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Corporate Democracy: Likely fallout from Supreme Court Citizens United decision

October 29, 2009

The impending Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which could be announced as early as Tuesday, is expected to significantly expand the role of the most powerful special interests in financing American elections. The Court appears poised to turn its back on more than 100 years of law and pave the way for corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on direct campaigns to elect or defeat federal candidates.

In preparation for this decision, Common Cause has prepared a report that reviews the potential fallout from this case, the legal history, examines political spending of corporations versus unions and looks at a state – California – that allows unlimited corporate political spending. 
 

 

House Ethics Committee: Don't worry about appearances

October 30, 2009

Common Cause today condemned a House Ethics Committee finding that "no relevant House rule or other standard of conduct prohibits the creation of an appearance of a conflict of interest when selecting witnesses for a committee hearing."

"The Ethics Committee has lowered the standard for Congressional behavior to a new low," said Common Cause President, Bob Edgar. "They have now said Members of Congress are free to create the appearance of a conflict of interest in their congressional work."

New health care study: Public option would generate more benefits, savings than projected

October 30, 2009

The UC Berkeley School of Law's Center on Health, Economic & Family Security today released a report titled The Costs and Benefits of a Public Option in Health Care Reform: An Economic Analysis, which argues that the public option is likely to generate greater benefits and cost savings to the American people than has been projected by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and other independent analysts.

Common Cause supports a public option as a way of reducing health care costs and extending health care coverage to more Americans.


 

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Citizens United Watch
The Supreme Court could rule as soon as Tuesday, November 3 on a case that could pave the way for corporations to spend unlimited sums on the direct election or defeat of political candidates. Get the facts here!
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