In the Public Interest

Few people in American politics have been underestimated as often as Henry B. Gonzalez, the Texas populist. It happened again last month when the Democratic leadership decided to back another candidate to replace Gonzalez as leader of the Democrats on the Banking Committee of the U. S. House of Representatives. All of Washington’s political experts…

In 1902 Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Institution of Washington to “advance the frontiers of science.” This congressionally chartered nonprofit organization has major research facilities around the world and sponsors the work of scientists who study the earth, the stars and much of what is between. The media regularly reports on the activities of the…

It is Thanksgiving time and I would like to give thanks to three networking citizens who are contributing to an informed and engaged citizenry. David Barsamian is a one man radio network. Running an operation called Alternative Radio, Barsamian’s specialty is conducting interviews of people who have something important to say but are ignored by…

With the lowest percentage turnout of eligible voters since Calvin Coolidge’s campaign in 1924, the Clinton-Dole contest for the Presidency limped to a merciful end. (Dole promptly went on David Letterman and then Saturday Night Live as if to punctuate his much mocked campaign blunders.) What was Clinton’s mandate? Did he run on any coherent…

Presidential campaigns occur overwhelmingly on television, mostly empty deceptive 30 second advertisements that fuel public cynicism far more than advancing factual enlightenment. The 1996 presidential campaign was one of the worst ever — a “virtual reality” campaign separated from real communities, real debates and real neighborhood organizing. The major candidates roamed the country parading in…

The Federal Reserve does most of its business behind closed doors. It lives off interest payments on Treasury bonds acquired in carrying out monetary policy and, thus, avoids the scrutiny of the Congressional appropriations process. Much of its operation, as well, is outside the audit authority of Congress’ watchdog, the General Accounting Office. Members of…

Corporate hypocrisy is rampant in the United States. Profit rates for American businesses hit a 30 year high. Compensation for chief executive officers of corporations was 173 times the wages of the average worker. The stock market continued to set records, ultimately breaking the supposedly unreachable mark of 6,000 on the Dow-Jones Industrial Average. Yet,…

In the 1970s, reformers successfully fought for rules to ensure that the making of the nation’s laws would be carried out in sessions open to the public, not behind closed doors of Congressional Committees. The reforms were supposed to mean open hearings and open meetings to consider and vote amendments to bills as well as…

The recent announcement of the $100 million fine slapped on agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) for price fixing put corporate crime — one of the important but under-reported issues of our time — at the top of the news hour and in the morning newspaper headlines. If past history is any guide, however, the…

The Commission on Presidential Debates! Sounds like an official agency of or appointed by the government. It is neither. The Commission is an arm of the Republican and Democratic Parties through and through from its co-chairmen (former heads of their respective Parties) on down. The commission is funded by corporations (Philip Morris, Ford, R.J. Reynolds,…