The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will vote soon. Senator Jerry Hill, who is on the committee, has long been a champion of transparency and the California DISCLOSE Act, so please sign the petition to show him how much support there is for AB 10.

The secret money influencing our elections isn't lurking in only Dark Money contributions from wealthy campaign contributors. Turns out it's also hiding in what candidates and elected officials don't report about their finances. To detect possible conflicts of interest the public deserves clear, specific and relevant information about candidates' and elected officials' finances, including income sources and investments. AB 10, authored by Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale), improves the current reporting by requiring more specific dollar amounts and extending behest disclosure requirements to one year after leaving office. It also requires more thorough descriptions of business holdings and partners, plus a list of when each financial interest caused abstention from a governmental decision. AB 10 passed the Senate Elections Committee. Now it faces the Senate Appropriations Committee, which will vote soon. If they don't pass it, this important bill will die. Senator Jim Beall will be a key vote, so please sign the petition and also ask your friends to sign!

Former Senator and Democratic presidential candidate Jim Webb spoke clearly about the problem of money in politics this past Friday: "The challenge that we have right now in the current political environment, money dominates the process like it never has before... I don’t believe that super PACs are ethically supportable concepts." That's sound analysis, but words alone won't do any good. Senator Webb, and every other candidate for president, needs to put forward a comprehensive plan to restore our democracy, including public financing of elections, full disclosure of all campaign spending, and an end to Citizens United. Tell Senator Webb to commit to a concrete plan to get big money out of politics and put We The People back in charge!

When the Senate went on vacation earlier this month, it did so having confirmed only 5 new federal judges this year, even as over a dozen more wait for votes. That's far below the average for this late in the year, and on pace for a record low. The 14 nominees the Senate left languishing over its summer recess had all passed out of committee without controversy. But senators are blocking their confirmation votes to score political points -- leaving critical courts understaffed, and leaving many Americans in legal limbo. When senators return to Washington on September 8, they need to do their jobs and give the judicial nominees before them a fair up-or-down vote.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) lets Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Telecom and Big Tobacco craft new laws alongside state legislators, all behind closed doors. ALEC calls itself a charity, but in truth, it's a front for corporations to buy influence and push laws that benefit their private interests. And since the IRS takes ALEC's word for it, those corporations get to deduct their ALEC lobbying expenses from the taxes they owe! Lobbying for huge corporations isn't charity, and taxpayers shouldn't be forced to subsidize ALEC members' tax writeoffs. Tell the IRS to investigate ALEC today and hold its member corporations accountable for any back taxes they owe.

There are more than 10 million overseas Filipinos around the world sending hundreds of thousands of Balikbayan boxes for their families in the Philippines. For decades, these boxes have not been opened. We believe that the Bureau of Customs should focus on smugglers bringing in tons of smuggled rice, sugar, commercial goods, etc. in the country. We are migrant workers regularly remitting our hard-earned money to help our economy. We are even recognized as the modern day heroes by the government. We do not deserve this!

Governor Paul LePage has a terrible record in office since he was elected in 2010. Among other things he packed his administration with lobbyists, vetoed a minimum wage increase, targeted organized labor, undermined renewable energy and used the power of his office to get citizens, including political opponents, fired. He said he would resign if enough people in Maine asked him to leave office. We should take him up on it.

I am an Arizona resident who sees that Gov. Ducey is tyrannical and doesn't care about anything but money. He has been bought by the most un-American organization known as Citizens United and Koch industries.

Maine deserves better. "LePage says he’ll resign, if enough people ask him to" - BDN, 8/19/15 - http://tides.bangordailynews.com/2015/08/19/home/lepage-says-hell-resign-if-enough-people-ask-him-to/#.VdSW_AQSZc4.facebook

The elected Legislators in Alabama cost the Sate, according to 33/40 news, $320,000.00 on a recent special session to address the budget shortfall. Nothing was achieved except bills not related to the budget. So now a second special session will be called. And another $320,000.00 will be spent. These wasteful Legislators should forfeit any pay and be responsible for paying for the costs of both special sessions.

The Financial Services Conflict of Interest Act would ban the “golden parachutes” that Wall Street uses to reward executives for taking jobs in government (a subtle form of bribery), limit the lobbying that can be done by financial regulators after they leave government, and expand the range of situations in which officials must recuse themselves from decisions affecting their former employers. Personnel decisions are policy decisions - we’ve learned that again and again. This bill could make an important difference in slowing the revolving door.

In Theory, America Is Great. In Reality, America is Ethically, Spiritually and Financially Bankrupt. For Significant Time, Yesterday's Average Hopelessly Lost American Leader Foolishly Allow Precious Natural Resource Exploitation Until Artificial Resource Need Is Great. Nation Dependent upon Artificial Resource Timeplace Average Citizen In Imminent Danger. For, Continuous Manufacturing of Artificial Resource Improperly Mass Produce Waste, Toxicity and Real Debt. Lobotomized by Brain-numbing Opinion, Yesterday's Average American Leader is Mentally Incapable of Leading America From God's Future. For This Reason, Humanity Faces Extinction. This Mean. America Citizen must Accept Fact. America can No longer afford Unfit Leader.