Sugar industry big player in campaign cash flows, favoring Dems, GOP evenly

Many of the most influential American agricultural interests are headquartered in specific parts of the country: The majority of peanuts come from Georgia, corn from Iowa and sugar from Florida. But even though agricultural interests have a significant presence in only a small number of congressional districts, they play an More…

Boyd and other voted-out centrists find career in lobbying

Some 28 centrist “Blue Dog” Democrats lost their congressional seats after the 2010 elections, including now-former Rep. Allen Boyd, who represented Florida’s 2nd district. #

According to a recent report by the Center for Public Integrity’s iWatch News, nearly a third of them More…

Corporations Seek Favor from Lawmakers Through Donations to Their Charities

Loopholes riddle campaign finance laws and ethics rules in Washington, but the widest may be the one governing corporate donations to the charities of lawmakers. Thanks to a provision that allows businesses to make unlimited gifts to foundations run or founded by members of Congress, the New York Times More…

House Panel Jumpstarts Reconciliation on Health Care

The House Budget Committee this afternoon approved a budget reconciliation bill that jumpstarts the process that Democrats hope will end in the Senate passing sweeping health care reforms by a simple majority.

The reconciliation bill, which will be the vehicle for the health care “fixes” the Democrats will More…

The Democrats’ Jobs Pickle

With unemployment in double digits and no relief in sight, swift passage of the Democrats’ “jobs agenda” — set to be unveiled today in the Senate — might seem like a sure thing.

Well, not quite.

Not only are Senate Republicans balking at early proposals to cover the More…

Florida Blue Dog Wants a Do-Over on Health Care Reform

Saying that he can’t support the health reform bill working its way through the House, Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.), a member of the conservative-leaning Blue Dog Democrats, told a town hall gathering yesterday that he supports scrapping the overhaul proposal in favor of more gradual reforms. From CNN: More…