July 10, 2012

Political Corruption Enhances the Influence of the One Percent

The Atlantic: Big Campaign Spending: Government by the 1% Here’s what we must come to see: America has lost the capacity to govern. On a wide range of critical issues — from global warming to tax reform, from effective financial regulation to real health-care change, from the deficit to defense spending — we have lost
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July 10, 2012

State Political Parties Dominated By Lobbyists

Polls show an overwhelming majority of Americans view lobbyist and big money influence as the main problem in our politics today. But the two major political parties, on both the state and federal level, have done little to substantively reform the system. Republic Report interns Nick Lyell and Mehrad Yazdi took a look at the
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July 9, 2012

Lunchtime Money in Politics Links: July 8, 2012

Mitt Romney Koch fundraiser

The Washington Post: Romney outraised Obama in June, $106 million to $71 million (Important to note that these totals don’t include funds raised and spent by outside groups like super PACs!) New York Times: Democrats to Ask for Curbs on Donor-Shielding Groups The Democratic Party’s Senate campaign arm will file a formal complaint on Monday with
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June 22, 2012

Alcohol Prohibition “Worked,” According To DEA Report, Released With Police Union Lobby

America’s embrace of alcohol prohibition from 1920-1933 generally ranks among the biggest mistakes in public policy in the 20th century. It was a period that resulted in a profound loss of personal liberty that gave rise to criminal syndicates that often used violence to control the black market of liquor sales. But if you ask
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June 11, 2012

Hmmm Bopp: Citizens United Architect Loses His Republican National Committee Seat

Indiana lawyer Jim Bopp has done a lot to push the Republican National Committee (RNC) in a more conservative direction since he became a member in 2006. He proposed a “Republican litmus test” that would require candidates to meet at least eight of 10 core conservative principles (i.e. opposing amnesty for illegal immigration and same-sex
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June 11, 2012

Exclusive: Police Unions, Rehab Owners Tainted With Sex Abuse Scandal Mount Effort To Stop Colorado From Legalizing Marijuana

Over the weekend, the Associated Press noted that there are increasing efforts across the country to reform our nation’s draconian laws outlawing marijuana. Colorado could be the focal point of this movement. Voters this year will decide on Amendment 64, which would legalize marijuana use and regulate and tax the drug in a similar fashion
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June 11, 2012

Revealed: Secretive Group Working To Suppress Voting In Maine Funded In Part By Wisconsin Businesses

Across the country, state lawmakers have pushed forward bills to lower democratic participation. State after state have adopted laws that criminalize voter registration drives, limit the ability of low-income people and college students to vote, and otherwise restrict qualified voters from casting a ballot. As Republic Report revealed earlier this week, the controversial purge of
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May 24, 2012

Senator McConnell Petitions Supreme Court To Uphold Citizens United, Claims Corporate Money Hasn’t Really Been Used In Elections

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the Republican leader of the Senate, and in all likelihood, the next Senate Majority Leader, thinks corporations deserve the right to spend limitless amounts in American elections. He was the point person in Congress fighting campaign reforms in the late 90s, and now, he’s begging the Supreme Court not to reverse
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