2012 Articles

The Citizen’s United v FEC decision by the Supreme Court has opened the floodgates to campaign spending by deep-pocket anonymous donors. The following articles and reports portray the aftermath of this decision:

December 21, 2012: Club of Growth Pulls the Strings in the House Huffington Post

December 19, 2012: Move To Amend Rock River Referendum Will be on Spring Ballot Daily Jefferson County Union

December 14, 2012: Amend! Money Out of Politics — Strategy and Tactics for the Constitutional Amendment Process — the 28th Amendment Huffington Post

December 7, 2012: 30 Big Companies that Spend More on Lobbying than they Pay in Taxes Think Progress

December 7, 2012: Campaign Finance is a Women’s Democracy Issue Women’s eNews.org

December 6, 2012: Lawrence Lessig’s talk at conference inspirational and instructive The Amendment Gazette

December 6, 2012: Why a Democratic Tea Party Is the Best Hope for Fixing Corrupt Government The Atlantic

December 6, 2012: Why Money in Politics Is Still a Really Big Deal The Huffington Post

December 4, 2012: Why lobbyists dislike Citizens United The Washington Examiner

November 30, 2012: Four Corporate Power-Grabs That Got the Thumbs Up from Federal Courts AlterNet

November 30, 2012: Beyond a Constitutional Amendment The Huffington Post

November 30, 2012: Saudi-Led Oil Lobby Group Financed 2012 Dark Money Attack Ads OpEdNews.com

November 27, 2012: Reconsider Buckley v. Valeo OpEdNews.com

November 27, 2012: Seminary president: Faith leaders, it’s time to overturn Citizens United The Washington Post

November 23, 2012: As The Anti-Citizens United Movement Grows, The Plutocrats Will Surely Attack Derek Cressman via Alternet

November 23, 2012: How To Oust A Congressman, SuperPAC-Style NPR

November 21, 2012: The Influence Industry: Advocates at odds over how to tighten campaign finance rules Washington Post

November 19, 2012: What’s the Future for Campaign Finance Reform?PBS

November 19, 2012: Lawrence Lessig, Fred Wertheimer Butt Heads Over Best Path To Campaign Finance Reform Huffington Post

November 19, 2012: Un-Shared Sacrifice: How ‘Fix the Debt’ Companies Buy Washington Influence & Rig the Game Public Campaign

November 16, 2012: How the FEC can stop the tidal wave of secret political cash Washington Post Opinion by Trevor Potter

November 8, 2012: Charts: The 2012 Money Race: Compare the Candidates New York Times

November 7, 2012: Move to Amend Wins Big at the Ballot Box Move To Amend

November 7, 2012: Charts and Figures on 2012 Election Spending Open Secrets

November 7, 2012: Montanans Say Corporate Money Should be Out of Our Elections Stand With Montanans

November 6, 2012: State Initiatives to Revoke Corporate Personhood and Overturn Buckley v. Valeo Win Big Reclaim Democracy

November 6, 2012: Amend 2012 Ballot Measure Results Common Cause

November 2, 2012: Charts: Big Money and Secret Spending Distorting Democracy U.S. Pirg

October 31, 2012: 2012 Election Spending Will Reach $6 Billion Center for Responsive Politics

October 31, 2012: Poll: Baldwin vs. Thompson on the amendment question Avaaz.org

October 25, 2012: Everyone hates Citizens United Salon

October 23, 2012: Mauled by Attack Ads, Incumbents Weigh Tighter Rules New York Times

October 22, 2012: Groups Push to Highlight Campaign Finance Reform New York Times

October 18, 2012: New Jersey Becomes the Ninth State to Call for a Constitutional Amendment Huffington Post

October 18, 2012: New Jersey is now the 9th state to call for an amendment Free Speech For People

October 12, 2012: John McCain: Citizens United Is ‘Worst Decision Ever’ … ‘Money Is Money,’ Not Free Speech Huffington Post

October 10, 2012: WI voters want big money out of politics WTDY Radio, Madison

September 30, 2012: Greg Palast: Voter Suppression, Billionaires and Ballot Bandits Dandelion Salad

September 21, 2012: How to Fight Citizens United Bill Moyers

September 21, 2012: Video: David Cobb: Corporate Personhood And The Move To Overturn Citizens United Progress Illinois

