Maine Senate President Libby Mitchell (D), a gubernatorial candidate, thoughtfully defends the state's Clean Elections law in the Waterville Morning Sentinel.

Members of Congress are notorious for their constant need to raise campaign contributions. And as elections have become increasingly expensive, candidates have had to find innovative ways to keep the cash flowing to their campaign coffers. As we previously mentioned, a number of members of Congress have taken to using concerts as a venue to raise money.

Steve Hildebrand, former adviser to President Obama, talks with CNN about the need to reform Washington, D.C. and clean up Congress.

Politico spoke to a dozen freshman congressmen about the pressures of fundraising and found that nearly all lament the arduous process.

Friday on Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Bob Edgar, CEO of Common Cause, discussed how executives might be able to stop getting hit up for campaign cash now that there are no limits on corporate contributions to political ads and suggests the Fair Elections Now Act as the solution.

Speaking about the Fair Elections Now Act at a forum at the Center for American Progress, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) commented that President Lyndon Johnson wouldn't have been able to pass Medicare today with the influence of campaign cash.

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