Archive for the ‘Nuclear Power’ Category

May21

Nuclear industry had it in for Jaczko from Day One

By: Tyson Slocum

News today of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chair Gregory Jaczko’s pending resignation is a terrifying example of industries trying to wreak havoc on those who regulate them – and winning."Tyson Slocum" "Public Citizen"

Jaczko sought to create tougher rules for the nuclear industry in the wake of Japan’s Fukushima disaster last year. But the nuclear industry wanted Jaczko gone from Day One. Jaczko stood alone.

Jaczko did all he could to stand up to the political and economic influence of the nuclear industry and set commonsense reforms to make the industry safer post-Fukushima. But it wasn’t enough. The other commissioners didn’t want to be so tough on industry.

It is essential that the NRC’s new chairperson prioritizes public health and safety over the influence of the nuclear power industry. The new NRC chair must come from outside the agency. The public interest community has zero confidence in one of the existing four commissioners to ascend to be chair.

You can view video of Jaczko’s appearance at Public Citizen here.

Tyson Slocum is Public Citizen’s Energy Program director. You can follow him on Twitter @TysonSlocum.

 

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March20

Regulatory Freeze Act does nothing for the unemployed, just makes the world more dangerous for everyone

By: Rich Robinson

Last year, in the 175 days that the U.S. House of Representatives was in session, it passed more than 190 anti-regulatory bills. Not one of them created a new job. Unfortunately, those in Congress who favor profits over public safety are still at it.

Next up is H.R. 4078, the “Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2012,” an absurd bill that calls for a halt on public protections until the unemployment rate reaches six percent. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to mark up the bill on Tuesday, March 20.

Congress should be focusing attention on scandalously high unemployment, but it should be getting to the heart of the matter, not repeating tired falsehoods and reinforcing misleading assumptions about public protections. Let’s remember that regulation did not cause the jobs crisis, and it’s not a significant obstacle to job creation.

In reality, public protections strengthen the economy and make our country stronger, safer and more secure. Our nation has made advancements beyond the wildest dreams of our Founders, due largely to the standards put in place that protect everyone.

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Posted in: Congress, Environment, Health, Nuclear Power, Pharmaceuticals, Product Safety, Regulation, Uncategorized, Workplace Health & Safety0 comments

November1

Bill Moyers remarks for Public Citizen’s 40th Anniversary Gala

By: Editor

Peabody Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers’ keynote remarks for Public Citizen’s 40th Anniversary Gala are found below.

"Bill Moyers" "Public Citizen"

I am honored to share this occasion with you.   No one beyond your collegial inner appreciates more than I do what you have stood for over these 40 years, or is more aware of the battles you have fought, the victories you have won, and the passion for democracy that still courses through your veins.  The great progressive of a century ago, Robert LaFollette of Wisconsin – a Republican, by the way – believed that “Democracy is a life; and involves constant struggle.”  Democracy has been your life for four decades now, and would have been even more imperiled today if you had not stayed the course.

I began my public journalism the same year you began your public advocacy, in 1971. Our paths often paralleled and sometimes crossed. Over these 40 years  journalism for me has been a continuing course in adult education, and I came early on to consider the work you do as part of the curriculum – an open seminar on how government works – and for whom.   Your muckraking investigations – into money and politics, corporate behavior, lobbying, regulatory oversight, public health and safety, openness in government, and consumer protection, among others – are models of accuracy and integrity. They drive home to journalists that while it is important to cover the news, it is more important to uncover the news.  As one of my mentors said, “News is what people want to keep hidden; everything else is publicity.”  And when a student asked the journalist and historian Richard Reeves for his definition of “real news”, he answered: “The news you and I need to keep our freedoms.”  You keep reminding us how crucial that news is to democracy.  And when the watchdogs of the press have fallen silent, your vigilant growls have told us something’s up.

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Posted in: Activism, Campaign Finance, Climate Change, Commercialism, Congress, Consumer Protection, Energy, Environment, Ethics, Financial Reform, Health, Internet Free Speech, Litigation, Nuclear Power, Open Government, Pharmaceuticals, Product Safety, Regulation, Social Justice, Texas, Trade, Transportation, Uncategorized, Workplace Health & Safety5 comments

October28

Whether on the streets or in the courtroom

By: Rachel Lewis

By Joan Claybrook, former President of Public Citizen

As I reflect on our early days as Nader’s raiders, I am stunned at how brash and confident we were to think we could make a difference in determining the policies of this nation.  We followed the examples set by Ralph, and urged on by him, we jumped into the fray and elbowed our way in to became part of the American political system.  It’s an amazing story.