September 18, 2012: Taking on amendment critics, part XII: Tom Kamenick The Amendment Gazette

September 21, 2012: Brennan Center Applauds Introduction of Empowering Citizens Act Brennan Center

September 21, 2012: Video: Elections for Sale Bill Moyers

September 17, 2012: Smear Groups Raised $49 Million From Secret Sources Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

September 17, 2012: Poll: 75% are concerned about the amount of money being spent on political campaigns Washington Post

September 15, 2012: AP-NCC Poll: Public wants to limit influence on elections by cash-rich outside interest groups Associated Press

September 14, 2012: House Dems push new campaign finance reform Washington Post

September 12, 2012: Jimmy Carter Slams Citizens United as Threat to Democracy Common Dreams

September 11, 2012: West Virginia Supreme Court Squashes Publicly Funded Campaigns Nation of Change

September 11, 2012: The No Lobbying Pledge Huffington Post

September 10, 2012: Corporate Rights Are Our Rights Port Washington-Saukville Patch

September 6, 2012: Corporate Power on Full Display at Dem and GOP Conventions Common Dreams

September 6, 2012: How A Republican Appeals Court Just Made Citizens United Even Worse Think Progress

August 30, 2012: U.S. vote in 2012 will be record, $6 billion election Reuters

August 30, 2012: Hedgie Paul Singer is GOP candidates’ best pal New York Post

August 29, 2012: Obama Endorses Anti-Citizens United Amendment In Reddit Chat Huffington Post

August 28, 2012: Mike McCabe: There is only one root of our nation’s problems The Capital Times

August 24, 2012: Move to Amend’s Cobb: ‘Show righteous anger’ Daily Jefferson County Union

August 16, 2012: Pushing conservative politicians through the Overton Window Amendment Gazette

August 16, 2012: Supreme Court Starts Giving Corporations Religious Rights, Too AlterNet

August 14, 2012: Which of the 13 Amendment Bills Now in Play in Congress We Support, and Why Free Speech For People

August 8, 2012: Kane County, IL: Group Working to Make Democracy Safe for Middle Class Again The Progressive Fox

August 5, 2012: Matt Bai is off the mark Amendment Gazette

August 2, 2012: Massachusetts Legislature joins call for Constitutional Amendment to overturn effects of Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling MassLive.com

July 30, 2012: Americans Want Next President to Prioritize Jobs, Corruption Gallup

July 27, 2012: Thanks, Citizens United, for This Campaign Finance Mess We’re In the Atlantic

July 26, 2012: Chicago City Council Stands Up to U.S. Supreme Court; Calls on Congress to Pass Constitutional Amendment to Reverse Citizens United v. FEC Common Cause

July 25, 2012: Dunn County Board of Supervisors Approves Resolution Dunn County

July 25, 2012: Who and What Will Save American Democracy? Alternet

July 24, 2012: Activists Deliver 1.9 Million Calling for Constitutional Amendment to Protect Democracy People For the American Way

July 23, 2012: Coalition wants anti-corporate personhood amendment removed from Montana ballot Missoulian

July 22, 2012: Can vouchers fix campaign finance? Dylan Matthews via Washington Post

July 19, 2012: Bill Moyers Essay: Fighting Disclosure, Killing Democracy Bill Moyers

July 18, 2012: Unions Gain Under Citizens United Decision They Seek to Overturn Bloomberg

July 17, 2012: How Much Has Citizens United Changed the Political Game? NYTimes Magazine

July 14, 2012: Conservative Richard Posner Bashes Supreme Court’s Citizens United Ruling The Daily Beast

July 14, 2012: How to Get Our Citizens Actually United Drew Westen via NYTimes Opinion

July 13, 2012: States Close in On Citizens United: California, Montana, and Beyond Yes! Magazine

July 11, 2012: Lawyer Who Argued For Citizens United Admits Elections Are Bought Move To Amend

July 10, 2012: Dunn County Passes Resolution Supporting a Constitutional Amendment Dunn County Board of Supervisors Executive Committee

July 7, 2012: A Radical Fix for the Republic Harvard Magazine

July 6, 2012: Will RI’s disclosure bill keep out the super PACs? Thom Hartmann

July 5, 2012: Referendum good way for citizens to voice disgust Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

