Dear Commons Community,

Another day of news in which there is just too much happening.

First,  a New York Times article reports that by employing a plethora of tax-dodging techniques, 30 multi-million dollar American corporations expended more money lobbying Congress than they paid in federal income taxes between 2008 and 2010, ultimately spending approximately $400,000 every day — including weekends — during that three-year period to lobby lawmakers and influence political elections, according to a new report from the non-partisan Public Campaign.

Second,  Angelina Delgado (Baruch College) sent this piece to me.  Last year, the Obama administration vowed to stop for-profit colleges from luring students with false promises. In an opening volley that shook the $30 billion industry, officials proposed new restrictions to cut off the huge flow of federal aid to unfit programs. But after a ferocious response that administration officials called one of the most intense they had seen, the Education Department  produced a much-weakened final plan that almost certainly will have far less impact as it goes into effect next year.  The educational-industrial complex continues to thrive in the Obama administration.

Third, the Huffington Post reported that Fox Business declared media war when Eric Bolling did a segment characterizing the Muppets as communists.  On the network’s “Follow the Money” program, host Bolling went McCarthy on the new, Disney-released film, “The Muppets,” insisting that its storyline featuring an evil oil baron made it the latest example of Hollywood’s so called liberal agenda.  Bolling, who took issue with the baron’s name, Tex Richman, was joined by Dan Gainor of the conservative Media Research Center, who was uninhibited with his criticism.

“It’s amazing how far the left will go just to manipulate your kids, to convince them, give the anti-corporate message,” he said.

You judge.  See the video below.

Tony