While attending the Austin CleanTX foundation panel to hear their take on a post-legislative wrap-up, we overheard Governor Perry’s energy advisor Brian Lloyd say the following:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGZIr_cYz1A]
Ouch!! While I don’t think Mr. Lloyd literally supports imprisoning his political adversaries and their supporters, it is somewhat surreal to hear one of our public figures suggesting it. I’ve been told that people often express their true feelings when they are joking, especially when they are not comfortable saying these things in any other context. No matter how you look at it, it is a little troubling that the Governor’s Advisor would suggest that we lock up people who disagree with him.
Mr. Lloyd’s quip was offered as an explanation for the failure of certain Solar Bills this session, but of course the real culprit here was the voter ID bill introduced by the conservative wing of the Republican party in both houses. This created a lot of partisan heat but no light as it killed not only legislation that would have promoted solar energy here in Texas, but also the Sunset safety bill (for which a special session was held last week). This exchange shows that Mr. Lloyd dismisses those of us who are concerned about the environment as minor irritants and our concerns as ill-conceived. I hope he will note that while he does dismiss our concerns, we our numerous and we can influence policy.
Posted in Energy | Tagged Brian Lloyd, CleanTX, Governor's Office, house of representatives, Imprisonment, Legislature, Lock, republicans, Rick Perry, solar, Texas, Tied, Voter I.D |
Southwest Key is launching their East Austin Summer Speaker Series this week, starting with a panel tomorrow evening, July 7th, on the History of Activism in East Austin and Its Emerging Political Influence. Come check it out!
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Activism, Austin, east austin, East Austin Summer Speaker Series, southwest key, summer speaker series, Texas |
The word, according to the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club:
The Texas Legislature failed to update state energy codes for new commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. That doesn’t mean Texas can’t move forward. We can get the job done in other ways.
There is a silver lining to this spring’s legislative shortfall: proposed rulemaking at the State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) to update the state minimum building codes from 2001 to 2009 may move faster than the proposed legislation would have required.
Adopting the 2009 IECC or IRC will lead to the following changes in residential construction:
- Homes will be tested or inspected to allow less air leakage and less thermal infiltration, leading to less energy use.
- Ducts will be sealed and tested or located in conditioned space to ensure that heating and cooling equipment functions efficiently.
- Windows will meet lower U-factor and lower SHGC requirements, leading to substantial reductions in the amount of air conditioning needed. (Note that the IECC sets a more stringent SHGC requirement than the IRC.)
- At least half of light fixtures will have to be “high efficacy.” (Lights have not been included in previous residential energy codes.)
On June 5th, SECO opened a 30-day comment period on updating the residential energy codes based on the 2009 IRC Codes. Take a moment today to send your comment of support for updated energy codes! Comments are due to SECO before 5 pm on July 5.
Failure to update our standards quickly and effectively would be a step backwards and could potentially impact current or future funding from the federal government. Texas lags behind many states on its Energy Codes (see map). The nation is moving to update energy efficiency codes, with Congress considering a single national building code standard. Under the American Renewal and Recovery Act (the federal economic stimulus program), Texas has submitted a letter to the Department of Energy saying it has a process to update its standards, allowing SECO to accept certain grants for energy efficiency.
Take action today and send your comment to SECO to support new, green energy codes in Texas!
For more information, check out Sierra Club’s factsheet.
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged building codes, energy codes, lone star chapter, seco, Sierra Club, state energy conservation office, Texas, Texas Legislature |
It’s Fourth of July week, and so it’s time for an extra-patriotic rendition of the Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup.
Off the Kuff takes a look at the latest Lyceum poll on the Governor and Senate races in Texas.
Neil at Texas Liberal suggests that instead of blowing of your fingers lighting fireworks–during a drought in Harris County no less—that maybe you would be better off reading a book instead.
With 2010 spinning up, it’s funny to watch all the different players already on the field line up to take their first hits. McBlogger, of course, thinks they’re all deeply in need of a little advice which he graciously provides (with surprisingly sparse use of profanity)!
WCNews & Dembones at Eye On Williamson post on the latest controversy involving the Williamson County Commissioners Court, Budget officer not just a good idea, it’s the law.