July 5, 2012: Citizens United: California Becomes Sixth State To Call For Amendment Against Ruling Huffington Post

June 27, 2012: Russ Feingold, Citizens United Foe, Blasts Supreme Court As ‘Arm Of Corporate America’ Huffington Post

June 25, 2012: VIDEO: Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) and Lieutenant Governor John Bohlinger (R) respond to the Supreme Court’s action You Tube

June 25, 2012: SCOTUS Rejects Corporate Campaign Spending Limits The New York Times

June 20, 2012: Vast Majority Of Secret Money In Presidential Race Spreads Misinformation: Report Huffington Post

June 20, 2012: U.S. Conference of Mayors Votes Unanimously that Corporations are Not People and Money is Not Speech Portland Online

June 19, 2012: Connecticut’s Governor—A Democrat!—Sides With Dark Money Mother Jones

June 18, 2012: Sheldon Adelson, Other Super PAC Donors Have Corporate Bribery Issues Huffington Post

June 18, 2012: Connecticut’s Governor—A Democrat!—Sides With Dark Money Mother Jones

June 18, 2012: Looking To A Higher Power On Public Financing Politics on the Hudson

June 18, 2012: Schiff Introduces Constitutional Amendment to Permit Content Neutral Regulation of Campaign Spending Burbank ‘n Beyond

June 15, 2012: Video: How to Own an Election Bill Moyers

June 14, 2012: Larry Tribe Offers Constitutional Amendment to Curb Big Money in Politics Alternet

June 14, 2012: Citizens United Targeted By Local Activists In ‘Resolutions Week’ Push Huffington Post

June 13, 2012: Sheldon Adelson may spend $100 million in 2012 election The New York Times

June 12, 2012: City Council of Kansas City to Vote on Resolution to Amend the U.S. Constitution Kansas City Infozine

June 12, 2012: Resolve to Overturn ‘Citizens United’ Spreads Through the States The Nation

June 12, 2012: Axelrod Floats Amendment to Stem Campaign Spending The New York Times

June 11, 2012: Mystery of Citizens United Sequel Is Format, Not Ending The New York Times

June 8, 2012: Providence Council wants Constitution amended to overturn Citizens United Providence Journal

June 7, 2012: Move To Amend Movement Plans To Rubber Stamp Dollar Bills To Protest Citizens United Huffington Post

June 7, 2012: Approval Rating for SCOTUS Down To 44% New York Times

June 6, 2012: INFOGRAPHIC: How Scott Walker Bought The Big Cheese United Republic

June 6, 2012: Call special session on campaign reform The Cap Times

June 5, 2012: North Carolina, Meet Citizens United NYTimes Opinion

June 5, 2012: Why working-class people vote conservative The Guardian

June 3, 2012: Mining for Influence in Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer via NYTimes

May 31, 2012: Campaign Finance Challenge Roll Call

May 31, 2012: Koch Network Alone To Spend More To Defeat Obama In 2012 Than McCain Raised In All Of 2008 United Republic

May 30, 2012: Montana bucks the court George Will via the Washington Post

May 30, 2012: Is Citizens United already shrinking? SCOTUSblog

May 24, 2012: Senator McConnell Petitions Supreme Court To Uphold Citizens United, Claims Corporate Money Hasn’t Really Been Used In Elections United Republic

May 24, 2012: Right-Wing Billionaires Behind Mitt Romney Rolling Stone

May 24, 2012: Poll: Most Americans think campaign money aids rich Reuters

May 24, 2012: Rescuing ‘We, the People’ Huffington Post

May 23, 2012: Money, politics and Citizens United’s fate SCOTUSblog

May 22, 2012: Koch Operative Steered $55 Million To Front Groups Airing Ads Against Democrats; Ads Assailed Candidates Over Abortion, 9/11, Medicare Alternet

May 21, 2012: How John Roberts Orchestrated Citizens United The New Yorker

May 20, 2012: Montana Citizens United Battle Heats Up Huffington Post

May 18, 2012: McCain and Whitehouse take on Citizens United Politico

May 16, 2012: Is Campaign Disclosure Heading Back to the Supreme Court? Slate

May 16, 2012: Beware unintended consequences of new campaign ad ruling Thompson Reuters

May 16, 2012: Sen. McCain huddles with Democrats on new campaign finance reform proposal The Hill

