Business Buzz 66: The Atlantic Wire: Non-Profits Are Popping Up to Donate Dark Money

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The Atlantic Wire: Non-Profits Are Popping Up to Donate Dark Money Nov 1st 2012, 18:52 The Atlantic Wire Latest entries Non-Profits Are Popping Up to Donate Dark Money Nov 1st 2012, 18:42 The rules and regulations governing dark-money groups are almost as mystifying as the names of their donors. In general, the Federal Election Commission requires groups that make electing candidates their "major purpose" to register as political committees, which means they have to disclose their donors. But other groups can remain obscure simply by telling the FEC that their major purpose is not electing candidates—that they are, rather, "social welfare" nonprofits or trade associations. That means they have to identify only those donors who specifically earmark their money for political ads—something that rarely happens. Under the tax code, these groups don't have to publicly report any of their donors' names. They are allowed to support candidates for office as long as promoting social welfare or industry is their primary purpose. But politics moves much faster than federal agencies, and by the time the Internal Revenue Service discovers that a group has crossed the line from nonprofit promotion to politicking, many operators have boarded up shop and moved on. Take the liberal group Americans for Stable Quality Care. A rare coalition of pharmaceutical and health-care associations and unions, it spent more than $43 million in 2009 on ads promoting health care reform. After reform passed in 2010, the group changed its name to the Citizens for Strength and Security Action Fund and spent almost $3 million supporting liberal candidates for office in the midterms. After the 2010 elections, the group went dormant, and its website was taken down. But in 2011, a new group formed: the Citizens for Strength and Security Fund, with the same Beltway consulting firm and the same clip art and message as the action fund's website. It has spent an unknown amount on ads criticizing the Republican candidates for Senate in Montana and New Mexico this year. But finding out much more than that is difficult. The group's address is a post-office box. Neither of the two people listed as being in charge returned calls for comment or replied to an email submitted via the group's website. A ProPublica examination of 72 nonprofits active in the 2010 election found that 32 that initially told the IRS they would not be involved in politics eventually filed tax returns revealing that they were. Many of these nonprofits are pop-up groups — outfits that form quickly just before an election, spend on one campaign or another and then disband, sometimes after filing just one tax return. By the time the IRS has time to investigate, some groups have ceased to exist. The IRS, which assigns less than 1 percent of its staff to overseeing nonprofits, told Congress in September that more than 1,600 groups were seeking recognition as social-welfare nonprofits. Not all are political, of course, but it's safe to assume that a growing number aren't strictly charitable, either. "The corruption of democracy by these groups is going to grow far worse in the years ahead," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, which works to shrink the influence of money in politics. "This is just the beginning." For more on Dark Money, read Dark Money Rises. This post was originally published on ProPublica and was co-published with TIME.           Related Stories Fox News Boss Roger Ailes Offered the Bush Administration 'Help Off the Record' How to Tell If Your Empty Chair Lawn Display Is Racist: Does It Have a Noose? Supposedly Fun Things Romney Will Never Do to Win The Economist Endorses 'The Devil We Know' Chris Christie Finally Wins Bruce Springsteen's Affection Media files: large.png (image/png) You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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Business Buzz 66: The Atlantic Wire: Chris Christie Finally Wins Bruce Springsteen's Affection

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The Atlantic Wire: Chris Christie Finally Wins Bruce Springsteen's Affection Nov 1st 2012, 18:22 The Atlantic Wire Latest entries Chris Christie Finally Wins Bruce Springsteen's Affection Nov 1st 2012, 18:06 It's the most unrequited relationship in politics, but last night it showed signs of thaw. During a concert in upstate New York, blue collar champion Bruce Springsteen uttered what may have been his first kind words toward New Jersey's Republican governor Chris Christie, according to a detailed writeup of his set on his fan page.  "We're a band that you can't separate from the Jersey shore — still basically a glorified bar band," said the governor. "So we're gonna do this tonight from our hometown to your hometown. We'll send this out to all the people working down there: the police officers, the firemen, and also to the Governor, who has done such a hard job this past week." Well, well: an on-stage send out! It's no secret that the two mens' politics are diametrically opposed, but while that's never gotten in the way of Christie's fandom (he's been to over a 120 concerts), it has for Springsteen. "Despite heroic efforts by Christie, Springsteen, who is still a New Jersey resident, will not talk to him," reported The Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg over the summer. Here's how he characterized the tortured relationship: On occasion, he’ll make a public plea to Springsteen, as he did earlier this spring, when Christie asked him to play at a new casino in Atlantic City. “He says he’s for the revitalization of the Jersey Shore, so this seems obvious,” Christie told me. I asked him if he’s received a response to his request. “No, we got nothing back from them,” he said unhappily, “not even a ‘Fuck you.’” At least now, the silent treatment has ended. So what won Christie the modest praise? A shared love of New Jersey in her time of need? Christie's effusive praise of President Obama during the relief effort? Could be either. But don't expect any political epiphanies: The Boss is still campaigning aggressively for President Obama's re-election.    Related Stories This Week in Election Dirty Tricks Fox News Boss Roger Ailes Offered the Bush Administration 'Help Off the Record' How to Tell If Your Empty Chair Lawn Display Is Racist: Does It Have a Noose? Supposedly Fun Things Romney Will Never Do to Win The Economist Endorses 'The Devil We Know' Media files: large.jpg (image/jpeg) You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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Business Buzz 66: The Atlantic Wire: San Francisco's Green Identity Crisis; the Dirty Details of Clean Coal

