campaign finance

Are you a bit confused about super PACS, those new political operations that have somehow taken over the U.S. election process? Well, in the spirit of Schoolhouse Rocks, ProPublica brings you "Oh, Super PACs," a 1970s-style video that answer all your questions.

Pundits have lately focused on the growth and influence of super PACs -- and the power of the mega-rich men who fund them -- but the current business-sponsored presidential contest isn't unusual: Come along as we review the long and rich tradition of election-buying in American history.

Stephen Colbert's "super" PAC has raised a staggering $1 million. Political action committees were required to submit their financial reports to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday. Colbert disclosed that as of Monday, his Americans for a Better Tomorrow PAC has raised more than $1.02 million.

Election season is coming, and politicians across the spectrum are already hunting for campaigns contributions. But with the vast majority of political donations coming from lobbies, corporations, and the wealthy, does it make sense for average taxpayers to contribute?

People enraged by the status quo are occupying America's public spaces. Most agree that companies wield too much influence in government -- and that we need to change that. The way to do so is to limit corporate donations to politicians -- it's not even their money to give.

In a wide-ranging interview, the Nobel Prize winner decries the system of skewed incentives that allowed Wall Street bankers and other corporate execs to gamble with the country's wealth -- and then get away largely scot-free. What happened to "with justice for all," he asks.

Is foreign money influencing U.S. politics? With the lack of financial transparency into a wide range of groups with nonprofit tax status, it's anyone's guess. So-called 501(c) organizations don't have to disclose their funders. It's time to close the loophole of anonymous donations.

What companies have shelled out the most to America's political campaigns? Using data from the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, we've created a top-10 list, offering a look at the candidates they support, the issues that concern them and their lobbying habits.

Businesses large and small have complained for years about the cost of doing business. And it's not unusual for them to use the cost of hiring moderate-income workers to illustrate their points. Here's what they fail to mention.

Skirting campaign finance laws, News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch, has found an entirely legal way to put millions of dollars directly into the bank accounts of leading Republican candidates like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin. He hires them.