In this clip, This Town author Mark Leibovich explains how politicians are lured by lobbyists.

National Priorities' Mattea Kramer provides an update – in handy cheat-sheet format – of what's happening with the federal budget when Congress reconvenes in September.

Michael Winship says the only thing worse than a do-nothing Congress is one that yields "to the urgent, seductive whisper of the dollar."

Health insurance industry whistleblower Wendell Potter exposes efforts by the American Legislative Exchange Council to undermine the Affordable Care Act.

David Sirota says The New York Times is endorsing plutocracy in its editorial supporting Cory Booker for the Senate.

Michael Winship speaks with the Washington Post's Matea Gold about what, if anything, can be done to break the gridlock at the FEC.

Zaid Jilani takes a look at the Wall Street connections of two economists on President Obama's shortlist of replacements for Ben Bernanke at the Federal Reserve.

Senators Max Baucus and Orrin Hatch want to shield authors of toxic tax giveaways from the public view.

While the House continues kowtowing, United Steelworkers President Leo Gerard praises a select few in the Senate are working to tame the banks.

Discover why companies like AT&T want to unplug the way roughly 19 million Americans still communicate with the rest of the world.