will review this and other treaties and ensure that the United States resumes its global leadership in Human Rights." You have the power to give our children basic human rights. We demand action. Clearly, you value the well-being of our children. You support early childhood education and the “Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act of 2010.” The First Lady fights to end childhood obesity. So, why haven’t you ratified the CRC? The failure to ratify has made us the laughing stock of the world. We’re called hypocrites because we say that children matter and that they are our future, but we don’t back that talk with action. It’s time to take action to protect our future and restore our global leadership. Our children canʼt vote, but we do. Our vote goes with the person who ratifies the CRC. You have our word. Now fullfill yours.

Our country and peoples cannot accept guns to be used to kill others with the rather lame reason of "defending my family." That is not good enough. People pull the trigger, the guns don't shoot themselves. It is time to look for successful control of guns in all areas of our country.

This is America, where growth comes from the middle out, not the top down. People want to be working hard and earning a decent wage that can support a family. To do that we need to put more money in the pockets of hardworking Americans, not continue the failed "trickle down" policies of the last decade that lined the pockets of the rich and left most American families worse off. A higher minimum wage gives working families more money to spend, which in turn gives our community businesses more customers. SB681, which will raise the minimum wage, will help our families and give our economy the shot in the arm it needs now by generating a total wage increase in Virginia of $1,126,776,000 and a GDP impact of $713,249,000. We can renew the promise of the American dream to working families through eliminating the barriers of income inequality and getting to a minimum wage that ensures every family can make ends meet. You might not have been aware, but the majority of low-wage workers are over 25 years old and working full time. In fact, 368,000 full time workers would be affected by raising the wage. It would also lift the household income of over 300,000 children. Anyone who shows up every day and works hard so their company can make a profit ought to make enough to pay their own bills. Please join me in supporting SB681.

I have gone over and over this in my head for weeks now, ever since I heard that the man that RAPED AND SODOMIZED my daughter at the age of 7 and many other little girls 25 years ago, was granted parole and will be released Nov 26th 2013. He has only served 18 years for these heinous and unforgivable crimes toward these little girls. What I'am asking is that if all of my face book friends and family would please right the Board of Pardon and Parole in Salt Lake City asking them to PLEASE reconsider their decision. Out of 52 victims that came forward after my daughter, only two of them could press charges because of the Statue of Limitations! That I cannot change., But I want to do everything I can right now to stop him from getting out and doing this to any other child. No child will be safe from him when he gets out. I do not trust the system to protect these kids from him doing it again. This is my last ditch effort to keep him in there. 18 years is not enough time to serve for what he has done to these children. His name is Michael Doporto the address is Board of Pardon and Parole 801-261-6464 448 East 6400 South suite 300 Murray Ut, 84107

The City of Long Beach appears to be using Hurricane Sandy to quietly begin another wave of over development to the detriment of residents and homeowners throughout the City starting with the Canals. On March 22 2013, the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a developer the right to subdivide a property, in the Canals, zoned for a single one family home and replace it with two houses on two substandard lots ignoring the zoning laws in effect for more than 25 years. Ignoring the objection o fmany residents, this board released its decision without explanation or finding of fact in law. At the April 2 2013 Council meeting residents asked the Counci lto take legal action to oppose the Board's decision. The Corporation Council spoke stating the Council could take no legal action or discuss the case because an Article 78 appeal had been filed to reverse the Board’s decision. The decision of the Zoning Board of Appeals is arbitrary and capricious. There is no Finding of Fact provided and is contrary to previous decisions of the Board as well as the historical origin and intent of the law to stop any further subdivisions of property in the Canals”. Please help bring a halt to this egregious abuse of power and stop the push for overdevelopment throughout the City. Sign this petition and call city manager Jack Schnirman at 516-431-3321 and voice your concerns. Thank you!

Hawaii accounts for less than 0.2% of U.S. land, but over 25% of species found on the nation's endangered species list are endemic to Hawaii, earning it the title of “endangered species capital of the world.” Kauai’s west side has over 26,000 acres of Designated & Proposed Critical Habitat under the Endangered Species Act and our island is home to 48 Endangered or Protected Species. U.S. Fish and Wildlife has/had a moratorium on all GMO crops in 22 states on their land to protect critical habitat for fragile species, and has suffered from lawsuits across the country relating to the allowance of GM crops on public and protected lands. We urge you to protect the fragile ecosystem of Kauai in the same manner. Kauai is a very unique GMO market, as these companies are specifically working on open-air experimental testing of GMOs, in a year-round growing season, with highly toxic restricted use pesticides. Hawai’i has had 5.4 times more GE crop field releases per unit area than Illinois and deserves stricter regulation and protection. We ask that you immediately: • Halt all leasing of state lands to corporations involved in GMO production and seed R&D on Kauai • Publicly support Kauai County Bill 2491 and specifically, a moratorium on GM crops in Kauai, prohibition of open-air experimental testing, and a formal, in-depth EIS