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The Atlantic Wire: San Francisco's Green Identity Crisis; the Dirty Details of Clean Coal Nov 1st 2012, 18:22 The Atlantic Wire Latest entries San Francisco's Green Identity Crisis; the Dirty Details of Clean Coal Nov 1st 2012, 18:07 Fresh news and ideas about our planet's future See full coverage Los Angeles Times on San Francisco's green identity crisis San Francisco is one of the greenest cities in the country, but a new decision on its water supply tests its dedication. The city's water has come from a dam in Yosemite National Park, based on a 1913 act letting the city turn Hetch Hetchy Valley (pictured above in its original form) into a dam, "one of the biggest defeats in America's youthful conservation movement." In November, a ballot asks voters whether the city should stop draining the valley fand find new methods of hydropower. But officials say draining is expensive and will raise utility prices; conservationists face an uphill battle. Grist on the dirty details of clean coal A clean coal power plant planned for a west Texas town has officials excited for clean energy. The largely federally-funded new plant  promises to capture 90 percent of its greenhouse gases. But being green is not that simple. The coal for the plant is being imported in a way that will boost oil production. And studies show that the benefits may be slim based on the carbon emitted from oil production.  Slate on why Denmark has so many bikers Copenhagan's combination of solid bike infrastructure and disincentives for driving allows bike culture to flourish. From bike lanes with fewer traffic stops to high gas prices, biking is a part of normal life in Denmark. The result: "Bicycles have displaced more than one-third of all transportation fossil fuel use in Copenhagen and, in the process, eliminated 90,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year." Dominique Browning in Time on caring for trees Many damages and deaths in storms like Hurricane Sandy is due to trees falling over. This could be prevented if we were took care of trees and were more careful about where we plant them, Browning argues. Once rot spreads, trouble can hit without notice. And trees should be planted in areas with better drainage to prevent falling. "Yes, trees are pretty and useful but they’re also a responsibility that too often people shirk." Reuters on the biggest elephant tusk seizure in recent history The biggest elephant tusk seizure involved than 200 elephant tusks, worth $1.32 million and hidden in a coffin and fertilizer bags. Officials told Reuters that's indicative of rising poaching in Tanzania and other sub-Saharan African countries. The tusks are used for ornamentation and some folk medicines, and most of the time the smuggled tusks end up in Asia. This month alone, Hong Kong seized $3.5 million worth of tusks. Related Stories Seven Reasons Why New Yorkers Think Holding the New York Marathon Is a Terrible Idea It Is Still Very Hard to Move Around New York City Five Best Thursday Columns Jon Stewart's Looks at the Downtown-Uptown Hurricane Divide Where Did All the Gasoline Go? Media files: large.jpg (image/jpeg) You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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Business Buzz 66: The Atlantic Wire: The Economist Endorses 'The Devil We Know'

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The Atlantic Wire: The Economist Endorses 'The Devil We Know' Nov 1st 2012, 18:22 The Atlantic Wire Latest entries The Economist Endorses 'The Devil We Know' Nov 1st 2012, 17:58 The Economist has endorsed President Obama for a second term, a decision it anticipated would surprise its readers. "Many of The Economist’s readers, especially those who run businesses in America, may well conclude that nothing could be worse than another four years of Mr Obama," the editorial says. "We beg to differ." The British magazine finds little to like in Mitt Romney's budget proposals, saying, "Yet far from being the voice of fiscal prudence, Mr Romney wants to start with huge tax cuts (which will disproportionately favour the wealthy), while dramatically increasing defence spending... However, even if you accept that Romneynomics may be more numerate in practice than it is in theory, it is far harder to imagine that he will reverse course entirely." Contrast that with the president:  "for all his shortcomings, Mr Obama has dragged America’s economy back from the brink of disaster..."  The Economist's view of the competing budget proposals is very different from many of the newspapers who endorsed Romney this year. Romney's business record and pledge to shrink the federal debt is one of the most frequently cited reasons for backing him. Compare all the newspaper endorsements so far in our handy chart. From left, the columns show the publication, the endorsee, the publications reason for endorsing, and three previous presidential endorsements. Related Stories This Week in Election Dirty Tricks Fox News Boss Roger Ailes Offered the Bush Administration 'Help Off the Record' How to Tell If Your Empty Chair Lawn Display Is Racist: Does It Have a Noose? Supposedly Fun Things Romney Will Never Do to Win Chris Christie Finally Wins Bruce Springsteen's Affection Media files: large.jpg (image/jpeg) You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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Business Buzz 66: CBS Denver: Opinion: Go vote.

