Fair Elections/ Campaign Finance Reform
Agency Nullification at the FEC
Public Citizen’s Craig Holman writes on the failures of the Federal Election Commission.
“A broad coalition, including Americans for Campaign Reform, Campaign Legal Center, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters, Public Campaign, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG, has now appealed to congressional oversight committees, requesting that they “investigate and hold hearings on the systemic problems with the Federal Election Commission.” To no avail.”

Having the Watchdogs to Tea
The New York Times also editorializes on the FEC.
“The need for a vigilant F.E.C. has never been greater as the nation enters the most money-drenched campaign in history, thanks to the new “super PAC” bundlers and the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision blessing unlimited corporate donations.”

Fair Elections Provide Alternative
This opinion piece in the Miscellany News calls for Fair Elections.

A Challenge to Americans Elect to Comply With Tax Laws and Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws
Democracy 21’s Fred Wertheimer in the Huffington Post urges that Americans Elect be recognized as a 527 instead of a 501 c(4).

Your Declarations: Readers Respond to Manifesto
Clearly there are others out there who feel the way we do:
“Dozens of responses to the piece argued passionately for public financing of elections. That’s no surprise, because campaign finance and the power of money to corrupt our government has been a major theme of the Occupy protests and the work of scholar activists like Lawrence Lessig. A lot of readers argued that there was no hope of action on most of our priorities without a complete overhaul of the way we finance elections.”

They Say Cut Back, We Say Fight Back
Pearl Korn has suggestions for where the Occupy Wall Street movement should go next – she says that they should support the Fair Elections Now Act.

Congress/2012
Really Want to Influence Politicians? Stop Donating to Their Campaigns
This Daily Finance piece is mostly on message:
“When it comes to campaign contributions, lobbyists and corporations can easily outspend the average family. A good illustration of this is the congressional supercommittee, which was created in order to shave $1.2 trillion from the nation's budget.”

For Every Tax Break, A Lobby to Fight for it
“Lawmakers will have to cross a minefield laid by K Street in order to achieve the kind of comprehensive tax reform that they envision. Corporate tax reform is a stated goal of many business groups in Washington. But for every tax break that would be washed away to lower the corporate rate, there is a pressure group in place to keep it alive.”

Supercommittee’s Secrecy Disappoints Republican House Freshmen
“A number of Republican House freshmen who came to Washington promising to slash government spending are increasingly worried that the congressional supercommittee, to which that task has now fallen, is operating too much in secret and that the lack of transparency could doom the enterprise.”

Contractors, Banks Boost Corker’s Campaign Chest
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) has been doing well with some special interest industries.

Frosh Slow to Pony Up GOP Party Dues
“Republican freshmen — including some of the top fundraisers in the class — aren’t ponying up as much cash to the party as the establishment would like.”

Rep. Laura Richardson Tries to Head Off Ethics Probe
“Rep. Laura Richardson is lobbying members of the House Ethics Committee in a last-ditch bid to avoid a formal investigation into allegations that she pressured her staff to engage in banned political activities while on her congressional payroll.”

Other
Abramoff: How to End Corruption
It seems prison has helped him see the light.
“One of the conclusions he draws is to entirely eliminate any campaign contributions by lobbyists, those bidding for federal contracts and anyone else who stands to benefit financially from public funds.”

Abramoff Divulges K Street Secrets
Oh the irony.
“Now out of jail, the former lobbyist admits he broke the law and says he wants to see reform of the system he once manipulated.”

Citizens United Spends Big in Ohio
“Citizens United, the conservative political organization best known for the eponymous Supreme Court decision that last year altered the nation’s campaign finance landscape, will on Thursday begin blasting six-figures worth of advertisements throughout Ohio in support of limiting most state workers’ collective bargaining rights.”

Campaign Finance Board Temporarily Upholds Disclosure Requirements
“The Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board voted Tuesday to maintain its current policies regarding disclosure for ballot campaigns.”

Justice for Sale?
An editorial on Alabama’s privately funded judicial system.

Pearce Rides Avalanche of Cash Into Election
“The campaign finance report for Pearce's committee, Patriots for Pearce, shows he raised almost $230,000.”