Washington Post cover-up


 Tell the Washington Post Company to stop defrauding low-income students.

Here’s how the Washington Post Company makes billions of dollars:

Veterans, single moms, and working parents are lured in by admissions counselors at Kaplan University Online (a for-profit college owned by the Post). Students use federal loans to sign up for classes that can be 14 times more expensive than a comparable community college class.

It’s basically a scam. Sixty-nine percent of students drop out. A third of students default on their loans, meaning taxpayers are stuck with the bill and the students have their credit destroyed — while Kaplan keeps all the money.

Shannon Croteau, for example, was 11 classes away from a degree from Kaplan when she learned she was out of financial aid, $30,000 in debt, and that the degree she was working toward would be worthless in her state of New Hampshire.

She was billed for loans she never signed up for, enrolled in classes she didn’t choose and, when she complained, was given the runaround by a succession of fake “loan officers.” “They lied and cheated,” Shannon told Change.org. “It has ruined me.”

Shannon has started a petition on Change.org, demanding that the Washington Post Company change its practices or shut down Kaplan Online. More than 10,000 of us have already joined her. Click here to add your name.   www.change.org

A Kaplan University training manual uncovered by Senator Tom Harkin told employees: “If you can help them uncover their true pain and fear…You dramatically increase your chances of enrolling this prospective student.” A separate presentation to employees declared that single African-American mothers raising two children were the most profitable, because they were the most likely to drop out.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office even found last year that Kaplan and other for-profit schools “encouraged fraud and engaged in deceptive and questionable marketing practices.”

Instead of investigating these practices, the Post has instead tried to cover it up, personally attacking Shannon — even publicly disclosing her personal financial information in an effort to discredit her.

Shannon isn’t backing down — she’s widened her campaign to target the entire Washington Post board, which includes billionaire Warren Buffett; Columbia University President Lee Bollinger; and former General Motors CEO G. Richard Wagoner.

With a surge of attention, we can pressure the Washington Post Company to get out of the business of preying on people’s dreams of better educations and better careers.

Please take action today to tell the Washington Post Company to stop the predatory practices or shut down Kaplan University: www.change.org

Thanks for taking action,

Judith and the Change.org team

Wisconsin Democrats


Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker got prank called this week by someone pretending to be a billionaire Republican.

Walker revealed that Wisconsin “is ground zero” in the fight against “the public-sector unions.” He also said, “sooner or later there will be pressure on these [Democratic] senators to come back.”

http://act.boldprogressives.org/go/3131?search_zip=98115&akid=3420.394306.LxRW8j&t=3

Well, Wisconsin Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller joined thousands of PCCC members on a call yesterday and vowed that he and other Democratic senators will “never stop fighting.”

http://act.boldprogressives.org/go/3135?akid=3420.394306.LxRW8j&t=4

Click here to watch a video summary of the call and donate $14 to these bold leaders — one dollar for every Wisconsin Senate Democratic hero.

We were also joined by the leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus — Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) — and a young progressive Wisconsin senator named Chris Larson who said, “We’re standing firm.”

Rep. Ellison called the senators “heroes.” And Rep. Grijalva declared, “If we win this battle for middle-class workers in Wisconsin, we will win everywhere else.”

Click here to watch bold WI Democrats take a stand — and chip in to get their back http://act.boldprogressives.org/go/3135?akid=3420.394306.LxRW8j&t=1

These bold words made news in the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Politico, Talking Points Memo, many local newspapers, and more.

But Governor Walker will be ramping up the pressure on these senators.

Click here to watch the video — and join thousands of others in chipping in $3 to tell these senators we support them as they stand firm.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWe3PlzAV4A

Thanks for being a bold progressive,

Stephanie Taylor, Jason Rosenbaum, Adam Green, and the PCCC team

Who stands up for science? UCS does. Will you join us?


Right now we’re witnessing an all-out war on science, the environment, and human health.

“I think that the science is inconclusive on this. I personally believe that the solar flares are more responsible for climatic cycles than anything that human beings do.”

—Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R WI), new vice chair of the House Science Committee

A number of irresponsible corporations are spending millions to deceive the public about climate change science. Media personalities are spreading false information and discrediting scientists. And many elected officials are not only blocking efforts to address America’s energy and climate crises—they’re also threatening to roll back many of the hard-fought human health and environmental protections we’ve won in the last few years!

