Jerri-Lynn Scofield — AOC Campaign Finance Primer Goes Viral

Wow. 16 million hits, and counting. Leave it to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC)  to show how to turn a campaign finance primer into a viral video.  Certainly the first time a congressional hearing on strengthening ethics rules for the executive branch  reached such a huge audience. 

This is a must-watch clip. I hesitate to add much commentary, as anything I write will likely not add all that much, and might instead only distract from the original.Nonetheless, full speed ahead, damn the torpedoes! I will hazard adding some commentary.

I only ask that you watch the clip first. It’ll only take five minutes of your time. Just something to ponder on what I hope for many readers is a lazy, relaxing Sunday. Please watch it, as my commentary will assume you’ve done so.

This is a big deal. I have often written previously that without overhauling campaign finance, lasting reform is not possible, if it is even possible to pass in the first place. Getting the money out of politics is a sine qua non of genuine change for the better. And that is just for starters.

If you haven't seen the clip yet (it's all over social media), watch it and you will see why AOC is the political force she is.

Then read the rest of the article. Jerri-Lynn Scofield is a lawyer. She understands this in depth.

Naked Capitalism
AOC Campaign Finance Primer Goes Viral

Jerri-Lynn Scofield

Nadia Prupis — "I'm In": Lawrence Lessig Confirms White House Run

Some good people stepping up. It will make the debate more interesting and potentially shift the Overton window leftward. Lessig will get a lot of bipartisan support on campaign finance reform as an anti-corruption and anti-cronyism candidate. Policy won't change without it, since both parties are the pocket of the wealthy donors.

Common Dreams
"I'm In": Lawrence Lessig Confirms White House Run
Nadia Prupis, staff writer

Bill Moyers & Co. — Morning Reads: Clinton Cash, Montana’s New Dark Money Law, Adelson Primary Update

More links on money in politics.

Bill Moyers & Co.
Morning Reads: Clinton Cash, Montana’s New Dark Money Law, Adelson Primary Update

Bill Moyers & Co. Morning Reads: The Koch Five, SEC Faces Pressure on Disclosure, Tech Lobby Spending Explodes

More links on money in politics and pushback against it: "Democracy is at stake."

Bill Moyers & Co.
Morning Reads: The Koch Five, SEC Faces Pressure on Disclosure, Tech Lobby Spending Explodes

Frank Pasquale — From Piketty to Law and Political Economy

In which Frank Pasquale endorses MMT.

Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century continues to spur debate among economists. It has many lessons for attorneys, as well. But does law have something to offer in return? I make that case in my review of Capital, focusing on Piketty's call for a renewal of the social science of political economy. My review underscores the complexity of the relationship between law and social science. Legal academics import ideas from other fields, but also return the favor by informing those fields. Ideally, the process is dialectic, with lawyers and social scientists in dialogue.

Balkanization
From Piketty to Law and Political Economy
Frank Pasquale | Professor of Law at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law

John Light — An Icy New Hampshire Walk Sparks a new Movement to get Money out of Politics (via Moyers & Company)

An Icy New Hampshire Walk Sparks a new Movement to get Money out of Politics (via Moyers & Company)

The temperatures started to drop Tuesday morning, and continued to plummet through the night, so by Wednesday at 8 a.m. it was 0° Fahrenheit in Concord, NH. In the lobby of the Marriott Fairfield Inn next to Interstate 93, noted activist Lawrence Lessig…

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The Mosler 60/40 Rule for Campaign Finance Reform to Eliminate the Influence of Money in Politics

In my debate with Robert Murphy at Columbia University recently, I proposed the Mosler 60/40 Rule for Campaign Finance Reform to eliminate the influence of money in politics. Simply, it provides that candidates can raise unlimited amount of funds, but they have to give 40% of those funds to their competing candidates. The candidate can keep 60% of the funds raised. This proposal would limit mega-donors from controlling a single candidate. Brandon Fallon wrote the good summary below.

Soft Currency Economics
The Mosler 60/40 Rule for Campaign Finance Reform to Eliminate the Influence of Money in Politics
Warren Mosler