WASHINGTON December 11 (RIA Novsoti) Want to help shape United States policy? Then perhaps you might consider creating a “We the People” petition, a White House initiative that allows Americans to solicit signatures and request the president to take action on just about any issue you can think of.
“Give federal employees a day off on Monday, Dec 24, 2012 (Christmas Eve),” read one petition on the site that had already garnered more than 16,000 signatures.
But if those federal employees really want their request for a day off to get a second look, they’ll need another 9,000 people to sign up in support.
The White House only responds to petitions that have a minimum of 25,000 signatures.
From increasing NASA’s budget to creating a so-called “Robin Hood tax” to cure AIDS, more than six million signatures have been collected on more than 96,000 petitions in support of topics ranging from serious to zany since the site launched more than a year ago.
“Those who sign here petition the United States government to secure funding and resources, and begin construction on a Death Star by 2016,” read one petition referencing the fictitious moon-sized space station that appeared in the popular “Star Wars” movies.
So far more than 16,000 people have signed up to support the Death Star petition since it was first created in early November.
While the campaign by a radio disc jockey requesting US President Barack Obama “immediately nationalize the Twinkie industry” is likely intended as a joke, others petitions have had actual impact on policy including a September petition that in part led to a White House policy proposal that cracks down on puppy mills. That petition gained more than 30,000 signatures.
One online petition that received a White House response without reaching the required number of signatures of support was last summer’s request urging The White House reveal its super-secret recipe for the president’s homemade Honey Brown ale.
“With public excitement about White House beer fermenting such a buzz, we decided we better hop right to it,” said the White House in its response, which included a recipe and online video offering a behind the scenes glimpse at how the presidential beer is made.
