September 23, 2008

Jeff Wise, biodiversity campaign director at the Pew Environment Group, today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee passing a bipartisan resolution on global conservation (S. Res. 598): "The Senate Foreign Relations Committee should be applauded for recognizing a conservation crisis taking place around the globe. According to the World Bank, the accelerating destruction of ecosystems and natural habitats is driving countless species toward oblivion and threatening millions of people who are losing access to fresh water and fertile soils. The Senate resolution asks the U.S. government to develop a five-year strategy that can address this emergency. Full release

The U.S. media have hindered effective policy-making on immigration for decades, and their impact has been increasing in recent years as a result of an ongoing evolution in the media industry. Changes in the media landscape -- the advent of a 24-hour news cycle, the growing Latino media, and rise of conservative voices on cable TV news, are increasingly transforming the context of our nation's political battles, and promoting stalemate on an issue that is inherently difficult to resolve. Immigration, a topic likely to resurface on the public agenda in 2009, will need to be addressed by the next administration and Congress. Full release

Today at 3:15 PM on 1st Ave. between 42nd and 43rd, New Yorkers will gather to point out how Gov. Sarah Palin is in lock step agreement with the disastrous economic policies that have led to the current financial crisis. In spite of the unprecedented economic crisis created by Bush-McCain policies that freed banks and lenders from key safeguards meant to protect Americans, McCain wants to put Americans' health care at risk with the same approach. Just days after claiming that "the economic fundamentals are strong," even as Americans' savings and retirement yo-yoed with the struggling stock market, the magazine of the American Academy of Actuaries published an article by McCain claiming that "Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation." McCain's plan for the economy and for Americans' health care means more of the same deregulation that has created today's economic crisis. Full release

Andy Stern, International President of the 2-million member Service Employees International Union (SEIU) -- the fastest-growing labor union in the Americas -- issued the following statement today regarding rule changes by the Federal Reserve that make it easier for private equity firms to invest in the nation's retail banks. Full release

Today, The ESOP Association was pleased to receive a statement by Republican Candidate for President, Senator John McCain, declaring his support for employee stock ownership through the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) model. This statement was conveyed to The ESOP Association by a Senior Policy Advisor to the McCain-Palin Campaign. Full release

This week, Tamara Draut, Vice President for Policy and Programs at the non-partisan policy center Demos, sent a letter to members of the House of Representatives urging full support for H.R. 5244, The Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights Act, when it comes to a vote later today, September 23, 2008. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) and co-sponsored by 155 other members of the House, would end some of the most abusive and predatory tactics of the credit card industry. Full release

The Republican National Committee (RNC) today launched new friend updates to its social networking Web site, http://www.BarackBook.com. The most recent friend updates include Barack Obama's notable associations with Hunter Biden, Sen. Joe Biden's son who was until recently a registered Washington lobbyist whose clients received earmarks from Obama, and Federico Pena, Obama's campaign co-chairman who has close ties to big electricity. Full release

A new WorldPublicOpinion.org poll finds the majority of supporters of John McCain and Barack Obama largely agree on how to deal with both the country's energy needs and the problem of climate change. Asked whether the government should require utilities to use more alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar, even if this increases costs in the short-run, seventy-five percent of Obama voters and sixty percent of McCain voters say that it should. Full release

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Democratic leadership, and Chairman Barney Frank of the House Financial Services Committee discussed the continuing negotiations with the Administration on legislation to address the financial markets crisis. Below are the Speaker's remarks: "Good evening. Last Thursday evening we came before you with Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson and Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke. We stated to the American people that we, having heard their presentation of the financial crisis that our country was facing, understood the urgency to move as quickly as possible." Full release

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