May 15, 2012: Campaign Finance Disclosure Decision Means Rove, Others Could Suddenly Have To Disclose Donors Huffington Post

May 15, 2012: Baucus’ proposed constitutional amendment aimed at campaign finance gets committee hearing Billings Gazette

May 14, 2012: Citizens United Bill Bradley via Time Magazine

May 10, 2012: Town of Westport resolution opposes pay-to-play Waunakee Tribune eNews

May 10, 2012: How the Corporate Right Hijacked America’s Courts to Enrich the Top 1 Percent Alternet

May 9, 2012: Rhode Island 4th state to Call for Amendment to Undo Citizens United WarIsACrime.org

May 9, 2012: Dem pollster: Independents want candidates to address money in politics The Hill

May 8, 2012: Bank Lobbyists Coordinated “Tea Party” Challenge To Senator Lugar To Punish Him For Voting Against Wall Street United Republic

May 4, 2012: Taking a scythe to the Bill of Rights George Will via The Washington Post

April 28, 2012: Money won’t decide the next president. But it may decide the next Congress Ezra Klein via the Huffington Post

April 24, 2012: National Survey: Super PACs, Corruption, and Democracy Brennan Center For Justice

April 23, 2012: Keep the First Amendment National Review Online

April 22, 2012: How to beat Citizens United Washington Post Opinion

April 21, 2012: Lawmakers Unite With Activist Groups To Press For Constitutional Amendment On Citizens United United Republic

April 19, 2012: Citizens United Constitutional Amendment Backed By Vermont Legislature Huffington Post

April 14, 2012: Sanders proposal on ‘corporate personhood’ faces early challenges Burlington Free Press

April 13, 2012: Sanders praises Vermont Senate vote on Citizens United VTDigger.org

April 13, 2012: Citizens United Faces Constitutional Challenge in Supreme Court PR Web

April 11, 2012: Wealthy Group Seeks to Reform Election Giving in New York New York Times

April 9, 2012: Supreme Court Agrees to Reconsider Citizens United Newser

April 5, 2012: INFOGRAPHIC: Million Dollar Gifts Accounted For Half Of Super PACs’ Money In 2011 United Republic

April 4, 2012: CA Lawmakers Calling For Constitutional Convention – Assemblyman Bob Wieckowski You Tube

April 4, 2012: Voters in West Allis, Wisconsin Move to Amend Move To Amend

April 3, 2012: Super PACs can be thwarted Washington Post Opinion Page

April 1, 2012: Big Oil Gave $23.5 Million To Senators Who Voted To Protect Oil Subsidies United Republic

March 30, 2012: Koch Brothers, Chamber of Commerce Face Possible Campaign Donation Disclosure After Ruling Huffington Post

March 29, 2012: Crankocracy In America — Who really benefitted from Citizens United? The New Republic

March 27, 2012: In the wake of Citizens United v. FEC, Local Grassroots Organization Leads the National Fight Against Unlimited Independent Expenditures on Elections (See story about SCWMTA on page 6) Madison Guild Newsletter

March 24, 2012: Don’t Blame The Supreme Court For Citizens United — Blame Congress, The FEC And The IRS Huffington Post

March 22, 2012: California Assembly Joins Growing Movement to Overturn Citizens United The California Majority Report

March 21, 2012: ‘Big Government’ Isn’t the Problem, Big Money Is Robert Reich via The Nation

March 21, 2012: Disclose Act’s Latest Incarnation Would Force Vote On Secret Political Slush Funds Huffington Post

March 16, 2012: GOP freshmen, big-bucks donors hobnob at resort CBS News

March 16, 2012: I’m About to Earmark This Cake for My Mouth United Republic

March 15, 2012: Republic Report Sends Letter To 36 Retiring Members of Congress: Stop Backdoor Bribery, Disclose Negotiations With K Street United Republic

March 14, 2012: When a Congressman Becomes a Lobbyist, He Gets a 1,452% Raise (on Average) United Republic

March 9, 2012: David Stockman on Crony Capitalism Moyers & Company

March 9, 2012: The Numbers Don’t Lie Slate

March 8, 2012: When the GOP Tried to Ban Dark Money ProPublica

March 7, 2012: Dozens Of Vermont Communities Vote To End Corporate Personhood Think Progress

