Two things - We've been adding lots of videos and other content to our #OccupyDemocracy site. Check it out http://www.occupydemocracy.org/.

Second - 1994 Mitt Romney agreed with us - money plays too big a role in our political system. But 2011 Mitt " Corporations are People" Romney, with a "not coordinated" super PAC, thinks differently. Tell 2011 Mitt Romney: Stand with 1994 Mitt Romney! http://action.endthemoneychase.com/1994romney

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
How to choose? So many constitutional amendments
Greg Colvin at Campaign for America's Future writes about a constitutional amendment, "Here are twelve questions to put the choice of language in an analytical framework.  Every drafter should be able to answer them."
- Also, United Republic has a good guide to the amendments already out there: http://unitedrepublic.org/amendments-guide/.

Buying democracy is just wrong
Bill McKibben responds to some criticism of his op-ed a week or so ago about Congress being bought by special interests. "And in fact, we can separate free speech from the flood of money. Public financing of campaigns would go a long way toward making sure that everyone gets heard and no one can drown anyone out just because they say things that benefit the rich. The 1% get most of the luxuries our planet has to offer — but democracy is a necessity, and they shouldn't be allowed to own that too."

Congress/2012
Prisoners of a broken system
Read what David Donnelly has to say about yesterday's NYC story on high-levels of incarceration of young people and our broken political system.

Watchdog files FEC complaint against Newt Gingrich
CREW has filed a complaint with the FEC alleging that Gingrich Productions "spent money on events -- billed as movie screenings -- that were in fact aimed at bolstering his campaign. And it claims the campaign paid Gingrich himself $42,000 for a mailing list that was actually supplied by the candidate's film company."

Newt Gingrich situation highlights lobbying dilemma
"While Marianne Gingrich’s lobbying work would not violate House rules even today, it highlights a familial loophole that groups continue to exploit for political gain."

Gingrich attacked by campaign rivals
Newt is getting attacked mercilessly with campaign ads in Iowa - being outspent by Romney/Romney super PAC something like 40 to 1.

Billionaire backer may open wallet for Gingrich but bring unwanted baggage
On the guy who's thinking of handing over $20M to a Gingrich super PAC: "Adelson could be a huge help, but a federal criminal probe of his Las Vegas Sands casino empire may prove to be a liability for the Gingrich campaign."
- And more on that super PAC: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1211/70636.html.

Democrats outpace GOP in lobbyist cash race
"The national political parties took more cash from lobbyists in the first half of 2011 than in any other six-month period on record, even during the wide-open election of 2008, and the Democratic party's committees have easily outpaced their GOP counterparts despite President Obama’s vilification of special-interest giving."

Middle class pays for corporate tax-write offs
On the tax code: "The present, special interest-laden federal and state tax codes are the product of lobbyists, big business, sports enterprises, lawyers, labor unions, financial interests and an array of specific publics who benefit from the myriad loopholes in the morass of whereas-es and insomuchas-es that fill the telephone book-sized code that is the proverbial 'elephant designed by committee.'"

Firefighters union to restart contributions to US lawmakers
"The International Association of Fire Fighters announced in April that it was cutting off all political donations to Congress, a move that hit Democrats particularly hard since they were the biggest recipients of the FIRE PAC’s largesse....The union announced in an e-mail to its membership Monday that it was restarting contributions at the federal level after a series of policy victories in recent months."

Lobbying your true love: the cost of twelve days of Christmas, 2011 edition
Center for Responsive Politics has a little fun: "Do you have any idea how much the groups representing each of those presents spend lobbying the federal government each year?"

1994 Mitt Romney Explains How 2011 Mitt Romney's Wall Street donors will corrupt Mitt Romney
More on Romney's 1994 position on campaign finance reform.

Revolving door: Chamber's Natonski back to the Hill
"The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Dave Natonski is leaving the business lobby to head back to the Hill as Republican Rep. Aaron Schock's deputy chief of staff."
 
Manufacturers fight NLRB over posting workers' rights
"The National Association of Manufacturers is making oral arguments today in a lawsuit against the National Labor Relations Board, but the lobbying group hasn’t limited its fight to the courtroom."

Senior Hill aide Caren to Steptoe
Rep. Tom Cole's deputy chief of staff heads to K Street.

Other
Predatory payday lenders compare themselves to MLK and civil rights margers in fight against regulations
"Payday lending companies are combining their money in order to form a corporate front group to fight for the right to charge interest rates of 445 percent and more in the state of Missouri."