Law Professor, Internet Folk Hero, Congressman?
Stanford Law Professor Lawrence Lessig is considering a bid for Rep. Tom Lantos' California House seat. He's made one of his trademark powerpoints to layout his thinking (after the break).
Lessig achieved iconic status in online communities for founding Creative Commons and going to war with the entertainment industry as the legal leader of the free culture movement. He's kind of a Thurgood Marshall for the Napster/YouTube set. His congressional run is an extension of his latest effort to reinvent himself as an anti-corruption crusader (see his "alpha" powerpoint for that here).
As a young techie, I have more than my fair share of admiration for the man. Even so, I'm skeptical.
Lessig's anti-corruption efforts are just getting started and, for now at least, he'd be a more powerful voice as a public intellectual with a big audience. Mobilizing the collective brain power and will of the tech community against public corruption could help add to an already massive online movement for a healthier democracy. And a friend of mine from the district tells me that the candidate he'd be running against in the Dem primary, Jackie Speier, is a solid progressive who would likely win.
Have a look at his powerpoint and let me know what you think. He's set a March 1st deadline for himself, so let him hear it if you want him in.
Who cares? This video is pretty boring in all honesty. It's all rather obvious and uninteresting. He states it in a way that leads me to believe that he doesn't really understand what he is talking about.
February 20, 2008 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
The guy's voice is pretty grating.
February 20, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
(Historical trivia: Jackie Speier was injured at Jonestown--she was an aide to Leo Ryan, and lost an arm in the attack that killed him.)
February 20, 2008 4:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only is Spier running, but my sources tell me that she may have the all-important Lieberman* endorsement locked up.
*No not that Lieberman.
Warren Lieberman, Mayor of Belmont...
February 21, 2008 5:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think the "all-important Lieberman* endorsement" is gonna cut it. ;-)
I have nothing against Jackie Spier (she's represented me well, and for ages), but I'm ready to get behind anyone who's willing to *try* to do something about the influence of money in politics.
If I had my druthers, only individuals (i.e., citizens) would be allowed to participate in politics in any way. Not corporations, not lobbyists, not unions. Yes, any individual should be permitted to donate as much as they want to whomever they want, but as long as they don't do it anonymously I'm happy...
February 23, 2008 8:37 PM | Reply | Permalink