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WHO’S BACKING PROP. R?;

October 12, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>FIRMS, UNIONS HAVE STAKE IN KEEPING COUNCIL MEMBERS IN OFFICE</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>"Of course, the special interests want to maintain the status quo as long as they can. They know what they have and how to wield influence. They know how the game works,'' said Doug Heller, executive director of The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, a nonprofit, nonpartisan consumer and political accountability group based in Santa Monica. "They give money to the politicians and they give money to initiatives that will preserve these politicians in power. It's what happens when you have a political structure that depends on money. Money flows and money talks.''</p>

Take the politics out of the money

October 12, 2006  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Marketplace Radio Program (American Public Media)</p> <p>A poll out today from Pew and the Associated Press says voters' interest this fall is the highest it's been in more than a decade. Americans are talking politics at home and around the office water cooler. They're going to campaign events. They're talking about it in church. And they're opening up their pocketbooks. Best guesses are something near two billion dollars will be plowed into the mid-term elections. But commentator and consumer advocate Jamie Court says the trick is to change how that money's spent.</p>

Take the politics out of the money

October 11, 2006  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Marketplace Radio Program (American Public Media)</p> <p>Members of Congress are back in their districts campaigning hard, many on the dime of lobbying groups after not passing any lobbying and ethics reform. Commentator and consumer advocate Jamie Court says it all comes down to getting what you pay for.</p>

Council passes on “Clean Money”

October 11, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Pasadena Weekly</p> <p>The proposition is supported by the California Nurses Association, the League of Women Voters of California, original Measure B-sponsors the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights and various senior, minority, union, environment and peace groups. Several activists attended Monday's meeting to urge the council to endorse Proposition 89, including a nurse who blamed insurance company spending on political campaigns for stifling health care reform, a local business owner and members of the senior community.</p>

WARF stem cell patents challenged;

October 10, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Research could get faster and cheaper if the patents are narrowed, some scientists say</h3><p class="source">The Scientist Magazine</p> <p>Patenting all human embryonic stem cells is "like Microsoft patenting computing," said John Simpson of California's Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, one of the groups challenging the patents. "It's overreaching." Simpson worked with attorney Dan Ravicher of the Public Patent Foundation and stem cell researcher Jeanne Loring of the Burnham Institute to file the challenges to the WARF patents, which cover discoveries by James Thomson, a University of Wisconsin-Madison developmental biologist whose group was the first to isolate human embryonic stem cell lines in 1998. </p>

Candid forecast on stem cell research hopes;

October 5, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>10-year outlook cautions against early results from $3 billion plan</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>John Simpson, stem cell specialist at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, said, "It's a good thing to be realistic and not to raise hopes that aren't justified." </p>

Stem cell plans include creation of embryo bank

October 5, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>"During the Proposition 71 campaign, proponents implied that miraculous cures were just around the corner," said John M. Simpson, stem cell project director for the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "This plan acknowledges just how difficult the task ahead is and is a welcome change from the hype that has all too often been associated with stem cell research. Californians are entitled to an honest assessment of the prospects for research they are funding."</p>

Stem-cell patents to be reviewed

October 4, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Wisconsin State Journal</p> <p>The review was requested by the Los Angeles-based nonprofit Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which is involved in California's new $3 billion stem-cell research initiative. The watchdog group and others involved in the initiative have been sparring with WARF over the patents and associated commercial research license fees to use stem cells. The licenses range from $75,000 to $400,000.</p>

Stem cell patents get a review;

October 4, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Case challenges licenses, royalty claims by University of Wisconsin</h3><p class="source">THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE</p> <p>John Simpson, stem cell project director for Santa Monica's Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said the Wisconsin organization is making it more difficult for academic laboratories and biotech companies to explore the potential of stem cells to advance medicine. "We see these (patents) as a very big impediment to the free flow of ideas that's necessary to get viable cures out of stem cell research,'' he said.</p>

Foundation-held stem cell patents to be re-examined;

October 4, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>High fees, restrictive guidelines have objectors seeking reversal</h3><p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune (California)</p> <p>"We're pleased the (patent office) has decided to re-examine these patents," said John M. Simpson, of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. "The patents should never have been issued in the first place."</p>

Lose Your Cellphone, Kiss Your Credit Rating Goodbye

October 4, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Buried in a slew of last-minute vetoes by Arnold over the weekend was SB440 by Sen. Jackie Speier, which would have protected Californians whose cell phones are lost or stolen from being forced...</font>

Schwarzenegger signs cable TV, prescription drug discount bills

September 30, 2006  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, said there are not nearly enough protections in a bill he called "the biggest gift to any special interest in Sacramento this year."</p>