Mother Jones just released an article on the latest news involving Lawrence Lessig’s campaign to fight US government corruption. Mr. Lessig is one of our countries most high profile member of the credentialed class(PhD. MD etc) to work against the Establishment.

Lawrence Lessig has the ethical backbone to do what is socially just and he is taking perfect aim at the heart of the beast–the corrupting influence of BIG money and those lacking(our elected officials) the moral grit to resist its temptations.

It’s not common for those that benefit from the System to work against the System. The credentialed intelligentsia are not known for their bravery. Most will not speak out against the government for fear of inconvenient backlash such as job loss or the reputation damage that results from smear campaigns unleashed by the politicos and their squawking flocks of parrots perched about the branches of the mainstream media.

Lawrence Lessig on his new job, his latest cause, and why reforming Washington begins outside the Beltway. February 9, 2009

Interviewed and article By Nick Baumann,

Lawrence Lessig has a new cause—and new job to go with it. For more than a decade, the Stanford law professor and Creative Commons founder has focused his efforts on Internet and copyright issues, advocating a “free culture” that puts fewer legal barriers in the way of artists who adapt and build upon the works of others. Now he says he’s finished his final book on the topic, Remix, and he recently announced that he will leave Stanford to run the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics at Harvard.

From this new perch, Lessig will take aim at his latest target: corruption, particularly as it relates to the influence of money in politics.

Last year, Lessig launched a new project, Change Congress, which calls on politicians to back four corruption-fighting reforms:

1. Stopping contributions from lobbyists or political action committees,

[from Wikipedia]  Lobbying is the practice of influencing decisions made by government. It includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents or organized groups. A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a member of a lobby.

[from EC Glossary] In corrupt governments–lobbyists are legislated loopholes that facilitate the merger of GORP (Governmental power and Corporate power)

2. Ending earmarks,

[From wikipedia] In United States politics, earmarks refer to congressional provisions that direct approved funds to be spent on specific projects, or that direct specific exemptions from taxes or mandated fees. Congressional earmarks are often defined loosely as anonymously authored guarantees of federal funds to particular recipients in appropriations-related documents.

[from EC Glossary] Earmarks are legislated powers that allow congresspeople to direct your money to pet corporations they owe favors to or want favors from.

3. Increasing congressional transparency, and

[from wikipedia} Transparency, as used in the humanities, when used in a social context, implies openness, communication, and accountability. It is a metaphorical extension of the meaning a "transparent" object is one that can be seen through. Transparent procedures include open meetings, financial disclosure statements, the freedom of information legislation, budgetary review, audits, etc.

[from EC Glossary] High profile campaigns for Transparency means there are too many secrets the government does not want you or I to know about.

4. public supported financing of congressional campaigns.

The organization (Safra Foundation Center for Ethics) also provides online tools that allow voters to see which politicians support these reforms, donate money to politicians who stand against corruption, and “pester” elected officials who have yet to take a stand.

The organization’s latest project is a nationwide “donor strike” asking citizens to refrain from donating money to political campaigns until Congress takes steps to limit the influence of money in politics.

Mother Jones spoke with Lessig recently about his new job, his hopes for Barack Obama’s presidency, and how corruption poisons politics.

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[to read the entire article It's the Corruption, ....]

Lawrence Lessig is also known for having founded The Creative Commons Project(CCP). CCP is Mr Lessig’s answer to the culturally crippling effects of monopolistic copyright laws.

You may download or view his free-e-book on the subject.

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