9 Percent
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 11:52am
Oh, boy. Lawrence Lessig just stepped onstage for the afternoon keynote, and he starts out by saying he's dedicating it to Speaker Pelosi "with all due respect - or morethan the position deserves." He's also given out the refrain of "9%" -- as of yet undefined. This is bound to be contentious. Liveblogging in the comments, as usual.
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Lessig's a smart man, and
By George Nassar
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 12:13pm
Lessig's a smart man, and his presentation is compelling. He's speaking to money in government, and specifically about the appearance of what money can do. He centers the speech on trust, and points out that it doesn't matter whether or not politicians *actually* are affected by money -- it simply matters that its existence destroys the public's trust in the institution. 9 percent, by the way, happens to be the current approval rate of Congress.
So, apparently no dis on
By George Nassar
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 12:27pm
So, apparently no dis on congressmen. He says the pople in Congress are good people, and it's the funding of those in congressmen that is the problem. He points to the Change Congress campaign that he helped found as a way to change that. I've been following hat movement since its inception, and they are doing some great work and integrating online tools in interesting and effective ways. (And I'm a huge fan of Lawrence Lessig.)
9 cents
By George Nassar
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 12:40pm
So i'm going to note here the Change Congress web site, but more importantly I'm going to note Lessig's request: to volunteer to help on the web site, and to support the movement as a whole for adding 9 cents to every single political contribution you make. Don't donate $10 - donate $10.09. $1000? $1000.09. $2300? Donate $2300.09 - and then they have to mail you a check back for 9 cents.
Go to the site, and check out their policies. I think you'll find them rational and common-sense, no matter where and how far on the political spectrum you lie.