John at Bay Area Houston says Turn out the lights, the family values party is over.
CouldBeTrue of South Texas Chisme thinks online Texas Republican commentary on Mark Sanford is interesting.
The similarities between Mark Sanford and Ray Bolger (as the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz”) are just too weird, notes PDidde at Brains and Eggs.
The wise men are willing to pay a tax on their favorite junk food to pay for health care reform.
WhosPlayin.com Video bring you EXTREME Congressional Town Hall – Special “Losing our freedoms” edition, sponsored by Prozac.
Over at TexasKaos, Libby Shaw calls our attention to Confessions of a Former Health Insurance Exec: “We Dump the Sick”. Who knew? All the posturing , hypocritical , offers of self-reform and insurance relief are just so much bogus cover up for an industry too greedy to ever be trusted to regulate themselves!
The Texas Cloverleaf discusses gay pride, bar raids, and millions of gays marching in DFW this past weekend during the 40th anniversary of Stonewall.
Burnt Orange Report covers TX-10 Congressional candidate Jack McDonald’s campaign expansion in the Austin area.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Austin, bay area houston, brains and eggs, burnt orange report, could be true, dembones, eye on williamson, fourth of july, governor, harris county, health insurance, jack mcdonald, mark sanford, mcblogger, off the kuff, ray bolger, south texas chisme, Texas, texas cloverleaf, texas kaos, texas liberal, texas progressive alliance, texas republicans, wcnews, whospl, whosplayin |
A new iPhone application My Texas Lege will make it even easier for constituents to contact elected officials and their staffers. The app, which has both a paid (Plus) and free version (Lite), is a nonpartisan directory of the Texas Legislaturethat will allow users to dial members’ offices directly, find district offices using Google Maps, and email members and staffers directly from your phone. The application is available now, and starting in Fall 20090 will include a 2010 Campaign Expansion Pack with information on all state races.
I love technology.
Check out the press release after the jump.
Continue Reading »
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged campaign expansion pack, directory, google maps, iPhone, my texas lege, mynor rodriguez, Texas, Texas Legislature |
ReEnergize Texas is having a party to kick-off our Summer of Solutions program and your 4th of July weekend! Join us at Public Citizen (1303 San Antonio St.) this Thursday 6pm-9pm for music, food, and beer (for those of age)!
Come show your support for joint projects being run by Resolution Gardens, ReEnergize Texas, American Youthworks, Rosewood-Zaragosa Community Center, PODER, and more all with the support of Austin Energy and Public Citizen. You can learn more about these groups, sign up to volunteer, or make contributions at our silent auction or in the tip jar!
Bring some food to share if you have it, and enjoy beer on the house. Music, food, and good company… what better way to start your 4th of July weekend?
For more information and to RSVP, add yourself to the Facebook event and come on out!
At our last party, Ryan spun fire. I’m not saying that that’s going to happen again tomorrow… but I am saying we are awesome and know how to have fun. Come check it out.
[vimeo 5113297]
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged Austin Energy and Public Citizen, Public Citizen, reenergize texas, Rosewood-Zaragosa Community Center, Texas |
The special session that Governor Rick Perry called started this morning. On the agenda: extending the life-line of several state agencies that were up for review, such as the Department of Transportation, Insurance, Public Insurance Counsel, and the Texas Racing Commission and the State Affordable Housing Corporation. If legislators don’t pass a bill to extend these agencies, they will expire next Septemeber with nothing to replace them.
Perry has also called for legislators to authorize $2 billion in road-building bonds.
That’s all that’s on the agenda. As the AP quoted Perry saying, “Get’em in, get’em out and get the work done. Badda bing, badda boom!”
Technically, the session once called lasts 30 days, but if lawmakers get their work done early they will leave at that point. According to the AP, Perry seems pretty confident that legislators will be home in their districts in time for Fourth of July fireworks.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Austin, department of insurance, department of transportation, governor rick perry, public insurance counsel, special session, State Affordable Housing Corporation, Texas, Texas Legislature, texas racing ocmmission |
By: Citizen Brem
Even though Texas leads the nation in greenhouse gas emissions, Governor Perry balks at making any major stand on producing reliable renewable energy.
