Most of Congress’s time is now spent chasing money for campaigns. We cannot have a government controlled by money and expect to preserve democracy.

Rep. Engel's foreign policies views are well to the right of the vast majority of Democrats. He was among the right-wing minority of Congressional Democrats who voted to authorize the illegal, unnecessary, and predictably tragic U.S. invasion of Iraq. He has opposed efforts to end U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s bombing of Yemen, which has killed many thousands of civilians outright and threatened millions more with starvation and disease. He was one of only a handful of Democrats to oppose the Iran anti-nuclear agreement. He has opposed the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, called for expanding NATO to include Ukraine and Georgia, and supports Morocco’s illegal annexation of occupied Western Sahara. He has defended the Israeli occupation and illegal settlements, Israeli bombing of civilian targets, and praised Trump for moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, and attacked the United Nations, the World Court, the European Union, and human rights groups for criticizing Israel's right-wing government. Despite Rep. Engel's seniority, the Democratic Party must not give the chair of this important committee to someone whose views are closer to Trump and the Republicans than the majority of Democrats.

The question answers itself.

Every two years, the California Democratic Party (CDP) holds state-wide elections in a process called Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs). These are important Democratic Party elections where 1/3 of all delegates are elected to two-year terms to conduct the business of the CDP. There is no vote by mail or proxy voting in these elections. Debra Broner, regional director of our assembly district (AD 02), has decided to eliminate the physical election site available for the rural voters of Northern California. She has designated only one polling station - Santa Rosa, in Sonoma County - at the farthest southern edge of this vast district! However, more than 50% of registered Democrats in AD 02 live outside that county. We are asking for your help to reverse this decision. This is a significant part of the Democratic Party structure and we are being disenfranchised from participating. We can't expect our people to take one or two days off of work to drive down, vote, then drive back. We have secured the same location as prior ADEM elections. We also have enough local Democrats willing to volunteer to run the entire election. We are making this as easy as possible so that we don’t risk our lives driving needlessly down to Santa Rosa for one election. "The Republican playbook is voter suppression,” says DNC Chair Tom Perez. We read about voter disenfranchisement in the national headlines and yet now we have it here in our own rural backyards! At the same time, our California Democratic bylaws, Article VI, Section 1(a)(5) “Assembly Districts and Assembly District Meetings” specifically allow multiple meeting sites for “good cause” including “the necessity of travelling very long distances” and “traveling in hazardous weather conditions.” Northern AD-02 definitely meets these conditions especially in the wintertime. If the site is not approved, rural Democratic voters of Northern California will, in effect, be disenfranchised by their own political party!

Trump wants to find out what he can get away with. If he gets away with attacking people seeking asylum, he will take it as license to get even more extreme. This is what Hitler did in 1938. Things only got worse because most Germans looked away. We must preserve our national honor and not let it happen here.

Climate change is real, caused by humans, and affirmed by overwhelming scientific evidence, and this threat needs to be the top priority of our HoCo government, because it is happening NOW. Howard County has a responsibility to its residents, our country, and the world, to accelerate the transition to 100% clean, renewable energy and oppose new fossil fuel infrastructure. In a time when our government is turning our country in the wrong direction, it’s never been more important for local communities to step up and save our climate to meet the Paris Climate Agreement goals. We’ve known about climate change for too long and need something to be done to protect our generation and future ones. Local, state, and national economies are rapidly transitioning to 100% clean, renewable energy, but Howard County must join the growing movement, especially because Maryland is a part of the Climate Alliance. Young people, the ones who’ll be most affected by climate change, are the most unaware of the crisis, but need to be educated. We should NOT have to deal with the worst of the crisis, and we deserve a livable future. Climate change has already wrought devastating impacts, such as stronger hurricanes, more flash flooding, more devastating 1,000 year floods like in Ellicott City, higher humidity, more pests and allergies, more heat related deaths, and code red days. There is no credible path to a safe climate that includes new fossil fuel infrastructure, which is why all pipelines, power plants, and compressor stations must be stopped. A just transition to 100% renewable energy will benefit low-income communities and communities of color that are disproportionately impacted by fossil fuel pollution by creating millions of high-quality, family-sustaining jobs, and saving thousands of lives can help those on the frontlines of climate change by mitigating future disasters. Howard County is the third richest county in the nation and has the resources needed for a transition to 100% renewable. We have no choice but to transition to 100% renewable energy because by 2030 we will be at the point of no return. The fossil fuel industry has corrupted our government and we need to take back our democracy and give the power back to the people. Howard County must actively oppose infrastructure whose primary purpose is transporting or storing fossil fuels in or through Howard County or adjacent waterways. Howard County must support a community-wide goal of 100% clean renewable energy before 2025, by requiring businesses and schools to make the switch, by offering more incentives to residents for switching, by creating an inclusive Climate Action Planning process within the next year.

It's time to lose the lost cause in Marin County. Dixie is a synonym of the Confederacy and the national anthem of the Confederacy. The school district should have a name that welcomes all students regardless of the color of their skin. We are all stakeholders in Dixie School District. 78% of their funding is from state and federal funds. We should teach our children the historical meaning of words like Dixie. Changing the name is a simple gesture for respect, equity and inclusion.