The recent legislative action that removed Medicaid coverage for enteral formulas for HIV/AIDS patients who are actively losing weight was a grave mistake that is putting thousands of people lives at risk. By eliminating this coverage for adults living with HIV/AIDS, minimal short term savings may be achieved. However, significantly increased costs are sure to occur in the future when these patients require other costly treatments such as treatment for infections and human growth hormone (at $6000 per month). The medical literature is filled with studies indicating the severe consequences that occur if a period of weight loss in HIV/AIDS patients is ignored. Health care costs are significantly higher among patients with HIV-associated weight loss. Mean total health care costs for patients with HIV-associated weight loss are estimated to be $45,686, compared to $19,960 for patients not meeting the criteria for HIV-associated weight loss (p<0.0001) [Siddiqui J, et al. Current Medical Research and Opinions 2009; 25:1307-1317.] Based on the above cost analysis, it is clear that the removal of enteral formulas for AIDS patients losing weight from NY Medicaid’s covered benefits was not clearly analyzed. I hope you will thoughtfully consider this information, and in light of the significant cost savings to NY State, see that Governor Cuomo moves to quickly reinstate enteral formulas coverage for HIV/AIDS patients losing weight.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd pleaded for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. "I can't breath..." he strained. He was arrested due to passing a counterfeit 20$ at a grocery store. Was he violent during his arrest? No. Did police need to intervene in the way that they did? No. If a social worker had aided in the intervention, to assist in identifying community needs for that individual (food banks, employment assistance, referrals to the community mental health center), could he have been saved? Yes. Police officers are, without a doubt, just not trained to handle many of the calls that are placed to them. Issues such as drug use, homelessness, domestic violence, child abuse, mental health needs cannot be addressed appropriately from those who do not have the education and knowledge to de-escalate crises. In 2019, over 1,000 individuals who shot to death by U.S. police. Thus far, in 2020, as of June 5th, 429 individuals have been shot to death by U.S. police. Per reports, conducted by Statista, overall deaths rise on a yearly basis. Multiple cities in the U.S. have proposed such changes in their police departments. In order to make this a nationwide application, "some" changes from "parts" of the nation will not fully benefit the people. The need for advocacy, for communication and re-education between social work and police professions, along with the help with citizens will be vital for creating such change.

We, the undersigned, denounce the recent attacks on Dr. Oxiris Barbot, commissioner for the New York City Department of Health. Dr. Barbot has dedicated her entire career to public health and to protecting our most vulnerable communities in their right to access health services, including the poor, children, people of color and women. Last week, behind a Twitter handle, the Sergeants Benevolent Association headed by Ed Mullins disparaged Dr. Barbot, a 25-year veteran of the medical profession, by calling her a “bitch.” The use of misogynist slurs against any woman has no place in civil society and would typically see a backlash of outrage from all levels of leadership. However, in this case, there has been little condemnation or words of indignation against the SBA. When did it become ok to call anyone, let alone a City Commissioner who happens to be Latina, a “bitch?” Anyone who would conflate any other lingering issues as some sort of a rationale for this inexcusable behavior, or pander to them, shows not only a reinforcement of this misogyny (“she asked for it”) but also what low regard people have for Latinas in this city. She has now apologized twice. Where is the SBA’s and Ed Mullins’ apology? We call on city and community leaders to join us in condemning the SBA’s attack against Dr. Barbot, who has led during this tragic and unprecedented time with the utmost professionalism and compassion.

We need to quickly pass SB 423 and SB 424 to support humane euthanasia of animals in shelters and ban cruel gas chambers. Gas chambers are ineffective and inefficient. The gas chamber cannot be humanely used for the majority of animals that require euthanasia, including the old, very young, sick, pregnant, or injured. Even under the best of circumstances, animals can only be gassed one at a time, and the 25 or more minutes it can take to end that animal’s life can be agonizing. At least one Michigan shelter has indicated that sometimes more than one animal is put into the chamber. Gas chambers are more expensive. Recent studies have proven that EBI, including the costs of permitting and acquiring euthanasia drugs, actually costs less than using a gas chamber. Training and funding for EBI is readily available. Of the five Michigan shelters still using gas chambers, all five already have an EBI back-up system and/or are trained in EBI procedures. Michigan law permits trained shelter technicians to directly administer euthanasia drugs without supervision by a veterinarian, and a majority of shelters are licensed to receive EBI drugs directly. Grants are available to help Michigan shelters with initial EBI set-up and training, and with gas chamber buyback and disposal. Statewide regulation is needed to ensure that all Michigan pets receive the same humane treatment if euthanasia is necessary.