“Are the Democrats willing to say we’re fixing to raise everyone’s cost of living in America, on science yet to be solidified?” said Rick Perry several weeks ago. Perry has vowed to veto any legislation with the phrase, “Global Warming” present in bill, while Republican members in Congress continue to protect the oil industry.
It is important to understand the rhetoric being proposed by representatives such as Perry. They are siding with big oil and manufacturing lobbyists; who argue renewable energy would increase electric bills. However, the latest studies have shown renewable energy and energy efficiency can dramatically decrease energy consumption. This decrease in electric bills will be especially helpful for low-income families, who could save up to 30% on future electric bills.
Rick Perry claims, “renewable energy would be devastating to Texas economy,” but research indicates otherwise. A recent study done by the University of Massachusetts has declared renewable energy and energy efficiency programs would, “save low-income families 4% for their annual income, and the programs would pay for themselves in three years due to the savings by each family.”
Global warming is a real, scientifically confirmed problem, despite what governor Perry would like to believe — and our best answer to this global problem is renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. Renewable energy and energy efficiency programs have been dramatically effective in Europe and other states through the United States. It is time to examine these successes and find an energy solution right for Texas.
Explained in a report by Green for All, “The most powerful way in which clean-energy investments will expand economic opportunities is through the channel of job creation, especially by increasing the availability of jobs for people with relatively low formal credentials.”
The renewable energy industry can provide thousands of jobs for Texans, which should be welcomed during a time of economic uncertainty. However, we need to invest in the future of renewable energy before it is too late. The renewable energy market, from research to production, is a prime opportunity for economic development in Texas. We must not let Texas be out-competed by states such as California and Vermont, which is sure to happen if Texas does not chose to invest in renewable technology.
Governor Perry’s claim renewable energy will hurt the Texas economy is completely off base. With renewable energy proving to be a reliable and affordable alternative for energy production, now and in the future, it is time we make active steps towards developing renewable energy in Texas.
Posted in Efficiency, Energy, Global Warming, Renewables | Tagged economics, Energy Efficiency, environment, Global Warming, governor perry, low-income, renewable energy, Renewables, Rick Perry, Texas |
Board Promises Transparency, Whistleblower Protections, Open Meetings
AUSTIN, Texas – The first meeting of the new board of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative (PEC) on Monday marked an unprecedented change in leadership and vision for the nation’s largest electric cooperative. Not only is the majority of the board progressive reformers, but it is led by an entirely new executive body that has promised to prioritize transparency, accountability, whistleblower protection, renewable energy and energy efficiency new priorities.
“The PEC has an opportunity to be a national leader among co-ops. Board members see that the future of electric power in America lies with energy efficiency and renewable energy,” said Tom “Smitty” Smith, director of Public Citizen’s Texas Office. “Public Citizen Texas applauds the board’s openness and commitment to member rights and looks forward to working with directors in the future as they further investigate how to make their visions reality.”
Considering that just last year the co-op was deep in the midst of a scandal involving accusations of misappropriated funds, theft, money laundering, closed meetings and tainted elections, Monday’s meeting marked an incredible turnaround.
PEC held a special meeting Monday to seat newly elected board directors Christi Clement, Patrick Cox and Larry Landacker. During this meeting, the full board held the elections for the positions of president, vice president and secretary for the coming year.
Landacker was nominated for president and elected with six votes in favor and one abstention; Clements secured the vice presidency with four votes in favor and three abstentions, and Kathy Scanlon was unanimously elected to the position of board secretary.
During his acceptance speech, Landacker announced that the board would begin working immediately on several projects to reform the co-op and move toward becoming a more environmentally friendly, sustainable business. Landacker plans to adopt a co-op members’ Bill of Rights, guarantee open access to meetings, implement a new whistleblower protection policy and create a new and open governance system for the co-op. These laudable measures will ensure that members have the opportunity to participate fully in their co-op and in decisions, and that workers are encouraged to act in the best interests of member-owners.
Landacker also pledged to move forward aggressively with the co-op’s goal, set last November, to purchase or generate 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020. As a part of this effort, the co-op plans to create new programs to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy projects among individual members.
