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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Do Not Track gets another push | Jon Fox

FTC tells congress of need for meaningful Do Not Track policies.

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Bank of America Shareholders to Vote on Political Spending Resolution

On Wednesday, May 9th, shareholders at Bank of America will vote on a first-of-its-kind “refrain from political spending” resolution. The resolution would request that the board of directors impose a ban on the use of corporate treasury funds to influence the political process. This would include contributions to Super PACs, political non-profits, such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) of which Bank of America is a known member, and trade associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce.

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Blog Post | Democracy

Senate Elections Committee Testimony on AJR 22 | Pedro Morillas

AJR 22 is an important message and an important opportunity to get the public to coalesce behind a concrete solution to the problems created by the Supreme Court’s misstep in the Citizens United case two years ago.

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Blog Post | Budget, Consumer Protection, Higher Ed

New FCC rules to prevent cramming on landline phone bills | Jon Fox

FCC announces new rules to stop “Cramming” on land lines, ignores wireless phone lines.

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News Release | U.S.PIRG | Higher Ed

Interest Rate Hike Threatens College Affordability, Will Lead to 20% Increases in Cost of College Next Year

Today, U.S. PIRG, the Young Invincibles, the Center for American Progress, and Campus Progress released a joint report on the looming threat of a major hike in the federal student loan interest rate. If Congress fails to act by July 1, the interest rate for Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan will double, rising to 6.8 percent. 

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Democracy

Bank of America Shareholders to Vote on Political Spending Resolution

On Wednesday, May 9th, shareholders at Bank of America will vote on a first-of-its-kind “refrain from political spending” resolution. The resolution would request that the board of directors impose a ban on the use of corporate treasury funds to influence the political process. This would include contributions to Super PACs, political non-profits, such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) of which Bank of America is a known member, and trade associations, such as the Chamber of Commerce.

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S.PIRG | Higher Ed

Interest Rate Hike Threatens College Affordability, Will Lead to 20% Increases in Cost of College Next Year

Today, U.S. PIRG, the Young Invincibles, the Center for American Progress, and Campus Progress released a joint report on the looming threat of a major hike in the federal student loan interest rate. If Congress fails to act by July 1, the interest rate for Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan will double, rising to 6.8 percent. 

> Keep Reading
News Release | CALPIRG | Budget, Food

SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES NEW TAXPAYER GIVEAWAYS TO BIG AG

Statement of Emily Rusch on the Senate Agriculture Committee’s approval of the 2012 Farm Bill: As this flawed legislation heads to the Senate floor, we urge Senators to stand with the public, not Big Ag. 

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Media Hit | Higher Ed

The New Student Battle Cry: Don't Double My Rate!

The media and the country are just waking up to the alarming fact that unless Congress acts by July 1, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Congress must not let that happen.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Consumer Protection, Food

CALPIRG Calls on USDA to Increase Testing for Mad Cow

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) statement confirming the presence of an infected cow with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - commonly referred to as “mad cow disease” - in California reinforces the need for increased animal testing.

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Result | Health Care

Pro-consumer Health Care Reform

CALPIRG’s advocacy helped ensure the health care law will bring down costs by setting up a competitive health insurance marketplace. In 2010, California became the first state in the country to begin setting up our state health insurance exchange.

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Result | Health Care

Fighting To Make Health Care Affordable

Thanks to a new CALPIRG-backed law, insurance companies actually have to justify rate hikes to the public, bringing some much-needed accountability. Thanks in part to the new law — and public pressure, including 1,200 public comments from CALPIRG supporters — Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California both backed off of double-digit rate hikes.

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Result | Budget

Keeping Public Libraries Public

To plug budget gaps, it seems that local governments will consider selling anything; some have even sold their public libraries. CALPIRG has stood up to and blocked a number of wrong-headed schemes to sell public assets to private companies — deals that all too often actually raise costs — including public libraries, state buildings and the privatization of red light camera enforcement.