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CBS Denver: Opinion: Go vote. Nov 1st 2012, 18:06 CBS Denver CBSDenver.com - News for Colorado and Denver from CBS4, plus Sports, Weather, Traffic and Top Spots Opinion: Go vote. Nov 1st 2012, 18:05 With less than a week to go, the presidential race of 2012 is basically all over except for the voting – and, of course, the counting of ballots. The big influencers at this point are the polls which either will get people out to the polling locations to vote or make people realize that they have reached the election burnout point – and really don’t care enough for either candidate to pick one candidate over the other at this point. The polls indicate that a win on either side is really possible. Therefore, finding one’s way to the polling booth may be well-worth the trip if one truly wants to see one candidate win over the other. The more negative attitude of “who cares” doesn’t seem to be out there as strongly as it has been in past presidential elections, but it’s still there. Many people care. Yet, after all the hoopla of the 2012 presidential election process, some people will remember it as the election year in which they got so extremely turned off and got such a humongous headache from the candidates, the ads, the SuperPACs, the pundits, the negativity, and – primarily – the media, that they just wouldn’t take part in the process. While that may make non-participants feel better for the moment, it’s the long-stretch that counts. It’s worth a voter’s time for the voter to think over what really does matter to him and make a private decision on which candidate can serve the country – and him – the best. Forget the pressure cast upon you by family, co-workers, neighbors, and do what you know is right. Vote your conscience. Nobody knows who you really voted for anyway after you pull the lever, punch the button, mark the X, or whatever. Forget the media’s self-served promotions of various issues and candidates. Forget political groups’ single-issue promotions regarding things that probably don’t mean anything to you at the end of the day anyway. Consider yourself – and, just as importantly, consider the country. If you’re disgusted with the way things are, vote for the change many feel the country needs. If you find things going just the way you want them for you and your family, vote for more of the same. It’s the old question that hit-home so resoundingly when President Ronald Reagan was running for office: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Only you can answer that question. Now, it’s also the question: Is the country better off than it was four years ago? Anyone – including you – can answer that question. No, the country is definitely not better off than it was four years ago. So, the reality is that based on that last question alone, it’s worth taking time to vote for a real “change” like we were promised but never got last time around. Confess – be honest with yourself. We need that “change” – a change from the past four years of governing – more than ever. Go vote. About Scott Paulson Scott Paulson writes political commentary for Examiner.com and teaches English at a community college in the Chicago area. The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of CBS Local.   You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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Business Buzz 66: Small Business Trends: Tips for Small Businesses Post Hurricane Sandy

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Small Business Trends: Tips for Small Businesses Post Hurricane Sandy Nov 1st 2012, 18:04 Small Business Trends Founded in 2003, Small Business Trends is an award-winning online publication for small business owners, entrepreneurs and the people who interact with them. It is one of the most popular independent small business publications on the web. Together with hundreds of expert contributors, Small Business Trends brings you the news, tips, advice and resources you need. "Small business success... delivered daily." Tips for Small Businesses Post Hurricane Sandy Nov 1st 2012, 18:00 Hurricane Sandy left an estimated 8 million households and small businesses without power and caused what is likely to be billions of dollars' worth of damage. If your small business has been impacted by hurricane Sandy, there are steps that you can take to quickly get up and running again: Assess the Damage, Take Pictures and Videos Use your mobile devices and begin digitally recording the damage in videos and still images and be sure to write down all of your losses. This data will be vital when making your insurance claims. Re-read Your Insurance Policy, Contact Your Agent ASAP It is likely that you will have some disputes with your insurance company over what is covered and what is not. Be sure you have read the policy over and know what it states and do not delay in placing a claim. There will be thousands of small business owners filing claims, time is of the essence. Utilize the Small Business Administration (SBA) Resources The agency’s website has a page dedicated to helping small businesses recover from natural disasters.  Use your mobile devices to access the information. Apply for an SBA Disaster Loan The SBA Disaster Loan decision-making process should be quick because the agency's mission is to help small business owners get up and running again.  Apply for one if you qualify. Meet With Your Accountant If you are looking for a SBA Disaster Loan or other type of small business loan, having accurate accounting is essential.  Get your books in order and meet with your accountant if possible. Secure a Line of Credit While you might be among the lucky small business owners who safely rode the storm out, others may not have been so fortunate. Those to whom you have extended credit may take longer than usual to pay their bills or, worse yet, they may go out of business altogether. That leaves you with expected income that you may never receive. Additionally, if you had to close for a few days, you will have lost revenue. Having a line of credit available for such instances is vital to make sure that you have working capital and the ability to meet payroll. Every entrepreneur has invested a great deal of time, energy and financial resources toward growing his or her business. Before the next storm hits, some things to keep in mind are: Determine if you are satisfied with the insurance company's resolution. If not, look for a new insurer. Continuously backup all your records on your computers. This is a good practice not only in times of disaster, but also throughout the year. If you lost revenue because you did not invest in a generator, don't make the same mistake twice. Buy one so that you have it before the next storm hits. Stay safe! Hurricane Sandy, Brooklyn, NY Photo via Shutterstock The post Tips for Small Businesses Post Hurricane Sandy appeared first on Small Business Trends. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at blogtrottr.com. If you no longer wish to receive these emails, you can unsubscribe from this feed, or manage all your subscriptions

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