We had no money, no power base, minimal experience and few allies.  We just started making our demands—lobbying Congress, holding press conferences, filing law suits, submitting petitions and FOIA requests to government agencies—under the guidance of a master who helped set our sails and let us fly.  The learning curve was huge.

We knew we were part of something new in America but were so busy trying to succeed with our particular projects we rarely had time to evaluate the broad implications of this new citizen action role.  But Ralph did.   He’s truly the Johnny Appleseed of advocacy organizations, helping to start and fund so many of them.   The more the better.

Citizen action is now ingrained in America’s policy decisions, with thousands of advocacy organizations at the neighborhood, local, state and national levels pushing all sorts of causes.   All of us in public interest organizations, and especially Public Citizen, have been so privileged to do this challenging and widely recognized work.   And new generations of advocates are bringing their great talents and determination to holding the powerful accountable because it is so essential, so energizing and so exciting.

But the work never ends.  With each new administration and new congress we need to be there, right in the middle of the debates, researching the facts, educating the decision-makers, lobbying and if necessary suing to assure the public has a voice.   Of course we don’t always win, and there are disappointing setbacks, but that’s why we must be “on our game” and “in the game” year after year.

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Posted in: Activism, Campaign Finance, Congress, Consumer Protection, Energy, Environment, Financial Reform, Health, Litigation, Nuclear Power, Open Government, Product Safety, Regulation, Social Justice, Uncategorized, Workplace Health & Safety0 comments

October21

Public Citizen celebrates 40 years of progress!

By: Rachel Lewis

Last night was a night to remember. From the performance of Capitol Movement, to the rousing speech by Public Citizen’s keynote Bill Moyers, energy filled the ballroom at the Omni Shoreham hotel in Washington, D.C., where  public interest luminaries mingled with the next generation of Naders Raiders to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Public Citizen.

Cocktails were served beginning at 6 p.m. . Following this, attendees went to the main ballroom where dinner was served. Public Citizen board member Steve Skrovan, whose documentary about Public Citizen founder Ralph Nader is currently showing on Showtime, MCed the event and offered the following quote to start the evening off:

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
-George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) “Maxims for Revolutionists”

Skrovan went on to say that he believed the ballroom of nearly 600 supporters was probably full of “unreasonable people.” One of those unreasonables: Joan Claybrook. Claybrook, who helped found the organization and served as president of Public Citizen for nearly three decades, spoke about her pride in the organization and all its accomplishments. Her remarks preceded a short video created to explain the origins of Public Citizen and highlight its accomplishments over the last four decades. It’s a must see! CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW TO WATCH THE VIDEO . . .


U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Md.), who worked at Public Citizen in our Congress Watch division a number of years ago, recounted the many lessons she had learned working at Public Citizen. Public Citizen board member and commentator Jim Hightower then spoke, telling the audience that he serves on only one nonprofit board. The reason he chose Public Citizen’s board: because Public Citizen knows you can’t sweet talk a pig out of a creek– you need to “get right up behind it and push it!” (He was explaining how hard we push to get things done and how we don’t back down.) Maybe you had to be there.

Hightower’s Texas humor was given a run for its money though when Public Citizen founder Ralph Nader took to the podium. While his remarks were earnest and provided often somber reflections on the history of the consumer movement he fathered and the challenges before our nation, his wit was clear. Nader, who once said the point of leadership “is to create more leaders,” said, “You can always tell a Public Citizen project director but you can’t tell them much.”

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Posted in: Activism, Campaign Finance, Climate Change, Commercialism, Congress, Consumer Protection, Energy, Environment, Ethics, Financial Reform, Health, Internet Free Speech, Litigation, Nuclear Power, Open Government, Pharmaceuticals, Product Safety, Regulation, Social Justice, Texas, Trade, Transportation, Uncategorized, Workplace Health & Safety4 comments

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