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Thom's blog
SuperPACs are “social welfare” organizations - According to the IRS
It’s not SuperPACs that are buying our elections, it's so-called “social welfare” organizations. According to IRS law – 501c4 and 501c6 groups – what are known as social welfare organizations or trade associations – are allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money in our elections – and not disclose a single donor – just as long as they don’t explicitly call for the election or defeat of a particular politician.
And since the super-rich who are trying to buy Republican politicians would rather stay in the shadows, they’re increasingly using these “dark money” groups rather than SuperPACs – which do have to disclose their donors – to influence our elections.
According to a new report by Demos and the U.S. PIRG – 50% of all outside spending in this presidential race have come from these “dark money” groups. The top 5 “dark money” groups have spent more than $50 million on television ads so far in this election, yet Americans only know where 1% of that money actually came from. For all we know, Chinese business tycoons, Saudi princes, or foreign dictators could be funneling money into our elections to help Republicans win.
This is the insanity that the Supreme Court gave us in its Citizens United decision.
-Thom
(Is it time to change IRS law now? Tell us here.) |
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 9pm and 11pm... Lamar Waldron and Lori Wallach (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)
Enjoy the best of The Big Picture...
Conversations with Great Minds - Lamar Waldron, Historian / Author - Latest book, Watergate: The Hidden History: Nixon, The Mafia, and The CIA (Thom's co-author for "Ultimate Sacrifice" and "Legacy of Secrecy") 
Conversations with Great Minds - Lori Wallach, Director-Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch / Attorney
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Friday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Syndicated columnist & Democratic strategist Karl Frisch in for Thom today... 
Hour One: Solution driven unionism- Randi Weingarten, American Federation of Teachers
"Odd Apocalypse"- Dean Koontz, Author of numerous books (many made into films)
Hour Two: 2012 Election Gaffes Fuel Media Obsession, Leading To Scripted Campaigns- Michael Calderone, Huffington Post
Hour Three: The Dark Side of a Bain "Success"- Art Levine, Washington Monthly / Salon , The Nation, The Atlantic
His new TV show and the 2012 election- John Fugelsang, Actor/Activist/Comedian
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!!!!!!! (OCCUPY SOMETHING!!!!!)
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Thursday's Daily Stack 
Hour One: Elections 2012- David Bender, Political activist / writer & broadcaster / former senior advisor for Howard Dean's presidential campaign.
Hour Two: Politics & technology - Obama v Romney and DNC vs. RNC online- Nancy Scola, Political Writer-The Atlantic
Politics & Technology - Social Networking- Stu Trevalyan, CEO, President-NGP
Politics & Technology - where we've come since McCain 2000 campaign- Max Fose, President & CEO-IWS (Former McCain political aide)
Hour Three: Hey Mitt, about those jobs...where's the beef?- Jon Ward, Huffington Post
Latest on the Gov's ongoing case- Governor Don Siegelman, Former Governor of Alabama (1999-2003).
Voter fraud & election 2012- Brad Friedman, Founder/Editor-The Brad Blog
Romney’s foreign trip (Kal was in London when Romney embarrassed U.S.)- Kal Penn, Actor (star of the Harold & Kumar movies)/Activist and Campaign Co-Chair, Obama2012
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Monday on The Thom Hartmann Program, 3-6pm ET
Hour One: Romney veepstakes- Cliff Schecter, syndicated columnist/President Libertas LLC 
Hour Two: latest on the Florida voter purge- Brad Friedman, The Brad Blog
Hour Three: the importance of corporate whistleblowers, and how average citizens can help stop rampant corporate fraud- Attorney James Kauffman
Miscarriage of justice? Siegelman sentenced to 78 months- Governor Don Siegelman, Former Governor of Alabama (1999-2003).
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program...your media support group for "we the people"...TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!!!!!!! (OCCUPY SOMETHING!!!!!)
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Thom's Poll
Is it time to move beyond Capitalism, to a new economic structure?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Watch the Full Big Picture Show
Full Show 8/2/12: Libertarians: The Ruling Elite's Puppets
Guest host Sam Sacks looks at the impact Gary Johnson may have on November's election. Also discussed: how big, big oil really is, the latest case of apparent brutality by our country's "protect and serve" police force and in tonight's "Daily Take" Thom discusses how Romney is America's first oligarch to run for president.
Thom Hartmann on the News - August 2, 2012
Karl Frisch fills in for Thom Hartmann commenting on the news for Thursday, August 2, 2012.
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 Would you like to help give a child with a very troubled background this feeling of peace? Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? Now on Facebook. |
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Show Info
Call Thom on the show at 1-866-987-THOM (8466) (0870 974 9686 from the UK, +1 503 796 2324 from outside the US or UK).
Sign up for Thom's podcasts.
Come on over to the free chat room, where Thom hangs out during the show.
Join in the discussions on Thom's free message board.
Blog or upload videos or audios at Thom's community.
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