NIST station WWV and sister stations are among the oldest radio stations in the United States, having been in continuous operation since May 1920. The station has transmitted the official US Time for nearly 100 years, and is an instrumental part in the telecommunications field, ranging from broadcasting to scientific research and education. Additionally, these stations transmit marine storm warnings from the National Weather Service, GPS satellite health reports, and specific information concerning current solar activity, and radio propagation conditions. These broadcasts are an essential resource to the worldwide communications industry. Many clocks and watches receive these broadcasts so they can maintain accurate time. These clocks and watches are used for a wide range of purposes and will all stop working correctly if these services are shutdown. This could potentially impact things such as airports, train schedules, and automated systems. This petition requests continued funding of these stations be maintained into the 21st century and beyond to ensure future operations.

For 31 consecutive Fridays, Palestinians have gone to the border with Israel demanding the end to the horrific Israeli blockade of Gaza. According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights on October 28, Israeli snipers have killed 168, wounded by gunfire 9073 including 1586 children, 247 women, 116 journalists and 128 paramedics. Among those wounded, 498 are in serious condition and 76 persons' lower or upper limbs were amputated. Thousands of others suffered tear gas inhalation and sustained bruises. The Gaza health facilities need the 114 boxes of medical supplies from the Gaza Flotilla. Two boats of the 2018 Gaza Freedom Flotilla carried 114 boxes of medical supplies — sterile gauze and sutures — for the Gaza health system. By international law, Israel must deliver them to the Gaza border. One month has passed since the Israeli military hijacked the boats, arrested, imprisoned and deported 34 persons on the boats. While the amount of medical supplies is small compared to the massive need, it is critical to force Israel to abide by international law and let medical supplies into Gaza. Please sign the petition to put pressure on the Israeli government to deliver the 114 boxes of medical supplies to the Gaza health system. And call the Israeli Embassy in your country and your Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Department of State demanding the release of the medical supplies. In the U.S., call the Israeli Embassy at 202-364-5500 and the Department of State at 202-647-4000 and ask for the Office of Israel/Palestine Affairs.

This petition is being presented in order that the Environmental Protection Agency uphold their due diligence to keep citizens of the United States safe from scientifically proven harmful asbestos materials that is found to cause various health issues, determined hazardous and removal of same done only through approved hazardous waste removal. Also the United States has imposed sanctions on Russia. An article published on MSN “Love MONEY” titled “BUSINESSES THAT ARE BOOMING UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION” (business #31), by Daniel Coughlin dated 8/13/2018, states “URALASBEST: Russian asbestos producer Uralasbest is stamping pallets of the substance with an image of President Trump. This follows the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent decision not to impose a blanket ban on it. Uralasbest is to profit considerably from the decision.” The president has endorsed the use of asbestos again. This will allow Russia to benefit financially as well as contradicting the importance of EPA standards. Please sign the petition to urge our representatives to ban the use of asbestos being used harming thousands of citizens, the environment and planet as well as allowing Russia to benefit financially.

With the U.S. engaged in endless wars that are draining so much of our nation’s resources, the American public deserves constant reporting and robust debate on a wide range of foreign policy issues. Unfortunately, MSNBC is not providing that. We are finding that, with the obsessive concentration of MSNBC on Donald Trump and his relationship with Russia, coverage of other critical foreign policy issues has disappeared from MSNBC. A group of us representing peace organizations would like to have a meeting with you or senior members of your network to talk about this. A recent Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) article describes MSNBC’s systematic avoidance of reportage on the gargantuan human tragedy of the war in Yemen, a war that could not be waged without U.S. support. The report also criticizes MSNBC’’s devotion to commentary by “ex-spook and military contractor-funded talking heads.” MSNBC’s suppression of reporting on foreign policy and war is not limited to Yemen but includes the Middle East in general. An example of the suppression of Middle East reporting is the failure of Chris Hayes, or any member of his staff, to respond to registered mail, email, Twitter and phone requests, or an online petition, urging that Medea Benjamin be included among commentators on his show “All In with Chris Hayes.” Ms. Benjamin, co-founder of the citizen action group CODEPINK, has travelled extensively in the Middle East, and is the author of Inside Iran: The Real History of Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Kingdom of the Unjust: Behind the U.S.-Saudi Connection and Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control. Mr. Hayes runs a podcast that he advertises as covering important issues in depth that he does not have time for on his cable show, but he has hardly covered foreign policy issues on his podcast since he launched it in May, 2018. Mr. Lack, you have overseen an advertising campaign for MSNBC that has attempted to attract an audience concerned with human rights and civil liberties. Your suppression of thorough and accurate foreign affairs and war reporting is a profound disservice to this audience, which is prone to acting on conscience. U.S. military actions are killing and terrorizing vast numbers of people in the 76 nations in which, according to the Costs of War Project, the U.S. is now conducting some form of military operations. The American public must know about these operations and MSNBC has a responsibility to educate the public. Thank you for your consideration. We can be reached at [email protected]

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