Joan Claybrook
Joan Claybrook
Joan Claybrookis an American lawyer who served as President of Public Citizen from 1982 until she announced her resignation on December 9, 2008. Previously, she was head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrationin the Carter administration from 1977 to 1981...
building gives inside lavish lobbyists track travel
Such lavish travel gives lobbyists an inside track with lawmakers ... and could even be interpreted as building the groundwork for legislative favors.
known
This is something they've known about for a long time.
allowed avoid budget company federal government offshore oil qualify record rewarding taxes time wealthy
It is irresponsible that the federal government is rewarding a wealthy offshore oil corporation, particularly at a time of record budget deficits. A company that incorporates offshore to avoid U.S. taxes shouldn't be allowed to qualify for such grants.
addressing house leaders leadership thinking trick trying voters
House leaders are trying to trick voters into thinking that the leadership is addressing the problem. Voters should not be fooled. This is not real reform.
certainly state
Certainly it is something that could be done at the state level.
standards written
These standards are written for Detroit, by Detroit.
cutting integrity office public undermines
The cutting out of the Office of Public Integrity really undermines this whole effort.
account actions answer brought congress moving president rogue
The Congress and the president have to be brought to account for their rogue actions in moving to enact this very controversial legislation without complying with the Constitution. This time, they will have to answer for their actions.
both cases companies eight ford gag kept known lawsuits lawyers number officials problem prohibited public safety settled shame situation talking victims
The shame of this situation is that both Ford and Bridgestone/Firestone have known about this problem for eight years, ... The companies have settled a number of lawsuits under gag orders, which prohibited the lawyers or victims in the cases from talking about them. As a result, safety officials and the public have been kept in the dark.
allow cars financial partial relatively ridiculous system
Cars are mobile. It's a relatively ridiculous system to allow partial recalls. It's a financial issue. Recalls are expensive, and automakers don't want to do them.
affect biggest campaign con deception estate exposes families history jobs pay public recent report secretive
This report exposes one of the biggest con jobs in recent history. This long-running, secretive campaign funded by some of the country's wealthiest families has relied on deception to bamboozle the public not only about who must pay the estate tax, but about how repealing it will affect the country.
government too-much problem
Leaks are good. There is too much secrecy in our government. Sometimes the government knows about a problem and it takes a leak to embarrass the bureaucracy and get them to do something about it.
crush people hitting
It's malarkey. When you tell people that the roof crushing in on your head is not the cause of injury, it's your head hitting the roof, it's laughable.
democracy ordinary citizens
There is nothing beyond the reach of ordinary citizens doing the daily work of democracy, and no problem too great to tackle with the power of active citizenship.