Citizen Cartwright

Political spending after the Supreme Court ruling

Outside conservative groups that were freed from contribution limits by the court's Citizen United ruling have coalesced into a loosely organized political machine that's poised to rival, and in many ways supplant, the official Republican Party apparatus, The New York Times reported over the weekend.

Like the party committees, the groups are funded by some of the Republican Party’s wealthiest donors and operated by some of its most respected operatives and strategists, the paper says. But thanks to the Citizens United ruling, the groups can raise money in unlimited amounts and with little overhead. Much of the money will be spent through nonprofits that aren't required to disclose their donors.       

At the same time, the country's biggest publicly traded firms are increasingly choosing to disclose, and in some cases limit, their political donations, according to what's being described as the first comprehensive portrait of S&P 100 companies' behavior since the ruling.

"Our findings ... offer hope for increasing corporate political transparency and accountability at a time when everyone expects massive hidden spending to influence elections," says Bruce Freed, president of the Center for Political Accountability, which released the report in conjunction with the Zicklin Center for Business Ethics Research at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

"A significant number of companies recognize the risk associated with political spending and a growing number are not taking advantage of Citizens United, at least directly," Freed says.

Obama is moving against drug shortages

The president is expected to sign on Monday an executive order directing the Food and Drug Administration to take steps to reduce the shortages, a growing problem that's put patients at risk and raised the possibility of price gouging.

What's with U.S. policy on Pakistan?

Only a month after accusing Pakistan’s spy agency of secretly supporting the Haqqani terrorist network, the Obama administration is depending on the agency to help with reconciliation talks to end the war in Afghanistan, The New York Times says.

Meanwhile, Reuters reports that the Haqqani network may have been involved in a weekend bombing in Kabul that was the deadliest ground attack against Western troops in the decade-long Afghan war.

Britain moves on cyberterrorism

The government holds a conference this week on putting together a global response to cybercrimes, which it views as a threat as serious as international terrorism, the BBC reports.

Also in the news

Birth of various '7 billionth' babies celebrated worldwide

How Social Security went ‘cash negative’ sooner than expected

Climate change skeptic says his study shows it's real

Bank of America is likely to make it easier to avoid debit card fee

Companies to charge smokers, obese more for health care

Study: Aspirin cuts hereditary colon cancer risk 60 percent

Air pollution linked to lung cancer in non-smokers

Lawmakers 'nonchalant' about another credit rating downgrade

Increasingly, lawmakers don't think another downgrade of the nation's credit rating will damage the economy, raising questions about how much pressure Congress is under to fix the budget deficit, Reuters reports.

"The reaction to the S&P downgrade has reduced the fear factor on Capitol Hill," says Steve Bell, a former staff director of the Senate Budget Committee who is now with the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Bell says he's been "surprised by the nonchalance" about the prospect of another downgrade.

"The attitude on the Hill is, 'Treasuries are the safest place to put money at the moment, because look what happened after the S&P downgrade.' It is the worst possible outcome from the debt limit crisis."

What the supercommittee members agree on

Both the Republican and Democratic plans would provide for smaller-than-expected cost of living increases for Social Security recipients, veterans and federal retirees, The Associated Press says.

Many big banks are forgoing those new fees

A month after Bank of America drew the ire of consumers and politicians for its plans to charge people for using their debit cards, banks including J.P. Morgan Chase, U.S. Bancorp, PNC and Citigroup have decided not to follow along.

Leaded gasoline to be history worldwide

Ninety years after leaded gas became the standard over the warnings of public health advocates, it will be completely phased out by 2013, according to the U.N. Environment Program.

Leaded gas still is used in Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, North Korea, Myanmar and Yemen.

I remember, as a young person in those leaded-gas days here, being shocked by advice that children shouldn't live near busy intersections. Airborne lead would lower their IQs, experts said.

Also in the news

U.N. votes to end NATO's mission in Libya on Monday

Israel frees 25 Egyptians in exchange for U.S.-Israeli man

Chinese military suspected in hack attacks on U.S. satellites

Study: Japan's nuclear radiation was twice the estimate

American drone base in Ethiopia is operational

Economy grows 2.5 percent in third quarter, easing recession fears

House passes 2 pieces of Obama's jobs bill

Obama backers tied to lobbies raising millions

Judge refuses to dismiss campaign-finance charges against John Edwards