In the Public Interest

  This is the story of a public servant — Michael Pertschuk -‑ whose valiant work for over twenty years in the Senate and the FederalTrade Commission have helped millions of Americans. He started as a young lawyer out of Yale on the staff of Senator Maurine Neuberger (D-OR). She had replaced her husband–a cigarette…

Waiting a month after the November elections, New York State legislators sneakily moved to raise their own salaries by 30%, to a level of $43,000 a year — the highest salary for state law makers outside of Alaska and the highest in all 50 states if their $75 per diem is included. The pay package…

Madison, Wisconsin — This week, Wisconsin’s pioneering Citizens’ Utility Board (CUB) celebrated its fifth birthday with a victory over Wisconsin Bell and activity for’ consumers on a wide variety of utility fronts. This unique residential rate-payer-supported group obtained the agreement of the Public Utility Commission to refund about $24 million dollars in overcharges from the…

Sean Marsee was a track star at Talihina High School in Talihina, Oklahoma and had intended to join the Army on July 14, 1983. But in May 1983 his doctor found a malignancy on the youth’s tongue which led to surgery. The cancer continued to spread to his neck and two additional operations removed a…

What fundamental goals and ethics should an economic system serve in a democratic society? This is not a question posed and considered by a group of leading economists. Nor is it being raised by a group of leading political figures. Instead, it is the theme of the “Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the…

For Ronald Reagan these must be times of quiet amazement. Rarely in American history has a President’s rhetoric and symbolism so overpowered his record and promises. In nearly four years this “controlled access” President has befuddled and frustrated the media and kept off balance a Democratic Party that seems unable to find its identity. Citizens…

The first issue of “Thought and Action” — the National Education Association’s (NEA) higher education journal — is devoted the growing involvement and control by commercial companies over University research and priorities. This trend is troubling and enriching different members of faculties at these institutions. But too little public attention is being focused on the…

The Reagan group is claiming a thunderous mandate. Judging by the way their campaign of fluff, flattery and facade replaced pressing matters of substance, not to mention any specifics of what they planned in a second term, the Reaganites ran a personality parade. Political observers kept reminding us of the gap between voters opposition to…

Mankato, Minnesota — He was a third year student in college and interested in housing issues. I asked him whom he favored in the Presidential campaign. He replied: “Are you kidding?” I said: “What do you mean?” He replied “Ronald Reagan, of course.” So I started inquiring about which candidate he thought was superior on…

There is an outfit in England that sets odds and takes bets on the outcome of the Presidential race in the United States. If this firm wants to expand its business, it could propose ten-to-one odds that the following predictions will materialize President Reagan gains a second term: President Reagan, despite his pre-election promises, will…