President Obama Should Not Authorize "Preventive Detention"... Click for more...
Campaign CashThreatens to Derail
Health Care Reform... Click for more...
Help Us Honor
Uncommon Courage...Click for more...
President Obama Should Not Authorize "Preventive Detention"
June 30, 2009: Over the weekend, reports emerged that President Obama is considering authorizing an executive order reinstating the executive branch's power to indefinitely incarcerate suspected terrorists without due process.
A disappointing continuation of oppressive Bush administration policy, such an executive order would thwart the rule of law and fundamental constitutional principles.
Industry Campaign Cash and Lobbying Threatens to Derail Health Care Reform, New Study Finds
June 24, 2009: As the debate over reforming the health care system heats up in Congress, a new report by Common Cause finds that major health care interests are spending more than $1.4 million a day to lobby Capitol Hill so far this year, and that those same health care interests have significantly ramped up campaign contributions, donating about $373 million to Members of Congress since 2000.
The report, “Legislating Under the Influence”, shows how the health care industry has spent billions in on campaign contributions and lobbying over the past decade to influence Congress. The lion’s share of that spending has been strategically targeted at leadership, committees with power over their health agenda, and members of the majority party, and has escalated steadily throughout the period. The numbers highlight the tension in our pay-to-play campaign finance system that forces lawmakers to choose between the often-competing interests of their major campaign contributors and the public.
Honoring Uncommon Courage
June 10, 2009: Common Cause is honoring military and civilian officials who stood up for the rule of law and worked to stop misguided policies and practices involving torture of detainees.
As U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder recently said, "In our current struggle against international terrorism, when others surrendered faithful obedience to the law to the circumstances of the time, it was the brave men and women in the JAG Corps who stood up against the tides, many times risking their careers to do so. We all can learn from their example."
Please join us in honoring their "Uncommon Courage."
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Legislating Under the Influence
June 2009
As the debate over reforming the health care system heats up in Congress, a new report by Common Cause finds that major health care interests are spending more than $1.4 million a day to lobby Capitol Hill so far this year, and that those same health care interests have significantly ramped up campaign contributions, donating about $373 million to Members of Congress since 2000.
Earmarks for Campaign Cash?
May 2009
The 18 members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, which Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) chairs, inserted more than $355 million in earmarks into the 2008 defense spending bill on behalf of their campaign contributors. Those contributors, according to campaign disclosure reports, donated a total of $1.3 million to the members who sponsored the earmarks.
The Financial Bailout: Your Tax Dollars Gone Missing
February 2009
This report describes how bank recipients of bailout funds have failed to increase lending to the public, while rewarding executives with lavish bonuses. The report also calls on Congress to address the failures of the financial bailout plan immediately.
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