Ralph Nader yesterday sent letters to the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and the American Petroleum Institute urging members to press the multi-billion dollar oil industry to donate $5 billion to the grossly underfunded Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps millions of low-income families keep from freezing during winter. The price for heating oil is projected to be at an all-time high this winter, $4.34/gallon, which is a 31% increase over last winter. In the past, these groups have ignored similar requests.

Atlanta, GA – "While the Bush administration has steadfastly declined to engage in talks with the government of Iran, five former Secretaries of State - Republican and Democrat - recently exhibited a great deal more judgment and understanding of world affairs in calling for actual talks with Tehran," Libertarian Presidential nominee Bob Barr says.

“Talking does not mean sacrificing U.S. interests. Rather, talking is a means to further U.S. interests,” Barr explains.

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, U.S. Senator John McCain issued the following statement on the "Stop Iran" rally:

Chicago, IL - "The current financial market turmoil is a major threat to our economy. I recognize the need for today's action by the Federal Reserve and their need to act quickly in a globally coordinated fashion to maintain the functioning of our financial system and the flow of credit to American households and businesses,” said Barack Obama.

Both the Democratic and Republican Parties missed the August 26 deadline for their presidential candidates to be listed on the Texas ballot. For independent and minor party candidates, Texas is one of the most obstructive states in the country for being listed as a presidential candidate on the ballot. In 2008, only one minor party, the Libertarian Party, has managed to have their presidential candidate listed on the ballot in Texas since the party met the minimum state-office polling requirements in 2006 to maintain ballot access.

WASHINGTON, DC -- The 2008 election is in danger of being compromised by vote manipulation and obstruction of voters, say Green candidates and party leaders.

"We're likely to see a repeat of the kinds of election irregularities that were uncovered in 2000 in Florida and in 2004 in Ohio and New Mexico," said Sanda Everette, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States.

Atlanta, GA – “Richard Nixon once said that we are all Keynesians now, meaning that Republicans and Democrats alike believed in government micro-management of the economy,” observes Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president.

Chicago, IL - Today, Barack Obama released the following statement on AIG and the state of our economy.

Eight years ago, consumer advocate Ralph Nader correctly predicted that the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) were on track to follow the savings and loan industry of the 1980s and 90s into a big financial heap of trouble. Nobody listened, and taxpayers are now at risk of losing tens of billions of dollars. Wall Street is being shaken to its foundation. American International Group Inc., the biggest U.S.

Atlanta, GA – Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party's nominee for president, has filed a lawsuit in Texas demanding Senators John McCain and Barack Obama be removed from the ballot after they missed the official filing deadline.

"The seriousness of this issue is self-evident," the lawsuit states. "The hubris of the major parties has risen to such a level that they do not believe that the election laws of the State of Texas apply to them."