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Result | Consumer Protection

KIDS’ SCHOOL LUNCHES NOW SAFER

For years, America’s schoolchildren have been eating beef, chicken and other foods that would have been rejected as substandard even by fast food chains. Thanks in part to our advocacy, the U.S.D.A. has stopped buying such low-quality meat for school lunches.

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Result | Democracy

Defeating Big Oil’s Ballot Proposition

CALPIRG helped run a campaign that identified 160,000 young voters who pledged to vote No on Prop. 23, the oil industry-funded attack on California’s landmark global warming law. To combat the millions of dollars Texas oil companies Valero and Tesoro poured into electioneering, our organizers mobilized young voters — the segment of the electorate most likely to vote against Prop. 23, but most are in need of a reminder to get to the polls.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Tax

Picking up the tab

Some U.S.-based multinational firms or individuals avoid paying U.S. taxes by transferring their earnings to tax haven countries with minimal or no taxes. These tax haven users benefit from their access to America’s markets, workforce, infrastructure and security; but they pay little or nothing for it—violating the basic fairness of the tax system and forcing other taxpayers to pick up the tab.

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Report | CalPIRG Education Fund & Frontier Group | Budget, Transportation

Transportation and the New Generation

A new report released today by the CalPIRG Education Fund with Frontier Group demonstrates that Americans have been driving less since the middle of last decade.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Budget, Tax

Following the money 2012

The ability to see how government uses the public purse is fundamental to democracy. Transparency in government spending promotes fiscal responsibility, checks corruption, and bolsters public confidence.

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Report | CALPIRG | Democracy

Auctioning Democracy

This appendix provides a detailed look at business funding for Super PACs: top business donors, Super PACs which received the most business money, and amount and number of contributions by state.

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Report | CALPIRG | Democracy

Auctioning Democracy

Dēmos and U.S. PIRG Education Fund analysis of Federal Election Commission data on Super PACs from their advent in 2010 through the end of 2011 reveals the following:

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Do Not Track gets another push | Jon Fox

FTC tells congress of need for meaningful Do Not Track policies.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Democracy

Senate Elections Committee Testimony on AJR 22 | Pedro Morillas

AJR 22 is an important message and an important opportunity to get the public to coalesce behind a concrete solution to the problems created by the Supreme Court’s misstep in the Citizens United case two years ago.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Budget, Consumer Protection, Higher Ed

New FCC rules to prevent cramming on landline phone bills | Jon Fox

FCC announces new rules to stop “Cramming” on land lines, ignores wireless phone lines.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Protection

LA Times highlights failure to provide cheap broadband Internet | Jon Fox

LA Times columnist David Lazarus highlights the fact that the USA is falling behind the rest of the world in providing access to low coast quality Internet service.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

CFPB Release new tools to help students manage debt | Jon Fox

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) launches a beta version of the Financial Aid Comparison Shopper - an interactive online tool designed to help students plan for the costs of higher education.

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Tools & Resources

  • HOW MANY TAX DOLLARS IN A TWINKIE?
    Ever year, more than a billion taxpayer dollars subsidize high-fructose corn syrup and other key ingredients in junk food at a time when 1 in 3 kids
    Learn more
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • MAKE THE RIGHT CALL
    Our shopper’s guide will help you navigate the twists and turns of today’s wireless and cellular phone market.
    Learn more
    View Guide
  • Let's Put Our State On Record
    Help us deliver 5,000 signatures to the California Legislature sending a simple message: We don't want limitless corporate money in politics.
    Learn more
    Take Action

You Can Help

We have a chance to cut billions in junk food subsidies this year. Your support will help us do the research, advocacy and grassroots organizing to convince our elected officials to act.

Donate Today

PRIORITY ACTION

Every year, our tax dollars pay for enough corn syrup and other junk food additives to buy 2.8 million Twinkies. It's time to stop subsidizing obesity.

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