“I think that the science is inconclusive on this. I personally believe that the solar flares are more responsible for climatic cycles than anything that human beings do.”

—Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R WI), new vice chair of the House Science Committee

You can help UCS expose and challenge attacks like this on science—become a member today.

Become a member of UCS today and join us in exposing and challenging these attacks on science and effective, life-saving public policies.

Politicians and media pundits who claim “global warming is a hoax”, that it’s just “sunspot activity,” or who accuse climate scientists of being “political hacks and leftists” can’t change the scientific evidence. The climate is changing and if we don’t take action there will be devastating consequences for our health, economy, and environment.

We must act now to stand up to vocal global warming deniers and advance science-based solutions that can rein in climate change. Please become a member of UCS today.

With your membership gift, UCS will work to:

Expose and challenge attacks on climate science and scientists;

Advocate for strong, science-based state and regional climate programs that can reduce heat-trapping emissions at the local level;

Push state utility commissions to shut down the oldest and dirtiest coal power plants; and

Continue to press the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce global warming emissions from cars, trucks, power plants, and other large industrial polluters.

Our opponents are well coordinated, well funded, and have a singular goal of protecting their own interests. If you’ve ever considered taking your support of our critical work to the next level—now is the time to do it. Please become a member of UCS today.

We may not have the deep pockets of the oil and coal industries and electric utilities who oppose progress on global warming and clean energy—but we do have scientific facts and dedicated supporters like you. I hope you’ll join us as a member today to ensure we can continue to challenge attacks on science and work for a healthy environment and a safer world.

Sincerely,

Kevin Knobloch

President

P.S. You can be confident your donations to UCS are spent wisely. We are accredited with the Better Business Bureau, have received four stars from Charity Navigator, and earned an ‘A’ rating from the American Institute of Philanthropy.

Haliburton Watch …Halliburto​n goes after fracking critics; hires tobacco-li​nked PR firm


Halliburton goes after fracking critics; hires tobacco-linked PR firm

24 Feb., 2011

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 (HalliburtonWatch.org) — Last week, Desmogblog outed Halliburton and other oil/gas companies, who together set up “Energy in Depth”, an industry front group that claims to represent “small and independent” operators.

EID’s web site was registered by a PR firm experienced in working for companies engaged in scientific deception (e.g. Big Tobacco). EID was set up to fight back after investigative journalists began to expose problems with hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) — notably ProPublica, as well as the producers of the Oscar-nominated documentary, “Gasland,” Also: read how the industry has blocked federal regulations.

More information: http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/news/eid.html

I Stand with Planned Parenthood


amazing.

Ever since the House of Representatives voted to bar Planned Parenthood from all federal funding, we have seen a massive outpouring of support. I’ve always known how deeply you and other supporters care about Planned Parenthood and the women, men, and teens who rely on us — but I’ve never seen anything like this.

Here are five ways you can help, right now:

(1) If you haven’t already,http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=_-jIsGmjVFAOQgdOGM-RpA  sign our open letter to the members of Congress who voted to bar Planned Parenthood from federal funding — and to the senators who still have a chance to stop it. Half a million people have already signed. Add your name. http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=ZvFWgOcJKA9zlgIeyDEl0g..

(2)Take a stand for Planned Parenthood and the women, men, and teens who rely on us in your community. Click here to find out about local events near you. http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=tciQKH6RcOYijBUBxv8ZZw  

(3)Make a gift to Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The work that lies ahead of us as the bill moves to the Senate for consideration is nothing short of astonishing. We need your help to rise to this incredible challenge.  http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=vPhxU9f1EB9cskZ8CKzEcQ..

(4)Find out how your representative voted on the bill to bar Planned Parenthood from federal funding — and then let him or her know how you feel. http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=MotwfP65IXhiZEXPeiumIQ..  

(5)Share your story. Extreme anti-choice groups and their allies in Congress are spreading lies and misinformation about who we are and what we do. Help set the record straight by sharing your story about how Planned Parenthood has been there for you, your family, or your friends.  http://www.ppaction.org/site/R?i=mH690EBQ5bvfUFL7oA1PZA ..    

I can’t tell you what an enormous difference your unwavering dedication makes right now for Planned Parenthood and the women, men, and teens who rely on us.

Supporters like you truly are the heart and soul of this organization. Thank you for standing with us.

Sincerely,

Cecile Richards, President

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

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