Consumer Federation of America

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowd (Funding)

Barbara Roper | Posted 05.06.2012

Read More: Small Business, Cfa, Consumer Federation of America, President Obama, Capital Formation, Jobs Act, John Coffee, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Eric Cantor, Obama Jobs Bill, Job Bills, Business News
Barbara Roper

Although the bills making up the JOBS Act are typically described as "non-controversial," they have been severely criticized by leading securities law experts and are opposed by investor advocates and unions, among others.

Read Post

Americans Got A Little Bit Less Angry At Banks Last Year

Reuters | Posted 05.01.2012

Read More: Better Business Bureau, Debit Card Limits, Video, Dodd-Frank, Credit CARD Act, Consumer Federation of America, Payday Lenders, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Reuters, Center for Responsible Lending, Guggenheim Securities' Washington Research Group, Financial Service Sector, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Complaints, Business News

* Complaints against banks drop 30 pct-BBB * Payday lender complaints rise * Banks facing new restrictions on consumer p...

Read Whole Story

SIFMA Hypocritically Protests CFTC User Fee Plan

Barbara Roper | Posted 04.23.2012

Read More: Federal Budget, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Consumer Federation of America, Sifma, Cfa, Cftc, President Obama, Business News
Barbara Roper

I'm left to wonder, what is the source of SIFMA's sudden cost-consciousness? Because I don't seem to recall ever having heard the association express similar alarm over the costs to investors of the $20 billion or so Wall Street manages to scrape together for bonuses each year.

Read Post

CFTC's Message to Municipalities: Caveat Emptor

Barbara Roper | Posted 03.27.2012

Read More: Dodd-Frank Act, Americans for Financial Reform, Sec, Consumer Federation of America, Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Derivatives, Cftc, Swaps, Business News
Barbara Roper

In a little noticed vote, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission reversed course last week on a rule that had the potential to save cities and school districts across the country billions in excess costs on the swaps they purchase to hedge their interest rate and other risks.

Read Post

A Determined Dog Goes After Insurers Again to Save Consumers Billions

Wendell Potter | Posted 01.14.2012

Read More: California, Obamacare, Consumer Federation of America, Jamie-Court, Consumer Watchdog, Health Insurers, Health Care Reform, Affordable Care Act, Health Insurance, 2014 Health Care, Obama Health Care, Health Care Consumer Watchdog, Health Care Costs, Politics News
Wendell Potter

If there is one organization that insurers despise and fear more than any other, it surely must be Consumer Watchdog.

Read Post

Zach Carter

Senators Back Delay In Crackdown On Fees That Yield Billions For Banks

HuffingtonPost.com | Zach Carter | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Price-Fixing, Community Banks, Senate Banking Committee, Federal Reserve, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Business, Mortgage-Companies, Merchant Payments Coalition, Eric Cantor, Politics, Visa, Bank Lobby, Bob Corker, Spencer Bachus, Tester-Corker Bill, Subprime Loans, Michael Hunter, Financial Regulation, American Bankers Association, Dick Durbin, Credit Cards, Shelly Moore Capito, Bank Lobbyists, Mastercard, Wall Street, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Swipe Fees, Jon Tester, Debit Cards, US News, House Financial Services Committee, Politics News

WASHINGTON -- On Tuesday, a group of nine senators led by Montana Democrat Jon Tester put their names behind legislation to delay the Federal Reserve'...

Read Whole Story

Ryan Grim

Elizabeth Warren: Consumer Bureau Must Fight For Survival

HuffingtonPost.com | Ryan Grim | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Cfbp, Elizabeth Warren, Elizabeth Warren Speeches, Consumer Agency, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Faa, Cfa, Business News

WASHINGTON - Elizabeth Warren pressed consumer advocates to fight on behalf of the newly created consumer protection bureaus she's heading up, warning...

Read Whole Story

In The Public Interest : Food Safety Delays Make Us Sick

Elizabeth Hitchcock | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Center for Science in the Public Interest, Food Recall, In the Public Interest, Consumer Federation of America, Wright Egg Farms, Hillandale Farms, Public Health, Harry Reid, Food Safety, Salmonella, U.S. PIRG, Food Safety Modernization Act, Fda, E. Coli, Politics News
Elizabeth Hitchcock

Last week, I met an extraordinary eighth grader from Henderson, Nevada. Rylee Gustafson may be only 13 years old, but she got excused from school to...

