Outside groups changing the political game for good

WASHINGTON — No matter what happens on election day, it's already clear the 2012 campaign has ushered in a new political order.

"Super PACs" and tax-exempt advocacy groups — on track to spend roughly $1 billion on federal races, an unparalleled sum — are poised to expand their influence even further.

Amid the white-hot final weeks of this election, outside groups are already plotting their next targets: the year-end battle over the federal budget, the 2014 congressional races and a possible fight over the next Supreme Court nominee.

"Our goal was to build an enduring institution on the conservative side to counter the outsized power of organized labor on behalf of Democratic causes and candidates," said Steven Law, president of the super PAC American Crossroads and its nonprofit sister, Crossroads GPS.

Translation: we want our money to outweigh your votes, and the collective power of union money interferes with that.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-outside-influence-20121021,0,3068748.story