Lawrence Lessig: Corrupt Congress a Farm League for K Street Lobbyists

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2009/10/08/Lawrence_Lessig_on_Institutional_Corruption

Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig makes a sweeping indictment of the relationship between special interest groups, their lobbyists, and Capitol Hill politicians. "Members, staffers and bureaucrats increasingly have a common business model in their head as they serve in Washington," says Lessig. "The business model is focused on their life after government - life as lobbyists."

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Larry Lessig introduces the Safra lecture series with a discussion on institutional corruption.

He explores the prevalence of this form of corruption in fields ranging from politics to medicine to journalism, and describes his plan to study and contain this problem. - Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard University

Lawrence Lessig is a professor of law at Stanford Law School and founder of the school's Center for Internet and Society. He teaches and writes in the areas of constitutional law, contracts, and the law of cyberspace. Prior to joining the Stanford faculty, he was Berkman Professor of Law at Harvard Law School and a professor at the University of Chicago.

He clerked for Judge Richard Posner on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and for Justice Antonin Scalia on the United States Supreme Court. For much of his career, he has focused on law and technology, especially as it affects copyright.

Recognized for arguing against interpretations of copyright that could stifle innovation and discourse online, he is CEO of the Creative Commons project, and he has been a columnist for Wired, Red Herring, and The Industry Standard.

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[razorflown2]

Ya, we're screwed. Get your degree and move overseas.

[originaljonesdotinfo]

fantastic presentation

[TheBalancedRepublic]

If this all sounds like a true problem to you, perhaps you may consider our proposal for action. Amend congressional election process to include a random selection element to remove the grip special interests have on our elections. Cut them off completely and leave behind a true representative Congress for the people. Some of you will get why this solution is important. If you do, show some support. google The Balanced Republic for a new idea that might be worth something. Regards

[Downfurlife]

What is another theory? I looked for a rebuttal / debunker to this opinion?

[RainbowManification]

When a Fortune 500 corporation lobby against a congressional bill you want passed, or by seversa then you might as well give up. They got the dollars to drown out the opposition, and will do everything in their power to stop you and your followers.

[eswyatt]

I like Lessig but honestly, is this where it's headed? Is this the only way people are going to be able to absorb information, through one or two word bullet points?

[razorflown2]

@jahlyric I never said anything about moving anywhere even remotely in or around asia...

[jahlyric]

@razorflown2 what makes you think that it is any better overseas? You think in and around Asia it's better? NO. If you want change you have to vote.

[lennhart]

Lobbys don't just LOBBY a particular administration. They have permanent offices throughout DC, primarily K-STREET.

This is NOT an Obama problem. Its a US GOVT PROBLEM. These lobbies represent the MONIED and corporate interests and they don't give a shit about you if you are not a source of their riches.

K-street is where the US govt is PIMPED.

[Mastikator]

He had more than twice the contributions from big corporations than McCain.