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Deven Sharma, President, Standard & Poor’s Ray McDaniel, CEO Moody’s Corp Stephen Joynt, CEO Fitch’s RatingsDear Mr. Sharma, Mr. McDaniel and Mr. Joynt;You have each indicated that the time may be near for a downgrade of the credit rating of the United States government, with all the negative and uncontrollable consequences that flow from such…
Legislating while under the influence of ideological inebriation is not yet a statutory offense. It is only a multi-directional menace to much of what anxious Americans hold dear for themselves and their children. The dominant Republicans in Congress – both the new and many of the longer-term incumbents – are in heat. It is as…
Via Institute for Public Accuracy AP reports: “Reigniting a partisan fight over banking regulations, President Barack Obama intends to nominate former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray to lead a consumer protection bureau that was a central feature of a law overhauling the rules that govern the financial sector. “Obama plans to announce the nomination formally…
Five Supreme Court Justices–Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito and Kennedy are entrenching, in a whirlwind of judicial dictates, judicial legislating and sheer ideological judgments, a mega-corporate supremacy over the rights and remedies of individuals. The artificial entity called “the corporation” has no mention in our Constitution whose preamble starts with “We the People,” not “We the…
Dear Mr. Bloom: The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which includes General Motors and Chrysler as major members, has an extensive advertising campaign (see WTOP locally) opposing your Administration’s proposals for fuel economy standards going out to 2025. There is nothing unusual about the auto industry’s self-immolating position. Over the years stubborn U.S. auto executives have…
Ralph Nader On Philanthropy at the New York Public Library On May 4th 2011, Ralph Nader appeared at the New York Public Library with two billionaires — Ted Turner and Peter Lewis. Together they discussed philanthropy and Nader’s book – C-Span. Published July 15, 2011
The all-consuming Washington, D.C. wrangling over debts and deficits, spending and taxing is excluding a large reality of how these financial problems can sensibly and fairly be addressed. These blinders in Congress and the White House come from fact-starved ideologies–mostly from the Republicans–and fear-fed meekness–mostly from the Democrats. Both are furiously dialing for commercial campaign…
The first nationally televised debate (C-SPAN) on the subject of mandatory voting, or voting duty, occurred in Washington D.C. on June 27, 2011 (watch it at: http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/DebateonMa). Why did it take so long? Because discussing this topic has been a taboo in electoral, legislative and main media arenas. Taboos afflict all know cultures, anthropologists tell…
Dear Cisco Shareholder: Thank you for your e-mail support for my demand that Cisco’s bosses disgorge some of that $43+ billion in cash that management is stockpiling, back to its owners – the shareholders. My criticism and demand for a 50 cent annual dividend and a special $1 per share dividend were reported in the…
Dear President Obama: Yesterday’s Washington Post published a page one article headlined “President Waging A Charm Offensive. Obama woos big donors to help fund early campaign expansion.” Later in the article appears this unseemly behavior by a public servant paid for by public funds: “A key player in the closed-door donor recruitment is White House…