Posted in Energy, Good Government, Renewables | Tagged Austin, bill of rights, christi clement, electric coop, Energy Efficiency, larry landacker, money laundering, open government, patrick cox, pec, pec scandal, pedernales electric coop, Public Citizen, reform, renewable energy, Texas, theft, Tom "Smitty" Smith, whistleblower protection |
Statement of Tom “Smitty” Smith, Director, Public Citizen’s Texas Office
CPS Energy’s announcement today that it will cost $13 billion to build two new nuclear reactors at the South Texas Project (STP) is a naïve guess when compared to independent assessments that offer more realistic estimates for financing and construction. San Antonio already has spent nearly $300 million just for an accounting of this project’s potential cost, but it appears that even that amount could not buy the city an accurate study.
Former Office of Public Utility Counsel Director Clarence Johnson and nuclear engineer and president of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Arjun Makhijani have estimated that costs will range from $17.5 billion to $22 billion.
Even Wall Street underwriters are pinning new reactors at a cost closer to what Johnson and Makhijani have estimated. Wall Street realizes the true potential cost and risk of nuclear power – which is why they refuse to invest in STP unless it is able to secure federally guaranteed loans. That way, if the project goes under or the costs balloon out of control, the only investors who will lose a significant amount of money are the American taxpayers.
Estimates like the one CPS made today are non-binding. If the reactors cost more than CPS has estimated, San Antonio taxpayers will pay the difference. If NRG Energy is unable to provide a fixed contract for this deal, CPS and San Antonio should ask why.
The City Council can stop all this madness and save San Antonio from a bad deal that will pass costs onto ratepayers for decades to come. Council members have questioned the project in the past and have expressed skepticism. The unfortunate truth is that there will be no way to know how much the expansion will cost until the plant is online. No one knows how much new reactors will ultimately cost to build, finance and operate.
City Council members have shown support for investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy. They have shown incredible vision supporting the Mission Verde plan to develop 250 megawatts of solar and new wind contracts. Just this May, the City Council voted to allow CPS to fund energy efficiency efforts, known as the Save for Tomorrow Energy Program. These are the sorts of measures that San Antonio should be supporting – measures that can be deployed quicker and at a fraction of the cost of nuclear expansion.
Now is the time for the City Council to bring common sense and practicality back to the table. San Antonio can’t afford another nuclear boondoggle; the City Council has the opportunity to say “no” to these new nuclear investments. Only it can protect San Antonians from bearing the overwhelming economic burden of building costly, dangerous and unnecessary nuclear reactors.
Posted in Energy, Nuclear | Tagged Arjun Makhijani, City Council, clarence johnson, CPS, CPS Energy, NRG, nrg energy, nuclear cost, nuclear expansion, Nuclear Power, nuke, San Antonio, South Texas Project, STP, Texas, wall street |
Last night like many Americans I watch President Obama’s ABC News Health Care Forum, filmed from the White House. Among the things that struck me most was how vague and sound-bite oriented the President’s answers were to the panels questions and how the pressures of commercial television force speakers into confining their messages to short concise sound-bites. It seemed like the program was interrupted for commercial breaks at an interval that would have made it impossible for the president to have a more nuanced discussion of his plan. He rarely went into actual numbers and I do not recall him specifying anything about the specific language of his proposed legislation.
The event was clearly a media event and an exercise in public relations for the president. Also, the event was meant to answer some very broad questions the about health care that the general public has. I see this type of thing as being very similar to what happens at National Democratic or Republican conventions. During these events the party introduces the candidate they selected and has a big celebratory party to tell everyone how great he (as of yet we have not had a female nominee from one of the major parties) is. In my opinion that makes these rather dull events. Who enjoys a story with no conflict in it? In the past, National Party Conventions were places of high energy, conflict and debate and candidates would go into specific details about their plans and disagreements. This can no longer be done since the major parties now use their National Conventions to convey messages of unity and rally voters behind the chosen candidates.
I noticed a similar trend when watching debates between candidates in both parties during the 2008 election cycle. They confined their discussion to nothing but talk that was easy to follow for the average uninterested viewer. In the debates it was difficult to find any features that differentiated Hillary Clinton’s health care plan from Barack Obama’s, and the candidates were criticized when the delved too deeply into the finer points of their plans.
