Ralph Nader's Blog, page 62

Stripmining America-Unpatriotically

It is time to apply the standard of patriotism to the U.S. multinational corporations and demand that they pledge allegiance to the United States and “the Republic for which is stands…. with liberty and justice for all.” This July 4, 2011 would be good day for Americans to demand such a corporate commitment.
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Waiting for the Spark

What could start a popular resurgence in this country against the abuses of concentrated, avaricious corporatism? Imagine the arrogance of passing on to already cheated working people and the jobless enormous corporate losses? This is achieved through government bailouts and tax escapes.
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Taking Progressives for Granted

When liberals and progressives have nowhere to go, New York’s new Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo can move toward the corporatist-right of the political spectrum with impunity. Brandishing an inherited $10 billion state deficit, Cuomo has earned the following description in the April 7th edition of The New York Times:
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Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Calls for Investigation of Treasury Department's Handling of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorship

April 11, 2011



Consumer Advocate Ralph Nader Calls for Investigation of Treasury Department's

Handling of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Conservatorship



Nader Says High-ranking Government Officials Made Misleading Statements

about the Financial Health of Fannie & Freddie



In a letter to Department of the Treasury Inspector General Eric Thorson, Senator Tim Johnson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Representative Spencer Bachus, Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Mr. Nader raised a variety of questions about the manner in which Treasury Department officials established the conservatorships for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the way the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) delisted the companies from the New York Stock Exchange.



Mr. Nader said, “the Treasury Department Inspector General and Congressional Committees with appropriate jurisdiction are in the best position to conduct a thorough investigation of the way Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac common shareholders have been used and abused by the Treasury Department.



Nader noted that high-ranking government officials including: former Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke, former Senator Christopher Dodd, Representative Barney Frank, and former OFHEO Director James B. Lockhart, made positive comments about the financial health of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in July of 2008, just two months prior to the creation of the conservatorship.

Open Letter to President Obama on the Nomination of Elizabeth Warren

Dear President Obama:



An interesting contrast is playing out at the White House these days—between your expressed praise of General Electric’s CEO, Jeffrey R. Immelt and the silence regarding the widely desired nomination of Elizabeth Warren to head the new Consumer Financial Regulatory Bureau within the Federal Reserve.
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Letter to Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg

April 1, 2011



Ivan Seidenberg, CEO

Verizon Communications Inc.

140 West Street

New York, NY 10007



Dear Mr. Seidenberg,


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Letter to President Obama on Auto Safety and Motor Coach Safety Legislation

Dear President Obama:



A few days ago, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told some long-time auto safety advocates in his office that the Department wants to see the two bills—the auto safety and the motor coach safety legislation—enacted this session. Last December, all was set for these two bills to be passed—a clear majority in the House (led by Cong. Waxman) and 99 Senators signed off on unanimous consent (led by Sen. Rockefeller). One Senator, Dr. Tom Coburn, refused to release his hold. We conversed with him several times and tried to respond to his procedural and substantive complaints within his own framework of thinking and not knowing, but to no avail.


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Letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu

March 28, 2011



Secretary Steven Chu

U.S. Department of Energy

1000 Independence Ave., SW

Washington, DC 20585



Dear Secretary Chu:



Now after several requests spanning two years, will you meet directly with the following environmental groups with solid standing who are critical of nuclear power’s economics, safety and safeguards?* You are the President’s chief cabinet member on energy matters and as such have met more than once with nuclear industry representatives and have written in favor of this technology.
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Obama's March Madness

President Obama’s pick of Kansas to win the “March Madness” collegiate basketball tournament ended with their defeat by Virginia Commonwealth University this past Saturday. He must know how the Jay Hawks are feeling because he is entangled in his own March Madness that will continue after this month ends.
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League of Fans Proposes Eliminating Athletic Scholarships to Help Restore Integrity on College Campuses

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ken Reed, League of Fans Senior Issues Analyst

ken.reed@leagueoffans.org



Initiative Would Positively Impact High School and Youth Sports As Well



WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the NCAA’s Final Four draws near, League of Fans, a Ralph Nader sports reform project, today called for our nation’s colleges and universities to take a bold step toward restoring academic integrity in intercollegiate sports by eliminating the athletic scholarship.
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