Post by Echolilia on Jul 4, 2014 14:13:05 GMT -5
I have something to ask of you, in my own words.
Harvard Law Professor Larry Lessig has been a political activist on many different fronts, but several years ago came to the realization that corruption in Washington blocks progress on just about any issue, whether liberal or conservative.
This corruption isn't a corruption of evil, it is the corruption of the good. The great majority in Congress are well intentioned, but to stay in office, spend 30 to 70% of their time doing fund-raising. This leads them to be strongly guided, not on their issues one through ten, but on their issues 11 through 1000, by those that provide their funding. And the number of relevant funders is very very small.
The answer is to expand the number of funders with a system of small-dollar funded campaigns. Republicans in favor of this advocate a voucher system; Democrats have other ideas. But the important thing is to achieve a bipartisan majority wanting to do it at all. There are only two things blocking this. First, that while 96% think money has too much influence in politics, 91% think it is not possible to do anything about it. Second, that no one in Congress believes someone would be elected based on this issue.
Professor Lessig has come up with a plan to address both. The plan is to raise $12 million, enough money (according to experienced strategists) to make this the key issue in five elections in 2014. Successfully raising the money proves it is possible to do something; spending it will prove that this issue is one those running for re-election must consider. Currently perhaps 200 in Congress are supportive; making this difference in the 2014 election gives us a chance to make that a majority in both houses in 2016.
The money is being raised from individual contributions in two rounds; $1 million in May, and $5 million by the end of the day TODAY, July 4, with, err, rich people being found to match each successful round. The $1 million and a matching $1 million were raised. Pledges are pouring in, but it looks like the end of the day will see only $4.2 million for the second round.
If you are a US citizen or permanent resident alien and 18 or older, please go to mayday.us and make a pledge. $1 would be fine, $100 would be awesome. Just go do it.
To make a pledge, refunded if the $5 million goal is not reached, you do need to give them a credit card number or promise to mail a check; if you wish to make a donation instead (that they get to keep even if they don't meet their goal), you can use PayPal.
If you want to learn more, the best places I can think of would be to read this article:
medium.com/@lessig/whats-so-bad-about-a-superpac-c7cbcf617b58
and/or watch this video:
www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim
Thank you for your time.
Harvard Law Professor Larry Lessig has been a political activist on many different fronts, but several years ago came to the realization that corruption in Washington blocks progress on just about any issue, whether liberal or conservative.
This corruption isn't a corruption of evil, it is the corruption of the good. The great majority in Congress are well intentioned, but to stay in office, spend 30 to 70% of their time doing fund-raising. This leads them to be strongly guided, not on their issues one through ten, but on their issues 11 through 1000, by those that provide their funding. And the number of relevant funders is very very small.
The answer is to expand the number of funders with a system of small-dollar funded campaigns. Republicans in favor of this advocate a voucher system; Democrats have other ideas. But the important thing is to achieve a bipartisan majority wanting to do it at all. There are only two things blocking this. First, that while 96% think money has too much influence in politics, 91% think it is not possible to do anything about it. Second, that no one in Congress believes someone would be elected based on this issue.
Professor Lessig has come up with a plan to address both. The plan is to raise $12 million, enough money (according to experienced strategists) to make this the key issue in five elections in 2014. Successfully raising the money proves it is possible to do something; spending it will prove that this issue is one those running for re-election must consider. Currently perhaps 200 in Congress are supportive; making this difference in the 2014 election gives us a chance to make that a majority in both houses in 2016.
The money is being raised from individual contributions in two rounds; $1 million in May, and $5 million by the end of the day TODAY, July 4, with, err, rich people being found to match each successful round. The $1 million and a matching $1 million were raised. Pledges are pouring in, but it looks like the end of the day will see only $4.2 million for the second round.
If you are a US citizen or permanent resident alien and 18 or older, please go to mayday.us and make a pledge. $1 would be fine, $100 would be awesome. Just go do it.
To make a pledge, refunded if the $5 million goal is not reached, you do need to give them a credit card number or promise to mail a check; if you wish to make a donation instead (that they get to keep even if they don't meet their goal), you can use PayPal.
If you want to learn more, the best places I can think of would be to read this article:
medium.com/@lessig/whats-so-bad-about-a-superpac-c7cbcf617b58
and/or watch this video:
www.ted.com/talks/lawrence_lessig_we_the_people_and_the_republic_we_must_reclaim
Thank you for your time.