All of this leads me to question the state of public discourse in our country. Are our attention spans so short that we cannot handle anything more than short bumper-sticker soundbites and endless sloganeering? Does public opinion really rest more on a figure’s media image and personality than it does on the actual content of their ideas? Is our media actively keeping us politically shallow as it diminishes the role of political discourse to that of filler between commercial messages?
America is lucky enough to have had an electoral government and peaceful transfers of power between leaders continuously for more than two centuries. We live very well compared to people in other parts of the world and our government is very stable, so maybe changes in our government do not raise as much passion as some of the more disruptive political changes that take place around the world, but our politics are important — we are in the middle of two on-going wars and a period of mass economic uncertainty.
Our politics not only play a big role in issues like health care, environmental quality, how we educate our children, and more. This is not to mention that what happens in U.S has a huge influence worldwide, but we are (for now) the global hegemon, and our economy is intricately tied to that of every other nation on Earth. In American politics the future of the world is often literally at stake. So, with that I urge all of our readers to please take a little more interests in what are government is doing. Maybe then the media will follow suite.
The Disappointed Environmentalist
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged america, democratic convention, education, environmental quality, health care forum, hillary clinton, media, obama, republican convention, television, Texas, us politics |
Maybe I am underestimating the reach of this blog, but I am guessing that if your are reading this you probably a pretty well- educated American (if not, you certainly are an English speaker, and are probably from a western country — but most likely yer from Texas), who has the ability to access a computer. You’re a likely to be concerned about the environment and consumer protections, or are at least interested in what Public Citizen Texas is doing in this area.
That is why today’s blog post is interactive. Instead of just sharing my opinions with you and updating you on Public Citizen activities, I want to talk about things we can do as consumers to address some of our biggest environmental problems. As the educated westerner that I am assuming you are, your consumption is the engine driving the modern economy. Much of the greenhouse gases and other pollutants that are emitted these days have been done so to make our lifestyle possible. But many people in the developing world are also aspiring to live our lifestyle, putting us in a great position to lead by example.
I know that some will say that I am trying to guilt trip our readers into feeling bad about their success or their consumption. That is not the case at all. If anything, I am simply trying inform you of the influence you have in the global economy as consumers and the ability you have to shape the modern economy into a more sustainable version of its current self. Let’s face it: our country has not exactly taken a proactive stance on global warming, so it is up to us to be proactive while our government gets its act together. Our influence as consumers will also influence countries like China and India, who produce a lot of pollution making and shipping consumer goods for American consumers.
There are a lot of things consumers can do to reduce their impact on the environment. For example, my concern about pollution caused by confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) has led my giving up industrially produced meat. Since CAFO-style operations are also a cause of much deforestation and emissions from shipping from refrigeration, this measure alone can make a huge impact. I’ve also, like many other Americans, chosen to buy a smaller more efficient car — or use no car at all when I get the opportunity. I personally advocate and support public transportation measures where I live and have chosen to use them instead of using my car multiple times. I avoid using Styrofoam and disposable products, often at great inconveniences to my self. Since discovering the Mayors Climate Protection Agreement I will now make a point to influence the city governments of any city I live in to join if they have not already.
Not all of these measures are doable for all of us, and some people will be able to do things others will not. The point is that we the consumers have the power to shift the global economy into a more sustainable direction and influence our local governments to take more environmental initiatives. Fortunately there are numerous books and websites dedicated to differentiating between products and practices that are environmentally friendly and those which are not.
Consumer activism works: the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group subsidiary Eco-pledge (an environmentally motivated consumer boycott group), was successfully able to influence Apple into recycling ipods, and Dell into better management of its E-waste. They also contributed to Conoco-Phillips and BPs withdrawl from Artic Power, an industry group set on opening the Artic Wildlife Refuge for drilling.
Economists tell us that for markets to function properly buyers need to be fully informed to make rational decisions. What could be more rational than making purchase decisions that will preserve our environment? Hopefully we will see more people willing to fight for environmental justice in their communities and with their purchasing decisions.
