To Joe Biden: You have just decided that grizzly bears can remain on the endangered species list. Yet, week after week, you have watched Netanyahu target with U.S. F-16s innocent defenseless Palestinian families, killing 50-100 a day, and blocking humanitarian aid trucks with food, medicine and water for the dying and sick people in this…

Jimmy Carter was my last president. I believe that is true for progressive civic groups, too. He actively opened up the federal government to engagement and participation from long politically excluded American activists. When he was campaigning in 1976, he would say that he wanted to be more of a consumer advocate than I am, that he would take seriously…

By Ralph Nader January 3, 2025 Three years ago, I wrote an article titled, “Eight New Year’s Resolutions for NPR to Consider Now.” Since NPR has done little with these suggestions, I’m reissuing the 2022 column for listeners to review and react accordingly. After all, NPR is using the public’s airwaves. Last year we released…

December 30, 2024 Jimmy Carter was the last president to actively open the government for engagement by citizen groups. Right after his November 1976 election, he agreed to address a huge hotel ballroom in D.C. full of local and national citizen advocates. It was a great success never again repeated by succeeding president-elects. Mr. Carter…

By Ralph Nader December 23, 2024 Have you heard of the Capitol Hill Citizen newspaper – a quarterly 40-page print newspaper? We have been publishing it since the spring of 2022. It goes beyond “official source journalism” about Congress – the 535 Senators and Representatives – to whom “we the people” have delegated far too…

Holiday greetings. Time for special generosity. These are the very worthy, effective, honest groups–all 501(c)(3)s–that I have contributed to over the years. You may wish to do the same to those that you think are of particular interest for your sense of justice, health and safety.  You can check out their websites. Alternative Radio: alternativeradio.org…

By Ralph Nader December 13, 2024 Now is the time to prepare anticipatory strategies against what the vengeful, avaricious, lawless Trump and his Trumpsters have boasted out loud about daily. Don’t wait until Trump’s inauguration. A short list of suggestions follows: The civil servants and their unions better organize a personal presentation to their new…

By Ralph Nader December 6, 2024 For decades consumer groups have been sounding clarion calls for action against the “silent violence” causing massive casualties that arise from the unbridled power of corporate greed, criminal negligence or indifference. They cite statistical and case studies that the media and lawmakers mostly ignored or relegated to low levels…

After years of selecting authors of excellent non-fiction books for public attention and action, I want to interest readers in a selection of my books that have stood the test of time. I believe that a box of books is better than “a box of chocolates.” These books make good gifts for young and older,…

October 14, 2024 Jo Ann Jenkins CEO AARP 601 E Street NW Washington, DC 20049 Dear CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, It is long overdue for AARP to take an introspective look at itself. I suggest this institutional self-appraisal as a long-time observer and user of AARP offerings. Years ago, I was invited to speak twice…

By Ralph Nader November 27, 2024 Over thirty years ago, Republican historian and political analyst, Kevin Phillips, remarked that the “Republicans go for the jugular while the Democrats go for the capillaries.” This serious disparity in political energy levels is rarely taken into account to explain election turnouts. The voluntary enfeebling of the Democratic Party…

By Ralph Nader November 22, 2024 Let’s look at the political scene from Trump’s viewpoint. Sitting in his luxurious Mar-a-Lago palace receiving the daily obeisant supplicants eager to heed his every word and praise exuberantly his megalomania, Donald J. Trump can hardly believe his good fortune. Starting in the 2015 presidential race against 16 GOP…