QUICK LINKS:
IRAQ UPDATES
CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATES
COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY UPDATES
CREDIT CARD UPDATES
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UPDATES
STUDENT PROFILE

Good news: the media is covering Iraq again. We recapped the last few weeks of updates in this blog post.  Basically Der Spiegel, a German magazine, ran an interview with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. In various quotes, Maliki expressed his hopes that U.S. troops would leave Iraq “as soon as possible” and added an implicit endorsement of Barack Obama’s plan to withdraw in 16 months. Woah... Read More

CLIMATE CHANGE UPDATES

For years progressives have been calling for the federal government to drastically increase Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, fully fund public transportation and encourage urban smart growth programs to help consumers deal with rising oil prices and to diminish our dependence on oil. The conservatives in power rejected these proposals claiming that these preventative steps would destroy the economy and kill jobs. In an ironic twist worthy of a Shakespearean play, after seven and a half years of conservative energy policy, we are facing the highest unemployment rates in years and our economy is in shambles... Read More

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY UPDATES

After a decade-long wait, Congress has finally reauthorized the Higher Education Act, which determines most federal policies in regards to financial aid and higher education, by passing the Higher Education Opportunity Act. Among other things, the bill will: help stop conflicts of interest between college financial aid offices and student loan companies; allow students to receive Pell Grants year-round; simplify the federal financial aid application; encourage states and schools to invest in higher education and limit tuition increases; help veterans, active duty military personnel, and their families to afford college; expand programs for graduate students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and minority serving institutions; and help lower textbook costs... Read More

CREDIT CARD UPDATES

Despite heavy lobbying by the credit card industry, the Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights survived its first major hurdle as it was passed by the House Financial Services Committee. The bill would reign in the worst abuses of the credit card industry, which include going out of their way to make late payments (and thus, large fees and penalty interest rates) more likely, changing interest rates retroactively “at any time, for any reason,” and “double cycle billing.” With all of the current economic troubles, and the possibility that large budget cuts to public colleges could mean large tuition hikes, regulating these and other abusive credit card company practices couldn’t be more urgent.... Read More

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION UPDATES

Ward Connerly has found an ally in John McCain…at least for now. Despite prior statements of support for equal opportunity programming, when asked whether or not he supports the proposed affirmative action ban in Arizona, his home state, McCain said: “Yes, I do. I do not believe in quotas.” Clearly McCain is a bit confused since he’s contradicting himself and has also fallen prey to Connerly’s deceptive (and ignorant) practice of making affirmative action synonymous with quotas. Read More

STUDENT PROFILE

Chenwei Zhang
Senior, Political Science - University of South Carolina

Student working on textbook affordability finds unconventional allies.

Read More

ACTION ALERTS

• Tell Congress to Protect Credit Card Holders
Click here >>

• Oppose Bush's Attack on Contraception and Abortion
Click here >>

• Take Action for Fair Loan Payments
Click here >>

• Feel the Heat? Lobby at Home
Click here >>

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