Romney Oil Adviser Also A Big Super Pac Donor

[] organizers insist the event was not focused on politics and say they're not violating laws that prevent tax-exempt groups like theirs, classified as "social welfare" organizations under the tax code, from engaging in direct or indirect political campaigning. [] organizations fueled an unprecedented expansion of spending in American politics last fall, using their tax status to hide donors' identities and avoid donation limits while investing more than a quarter of a billion dollars in television advertising, mailings and ground support to help influence elections nationwide. The Georgia-based Faith and Freedom Coalition, focused largely on promoting Christian values, is among a growing class of politically active groups — largely on the conservative side — operating in a campaign finance system given free rein by a 2010 Supreme Court ruling that opened the floodgates for political money. In that document, the organization describes its mission as being "committed to educating and informing people at the grassroots level about timely public policy issues and encourage them to participate in the legislative process." Asked about the conference's apparent political focus, Marx said there was a "clear public policy" component to the conference, particularly its "lobby day," in which participants traveled to Capitol Hill to discuss immigration, health care and even the regulation of nonprofits with elected officials. Experts on tax-exempt organizations say the Faith and Freedom Coalition waded too deeply into politics for a group registered as a "social welfare" organization under section 501(c)(4) of the federal tax code.

The amendment by Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., would limit government help for crop insurance paid to wealthy farmers and limit the subsidies the government gives crop insurance companies. The House bill, which would cut around $4 billion a year in overall spending on farm and nutrition programs, expands crop insurance programs and creates a new kind of crop insurance that kicks in before farmers' paid policies. Conservatives say more cuts in food stamps are needed while liberals oppose any reductions, contending that the House plan could take as many as 2 million needy recipients off the rolls. The proposed rules would require farmers to take new precautions against contamination, such as making sure workers' hands are washed and irrigation water is clean. The Senate passed its version of the farm bill last week, with about $2.4 billion a year in overall cuts and a $400 million annual decrease in SNAP — one-fifth of the House bill's food stamp cuts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The immigration protesters advanced on the news conference, poking signs that read "Do Not Reward Criminals" and "No Amnesty!" over the heads of Republicans who had just finished speaking about finding a civilized tone in the year's most difficult debate. Six months after Hispanics overwhelmingly helped return President Barack Obama to office and control of the Senate to Democrats, Boehner is helping lead the GOP effort to bite into that base of support — or at least stop alienating a demographic that accounts for 17 percent of the nation. The speaker reassured his caucus on Tuesday that he won't bring an immigration bill to the floor for a vote unless it has support from a majority of House Republicans, or allow a bill that lacks the border security provisions conservatives are demanding. More than a year out from yet another election with all 435 House seats on the ballot, the dilemma that faces him on immigration reform reflects a party-wide conundrum: how to draw in new voters, especially Hispanics and women, without alienating conservatives who make up the GOP's base? The answer, according to a report the Republican National Committee commissioned in the wake of the 2012 election, rests in large part on the GOP agreeing to an overhaul of immigration law that provides some mechanism for providing legal status to millions of immigrants who either crossed into the country illegally or overstayed their visas. Illustrating the divide within Boehner's House majority, Rep.

Lessons from China on how we should deal with Iran

The CBO is a lot like the Tooth Fairy, except that you don't get a quarter.