Archive for December, 2008

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Politico’s Kenneth P. Vogel and Chris Frates report:

No political appointee, Obama’s transition team has declared, “will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years.”

Taylor Lincoln, of the government watchdog group Public Citizen, said Vilsack’s appointment effectively violates Obama’s pledge.

“As secretary of agriculture, he should have to recuse himself from situations affecting clients that he advised. If he advised really big agriculture clients that would be make it impractical to be the secretary of agriculture,” said Lincoln, editor of the group’s blog becoming44.org.

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When a court first struck down a federal rule allowing truckers to drive ridiculous hours without taking a break , we and other safety groups figured the government would make some changes. After all, driving 11 straight hours or working 98 hours over eight consecutive days will make anyone tired. Further, having really tired drivers behind the wheels of huge rigs is downright dangerous for everyone on the road.

But the government didn’t budge. Instead, it issued essentially the same rule again. So we went back to court. Again, the court rejected the rule. However, this is the administration known for letting politics trump science, so it should have come as no surprise that the government re-issued the rule a third time, again with virtually no changes.

So we’re challenging it again, along with Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, the Truck Safety Coalition and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Let’s hope the third time is the charm.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v9eXKvnXRU&hl=en&fs=1]

Because of your support, Public Citizen is able to hold government and corporate powers accountable. Thank you.

Remember last year’s uproar over tainted toys? You probably thought the problem was fixed. But it isn’t – dangerous toys are still on the shelves this holiday season. In fact, you likely will be able to find unsafe products well into 2009.

Earlier this year, with your help, Public Citizen succeeded in making tough new product safety measures the law of the land. The new law requires that toys and infant products be tested before they’re sold, bans lead and phthalates (a harmful chemical) from toys and calls for the creation of a consumer complaint database, among other vital reforms.

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joanToday I am announcing that I am stepping down as president of Public Citizen after 27 incredible years of leading this remarkable national public interest organization.

During my tenure, we have achieved so much for the people of this nation. Every consumer in America has benefited from our advocacy work. I am proud that Public Citizen under my leadership has played such a significant role in Congress, in government agencies and in the courts to protect the public health, safety and democracy for everyone in the U. S. In the past 27 years, we have helped pass significant laws benefiting consumers, opened access to government information, enhanced congressional ethics and campaign reform, as well as stopped some of industry’s most egregious efforts to rollback public protections. Among our accomplishments:

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