Conservative Republicans in Congress have taken one small step on campaign-finance reform, and one (potentially) giant leap forward for bipartisanship. Last week, Freedom Caucus conservative and Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar introduced a bill, the Stop Foreign Donations Affecting our Elections Act, that would close a loophole he says allows foreigners to illegally make online contributions […]
Justin Miller
Justin Miller covers politics and state government for the Texas Observer. He is a former Prospect writing fellow, and has also written for The Intercept, The New Republic, and In These Times. Follow @by_jmiller
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
For Watchdogs, Budget Deal a Mixed Bag
For the past couple of weeks, a number of controversial riders aimed at deregulating the campaign finance system and curtailing President Obama’s ability to increase the transparency of undisclosed political spending have been at the center of federal budget negotiations. A coalition of progressive reformers has been mobilizing to stop the riders. And now, with […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Is Adelson Spending Going Underground?
Tonight, the leading Republican presidential contenders will descend upon Las Vegas to participate in this year’s final GOP debate. And in a perfect metaphor for the rising influence of billionaire mega-donors, the debate is being held at The Venetian, the palatial casino owned by notorious Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson. Adelson spent close to $100 million […]
Posted inWorking in America
The Labor Prospect: Is There An On-Demandate?
Seattle votes to let Uber and Lyft drivers unionize, Black Lives Matter targets police contracts, and the White House comes out strongly for the Cadillac Tax.Â
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Voter Outrage Over Political Money Continues to Escalate
Even as most of the presidential candidates have pivoted their focus to foreign affairs and the rise of ISIS, poll after poll makes one thing clear: voters are still concerned about the influence of money in the political system. This voter alarm is escalating hand in hand with campaign spending. The Pew Research Center released […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Obama’s One Last Chance to Tackle Dark Money Spending
Progressives who have been pressuring President Barack Obama to sign an executive order that would require federal contractors to more fully disclose their political spending got fresh ammunition this week with the release of a scathing report faulting the president’s campaign finance “legacy of inaction.” President Obama has talked a big game on campaign-finance reform, […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
GOP Budget Rider Takes Aim at Campaign-Finance Rules
Republicans are once again using the politically volatile process of funding the government as a clearinghouse for a whole host of ideological riders-from defunding Planned Parenthood to curtailing the ability of the government to enforce labor and environmental regulations. And congressional Republicans are unified in backing all these riders-except one. Conservatives stirred up a GOP […]
Posted inWorking in America
The Labor Prospect: Southern Struggles
VW workers vote to unionize in Tennessee, right-to-work falls through in Ohio, and the NLRB takes on labor violations at Nissan.Â
Posted inWorking in America
The Labor Prospect: Right-to-Work Whack-a-Mole
RTW gains momentum, SEIU endorses Hillary, and Seattle moves toward stronger enforcement of $15.Â
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The Koch Brothers’ Political Surveillance
Just how influential are the Koch brothers? It’s common knowledge that the billionaire industrialists have funneled hundreds of millions into American elections via a broad network of conservative tax-exempt groups. The Koch network’s estimated $889 million budget for the 2016 election rivals what will be spent by the national political party committees. But the true […]