Read Post

The Missing Mandate: Financial Literacy

Brooke Stephens | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Debt, Credit Card Debt, Consumer Federation of America, Wall Street, Financial Literacy, Financial Reform, Business News
Brooke Stephens

The kindergarten constituency can't vote, pay taxes or hire a lobbyist, but they will inherit the current debt. We should arm them with some tools to cope with that impending problem.

Read Post

Top Ten Consumer Complaints: Consumer Federation of America

24/7 Wall St. | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: North American Consumer Protection Investigators, National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators, Consumer Federation of America, Loans, Consumers, Credit Cards, Consumer Protection, Auto Industry, Internet Sales, Consumer Complaints, Business News

The Consumer Federation of America has come out with its list of the top ten complaints for 2009 based on a survey conducted with the National Associ...

Read Whole Story

The Payday Industry's Powerful Friend

Gary Rivlin | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Consumers Union, Payday Lending, Lynn DeVault, Consumer Federation of America, Community FInancial Services Association, Financial Reform, National Consumer Law Center, Richard Shelby, Payday Loans, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Kay Hagan, Politics News
Gary Rivlin

The country's payday lenders and check cashers gave more in campaign donations to Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) than any other Republican in Congress.

Read Post

Prepaid Debit Cards

nytimes.com | ANDREW MARTIN | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Prepaid Debit Cards, Mastercard, Micash, Visa, Consumer Federation of America, Green Dot, Business News

For many people who do not have bank accounts, or cannot get a credit card, the appeal is irresistible, making the reloadable cards among the consumer...

Read Whole Story

Shahien Nasiripour

Systemic Risk Panel Would Lack Independence; Treasury Secretary Would Call The Shots

HuffingtonPost.com | Shahien Nasiripour | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Financial Crisis, White House, Treasury Department, Financial Reform, Barney Frank, Keith Ellison, Barack Obama, Consumer Federation of America, Tim Geithner, Timothy Geithner, Systemic Risk Regulator, Systemic Risk, Financial Regulatory Overhaul, Financial Regulation, Business News

If the White House and congressional leaders get their way, the vaunted new oversight council charged with overseeing systemic risk in the financial m...

Read Whole Story

Shahien Nasiripour

Obama Administration Helps House Democrat Gut Post-Enron Reforms

HuffingtonPost.com | Shahien Nasiripour | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Scott Garrett, Arthur Levitt, Barney Frank, Obama Administration, Carolyn Maloney, John Adler, Paul Kanjorski, Consumer Federation of America, Rahm Emanuel, Mary Schapiro, Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Financial Crisis, Investor-Protections, Securities and Exchange Commission, Business News

With the White House's blessing, a House panel voted Tuesday to water down a key post-Enron measure designed to protect investors. In a voice vote, m...

Read Whole Story

Peaceful Revolution: Can Congress Stop the Growing Numbers of Homeless Kids?

Donna Norton | Posted 11.17.2011

Read More: Congress, Bankruptcy, Homelessness, Children, Economic Crisis, Kids, Homeless, African Americans, Consumer Federation of America, Recession, A Peaceful Revolution, Healthy Living News
Donna Norton

Our children are our nation's future. One out of fifty children are already homeless, missing critical years of education, healthy development, and community support.

Read Post

A Teachable Moment on Energy Policy: Demand-Side Policy Beats Drilling by More than 20 to 1

Mark Cooper | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Energy, Gas, Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America, Oil Drilling, Fuel Efficiency, Oil, Nhtsa, Conservation, Energy Policy, Green News
Mark Cooper

While the administration is busy beating up Congress for not acting to solve the energy crisis -- it is the administration that has dropped the ball.

Read Post

More US Oil Drilling: A Boom for Big Oil, A Bust for Consumers

Mark Cooper | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Oil Profits, Oil Prices, Domestic Drilling, Oil, Gasoline Prices, Mark Cooper, Consumer Federation of America, Green News
Mark Cooper

More domestic drilling means more product for oil companies to sell at the high world market price. The consumer doesn't see a cent, while oil companies rake in even more cash.

Read Post