The Disappointed Environmentalist
Posted in Consumers | Tagged Activism, Alaska, CAFO, Confined Animal Feeding Operation, consumer, Consumer Activism, Ecopledge, environment, Local, Mayor's climate agreement, PIRG, pollution, Product, Texas |
Just four days into summer, and we’re already are setting records for energy consumption in Texas. Yesterday Reuters reported that the Texas grid had set a new record for peak energy consumption in the month of June. With temperatures already in the 100s in our largest urban ares, thermostats are cranking across the state, and energy bills are going up.
Texas consumers used 60, 452 MW of energy in the hour ending at 5 o’clock yesterday, blowing last year’s June record of 59,642 MW out of the water.
But today ERCOT is predicting that Texas will set a new record for electricity consumption. Period. By about five o’clock this afternoon, the time of day when the the sun is shining brightest and A/Cs run hardest, Texas will be consuming more energy at one time than we ever have in our history.
According to the Ft. Worth Star Telegram,
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which oversees the power grid that serves about 22 million Texans, forecasts that power demand will peak today at 62,450 megawatts and at 63,589 megawatts Thursday. The record is 62,339 megawatts, set Aug. 17, 2006, ERCOT spokeswoman Dottie Roark said.
If we’re reaching record energy use this early in June, I don’t even want to think about how bad its going to get in July and the dreaded August. Global warming, indeed. Don’t say we didn’t tell you so.
But no need to worry about outages, ERCOT says. The grid has more than 72,700 megawatts of available generation capacity, plenty to serve on even the hottest days.
So wait a minute. If we have 10,000 MW of extra power lying around, why is Texas rushing to build 12 new coal plants to provide tons of baseload power? Judging by this recent run of records, looks like what we really need is *peak power.
Not sure of the difference? An aside for the uninitiated. There are two main classifications of power that run our modern lives: baseload, and peak. Baseload is steady amount of power we need under normal circumstances (because as a society we’re always doing something that requires energy), and peak is the extra energy we need when we are all doing something at the same time. Think about baseload and peak power as you would about keeping your body hydrated. We always need to be drinking a certain amount of water to stay healthy and functioning (baseload aqua), but when we are working out or being active outside, need even more on top of that (peak gatorade).
Baseload power is largely provided by the old dirty standbys — coal and nuclear (unless you’re in Houston, in which case it is gas in abundance, baby — one of the reasons power in H-town is so expensive). Baseload is the huge, slow, steady sort of power — the kind we have plenty of.
In Texas, peak power is generally produced by gas turbines. When it starts to reach that key hot afternoon time, your energy provider flips the switch to turn on a quick revving gas turbine to turbo charge the grid with enough power to keep all those fans spinning and air conditioners blowing.
Another source of peak power, though less common currently, is of course solar power. Solar produces peak power because just as the day gets hottest, and we need power to keep us cool the most — the sun is shining brightest! Match made in heaven, really — solar and the need for peak energy.
So why is Texas trying to build 8500 MW + 9149#of coal MW of additional baseload power from coal and nuclear plants when what we really need is peak power, and solar is such a natural fit to produce peak energy?
Good question.
Posted in Energy, Global Warming | Tagged baseload, Coal, Consumers, electric reliability council of texas, energy use, ercot, fort worth star telegram, generation capacity, grid, june, Nuclear, outages, peak energy, power grid, record electricity consumption, reuters, solar, summer, Texas |
This is an issue that has been bothering me for some time, but does not get as much play in political discourse I think it should. In my opinion the high cost of education and my generation’s huge accumulation of loan debt are likely to be one of the biggest problems that ordinary people in this country face.
The increased integration of the global economy is dictating that we have a highly educated workforce in order to remain competitive. To get this, high-quality post-secondary education needs to be available to all who want it, and people who have received secondary education need to have the freedom to meet their potential.
Unfortunately, this is not the way the situation looks currently. The cost of post-secondary education has grown to unprecedented heights, and more than half of college graduates are indebted to student loan providers by the time they graduate. It has become commonplace for college graduates to be saddled with anywhere from $50 to over $100 thousand in debt.
