General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEzra Klein: Lawrence Lessig and George Takei have a plan to save American politics
http://www.vox.com/2014/7/14/5888885/lessig?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=ezraklein&utm_content=monday#storyLawrence Lessig and George Takei have a plan to save American politics
by Ezra Klein on July 14, 2014
A week before his deadline Lawrence Lessig was nervous.
Lessig, the rock star law professor (and one-time Scalia clerk) who kicked off the Creative Commons revolution and has dedicated himself to saving American politics from big money, had set a ludicrous goal: raise $6 million online for a Super PAC to kill all Super PACs by July 4th. He had lined up donors who would match that $6 million with another $6 million. And then he would use the $12 million or more, if he got it to win five congressional races in 2014, showing that big money could elect members of Congress who would dedicate themselves to ridding politics of big money. Then he would raise even more money for 2016 and elect a whole Congress ready to make make Super PACs like Lessig's obsolete.
But with mere days to go Lessig was millions of dollars short of his goal. Then George Takei got involved.
Follow
Battlestations! If you follow me, I ask you RT this. Donate $3 to take back our democracy from the super wealthy: https://mayday.us
12:34 PM - 4 Jul 2014
snip//
The stakes are high: if the Mayday PAC spends $12 million and loses five races it will be taken as proof that people just don't care that much about the influence money has in politics. It will be another reason for cynicism. But if they win, it could be the first step towards ending that influence.
"The conventional wisdom is people aren't engaged in this issue," Lessig says. "But our belief is they're not engaged because they don't feel they can do anything about it. Give them a plan and they want to participate."
http://www.vox.com/2014/7/14/5888885/lessig?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=ezraklein&utm_content=monday#story
Ezra's interview here:
http://www.vox.com/2014/7/14/5888885/lessig?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=ezraklein&utm_content=monday#interview
progressoid
(49,991 posts)Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)My plan to organize and protest/march in cities/towns across America on
September 13 - November 4th and beyond
To show, during the peak time of campaign money flying around, that we need Publicly Funded Federal, State, and Local Elections with the culpable MSM having to air campaign ads as a public service for their use of the public's airwaves under license. This would take ALL OF THE MONEY OUT OF ELECTIONS!
Our protest can draw attention to Mayday and Wolf-PAC.com because any group dedicated to getting the money out of politics is welcome, even if we disagree about the best way to do it. The attention that we can draw will help raise millions for this effort and increase our chances of success!
This is the battle of our time to save our country! I personally think that the hyper partisan climate would evaporate over time once this is done. Once we have our Representative government back we can bust up the Wall Street banks and media oligarchies. We can require "Truth" in the news since our current news is labeled "entertainment" by the courts and allows them to legally lie about the facts.
Please help to organize and protest. 9/13/2014 - 11/4/2014 and beyond! Thanks!
Sienna86
(2,149 posts)You're either part of the problem or part of the solution.
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Help us reduce the influence of money in politics!
Thank you for helping us reach our goal, and for your continued support.
53,608
citizen-contributors
$7,681,560
from large and small donations
to fight corruption
113 days left
until election day
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CONGRATLUATIONS!!!!
misterhighwasted
(9,148 posts)Thank You
Android3.14
(5,402 posts)"We understand that the amount of money now being spent on political campaigns has created a growing skepticism in the integrity of our election system that raises serious concerns. We firmly believe, however, that the response to those concerns must be consistent with our constitutional commitment to freedom of speech and association. For that reason, the ACLU does not support campaign finance regulation premised on the notion that the answer to money in politics is to ban political speech."
https://www.aclu.org/free-speech/aclu-and-citizens-united
I find the corporate influence heinous, as well. But am still unsure what the solution should be.
Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)In our view, the answer to that problem is to expand, not limit, the resources available for political advocacy. Thus, the ACLU supports a comprehensive and meaningful system of public financing that would help create a level playing field for every qualified candidate. We support carefully drawn disclosure rules. We support reasonable limits on campaign contributions and we support stricter enforcement of existing bans on coordination between candidates and super PACs.
Android3.14
(5,402 posts)That sounds like a good solution.
MADem
(135,425 posts)Look, the ACLU's charge is to make sure everyone has their right to "speak." I don't think that corporations are people, they are a bunch of assholes who are too chickenshit to speak on their own so they use/build this front called a "corporation" to hide behind, and I don't think money equals speech (if it did, then the poor are muzzled), and I can disagree with the ACLU every now and again without holding a negative opinion about the many good things they do.
My solution is "The ACLU is wrong on that one."
demigoddess
(6,641 posts)eom!!!
pleinair
(171 posts)even though the initial goal has been met, they are continuing to gather donations for the various candidates. I donated today and shared on Facebook--very happy this Super PAC exists! Many thanks to Lawrence Lessig and George Takei.
navarth
(5,927 posts)I've been watching it at RealNews.....this could be interesting if they can get it to catch on.
cprise
(8,445 posts)This deserves wide recognition.