In response to pressure from several progressive organizations – and an exodus of corporate members – the American Legislative Exchange Council announced on Tuesday it’s dismantling its non-economic taskforces responsible for writing radical legislation like “Shoot First” laws and “Voter ID” laws.

While this is a small progressive victory – ALEC promises to continue writing economic legislation that repeals environmental regulations, busts up unions, and gives massive tax breaks to the Romney-rich in America. Not only that – even though ALEC is ending its non-economic task forces – the damage has already been done. Seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin is dead in Florida thanks to ALEC’s Shoot First law – and millions of Democratic voters will be disenfranchised this election because of ALEC’s Voter ID laws.

So let’s not celebrate ALEC’s decision yesterday – let’s take it as a sign that we need to work even harder to expose the American corporatocracy that’s been working in the shadows for the last 30 years.

-Thom

(What difference do you think this will make? Tell us here.)

Hour Two: Has "thought crime" become a reality for TSA?
- Alexander Furnas, Internet researcher & open Internet advocate / Contributor-The Atlantic

Hour Three: Progressive victory on ALEC and guns
- Lee Fang, RepublicReport.org

Citiziens United & Buffet Rule
- Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...

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"The Money Masters"

Tuesday's Daily Stack

Quote: "The strongest bond of human sympathy outside the family relation should be one uniting working people of all nations and tongues and kindreds." -- Abraham Lincoln.

Article: "‘Fake’ Democratic Candidates Survive Ballot Challenge By Real Wisconsin Dems" by Eric Kleefeld.

Book: "Trilby" by George Du Maurier.

Video: "Mitt Romney versus Reality".

Article: "Romney, Who Has Two Harvard Degrees, Says Obama Spent ‘Too Much Time At Harvard’" by Alex Seitz-Wald.

The Big Picture
- Sam Sacks, The Big Picture producer, progressive commentator

Article: "Rep. Ted Deutch Holds Summit on Overturning Citizens United".

Article: "ALEC Sharpens Focus on Jobs, Free Markets and Growth -- Announces the End of the Task Force that Dealt with Non-Economic Issues" by American Legislative Exchange Council.

Article: "Talkers Magazine 2012 Heavy Hundred".

Article: "Julian Assange Hosts Hezbollah Leader in TV Series Debut" by Brian William Greene.

Article: "Space shuttle Discovery makes final flight over Washington D.C.".

Book: "Think Fast: The ADD Experience" by Thom Hartmann and Janie Bowman.

Article: "Fox News Lies: Obama learned disdain for women from Marxist father" by ABL.

Article: "Romney, Obama in Tight Race as Gallup Daily Tracking Begins" by Frank Newport.

Article: "Obama, Romney in dead heat, CBS News/New York Times poll finds" by Alex Sundby.

Book: "Cracking the Code: How to Win Hearts, Change Minds, and Restore America's Original Vision" by Thom Hartmann.

Book: "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli.

Hour Two: Should hospitals ban obese employees?
- Carrie Lukas, Independent Women's Forum

Article: "Should hospitals ban obese employees?".

Transcript: "Senator John F. Kennedy and Vice President Richard M. Nixon Second Joint Radio-Television Broadcast", October 7, 1960.

Article: "Buffett Rule Fails Key Test" by Benny Martinez.

Article: "Secret Service to 'conduct an appropriate follow-up' on Ted Nugent's inflammatory remarks" by Ray Rahman.

Article: "Tax Day: What’s Up With Mitt’s Extension?" by John Cassidy.

Article: "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees", January 19, 2012 (Republican debate, Romney on tax returns).

Article: "Chris Christie tells Mitt Romney to release tax returns 'sooner rather than later'" by Jed Lewison.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Victoria Jones, White House Correspondent

Article: "Catholic Bishops Say Ryan Budget Fails Moral Test" by David Gibson.

Article: "Biden blasts GOP over Violence Against Women Act" by Carrie Budoff Brown.

Article: "Members of elite Secret Service unit among those suspended in Colombia" by Michael Isikoff.

Article: "Spain slams Argentina amid escalating oil dispute" by Alan Clendenning.

Article: "Argentina nationalization of oil company echos of Chavez" by Jonathan Gilbert.

Article: "The "Truth" according to Limbaugh: Feminism established "to allow unattractive women easier access to the mainstream of society"" by Media Matters, August 16, 2005.

Site: "Bernie Sanders campaign site".

Case: "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission" (2010).

Book: "Unequal Protection: How Corporations Became "People" - And How You Can Fight Back" by Thom Hartmann - new updated version out now!

Case: "Marbury v. Madison", 1803.

Book: "The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review" by Larry Kramer.

Article: "Federalist 80" by Alexander Hamilton.

Article: "6 People You Need to Start a Revolution" by Sara Robinson.

The good: Eric Schoenberg: "Wealthy Investment Banker: ‘It Is Ridiculous That I Pay Substantially Lower Taxes’ Than Working Americans" by Pat Garofalo.

The bad: Fox News: "Fox & Friends Wants To Know: ‘Who Should We Choose’ As Mitt Romney’s Vice President?" by Adam Peck.

The very, very ugly: U.S Department of Defense: "Rape victims say military labels them 'crazy'" by David S. Martin.

Book: "Threshold: The Progressive Plan to Pull America Back from the Brink" by Thom Hartmann.

Twilight Zone alert: "Pub punters terrorised by bum-pinching ghost".

Article: "Little Colorado Water Rights Bill Met With Protests From Navajo and Hopi Communities" by Anne Minard.

Article: "Obama wants $52 million to crack down on oil speculation" by Susan Crabtree.

Article: "Embarrassed by Bad Laws" by New York Times.

Article: "Study: ALEC has 'secretive influence' in Missouri statehouse" by Jason Hancock.

Article: "As Ice Cap Melts, Militaries Vie for Arctic Edge" by Common Dreams.

Article: "World Bank chooses U.S. candidate Jim Yong Kim as new president" by BNO News.