I admit that I may be a little biased, being that this issue hits very close to home for me. I am a recent graduate myself and have seen many people in my age group saddled with unbelievable amounts of debt. As is reflected by my work at Public Citizen, I am an aspiring government reformer whose primary ambitions are in the nonprofit sector. I love the fact that I am able to work for an organization that makes efficient use of its funding and fights for the things I value, making a genuinely positive impact. This type of thing is not an option to many of the people I graduated with, because they are forced to work jobs that pay enough to pay off their accumulated debt.
While many of colleagues may not have chosen this career path anyway, it is unfortunate that it is not even a viable option for them. One cannot help but note the irony of many people my age being unable to fight the status quo because they are so heavily indebted to companies that want to preserve it.
The costs of education have continued to rise in this country, and government assistance has fallen heavily. Over the last few decades the amount of tuition costs paid for by Pell grants for students in need of financial assistance has dramatically declined from covering over 60% to below 30% of students. In 1997, amendments added to the Higher Education Act deregulated the student loan business and made it possible for lenders to charge huge interest rates and massive default penalties fees. Companies are now able to forbid refinancing and use of bankruptcy protections for debtors. Worse, they are now able to garnish wages and social security, as well as prevent debtors from obtaining professional certifications and use their influence to terminate debtors employment. Sally Mae and other companies are able to see to it that their debtors are unable to pay off their loans and accumulate enormous amounts of interest — and of course they have spent millions of dollars lobbying and donating to the campaigns of their allies in congress like House Minority Leader John Boehner and Senator Mike Enzi.
Much like the sub prime loans that led to the mortgage crisis last year, these loans are sold to incoming students as being much more affordable then they are in reality. They are not warned of the astronomical amounts of interests that these loans often accumulate, or how quickly interest rates can jump. Defaulted students loans have become a huge industry and this legalized loan-sharking has made the executives and share holders at Sally Mae and other lending companies very well off. Unfortunately this boon to their fortunes has done considerable harm to our current generation of college graduates and our country’s ability to compete in the world economy.
The Disappointed Environmentalist
Posted in Consumers, Good Government, Uncategorized | Tagged Aid, College, Debt, education, Finance, Interest, John Boehner, loans, Mike Enzi, Pell Grants, Post-secondary, Sally Mae, School, Student Loans, students, Texas, University |
Join Public Citizen and dozens of Austin environmental groups in welcoming the newly inaugurated Austin City Council. In this time of economic and environmental crisis, we have an opportunity to reshape our future, now. Our community is coming together to make Austin a model of a sustainable city, and we want our elected officials to be leaders in this effort.
Welcome Austin’s New City Council in an Eco-Change Exchange this Thursday, June 25th from 5:30 – 9:00 PM at City Hall.
If You Care About:
• Healthy Food
• Clean Water
• Clean Energy and Reducing Carbon Emissions
• Landfill Expansions and Reducing Waste
• Alternatives to More Highways and Sprawl
• Participatory Democracy
• Climate Change
• Environmental Justice
Come on Thursday evening to learn, engage, and build momentum for making Austin the national environmental leader we ought to be!
Program for the Evening:
5:30 – 6:30 Sustainable Future Fair and Reception with new City Council Members. Enjoy some delicious local, organic food, learn about great work being done in Austin, and help create a vision for the sustainable future you want to see in Austin.
6:30 – 7:00 Opening Presentations: Building a Sustainable Future in Austin
7:00 – 8:00 Eco-Priorities Sessions: Breakout on Key Issue Areas
8:00 – 9:00 Charting Our Future including reflections from City Council Members.
Participating Groups so far include: Austin Eco-Network, Ecology Action, Central Texas Zero Waste Alliance, Public Citizen, Coal Block, Alliance of Community Trainers, Save Our Springs Alliance, Save Barton Creek Association, Texas Campaign for the Environment, Environment Texas, PODER, Austin Sierra Club, Solar Austin, PowerSmack.org, and Clean Water Action.
For more information, contact colin@sosalliance.org or visit www.AustinEcoNetwork.org
If you plan to attend, please let us know by emailing texasfeedback@citizen.org
Posted in Global Warming | Tagged austin city council, Austin Join Public Citizen, New City Council, Sustainable Future, Texas |
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