Green Daily

I think one of the most confounding issues in politics today is money. Most people want to know if their representative is taking money from a specific corporation or receiving piles of cash from one industry.

So, in the spirit of a well-informed populace, I offer OpenSecrets.org. Open Secrets brilliantly compiles election donor information using Federal Election Commission filings.

Want to know where oil and gas companies are spending their dough? Take a look at the top 20 recipients right here. Besides oil and gas, the "Energy/Natural Resources" section has information on natural gas pipelines, coal mining, alternative energy production, electric utilities, and waste management. There are even specific sections on 2005 Energy Bill, the Clear Skies Act, and drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge.

Don't like that, say, Senator Harry Reid accepted nearly $30,000 from Newmont Mining? Newmont, by the way, releases the most toxic waste of any outfit in Nevada, according to the EPA.

Find it appalling that Reid's Republican equivalent, Mitch McConnell took a bit over $60,000 from Peabody Energy? Kansas readers may remember Peabody as the company behind an ad that showed Iranian President Ahmadinejah smiling at Governor Kathleen Sebelius' denial of permits for coal-fired power plants because of concerns over carbon dioxide emissions. Apparently, Peabody thinks that environmental responsibility=in cahoots with major human rights violators.

If you see that your representative is taking money from a corporation you don't like, write them a letter. And ask your like-minded friends, family, coworkers, etc. to do the same. If you get the dread form letter in response, look to small, local newspapers (like free weeklies) and blogs to publicize their lack of respect for a constituent.