Fair Elections/Campaign Finance
Maine Ethics Commission Seeks Clean Election Law Fix
On the proposed solutions: "We can't have a publicly-funded system that sort of, on-purpose, keeps the candidates kind of barefoot and pregnant," said Allison Smith, the co-president of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections.

A Recusal Required
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorializes on the need for Justice Stephen Prosser to recuse himself from a case on political speech currently before the court, as one of the lawyers in the case did work for the Justice’s recount.

Congress/2012
Rob Portman Says Deficit Supercommittee Will Meet Publicly and Privately
“David Donnelly, national campaigns director for the Public Action fund, said past practice is a poor precedent. It's especially important to show Americans now that the supercommittee, making "monumental decisions that will affect every American for years to come," will operate free of outside influence, he said. Suspending fundraising until the work is done would send a message that the committee "is interested in all Americans, not just those who are able to write a check."

Obama Outpaces Fundraising Activity of Predecessors
“President Obama has headlined 127 fundraising events for himself and others, significantly outpacing the fundraising activity of the previous five presidents during their first terms.”

Don’t Expect Miracles From That Super Congres
The Washington Examiner editorializes on the impact of campaign contributions to the supercommittee members.

Super PACS Changing 2012 Landscape
Sen. John McCain on the flood of money from Super PACS: "The U.S. Supreme Court opened the floodgates for all kinds of money from these groups," says McCain. "I just wish one of the justices had had to run a political campaign." Had the jurists been through that experience, McCain says, they might never have undone the progress Congress and federal election regulators have made since the early 20th century to control the influence of big money in politics.

Newt Gingrich’s Fundraising Approach is No Fundraisers
“Unlike his rivals’ pricey pay-for-a-plate events, Gingrich’s campaign says he’s been on a circuit of unpublicized, intimate house parties.”

Russ Feingold Says He Won’t Run in 2012
Campaign Finance support Russ Feingold has decided not to run for the seat of retiring Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.).

Other
ProPublica’s Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding ALEC’s Influence on Your State Laws
A look at ALEC.