March 6, 2012: Battling Big Money: Vermont Town Meetings Will Move to Amend John Nichols via The Nation

March 5, 2012: Town by town, Vermont tackles corporate personhood Mass Live

March 5, 2012: The Movement Against Citizens United Continues to Build Huffington Post

February 29, 2012: Lawrence Lessig on Campaign Finance Reform: Overturning Citizens United Isn’t Enough Huffington Post

February 28, 2012: Montana ballot initiative takes aim at corporate money Real Clear Politics

February 22, 2012: Nancy Pelosi on Colbert Report Colbert Nation

February 22, 2012: Who Owns the GOP Candidates Robert Reich via Truthout

February 21, 2012: Lawrence Lessig Needs Your Help Awakening a Sleeping Giant MIT Center for Civic Media

February 21, 2012: Why Is the ACLU Helping the Richest Americans Buy Our Elections? AlterNet

February 21, 2012: Billionaire Sheldon Adelson Says He Might Give $100M To Newt Gingrich Or Other Republican Forbes

February 20, 2012: Rights are for Real People Jeffery D. Clements via Yes! Magazine

February 20, 2012: Justice Ginsburg knows the Citizens United decision was a mistake Slate

February 20, 2012: David Koch: ‘We’ve spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We’re going to spend more.’ Wisconsin State Journal

February 17, 2012: Two justices suggest Citizens United ruling should be reconsidered in Montana case The Washington Post

February 17, 2012: Supreme Court blocks Mont. court ruling upholding ban on independent campaign spending The Washington Post

February 14, 2012: Citizens Overturned: New Mexico Reclaims Its Rights! Huffington Post

February 13, 2012: New Mexico Legislature to Congress: Amend Against ‘Citizens United’ The Nation

February 9, 2012: Stop Super-PACs With a Fair Elections Amendment Jonathan Alter via Bloomberg

February 9, 2012: Pelosi, Dems aim to unmask super-PACs The Hill

February 9, 2012: WI State Legislators Introduce Move to Amend Resolution Move To Amend

February 6, 2012: We Will Not Play by Two Sets of Rules Huffington Post

February 5, 2012: Is Money Speech? Geoffrey R. Stone via Huffington Post

February 5, 2012: The tyranny of tiny minds and big money Lawrence Lessig via Salon

February 5, 2012: Busted! Rep. Leaves ALEC Wording In Corporate Tax Resolution The Young Turks via You Tube

February 5, 2012: Forget Super PACS. A modest proposal for legalizing vote buying Steven Pearlstein via Washington Post

February 3, 2012: Koch Brothers, Allies Pledge $100 Million At Private Meeting To Beat Obama Huffington Post

February 3, 2012: Koch Brothers Convene Ultra-Secret Billionaires Meeting To Raise Funds, Plot Strategy United Republic

February 2, 2012: Colbert v. the Court Slate

February 2, 2012: PACs Americana The Atlantic

February 2, 2012: Who’s Financing the ‘Super PACs’ The New York Times

February 1, 2012: Corporations Are Not People Thom Hartmann, Truthout

January 31, 2012: House votes to oppose Citizens United Clearly New Mexico

January 26, 2012: Why Progressives Should Oppose A Constitutional Amendment to End Corporate “Personhood” Huffington Post

January 26, 2012: Wisconsin ‘John Doe’ Probe: What Did Walker Know? When Did He Know It? The Nation

January 25, 2012: Activist Primer: The Nitty-Gritty on the Amendment Movement to Defeat Citizens United Truthout

January 24, 2012: Poll: Only 17 Percent Of Americans Agree That Corporations Should Be Allowed To Spend Unlimited Money On Elections Think Progress

January 23, 2012: “We never said corporations are people; we said they are voices, speakers, speech-makers, a class of persons. That’s different.” Jeff Clements via Corporations are NOT people

January 23, 2012: Maine lawmaker introduces bill challenging Citizens United decision Sun Journal

January 22, 2012: The War on Political Free Speech Bradley A. Smith / WSJ Opinion

January 21, 2012: Kucinich: The Future of American Democracy Huffington Post

January 21, 2012: Citizens United: How Did it Happen? Huffington Post

January 21, 2012: Occupy the Courts (News Roundup) Occupy Wall Street News

January 20, 2012: Small-Business Owners Wary of Citizens United’s Impact Law.com Corporate Counsel

