The American News Project has produced a great video on Senator Voinovich's (R-OH) sudden decision to retire after serving out his current term in office. While most press coverage of Voinovich's decision focused only on the impact on the 2010 midterm elections, ANP covered the far more compelling story: Democrats and Republicans alike are acknowledging that they can't do their jobs when they must spend half of their time in an endless fundraising cycle.

In the spirit of yesterday's Inauguration, You Street presents a collection of President Obama's top eight quotes on public funding and money in politics.

1. "I also believe that if we're serious about change, we need to have a real discussion about public financing for congressional elections. Because even if we can stop lobbyists from buying us lunch or taking us out on junkets, they'll still be able to attend our fundraisers - and that's access the average American doesn't have."

Inauguration Day has arrived, and with it, the calls for President Barack Obama to support public funding of Congressional elections grow louder.

Mark Green, who co-edited Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President with John Podesta, the head of Obama's Transition Team, wrote a list of "Ten Goals for Obama's First 1,460 Days" inspired by the blueprint. The second Big Goal on his list? Matching public funding:

We've lost another one.

It has come to the point where a Senator feels he or she must choose between doing his or her job and fundraising for the next election cycle.

Senator Voinovich [R-OH] has announced his retirement at the end of the 111th Congress. The Senator, former Mayor of Cleveland and Governor of Ohio, stated very clearly what we've been arguing all along: The vast amounts of money congressional candidates must raise severely interferes with their day job (that is, running our country).

The Onion has some fun with the state of our privately financed campaigns in the video below.

The Orlando Sentinel has published a letter by NBA star and Democracy Matters founder Adonal Foyle. Foyle writes about the negative effects recent scandals could have on our nation's youth and their renewed civic enthusiasm:

The scandal in Illinois has reminded us that our political system still carries deep flaws. These threaten to stifle that excitement and rekindle the cynicism about politics that in the past has affected so many young people.

By now, Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme has been widely reported on. His deception harmed numerous investors around the economy, including many major foundations in the non-profit world.

There's been a lot of press this week on influence peddlers and those who love them. First we learned about the troubling allegations against Governor Blagojevich.

Nick Nyhart has a great piece in the Huffington Post today on the appalling extent of Governor Blagojevich's corruption.