The right to petition the government to complain about something or to demand action on an issue is as old as our country itself–it’s enshrined in the First Amendment, along with rights to freedom of religion, freedom of speech and the press, and freedom to assemble. It’s a fundamental part of our political system.
We’re all familiar with petitions: someone corners you at the mall, armed with a clipboard and a stack of papers, asking for a signature. You sign, or not, and usually never find out the final outcome of the petition campaign.
That was old school.
The new way to petition the federal government, like most everything else these days, is online. “We the People,” at www.WhiteHouse.gov, allows citizens (at least those citizens over the age of 12 years) to create petitions on any issue imaginable and then seek electronic signatures from everyone else. The web site provides a forum, but it’s up to the person who created the petition to publicize the effort.
Petitions that garner 150 signatures within 30 days will be listed on the website in a searchable database. If the petition garners enough public support during a set period of time–currently 25,000 signatures within 30 days, although that can change from time to time–someone at the White House will review it and issue an official response. Petitions that meet the second threshold also will be sent to the appropriate government agency for consideration. Petitions that don’t meet the m
re: We The People
I really don’t think a dead horse cares if it is eaten by a human or not. I think a horse DOES care if it is humanely euthanized, and it DOES care if it starves to death instead of being humanely euthanized!
re: We The People
Jenny, have you ever been inside a horse slaughter plant? If not, you don’t need to make comments until you have seen for yourself like I have.
You talk about humane euthanasia as if that and slaughter were the same. You DO need to visit a real
re: We The People
Suzanne – what exactly are the "options" to all the unwanted horses starving. There are not, could not possibly be enough ‘rescues’ and enough money to support them.
re: We The People
I have written the Bureau of Land Management to ask that they discontinue leasing our federal lands to ranchers, who are displacing wild horses for their individual private profit. They need to feed hay to their cattle in lots, not use lands that we ha
re: We The People
The assault on ranchers is insane.
Who is feeding our nation? Are all you wild horse lovers also vegans? Properly managed wild horse numbers, through gelding and sterilization seems more appropriate.
re: We The People
Elaine I would think a horse cares when they are being butchered alive, stabbed in the spine with a knife till he drops…or hit with a captive bolt and still alive when they hoist him up by one leg. It was the same here as it is in the plants in Canad
re: We The People
I hope someone at the White House will pay attention to the petitions, but it’s too early in the program to know whether "We the People" actually will be a way for individuals to have their collective voices heard. I’ll try and keep tra