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Citizen co-sponsors support the People’s Budget
Citizen co-sponsors support the People’s Budget

This morning Friends of the Earth and 11 other groups delivered over 150,000 signatures to Congress in support of the People’s Budget, a progressive budget alternative that prioritizes economic and environmental justice. The signatures were received by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), one of the architects of the People’s Budget and the co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Unlike the House GOP budget, which calls for steep cuts to social spending and giant tax giveaways to…

The trade-off of fossil fuels’ billions in subsidies
The trade-off of fossil fuels’ billions in subsidies

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind today as President Obama sends his budget to Congress:

Most Americans believe that our air should be clean, that college should be cheap, and that disadvantaged children should have food and preschool. Even at a time of unprecedented partisanship, government spending that supports these goals remains solidly popular.

No one can say the same about the billions in subsidies that U.S.…

Three things Big Oil wants to buy with its new Congress
Three things Big Oil wants to buy with its new Congress

Last Tuesday was the most expensive midterm in U.S. history, with an estimated price tag of nearly $4 billion.

Exactly who spent what is still a little unclear. What is known is that in the final weeks an infusion of cash was dropped into tight Senate races, specifically timed with filing deadlines to obscure where the money came from until after the election. And of course dark money groups, empowered to spend…

Climate change — whose security?
Climate change — whose security?

There is no doubt that climate change is going to cause widespread social disruption. Nevertheless, focusing too hard on the national security aspect probably isn’t the best idea. Higher walls are not a solution to climate change. Neither is demonizing refugees and other frontline victims as security threats.

Unfortunately, this over-emphasis on security has been all the rage this week following a report from the largest single consumer of oil on the planet, the…

Five awful things in the House zombie energy bill
Five awful things in the House zombie energy bill

In preparation for Election Day -- or maybe Halloween? -- the House leadership has assembled a Frankenstein’s monster of bad energy policy. Pieced together from the remains of 13 separate bills already passed by the House, but justifiably ignored in the Senate, these zombies are being raised from the dead for one final piece of political theatre before the election.

As Lindsay Abrams at Salon points out,  the choice to revive a bundle of…

Will the Kochs #GiveItBack?
Will the Kochs #GiveItBack?

Earlier this month, billionaire siblings Charles and David Koch made it publicly clear that they hate subsidies of all kinds -- even the ones they benefit from as oil producers. Although it is refreshing to hear that even oilmen are now against oil subsidies, it would be even more refreshing if the Kochs were willing to lead by example -- that is, if the Kochs were willing to return their share of the billions that…

Government By the People Act takes back political power from big polluters
Government By the People Act takes back political power from big polluters

On April 23, 2014, President of Friends of the Earth Erich Pica gave remarks at a press conference hosted by Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) on the environmental benefits of the Government By the People Act, recently introduced by Sarbanes. The bill would provide tax incentives for small donors and match small donations made to candidates with federal funds, lessening the grip big polluters have on American politics. A companion bill, the Fair Elections Now Act,…

Addressing the climate crisis with a Robin Hood Tax
Addressing the climate crisis with a Robin Hood Tax

As president of Friends of the Earth U.S., I am proud to support, on behalf of our more than 250,000 members and activists and in solidarity with our friends from numerous activist organizations, a Robin Hood Tax. Friends, if it isn't all ready clear, we are in this together. The global economic crisis, largely created by the various entities we want to tax, has forced austerity measures in both the European governments and the United…

President Obama we need leadership to fight climate change
President Obama we need leadership to fight climate change

Last week it sounded a lot like the conservative think thank American Enterprise Institute cares more about addressing climate change then President Barack Obama. It certainly seems more willing to find solutions.

AEI hosted a symposium on a carbon tax co-sponsored by the Brookings Institute, International Monetary Fund, and Resources for the Future. This well-attended event added to the momentum building behind a carbon tax as a common sense solution…

Support builds for the End Polluter Welfare Act
Support builds for the End Polluter Welfare Act

The public has reached a strong verdict on the billions of dollars of subsidies ­that our government hands annually to fossil fuel corporations making historic profits: end them. According to one recent poll, seventy percent of the public opposes giveaways to oil, coal and gas companies, support that largely holds up across the political spectrum.

It’s no wonder. In fiscal year 2011, oil and gas giant Exxon Mobil made $41 billion in profits,…