January 20, 2012: Corporate Rule Is Not Inevitable Sarah van Gelder via YES! Magazine

January 20, 2012: Occupy the Courts rallies at Kastenmeier Courthouse on Citizens United anniversary The Isthmus

January 20, 2012: ‘Occupy’ targets courthouses to protest Supreme Court decision NBC News

January 20, 2012: Occupy the Courts takes aim at Citizens United and Super Pacs The Guardian

January 20, 2012: Reversing Citizens United Huffington Post

January 20, 2012: Citizens United, Two Years Later: Institute for Justice Continues to Defend
 Landmark Free Speech Ruling Institute For Justice

January 19, 2012: ‘Citizens United’: A Supreme Court decision that is widely misunderstood Kent Greenfield via Washington Post

January 19, 2012: Constitutional Amendment to Create Public Financing Introduced by Kucinich David Swanson via Let’s Try Democracy

January 19, 2012: How to make the ‘Citizens United’ decision worse Washington Post Opinion

January 18, 2012: Small Business United v. Citizens United The Main Street Alliance

January 17, 2012: Constitutional Amendment Not Needed: Congress Already Has a Remedy James Marc Leas via Truthout

January 17, 2012: The Problem With Citizens United Is Not Corporate Personhood Truthout

January 16, 2012: Dan Rather: Republicans turning against Citizens United ruling Raw Story

January 16, 2012: Corporate Personhood Cannot Withstand Organized Persons WarIsACrime.org

January 15, 2012: VIDEO: Chris Hayes talks to Jack Abramoff about corrupting money You Tube

January 15, 2012: VIDEO: Chris Hayes talks to Bernie Sanders about Citizens United – Part 1 You Tube

January 15, 2012: VIDEO: Chris Hayes talks to Bernie Sanders about Citizens United – Part 2 You Tube

January 12, 2012: Indecision 2012 – Colbert Super PAC – Coordination Resolution with Jon Stewart Colbert Nation

January 11, 2012: Which Corporations Occupy Congress? Reuters graphic via MoveOn.org

January 11, 2012: Super PACs Keep Zombie Candidates Alive The National Memo

January 10, 2012: RNC Fights For Corporate Right To Give Money To Candidates And Party Committees Huffington Post

January 9, 2012: The biggest danger of Super PACs CNN Opinion

January 9, 2012: McCain: Super PACs will result in scandal, corruption CNN Political Ticker

January 6, 2012: Citizens United Backlash Picks Up Official Support From Occupy Wall Street, New York Chapter Huffington Post

January 6, 2012: VIDEO: So, Oil barons just threatened the President of the U.S. You Tube / Thom Hartmann

January 6, 2012: VIDEO: Thom Hartmann vs. Brad Smith – Occupy Citizen’s United! You Tube

January 5, 2012: VIDEO: Thom Hartmann vs. Brad Smith – SCOTUS Decision Aided Santorum You Tube

January 5, 2012: California Introduces Resolution To Overturn Citizens United Care 2 make a difference

January 5, 2012: Forget cynicism: Get angry instead Bill McKibben via CBS News

January 4, 2012: NY City Council Passes Resolution Declaring that Corporations Are Not People Progressive Caucus of the New York City Council

January 4, 2012: New York City Council Votes Against Corporate Personhood, Citizens United Truthout

January 4, 2012: ‘Citizens United’ Unleashed a Monster: Why the Real Winner In the Iowa Caucuses Is the Big-Money Super PAC AlterNet

January 4, 2012: Montana Supreme Court upholds election spending limits LA Times

January 4, 2012: VIDEO: David Cobb on Occupy the Courts January 20, 2012 You Tube

January 3, 2012: Big bucks flood 2012 election — What the courts said and why we should care The Center For Public Integrity

January 3, 2012: The bitch slap heard across Corporate America: Montana High Court Rebukes Citizens United Before It’s News

January 2, 2012: VIDEO: Chris Hedges “Brace Yourself! The American Empire Is Over & The Descent Is Going To Be Horrifying!” You Tube

January 1, 2012: Montana High Court Says ‘Citizens United’ Does Not Apply In Big Sky State AlterNet