This article got me riled up yesterday, so I'm going to feature it. Andy Rosenthal highlights this quote from a Brennan Center report, by the Florida Senate President, on voter ID legislation: "We do make it convenient for people to vote but I gotta tell ya I wouldn’t even have any problem making it harder."

Campaign Finance/Fair Elections
WaPo: Super PACs can't crown a king
Another day, another George Will column saying our democracy isn't broken. Here was my response to one of his columns last year.

AP: Montana initiative takes aim at corporate money
"Backers of a new ballot initiative are wading into the ongoing battle over corporate money in politics with a request that Montana voters reject the notion that the business entities have constitutional rights." More on Common Cause's efforts.

HuffPo: Lawrence Lessig on campaign finance reform: overturning Citizens United isn't enough
"In contrast with many other campaign finance reformers, Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig believes fixing the U.S. election system will require more than just overturning the Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission Supreme Court ruling, which removed many restrictions on independent political spending." Though, to be fair, I think most of us actually believe more needs to be done than just an amendment.

SF Chronicle: Jeffrey Clements: Corporations are not people
An interview with Jeff Clements about his new book.

Congress/2012
NaJo: After attacking Gingrich as a lobbyist, Romney endorsed by one
Andrew Joseph notes that in an endorsement that Romney campaign rolled out yesterday, they mentioned all his previoius jobs except..as a lobbyist.

WaPo: Mitt Romney, facing money challenges, aggressively seeks donations.
"Mitt Romney, eager to capi­tal­ize on his primary-election victories this week, is aggressively pushing for new donations to offset his presidential campaign’s heavy spending and is erecting battle stations in upcoming Super Tuesday states." More at NY Post.

CBS: Obama fundraisers hit century mark
"By day's end, President Obama will hit 100 on the campaign fundraising scoreboard." He has 4 events today.

WaPo: Obama's pushback on gas prices: target the oil billionaires
Ohhh: "On Friday, Koch Companies — angered by an earlier Obama fundraising letter citing the Kochs — sent a letter to Obama’s advisers protesting that the Obama camp, by criticizing them, was squelching their right to grassroots political action. Today’s response from Obama campaign manager Jim Messina fires back by ridiculing the idea that the Kochs are practicing grassroots politics."

USA Today: Super PACs, candidartes blur ahead of Nov. 6
"Presidential candidates and the super PACs accepting unlimited donations to help their campaigns cannot coordinate their activity, yet they are sharing consultants, donors and even advertising footage, raising new questions about the independence of outside groups."

The Hill: Retiring Sen. Snowe would be near top of K Street wish list, insiders say
"Retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) would move toward the top of K Street’s recruiting class if she decided to become a lobbyist next year."

WaPo: Mitt Romney's millions (and why they could matter)
Will Mitt drop some of his own cash into the race?

Roll Call: Local, national Chambers clash on ads
"Amid a multistate ad blitz by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that targets 20 House and Senate races, state and local chamber affiliates in Montana and Virginia have condemned or distanced themselves from the national trade group's ads."

Roll Call: Stalled highway bill puts lobbyists to work
"With the House’s highway bill stalled amid funding and policy squabbles, transportation lobbyists say they are moving into overdrive as they try to shield clients’ priorities."

Politico: Fundraising: Obama's real priority
A LOL at this op-ed from Reince Priebus criticizing Obama's fundraising schedule.

WaPo: Pro-Gingrich super PAC places big radio buy in six states
"The top super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich is going up with nearly $900,000 worth of radio ads in six key states holding contests in the next two weeks."

NaJo: Super PAC plows money into unseating incumbents
"Now a super PAC is putting money behind the idea—$1.8 million and counting—and planning to try to unseat incumbents of both parties in their primary elections."

Politico: K Street Dems warn clients on donations to GOP
Ugh: "Democrats on K Street are warning their corporate clients: Give to Republican challengers in the 2012 election, and you’ll regret it come tax reform time."

LA Times: California Republican David Dreier will retire from Congress
"David Dreier, one of California's most influential Republicans in Congress, announced Wednesday that he wouldn't be running for reelection, making him among the highest-profile casualties of a new citizens-drawn map that cast him into a politically inhospitable district."

Politico: Levin irked Facebook could cash in on loophole
"Sen. Carl Levin used Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday as the poster child to call for corporate tax reform that eliminates some of the so-called loopholes companies use to claim big tax breaks."

Other/States
Journal-Sentinel: Top realtor attended redistricting meeting after all
It makes total sense that lobbyists would attend redistricting meetings, right?