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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

California AG Launches New Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit | Jon Fox

CALPIRG applauds the creation of the Privacy Enforcement and Protection Unit in the Department of Justice.

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Media Hit | Consumer Protection

Reuters: How you can benefit from the Capital One settlement

Ed Mierzwinski, U.S. PIRG consumer program director, comments on the first enforcement action by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, which is about to hit its first anniversary.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

These Are 10 of Many Reasons We Need the CFPB! | Jon Fox

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), turns one year old on July 21, 2012. Here is their Top 10.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Consumer Protection

POLL SHOWS VOTERS FAVOR STRONG OVERSIGHT OF WALL STREET AND BACK NEW CFPB

Financial reforms enacted in response to the financial meltdown remain popular voters, on eve of 1st year anniversary of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection, Health Care

Hospitals in the Bay Area are Most Expensive in the State for Surgeries

A new report by CALPIRG Education Fund found large discrepancies between what California hospitals charge for common surgeries, which appear unrelated to quality of care.

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Media Hit | Health Care

The Sacramento Bee: The Conversation: Stuck in no man's land for health coverage

One man's story of the obstacles he encountered trying to purchase health insurance on the individual market illustrates why the changes coming n 2014 are so important.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Health Care

Health Care Reform Benefiting Californians

To mark the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act we collected stories from our members who are benefiting from health care reform.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Democracy

California Assembly Officially Goes On Record Opposing Citizens United

The Assembly passed AJR 22, a resolution that puts California on record calling for a constitutional amendment overturning the 2010 Supreme Court decision that allows unlimited corporate spending in elections.

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Media Hit | Budget, Tax

Can't see much in the cloud

Good government is transparent government. Unless the people know what's going on with the numbers, “their” government isn't properly serving them.

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Media Hit | Tax

Gov. Jerry Brown faulted for taking down transparency website

Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to take down a "transparency" website helped earn California a D-minus grade on public reporting of spending from a group advocating for open government.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Higher Ed

Cutting Interest Rates, Lowering Student Debt

Students Would Save Thousands of Dollars with Lower Student Loan Interest Rates.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Transportation

Slick Politics

In 1996 and again in 2000, CALPIRG Education Fund completed studies of the levels of money the oil industry spends on lobbying expenses and campaign contributions in California state politics. With consumer and environmental activists continuing to be frustrated in their attempts to enact meaningful petroleum diversity policies for California despite record high gas prices and stubborn pollution problems, we decided to examine once more the effects that money spent by the oil industry has on public policy.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Budget, Tax

Sunshine for California

Corporate tax avoidance leaves taxpaying households to pick up the tab for funding highways, schools, and other public structures. Much of the indirect costs of aggressive tax avoidance are also borne by investors who are unaware of these risky schemes. And everybody suffers when corporate profitability is determined by opportunities for tax evasion rather than efficiency or innovation.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund

Paying the Price

Millions of uninsured and under-insured Americans struggle to afford the medicines they need, even forgoing medically necessary drugs when prices are out of reach. When discussing the high cost of prescription drugs, politicians often focus on the financial burden carried by senior citizens. Unfortunately, as this report shows, high prescription drug prices are a problem for Americans of all ages, particularly for the uninsured.

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Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Safe Energy

Challenging Nuclear Power in the States

Capitalizing on rising energy prices, growing concern about global warming, and a favorable political climate, the nuclear industry is working to achieve a “nuclear renaissance.” After 30 years without a single new order for a nuclear power plant in the U.S., several companies are now in the early stages of proposing new nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, federal officials have begun routinely approving requests to run existing nuclear plants harder and longer than ever.

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Tools & Resources

  • YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME CORN SYRUP
    At a time when one-in-three kids is overweight or obese, over a billion taxpayer dollars go to high-fructose corn syrup and junk food ingredients.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • FIGHT HIGH Rx COSTS
    Prescription drugs cost too much. Brand-name drug companies have been paying off generic drug makers to delay competition and keep prices high, and it's costing us billions. Together, we can stop them.
    Learn more
    TAKE ACTION
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • Reclaim Democracy
    The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision ushered in an era of unprecedented spending by big money in our elections, but we're working to return our democracy back to the principle of "one person, one vote."
    Learn more
    ADD YOUR VOICE

You Can Help

We have a chance to cut billions in junk food subsidies this year. Your support will help us do the research, advocacy and grassroots organizing to convince our elected officials to act.

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PRIORITY ACTION

Each year, our tax dollars pay for enough junk food additives to buy 8.5 two-liter bottles of soda for each person under 18. Help stop the subsidies for junk food.

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Consumer Alerts

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