In this edition of Moyers & Company, Bill speaks with Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, the only independent member of the US Senate, about purchasing political power. It's a grave threat, he believes, not only to our electoral process but to democracy itself. Sanders is angry about what he sees as big money's wholesale purchase. He cites the mayoral election in Richmond, California where Mayor Gayle McLaughlin is running against a ticket backed by...

Is independent political speech the linchpin of our democracy or its Achilles' heel? For democracy to work, some argue, citizens-along with corporations, unions, media outlets, and other organizations-must be allowed to spend as much money as they wish to express their views on political candidates and the issues of the day. But others disagree. If every individual and organization can spend as much money as they like to express their views, they...

Following two major court decisions in 2010, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission, spending by giant political action committees known as Super PACS has exploded. These organizations may receive and spend unlimited amounts of money from individuals, corporations, and unions to advocate for political candidates, as long as they are independent of the candidates' campaigns. Have Super PACs changed...

Correspondent Thai da Silva investigates the fundraising landscape during the 2012 Presidential election in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission case.

Inspired by the true story of the biggest bank heist of all time, Harry Barber recounts how in 1972 a gang of close-knit thieves from Youngstown, Ohio attempted to steal $30 million in illegal campaign contributions from President Richard Nixon's secret fund. But the plan quickly goes sideways, prompting the biggest manhunt in FBI history with more than 125 agents assigned to the case.

In this edition of Moyers & Company, Lawrence Lessig and Zephyr Teachout return to talk about the corrupting influence of money in politics - a subject both have studied as scholars and are fighting against as reformers. They advocate bringing back antitrust language and outline strategies for recruiting Congress members to pass campaign finance reform legislation. Broadcast date: November 21, 2014.

This program with Bill Moyers examines why America has become an unfriendly culture for families and children, and explores ways to rebuild a web of support for families. Among those featured on the program are Rosalie Streett, Exec. Director of Parent Action (Baltimore, MD); Jill Bradley, Director of Child Care Services, Chicago Housing Authority; and Richard Louv, author of the book Childhood's Future. They discuss some of the practical steps needed...