Republicans want to stop the Securities and Exchange Commission from adopting rule 4-637, which would require corporations to disclose their political contributions. A group of shareholder activists, pension fund representatives, and Democratic lawmakers are pushing the S.E.C. to require corporations to report their political spending to investors. And according to the New York Times the agency is preparing for fierce opposition from corporations and lawmakers alike.

As the S.E.C. could propose this new disclosure rule by the end of this month, House Republicans are already trying to introduce legislation that would make requiring disclosure illegal. Despite nearly half a million comments on the proposed rule, the vast majority in favor of its adoption, Republicans think shareholders don't have the right to know how their investment money is being spent.

Even in the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision - which opened the flood gates of corporate political spending – public disclosure was considered the proper check against abuse. Some of our nation's most powerful corporate lobbying groups – like the Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – have spoken out against disclosing how much they're spending to buy off our elected leaders. They don't want Americans to know how much corporate money is flooding into Congress, or who these bought-and-paid-for lawmakers are really working for.

As we continue our fight to say that money isn't speech, and corporations are not people, we should also support the S.E.C.'s effort to make corporations disclose their political contributions. Let's attack this problem from every side. Tell the Securities and Exchange Commission you support the public disclosure rule at SEC.gov, and join the fight against corporate power at MoveToAmend.org.

-Thom

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Wednesday's Daily Stack

Hour One: Texas fertilizer plant explosion...welcome to the new Libertarian paradise
- Eli Lehrer, R Street Institute

Article: "Fertilizer Industry Groups Have Been Lobbying Against Safety Regulations" by Bryce Covert.

Article: "West Fertilizer Plant's Hazards Eluded Regulators For Nearly 30 Years" by Chris Kirkham, Ben Hallman.

Article: "Preamble to the Constitution of the United States".

Article: "Federalist No. 84" by Alexander Hamilton (Bill of Rights).

Article: "Article 5 of the Constitution".

Article: "13th Amendment" (end slavery).

Article: "Slaughter-House Cases" by Wikipedia.

Article: "Democrat Baucus to Leave Senate" by Janet Hook.

Book: "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.

Event: Fri., April 26, 7 p.m., First Unitarian Church, Portland "Passing the 28th Amendment: Creating a People's Democracy, Ending Corporate Dominance" by Thom Hartmann.

Event: Saturday, April 27, 1-3 pm Grand Theater, Salem "Corporations are not people. Money is not speech." by Thom Hartmann.

Event: May 3-5: Portland "Move to Amend" by Thom Hartmann.

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

Law: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (1999).

Law: "Glass-Steagall Act", 1933.

Cheesy news alert: "People Believe Something on Twitter for Some Reason" by Andy Borowitz.

Article: "AP Twitter hack causes panic on Wall Street and sends Dow plunging" by Heidi Moore and Dan Roberts.

Article: "Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Read Miranda Rights In Bedside Proceedings (TRANSCRIPT)" by Pema Levy.

Article: "4th Amendment". "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects..."

Article: "5th Amendment".

Article: "Bloomberg-backed group launches ad pressuring senators on gun control" by Alexander Bolton.

Article: "Kelly Ayotte’s popularity plunges after ‘no’ vote on background checks" by Jane C. Timm.

Article: "Messages To The World by Osama bin Laden - Thom Hartmann's "Independent Thinker" Book of the Month Review".

Article: "On guns, Dems hold the sensible middle ground" by Greg Sargent.

Article: "Debate in Virginia Ratifying Convention", 18--19 June 1788.

Talk Radio News Segment:
- Ellen Ratner, Bureau Chief

Site: "Goats for the old Goat".

Article: "TRNS News Notes- Wednesday, April 24" by Victoria Jones.

Article: "GOP leaders withdraw 'Cantorcare' bill" by Rick Moran.

Article: "U.S. senators question TSA’s decision-making process on tiny knives rule" by Jeff Plungis.

Article: "New bill would require background check to purchase explosives" by Susan Ferrechio.

Article: "NRA’s Long-Running Opposition to Regulation of Common Explosives Threatens Public Safety While Benefiting Its Gun Industry “Corporate Partners” New VPC Report Reveals" by Violence Policy Center.

Article: "Sequester Delayed Reward in Boston Bombing Case" by Kenneth R. Bazine.

Article: "Americans for Prosperity Event at Reagan Airport" by AFP.

Article: "Rep. Issa announces new Benghazi hearings" by UPI.

Hour Three: How to Make a Million Dollars an Hour
- Les Leopold, Journalist/Author

Book: "How to Make a Million Dollars an Hour: Why Hedge Funds Get Away with Siphoning Off America's Wealth"" by Les Leopold.

Article: "Robin Hood Tax legislation introduced, could generate billions of dollars to fight climate change " by Karen Orenstein.

Site: "Daily Kos".

Site: "Netroots Radio".

Letter: "To James Madison, Fontainebleau, Oct. 28, 1785" by Thomas Jefferson. "Another means of silently lessening the inequality of property is to exempt all from taxation below a certain point, and to tax the higher portions or property in geometrical progression as they rise."

Article: "" by .

Clip: "The Man from Abilene" - Eisenhower (you need to select it).

The good: "19-Year-Old Develops Ocean Cleanup Array That Could Remove 7,250,000 Tons Of Plastic From the World's Oceans" by Timon Singh.

The bad: "Stella Tremblay, New Hampshire Legislator, Says U.S. Government Planned Boston Bombing" by John Celock.

The very, very ugly: "Eric Bolling Attacks Rep. Ellison as 'Muslim Apologist In Congress' and 'Very Dangerous'" by Heather.

Article: "Boehner got ’98 percent’ of what he wanted in debt deal" by David Edwards.

Article: "Impact of FAA Furloughs Felt Nationwide" by PASS.

Article: "2nd Amendment".

My rock-star producer emeritus Jacob Dean is competing for a Democracy for America scholarship to attend Netroots Nation 2013. Please support him with your vote.

Article: "Bizarre Sex Habits of The Extreme Right-Wing" by Ellen - May 6, 2005.

Site: "Progressive Democrats of America".

Site: Move to Amend

Site: Governor Free Don Siegelman.

Article: "GOP blocks Reid from creating conference committee on budget" by Erik Wasson.

Article: "Jared Polis, Jeff Merkley Reintroduce LGBT Workplace Protections Bill ENDA" by Carlos Santoscoy.

Article: "117-year-old bridge for sale in Pennsylvania" by UPI.

Hour One: "Brunch With Bernie"
- Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) takes your calls

Hour Three: No more trading rights for fear
- Attorney Mike Papantonio, host of "Ring of Fire Radio"

Hour Two: Geeky Science - Ants have jobs...nurses, foragers & janitors

"Your food is deceiving you..."
- Ocean Robbins, CEO-Food Revolution Network & co-author (with his dad, John Robbins) "Voices of the Food Revolution"

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"...

We'll have the latest news & information from Wall Street to Main Street and everywhere in between...

Plus, it's Anything Goes Friday...what do you want to talk about?

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

The Thom Hartmann Program, Occupying The Media 3 hours a day 5 days a week" for "we the people"...Democracy is NOT a spectator sport...it begins with you...