Early last week it looked like EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had done a few, ah, questionable things, but it's just gotten worse and worse for him since then, as we've learned that his security detail is three times larger than his predecessor's, that he defied the White House's will in handing out massive pay raises to two of his cronies, and that he reassigned or demoted no less than five EPA officials who questioned his spending. Well, I guess that $43,000 "cone of silence" can't protect him from everything! We even learned that the energy lobbyist couple who rented out that $50-a-night-only-the-nights-you-stay-there condo got sick enough of him that they changed the locks on him. If only we could do that! I guess we'll have to settle for calling for his removal, as EDF Action, Public Citizen, Food and Water Action,, and People for the American Way all help you do.
Meanwhile, despite the fact that the name "Equifax" has, in the public's eyes, become synonymous with "corporation that doesn't care about protecting your data," our Congressfolk still seem desperate to pass legislation that would make it easier for corporations like Equifax to get away with losing your data to identity thieves. Maybe that's how Congress should work in the Bizarro World, but not this one. Hence one of the provisions of the notorious and nefarious S. 2155, passed by the Senate passed almost a month ago, would actually pre-empt stronger laws against identity theft at the state level. Because telling states they have no choice but to put up with weak federal anti-fraud laws is what being a conservative is all about! Seriously, the hypocrisy is strong with this bill. Hence Penn PIRG helps you tell your House Reps to support stronger pro-consumer, anti-fraud legislation by rejecting S. 2155.
Finally, Common Cause helps you tell your Congressfolk you oppose a "balanced budget amendment" to our Constutition. Often you hear from people who ought to know better I have to balance my budget, so why can't Congress? But no one who lives and works in America goes an entire lifetime without taking on some debt at some time in order to secure a better future. If we demanded a "balanced budget" of ourselves like we demand it of our government, we could never get a mortgage on a house, we could never buy a car with anything but cash, we could never make necessary home repairs on a credit card, and we could never pay for higher education with a loan. And heaven forbid you get cancer! Republicans have some nerve squealing about TEH BALANCEDZ BUDGETZ!!!! so soon after exploding our annual deficits with their tax-cuts-for-the-rich bill. So let's readjust their priorities.
Comments