Opensecrets.org--Money in politics data: "'For a person of average means to get into this business is extremely difficult, because where do you go to raise that money?'
� Rep. Bob Borski (D-Pa.) ('Speaking Freely, 2nd Ed.' by Larry Makinson (Center for Responsive Politics, 2003))" You can now get campaign finance data updates via email from opensecrets.org. An interesting form of financing is being tracked, what they call "Indirect Expenditures":

"In addition to direct contributions to federal candidates, many party committees spent money on their own to influence elections. Federal rules govern these expenditures, and they must be reported to the Federal Election Commission. There are two kinds:

Independent expenditures are ads that expressly advocate the election or defeat of specific candidates. There are no dollar limits on independent expenditures, but in order to be independent, they must be made without any coordination with the candidate.

Party expenditures that are coordinated with candidates are coordinated party expenditures.