Consumer Alert
Formation1977
Type501(C)(3) Corporation
Location
Region served
United States
Chairman
William C. MacLeod[1]
Websiteconsumeralert.org
Remarks(domain expired after 2006-02-17)

Consumer Alert was an American non-profit organization which advocated on business and consumer issues. It was primarily funded by corporations.[2] It was founded in 1977[3] by Barbara A. Keating-Edh[4][5][6][7] and John Henry Sununu,[8] who would later go on to become Governor of New Hampshire (1983–1989) and White House Chief of Staff during the George H. W. Bush administration.

The philosophy of Consumer Alert advocated free-market solutions to consumer dissatisfaction and promoted the belief that markets are best regulated by informed consumers. In the organization's opinion effective consumer advocacy must steadfastly oppose any actions by government or industry that limits competition within markets.[9]

Consumer Alert considered itself a conservative opponent to the liberal political bent of mainstream consumer advocacy. Speaking of the legislation advocated by other consumer organizations Consumer Alert President Barbara A. Keating-Edh said:[10]

The regulations ignore the fact that auto accidents are caused by unsafe drivers, not unsafe cars. Accidents involving children are caused by unattentive parents. Home fires are caused by careless smokers, not dangerous furniture. ...The no-growth movement that is playing havoc with our freedoms gains momentum by fanning public paranoia and by doting on those persons who can't be happy unless they believe they are being poisoned by someone who is earning a profit.

The organization sued anti-nuclear-power activists in attempts to make protesters pay for the police presence at demonstrations.[11]

Consumer Alert was originally based in Darien, Connecticut.[12] During much of its existence its offices were located in Washington, DC.

The organization published a bimonthly newsletter titled Consumer Comments with ISSN 0740-4964. Articles from some issues are available online[13] at TheFreeLibrary.com.

In 1989 Sununu was succeeded as Chairman by attorney William C. MacLeod who would later become director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection.[14]

As of July 2010 the web-based organization registry of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) of Washington, DC, for the registration of Consumer Alert, Inc., file number 770925, shows status "revoked". The DCRA site[15] defines "revoked" as: "An involuntary termination of charter or authority."

Consumer Alert has partially funded the Cooler Heads Coalition's website, globalwarming.org.[16]

Financial Information

United States IRS forms 990 for Consumer Alert Inc.
Organization NameStateYearTotal AssetsFormPagesEIN
Consumer Alert Inc. - 2002 DC 2002 $36,189 990 20 06-0961299
Consumer Alert Inc. - 2003 DC 2003 $37,190 990 19 06-0961299
Consumer Alert Inc. - 2004 DC 2004 $34,047 990 16 06-0961299

References

  1. ↑ "National Center for Policy Analysis".
  2. ↑ Mintz, Morton (January 1, 1981), "Consumer Transition Chief Proponent of Free Choices", The Victoria Advocate
  3. ↑ Bykerk, Loree Gerdes; Maney, Ardith (1995), U.S. Consumer Interest Groups: Institutional Profiles, Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, ISBN 978-0-313-26429-0, OCLC 30812483
  4. ↑ "Barbara Keating introduces Wendy Long". June 20, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Carol-Lynn Moraca Obituary (1959 - 2015) Modesto Bee". Legacy.com.
  6. ↑ "Archives". Los Angeles Times. November 1992.
  7. ↑ Morton Mintz (December 31, 1980). "Transition Consumer Aide Heads Group Largely Funded by Business". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
  8. ↑ Bykerk, Loree Gerdes; Maney, Ardith (1995). U.S. Consumer Interest Groups: Institutional Profiles. ISBN 9780313264290.
  9. ↑ Lammerding, Betsy (October 19, 1984), "Consumers advised to read labels", The Beaver County Times
  10. ↑ Payette, Virginia (November 10, 1981), "Consumer Alert battling regulations", The Lewiston Journal
  11. ↑ Hoskins, Roger W. (September 26, 1981), "Anti-nuclear activists sued", The Modesto Bee
  12. ↑ MacVickar, Kitty (April 12, 1981), "Kramer vs. Keating - Consumer Protection Mandate or Choice?", The Hour
  13. ↑ "General Interest/Informational: Consumer news, advice, product reviews: Consumer Comments - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  14. ↑ "MacLeod to succeed Sununu as chairman of Consumer Alert" (Press release). PR Newswire. October 25, 1989.
  15. ↑ mblr.dc.gov Archived 2007-04-01 at the Wayback Machine
  16. ↑ "Put a Tiger in Your Think Tank".

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