Special Features

Dear Mr. President: We are writing to urge you to avoid the disregard for international legal obligations that condemned your predecessor. The issue concerns investigating or prosecuting torture. The United States ratified the United Nations Convention Against Torture (CAT) in 1994. Article 12 of the CAT provides: “Each State Party shall ensure that its competent…

January 14, 2009 Dear George W. Bush: You may have had your last softball news conference at the White House, but judging by the many people in our country who have serious criticisms of your eight year tenure, there are additional numerous unanswered questions which should be addressed to you for the record and for…

Dear Mr. President: We strongly urge you to demonstrate a devotion to the rule of law by refraining from presidential pardons for any current or former White House, Cabinet or agency official in your administration for torture, illegal surveillance, unconstitutional imprisonments, obstruction of justice, perjury, violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act of 1982, or…

November 10, 2008 To: James K. Glassman From: Ralph Nader Subject: The Dow During the past few weeks, several people have asked me a question that you must be getting from your friends: “What does Jim Glassman say NOW, given the collapse of Wall Street and the securities market?” They and many others remember your…

Mr. Chairman and members of the Constitution Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on the important and fundamental topic of “Restoring the Rule of Law” to the workings of the Executive Branch. I ask that this statement be made part of the printed hearing record and I…

September 12, 2008 The Honorable Henry M. Paulson, Jr. Secretary United States Department of the Treasury 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20220 Dear Secretary Paulson: The government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that you announced on Sunday September 7, 2008 is still sending shockwaves through the financial world. You said, “Since this…

July 23, 2008 Senator Chris Dodd U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs 448 Russell Building Washington, DC 20510 Congressman Barney Frank House Committee on Financial Services 2252 Rayburn H.O.B. Washington, DC 20515 Dear Senator Dodd and Congressman Frank: I write today to suggest that you jointly hold hearings on the Federal Deposit…

Under present conditions there is little economic incentive for the auto maker to concern himself seriously with automobile casualties and collisions-for the costs and penalties are not upon him. Actually, the more cars depreciate through collisions, the greater the demand for new and used cars. Only when there is a real threat of cost or…

A philanthropist for all seasons, Stewart R. Mott was about the most versatile, imaginative philanthropist of his time. He threw himself into projects and was a pioneer in many fields well before the large foundations. Citizen oversight of the vast wasteful military budget is a case in point. Our country and world are lessened with…

Dear President Bush, Much of the world has condemned the violence and called on the Sudanese government to end the slaughter. You and your administration have, properly, called the mass killing “genocide,” and urged a peace process. But the horror in Darfur continues. Tens of thousands more have been displaced in the last month. Violence…