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Democrats pulling in Harry Potter numbers

Something like 8.3 million copies of that new Harry Potter book sold over the weekend. Imagine if that many people took the $25 or $30 they paid for The Deathly Hallows, and donated it to a presidential campaign. Actually, you don't have to imagine it — that's what's happening. The numbers show lots of people are giving to political candidates... Often tiny bits of cash to multiple candidates. So far, the Democrats have raised $100 million, outpacing fundraising by the Republicans for the first time in 30 years.

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Republicans purple over free trade

The dividing line between red and blue may be more like purple haze when it comes to free trade. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll shows 6 in 10 Republicans believe free trade has been bad for the U.S. It's a shift in opinion that sounds a lot like the Democratic point of view on globalization. The top GOP presidential candidates are still pushing free trade, but the poll shows most Republicans would agree with a candidate that backed tougher regulations on foreign imports.

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Cashing in on his fame

September 11 may have made Rudy Giuliani famous, but he's limiting those links when it comes to campaign contributions. The former mayor of New York has been receiving checks for $9.11 cents and even one for $911. According to political contributions reported this quarter, Giuliani has been returning the checks. The Republican candidate was criticized after supporters in California tried to hold a "$9.11 for Rudy" fundraiser. Apparently some considered it in poor taste.

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A greener France by 2020

France has been accused of not being as green as its European neighbors. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy seems to want get rid of that reputation. Yesterday, he promised a green revolution -- with Al Gore by his side, Sarkozy said that by 2020, all new buildings would be required to produce more energy than they consume. He talked about taxing trucks carrying freight across France, and he even played with the idea of imposing higher taxes on products from countries that did not sign the Kyoto Protocol.

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This is why you shouldn't mix beer with politics

When you hear the name Samuel Adams, you might think of the Boston-based beer. Residents of Portland, Oregon know another Sam Adams -- he's running for mayor. Now the brewing company is battling the mayor for his name. At issue are two websites registered to include the candidate's name. The brewing company wrote a letter claiming it has held a trademark to the name since 1984. Trouble is, the mayor candidate says he's laid claim to the name since 1963 -- the year he was born.

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As if traveling wasn't expensive enough

The new U.S. passport laws have been a headache for many Americans hoping to travel to Mexico or Canada. Now, a congressional inquiry reveals all those shiny new passports may have been sprinkled with a little price gouging. Americans may have been overcharged by as much as $100 million a year. Each passport may have cost $14 more than it costs to produce. And now a couple of senators are calling for the government to account for those charges.

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Don't mess with taxes of super-rich

Warren Buffet doesn't want lawmakers to tampering with the inheritance tax. The billionaire told a Senate Finance Committee yesterday the super rich are having no problem getting richer and if anybody needs a tax break, it's those bringing in $20,000 a year or less. Buffet, America's second-richest person, has been outspoken about the mostly Republican efforts to repeal or reduce the federal estate tax. Critics, including Democrats, say a repeal would be a huge windfall for the country's wealthiest families.

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Summers on recession

Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers is the latest voice to chime in with recommendations for the government on how to avoid a recession. He said the administration needs to think about a $50 billion to $75 billion tax cut and spending package. Summers also wants to see more aggressive action from the Fed. He made the comments to the Wall Street Journal ahead of a speech today to the Brookings Institution.

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Obama sets new record for primary donations

Presidential contenders have just four days left before super Tuesday primaries. Barack Obama has gotten a bit of a boost. We're talking money here. The Illinois senator reportedly raised $32 million in January. That's the most raised in one month by a candidate who's still battling for his party's nomination. So get ready to see more of him. He's advertising in 20 of the states holding primaries on Tuesday.

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Gates to Congress: More foreign workers, please

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is heading to Capitol Hill today to talk about an issue he's brought up before. He wants the government to issue more visas for highly-skilled workers. Gates says changes to immigration laws are necessary for the U.S. to remain competitive in the technology sector. Right now, the H1-B visa cap is at 65,000 people. In 2007, that quota was filled the first day applications were accepted. Gates is also calling for more math, science, and engineering programs in schools.

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Colt has exclusive deal with Army, AP says

The U.S. Army's exclusive deal with an American gunmaker is coming under fire from Capitol Hill, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Colt Defense of Hartford, Conn., makes the M-4 automatic rifle. That's the weapon U.S. soldiers are using in Iraq and Afghanistan. A recent survey found soldiers were mostly satisfied with the weapon, but 20 percent said that the guns had jammed during a firefight.
A couple of lawmakers say the military should consider some alternatives when the Colt contract expires next year.

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Pentagon should have kept its receipts . . .

Accounting errors, improper paperwork, billions of dollars worth of poorly documented purchases. Another bank scandal? No, just the latest audit at the Pentagon. The Defense Department's inspector general says the Pentagon can't account for about $15 billion worth of stuff purchased for the Iraq reconstruction effort. The military says the money paid for goods and services provided by contractors, such as laundry workers, trucks and generators. But according to the auditors, there was little or no paperwork to prove what was purchased or how much it cost.

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Bush disapproval rating reaches 75 percent

Three out of four Americans say the country is worse off economically than it was eight years ago and they're blaming President Bush. That's according to a new poll from Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg. Both Republicans and Democrats say the president's policies have messed up the country's economy. The numbers also show the president's approval rating has slipped again to 23 percent. That's an all-time low. The poll shows a sharp increase in pessimism. Half of those who responded said the economy was doing "very badly."

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The things kids do to pay for college these days

A university student has been charged with a felony for trying to sell his vote in the upcoming presidential election. Guess where he thought there might be a market for these kinds of shenanigans? On eBay, of course. The student Max Sanders is 19 years old and says the whole things was a joke. He allegedly asked for a $10 minimum bid. He would then presumably agree to select the candidate chosen by the high bidder. Unfortunately, his state, Minnesota has an 1893 law that forbids buying or selling votes.

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