The Citizens’ Utility Board, or CUB, is a model approach for bringing together large numbers of diffuse consumers into a voluntary organization, which can then pursue a common citizen/consumer agenda in banking, insurance, housing or dozens of other arenas. I call it the “silicon chip” for the citizen movement because it is a low-cost, high … Read more
By Ralph Nader September 21, 2023 For nearly thirty-five years, a small nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. has been having an outsized impact on highway and auto safety. It is Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (saferoads.org) and it is funded by a dozen or more property-casualty insurance companies; with a board composed of consumer … Read more
By Ralph Nader September 15, 2023 Corporate law firms have taught their wayward corporate clients how to use accretions of privileges and immunities to ward off or wait out the most devastating books, documentaries and media exposés. Corporate P.R. firms know that the media doesn’t follow the efforts of civic advocacy groups as a regular … Read more
By Ralph Nader September 8, 2023 The headlines on climate catastrophes are becoming more informative as they become more ominous. For years the media headlines have been describing record floods, droughts, wildfires, heatwaves, hurricanes and other fossil-fueled disasters of an abused Mother Nature. The immediate human casualties are devastating. Very recently, the headlines have been … Read more
By Ralph Nader September 1, 2023 Have you ever met a newspaper headline writer? Not likely. They are remarkably anonymous, receive no byline, of course, and very little recognition. There is only one major award for headline writing even though headlines serve a critical purpose in getting readers to read the articles or features. (See, … Read more
By Ralph Nader August 28, 2023 Marc Fisher of the Washington Post is often the “go-to” reporter editors choose to write Page One stories that synthesize and analyze the Big Story of the Day. On August 17th, Mr. Fisher delivered a lengthy feature titled, “Trump Follows Tested ‘Counterpuncher’ Playbook in Face of Indictments.” Alas, he … Read more
By Ralph Nader August 17, 2023 The mass media is reluctant to recognize civic heroes unless they display physical bravery such as rushing into a burning building to save a child. The media also lavishes vast coverage on sports heroes and entertainers. Unnoticed by the mass media was how it came about that the Illinois … Read more
By Ralph Nader August 14, 2023 Russia’s criminal war in Ukraine intensifies as it grinds on, World War I style with heavy casualties on both sides. While President Joe Biden keeps repeating that NATO, mostly meaning the U.S., will expand military support for Ukraine “as long as it takes.” “As long as it takes,” is … Read more
By Ralph Nader* and Bruce Fein** August 4, 2023 On August 1, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted former President Donald J. Trump for conspiring to prevent Vice President Mike Pence, through a blizzard of knowing “Stop the Steal” lies, threats, intimidation, and mob violence, from counting judicially vetted state certified electoral votes as stipulated … Read more
July 27, 2023 The Congress is about to embark on the longest of its numerous annual “recesses” – some would call these five weeks until after Labor Day in September a vacation from your Washington, D.C. workplace. Does it seem reckless not to be in session, holding hearings, floor deliberations, personally communicating with one another, … Read more
The Incommunicados is a 180-page compilation of unanswered letters to government officials and prominent figures in other non-governmental institutions who have become impenetrably cocooned and unresponsive to the public. Ralph Nader and Bruce Fein present their unrequited correspondences to major public figures on pressing issues facing the United States. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign … Read more