In the Public Interest

Two recent reports about upper-class salaries and bonuses illustrate the sharper stratification between economic classes in our country — between those who produce and those who manipulate. The top five General Motors executives each received over one million dollars in salary and bonuses for the year 1985. These astronomical payments come at a time when…

What is the Reagan government waiting for — one major mid-air collision — before coming to its senses and either upgrading the air traffic controller system and staff or reducing the density of air traffic? Since Mr. Reagan fired the illegally striking air traffic controllers in 1981, he has refused to reinstate three or four…

Rarely have I ever observed a more successful statistical hoax perpetuated on most electronic: and print media than that being accomplished almost daily by Jury Verdict Research (JVR) of Solon, Ohio a firm that purports to collect samples of average jury verdicts in the malpractice and product defect areas. During the rising media attention to…

It started in May 1976 and ended last month in a resounding victory for consumers in California with far-reaching effects on other states. Ten years ago, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charged Levi Strauss & Co. with pressuring retailers to set higher prices for jeans in violation of federal antitrust laws. In late 1977 the…

The export of American jobs is no longer restricted to blue-collar workers. While everyone is aware that U.S. corporations have been moving their factories and investments overseas — one Pennsylvania banker accused them of abandoning America — and selling their products back in this country, few people are aware that the next big move could…

It did not happen in World War I or World War II or during the Great Depression. But it is happening under Ronald Reagan’s gargantuan deficit and twisted priorities. The Library of Congress is cutting its hours of service from 77 1/2 hours to 54 1/2 hours per week. Responding to a $18.3 million cut…

With Senator Kennedy on their side, the U.S. drug companies are making their move on the Senate floor soon to pass S. 1848. This legislation would allow drug companies to sell to foreign countries pharmaceuticals which are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). For years the U.S. has stood alone among…

General Motors boss, Roger Smith, finally has had to eat crow on the air bag issue. It must have been a wrenching experience for the stubborn auto executive to open the doors to his engineers who have been straining at the bit to save lives on the highway but could not get a “go” signal…

Have you noticed the prices of prescription drugs lately? Some of these brand name drugs are costing patients ten to twelve percent more just since early January. And since 1961 drug prices hove gone up fifty-six percent — twice the rate of inflation in the Consumer Price Index. It has been some years since a…

Blaming everybody but themselves, as they arbitrarily cancel policies or rocket their premiums five or ten fold while reducing coverage, these companies, soaring with profits, are hoping that their jolted victims, which include day care centers, municipalities, physicians and many small businesses, will push legislatures to restrict the rights of injured Americans to sue defendants…