Lawrence Lessig Keynote at Coffee Party Convention 2010

http://www.fixcongressfirst.org/

Lawrence Lessig speaks at the first Coffee Party Convention in Louisville, KY on Sept. 25, 2010

Press release on Coffee Party Convention: http://bit.ly/btuJHY

Reforming the system will never be Congress's first priority until a grassroots movement gives politicians a choice: You can have our support or special interest money, but not both.

What is the Fair Elections Now Act?

The bipartisan Fair Elections Now Act was offered this year by Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Arlen Specter (D-PA), and Reps. John Larson (D-CT) and Walter Jones (R-NC). With senior leaders in the Senate and House taking the lead, and 135 co-sponsors in the House alone, the bill has strong champions in both houses of Congress.

Under this legislation, congressional candidates who raise a threshold number of small-dollar donations would qualify for a chunk of funding—several hundred thousand dollars for House, millions for many Senate races. If they accept this funding, they can't raise big-dollar donations. But they can raise contributions up to $100, which would be matched four to one by a central fund. Reduced fees for TV airtime is also an element of this bill, creating an incentive for politicians to opt into this system and run people-powered campaigns.

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[MagStaR30]

So, I'm going to share this BUT if you could subtitle it? I have friends in the deaf community and maybe they want to 'hear' it too. I think this is common ground for us all. Very important. Called my reps.

[coffeepartyusa]

@MagStaR30 thanks for the suggestion. we will work on this

[xazbq]

This is really great.

[alicecolleenflynn]

Excellent! Thank you for posting this for those of us who could not be at the convention.

[irrefudiate]

The one thing that I've noticed about Lessig, other than his passion, is that he is winnowing his message down to 'talking points'. This is a process that absolutely has to occur in order to reach the masses. "The Tea Party is not our enemy"..."The funders are not the People"..."Corruption is not Democracy"

[707westy]

This is exactly why "The South" will never "do it again", secede that is. Because they and the whole "Bible Belt" are sucking on the Federal Gov't tit all the while blaming the "Fly to STates" for there problems. Don't belive me? Check the US Census to see where your taxes go. Or just take my word for it, New York and California eachrecieve about 70 cents on the dollar while the Bible belt states recieve between $1.25 and $2 for every dollar taxed. Please let The South do it again, please!

[BarryDead]

Those rich corn-bagging farmers. I bet they voted for Bush

[WolfmanMusic]

rock on!

[esavino57]

@ Gulfporter. I'm not sure where you live, but I live in Arizona....home of SB1070. While I understand the importance of immigration reform, and agree changes need to be made, I fear people are using immigrants as a scapegoat for our failed economy and that isn't fair. Big corporations and their influence on politics and our economic situation are a MUCH bigger problem.

[geoedwar]

Understanding the depression doesn't start with the statement "There was a really bad depression." Read Austrian Business Cycle Theory.

[Gulfporter]

@bigdaddyquey

I think you are wrong. Unless the Democrats come out strongly on securing the border and deporting illegal aliens, then we'll not only lose the White House in 2012 (which is a given) we will lose Congress for at least a decade. Stop illegal immigration- supporting illegals isn't hip or open minded, it's just stupid and misguided.

[Gulfporter]

I agree with some of what this man says, but then I am given cause to wonder about his accuracy due to the Coke claim. Between 1997 and 2003, the price of Coke did not go down. In 1997 the grocery store price for a 2ltr bottle of Coke was 99¢ and by 2003 it was up around $1.35. It's now somewhere between $1.55 and $1.85.

But I agree that HFCS is everywhere. Health Food stores need to go to the woodshed too, not because they have HFCS but because they charge outrageous prices for HFCS free food

[bigdaddyquey]

progressive will win this election

[MagStaR30]

@coffeepartyusa Awesome!!