Elisabeth Gerber, of the University of California in San Diego, has found that opulent special-interest groups such as the oil and tobacco industries almost never succeed in pushing through self-serving initiatives, though they can sometimes block measures aimed against them.

ECONOMIST: Direct democracy

So from now until November the 6th, we need you to keep on working and struggling and pushing like never before.

WHITEHOUSE: Remarks by the First Lady at a Campaign Event

We never gave up, kept pushing and it did not work out in the end for Fernando.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS