#open secrets

[makingsenseofwhathappened]

This reminded me of this piece on quiet solidarity at work.

[fandomtrumpshate]

FTH 2026 Supported Org: Open Secrets

It's no secret that the quickest way to find out who will benefit from public policy is to follow the money. Wealthy donors and Super-PACS exercise tremendous control over U.S. politics, especially since the Supreme Court ruled in Citizens United that corporations and other special interests could spend unlimited money on elections. Some of that spending is reported transparently in public documents, and some is "dark money", funneled through nonprofits and shell companies who are not required to disclose their donors' identities.

Open Secrets' mission is to serve as the trusted authority on money in American politics. They pursue their mission by providing comprehensive and reliable data, analysis and tools for policymakers, storytellers and citizens. Their vision is for Americans to use data on money in politics to create a more vibrant, representative and responsive democracy.

Open Secrets pursues their mission with three goals: creating clean, curated, accessible and timely datasets on money in politics; producing and publishing analysis and reports, as well as user-friendly tools to navigate those datasets; and fueling conversation among journalists, policymakers, and other citizens who are paying attention to money in US politics. Their user-friendly website is the front door for engaging with data on money in politics. There, you can find a wellspring of resources on elections, politicians, campaign raising and spending, lobbying, learning tools and analysis. OpenSecrets also regularly works with media outlets and journalists to provide exclusive data and analysis to power investigations alongside their own original reporting.

You can support Open Secrets as a creator in the 2026 FTH auction (or as a bidder, when the time comes to donate for the auctions you’ve won.)

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[eretzyisrael]

[awkwardcreature789]

I made miku in paint form

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

The Squad demonizes pro-Israel AIPAC with fake ‘dark money’ charge — despite its modest sway

Progressives are trotting out an old bugbear of the Israel-loathing fringe as the congressional election season heats up.

By Daniel J. Samet

AIPAC isn’t the reason why Bowman or other anti-Israel progressives lose.

They’re being ousted from office because their loony views, including but not limited to anti-Zionism, are far out of step with their districts.

AIPAC, which has been around since 1963, is a convenient target for their anti-Israel grievances.

The group has long taken flak from opponents who argue that it nefariously influences American policy, but its critics are mistaken.      

Take campaign contributions, for which AIPAC is often attacked: AIPAC has the same First Amendment rights that all Americans do.

One wonders why this one group, whose staff and supporters are significantly Jewish, is so criticized for backing candidates who support the world’s sole Jewish state.

And AIPAC is far from the nation’s most prolific campaign contributor: According to Open Secrets, it has been outspent by 11 other political action committees this election cycle.

When was the last time you heard someone deplore the machinations of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, for example?

If AIPAC-haters had any interest in being honest, they would acknowledge that the group is hardly the only one to give money to politicians it supports.

And the money AIPAC spends often doesn’t bear fruit — in this and past years, it has backed its fair share of losing congressional candidates.

Some of AIPAC’s fiercest critics, like Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), remain in office.

[quotespile]

You would think as you get older your mind would fill up with what they call the spiritual side of things, but mine just seems to get more and more practical, trying to get something settled.

Alice Munro, Open Secrets