"Cutting Medicare for low and middle-income seniors? On the table. Closing loopholes for profitable, multinational corporations? Not under discussion." Public Campaign Action Fund's David Donnelly and Oil Change International's Steve Kretzmann had an op-ed yesterday in The Hill calling for ending Big Oil taxpayer subsidies as a means to address the national deficit.

Who has time to govern when there's so much fundraising to do for the next election? An op-ed in the Virginia News Leader answers the question correctly: not Congress!

From the op-ed:

"This endless electioneering limits the work of governing, especially at the national level where large amounts of money are needed to campaign effectively, compelling candidates to spend more time fundraising."

The landmark citizen-initiated Maine Clean Elections law has come under attack this legislative session. There have been various attempts to undermine, and in some cases repeal the wildly popular program. Those attempts have so far been thwarted, and an op-ed in the Bangor Daily News yesterday by two former Maine lawmakers hammers home the point that the law should remain intact.  

From the op-ed:

The assault on workers taking place all over the country, most notably in Wisconsin, is still fresh on everyone's mind.

The Buffalo News ran an op-ed yesterday by former members of Congress, Sherwood Boehlert and Amory Houghton (NY), on the need to restore ethics in Albany through Voter-Owned publicly financed elections.