Consumer Watchdog To Obama: Open Medicare To All Americans
Santa Monica, CA -- The nationally recognized Consumer Watchdog sent a letter today to President-elect Obama urging him to fulfill his campaign…
Dec 2, 2008Consumer Watchdog
Providing an effective voice for American consumers in an era when special interests dominate public discourse, government and politics. Non-partisan.
Articles by Consumer Watchdog
Privacy
Consumer Advocacy Grows In Web Space
Douglas Heller, executive director of ConsumerWatchdog.org, suggests that the business press is beginning to pick up some of the slack created by…
Dec 1, 2008
Energy
Parra Cashes Out Of Assembly
LAME-DUCK LAWMAKER PARTIES, FUNDS WINERY JAUNT, JETS TO HAWAII "I think this shows that all too often, candidates think of their campaign…
Nov 30, 2008
Insurance
Gov’s appointments go to donors
Not to be outdone by the legislature’s blatant cronyism in appointments, Governor Schwarzenegger awarded a spot on the LA Coliseum Commission to…
Nov 26, 2008
Privacy
Out of pique, gov speaks truth
Last week I chastised state lawmakers - including members of the budget committees - for deciding to carry on with out of…
Nov 26, 2008
Insurance
Watchdog Groups Raise A Stink About Waste Board Picks
The long tradition of political appointees landing high-paid slots on California's waste board continued Tuesday. Government watchdogs have criticized the board for…
Nov 26, 2008
Insurance
Sugarplum appointments
It looks like the biennial Sacramento ritual of handing out prize appointments to political allies has begun. I haven't been paying close…
Nov 25, 2008
Insurance
Race and income shouldn’t be part of auto insurance rates
I was invited to speak on a panel about the financial crisis at the annual meeting of the National Conference of Insurance…
Nov 25, 2008
Privacy
Another Vote Possible On Stem Cell Funding
Questions raised about governance of state institute SACRAMENTO, CA -- State voters will probably get a chance to extend taxpayer funding of…
Nov 21, 2008
Insurance
NCOIL Plans Probe of Educational, Occupational Discounts
"We decided decades ago that basing insurance rates on race, even though that's actuarially sound, was not good public policy, and I…
Nov 21, 2008
Insurance
California Approves Homeowners Rate Hikes for State Farm, Farmers
Advocates, Consumer Watchdog, released the news about the rate hikes after the group had challenged them unsuccessfully. Consumer Watchdog petitioned Poizner to…
Nov 21, 2008Poizner Approves $115 Million Insurance Rate Hike for 2.5 Million California Homeowners
Insurance Commissioner OKs State Farm, Farmers Increases Despite Consumer Group Challenge Santa Monica, CA -- California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has allowed…
Nov 21, 2008
Insurance
State Farm, Farmers To Raise California Homeowner Insurance Rates
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner's decision is denounced by some, but others say recent wildfires make increases reasonable. "In an economy like this,…
Nov 21, 2008Consumer Watchdog Urges Reduction In Stem Cell Board Size And Reforms In Agency’s Scientific Review
Recommendations Come In Testimony Requested By State’s Efficiency Unit, “Little Hoover Commission” Sacramento, CA -- The oversight board of California’s stem cell…
Nov 20, 2008
Insurance
Did AIG confuse me with Paris Hilton?
Do you wonder what the insurance giant AIG is doing with its $150 billion-with-a-b in taxpayer bailout money? Well, this is what…
Nov 20, 2008
Healthcare
AARP’s idea of health insurance is junk
It wasn't a big shock to me when AARP announced that it would be "investigating" deceptively marketed health insurance carrying the AARP…
Nov 20, 2008
Insurance
Insurers Make Pitch for Health Coverage Mandate
Consumer Watchdog, a consumer advocacy group, called the insurers' position self-serving. "If consumer's can't afford coverage or refuse to buy it, they'll…
Nov 19, 2008