user: Which Companies Are Buying the Election?

Midway into a three-and-a-half-hour congressional hearing this week featuring Mary Jo White, the chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, none of the legislators had bothered to ask if or when her agency would require that corporations disclose their political spending.

The bipartisan silence testified to the growing importance to both parties of anonymous campaign donations. With each passing year since 2010, when the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United opened the floodgates to secretive political giving, politicians appear to value so-called dark money more and value disclosure of unnamed donors less. The issue was finally broached by Representative Michael Capuano, Democrat of Massachusetts. He observed that shareholders have a right to know how corporate cash is spent, and demanded to know why the S.E.C. has not required disclosure. Ms. White gave the same answer she has given since she became chairwoman in 2013 — essentially, that the agency is too busy with more important issues.

Since then, however, the S.E.C. has added new issues to its agenda, while neglecting to put political-spending disclosure on its to-do list. The omission is indefensible, because the investors’ need to know will only grow as the level of anonymous giving rises.

In 2012, a record $6.3 billion was spent on presidential and congressional elections; estimates for spending in the 2016 contest run between $7.5 billion and $8 billion. Much of the spending is disclosed, but the portion that is dark is certain to expand. For example, the network run by the Koch brothers — which is constructed chiefly of groups that are not required to reveal their donors — has set a spending goal of nearly $900 million for the 2016 races, compared with $400 million in 2012.

Another reason for the S.E.C. to act is that investors are clamoring for disclosure via petitions and letters to the S.E.C. and via the filing of shareholder resolutions. Several research papers bolster the case for disclosure.

In the meantime, President Obama has also come under pressure to force disclosure of corporate political spending. Recently, 50 public advocacy groups called on the president to issue an executive order requiring such disclosure by corporations that receive federal contracts.

He should issue such an order without delay, not only because it is the right thing to do for transparency, but because doing so would set a needed example for Ms. White, corporate leaders and anyone else in a position to provide investors with the disclosure they want and deserve.

A version of this editorial appears in print on March 28, 2015, on page A20 of the New York edition with the headline: Which Companies Are Buying the Election?. Order Reprints| Today's Paper|Subscribe

Summary: The S.E.C. still has not put political-spending disclosure on its to-do list.


Angry Caterpillar Strikers Hunkering Down

JOLIET, Ill.—At a time when many Americans are willing to work on almost any terms, workers at a Caterpillar Inc. factory here are settling in for what could be a very long and costly strike. Their reasons include anger, a slim hope for a better deal and, for some, a feeling that they have enough skills to get jobs elsewhere if need be.

"To me, right now this is a pride thing," said David Downs, who has been at the plant for seven years. "On their part," he added. But members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, ...

JOLIET, Ill.—At a time when many Americans are willing to work on almost any terms, workers at a Caterpillar Inc. factory here are settling in for what could be a very long and costly strike. Their reasons include anger, a slim hope for a better deal and, for some, a feeling that they have enough skills to get jobs elsewhere if need be.

"To me, right now this is a pride thing," said David Downs, who has been at the plant for seven years. "On their part," he added. But members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, ...

Summary: Strikers at a Caterpillar plant in Illinois overwhelmingly voted to reject a revised six-year-contract offer. The company tweaked its offer after mediators tried to find a compromise, but strikers said the changes were minimal.


My Phone Is Smarter Than Me

I resent my phone -- excuse me, my SMART phone. Excuse me, my SMARTYPANTS phone. It is SO obnoxious.

As someone who sees himself as the Conservative Everyman, it's incumbent upon me to live up to my moniker and take some personal responsibility for my foibles, and I must admit I'm intimidated by my Droid. That's not surprising as I'm also intimidated by 6-week-old daughter and yesterday I backed down to a Shih Tzu on Madison Avenue.

It's not that I don't know how to use my smarter-than-me phone, I'm relatively tech savvy, and I have yet to use the word "thingy" in reference to any gadget. What hurts is that my phone expects too much from me! It's nice to know my phone has high hopes for me, but there's a limit to my diligence!

If my smart phone could talk it would probably sound like EVERY teacher during my academic career, "...if T.J. would just APPLY himself!"

For every cool app on my phone and tablet there's an annoying "productivity" app. Next to each app for GPS, the weather, sports and music, there's a passive aggressive calendar or virtual meeting organizer which I haven't tapped ONCE and I hate myself for it.

For me, the worst of all these obnoxious things is the "Tasks" app. The word itself has me swiping furiously to the next screen. "Task" is such an exhausting word, with such a negative connotation of drudgery and minutiae. To my way of thinking, tasks are chores without as much dust and require squinting. Why would I want to be REMINDED to do something I have NO intention of DOING in the first place?

It's all actually a double dose of shame because of course, the only way those task apps work is if I enter the tasks in the first place. So the mere presence of these dormant icons on my screen is depressing in and of itself! I'm too lazy to be reminded of how lazy I am! And now that I'm writing about it, I'm reminded of it! My smart phone just beat me and it's currently on sleep mode!

Look, I try. Like most conservatives, I'll be listening to the Lawrence Welk channel on Pandora when I have a burst of inspiration. I'll suddenly resolve to really dig into my smart phone and get the most out of it. I'll be determined to hand my life over to the 16 gigs of higher power, and let IT run my life for me...Then I realize two things: a) That's gonna take some work on my part, and b) I never knew Lawrence Welk did a cover of "Brown Sugar"!

T.J. McCormack is a comedian, radio talk show host and commentator. He is currently host and producer of "Sunday Night With T.J. McCormack."Follow him on Twitter @TJMcCormack.

Summary:

assistant: Let me be honest. I resent my SMARTYPANTS phone. It is SO obnoxious. And... it's smarter than me.