Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is wrong to call boycott on campaign donations, by Reid Wilson
National Journal editor Reid Wilson doesn't agree with Schultz call to boycott donations. "A campaign donation, a decision to volunteer for the candidate of one's choice, or even a conversation with an undecided voter is the average American's chance to be their own special interest, and to magnify their own voice in a way those in Washington do every day. Why abdicate the chance to have influence so that Starbucks may have a greater say?" But so few people actually give money--and even fewer are able to give maxed out amounts or bundle.

Anonymous speech needed, has history, by Sean Parnell
The Center for Competitive Politics has this letter defending secret political spending.

Congress/2012
Rep. Chip Cravaack agrees to hold town hall meeting in response to demands from protestors
It turns out that the American people think they should be able to talk with their electeds without having to pay for it. "Confronting mounting pressure and protests, Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) has agreed to hold a public town hall at the Duluth airport at 4 p.m. on Wednesday."

Romney fundraiser jumps from campaign to super PAC
"Top Romney campaign fundraiser Steve Roche has jumped to Restore Our Future to help spearhead the Super PAC’s multimillion-dollar fundraising operation, in another sign of synergies between the campaign and the PAC."
- And just a smidgen more on that million dollar mystery donor

Lawmakers facing disgruntled voters back home
Roll Call looks at the protests at town halls this month.

Former Goldman Sachs VP turned Issa staffer surprised scheduling of Elizabeth Warren incident
That Darrell Issa staffer that used to be a VP at Goldman Sachs? He was involved in the debacle over Elizabeth Warren's visit to the committee in which Patrick Mchenry called her a liar.

Committee shouldn't be greedy
Check out the second letter on the page about the supercommittee: "This committee needs to be looking out for regular Americans and not big-money campaign contributors. This committee will come under tremendous pressure by wealthy corporate interests, and ordinary Americans will have no voice in the final decision making."

The perils of the supercommittee
Politico profiles Fred Upton and his upcoming role on the supercommittee and the concern voters have back home about it.

Debt panel trade-off: exposure vs. efficiency
Wherein Judd Gregg makes some lame arguments against supercommittee transparency.

Governor for sale, by Katrina vanden Heuvel
Katrina writes about Gov. Perry's record of giving state handouts to campaign donors. "Indeed, for as long as Perry has been governor, the governor’s mansion has been ostensibly for sale."

Corporate power decried by former lawmaker
Former Rep. Paul Kanjorski: "Because [corporations] have become so international and global in nature, it's highly questionable whether governments can actually control corporations to a sufficient degree to prevent them from controlling governments"

In money race, it's advantage Democrats
"Yet despite all the apparent momentum, the three national party committees tasked with ushering Republicans to victory trail their Democratic counterparts in raising money for 2012, and the disparity is causing some Republicans to fret privately about whether their party committees could dim an otherwise bright outlook."

Mass Uniting's super-secret origins
The Boston Phoenix looks at the new group going after Sen. Scott Brown.

New Hampshire party chair alleges bribe by national GOP
The Republican Governors Association offered a big chunk of money to the state party in NH if the party chair, who many see as unable to do the job, stepped down.

Earthquake reignites debate over safety of nuclear power
"Virginia's largest earthquake in more than a century shook the East Coast on Tuesday and is likely to revive a long-standing debate about the safety of the country's nuclear power plants."

Other
What comes next for Wisconsin's fledgling uprising
Good piece from Andy Kroll on what's next in Wisconsin