Campaign Finance Reform: Is Grassroots Democracy The Solution?

30:03

November 08, 2012

Distribution of contributions made to President Barack Obama in election cycle 2012 (through October 17). He totaled over $482 million individual contributions. (Federal Election Commission) — Distribution of contributions made to President Barack Obama in election cycle 2012 (through October 17). He totaled over $482 million in individual contributions. (Federal Election Commission)

Rep. John Sarbanes, left, and Lawrence Lessig at WBUR (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

They join us to talk about a new campaign finance proposal — and if it’s even possible to get the money genie back in the bottle.

Sarbanes will give a public lecture, "Building A Grassroots Democracy," Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Harvard Law School.

Both Lessig and Sarbanes will be part of a panel discussion, "Grassroots Democracy: How would it work?" Friday at noon at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Guests:

Rep. John Sarbanes, Democratic representative for Maryland's 3rd Congressional District
Lawrence Lessig, director of Harvard's Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics and professor at Harvard Law School. He's the author of "Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress — And A Plan To Stop It."

More:

New York Times: Little To Show For Cash Flood By Big Donors
Atlantic: Big Campaign Spending: Government By The 1%
Huffington Post: John Sarbanes Experiments With Campaign To Promote Public Financing
TIME: Campaign Financing: A Brief History

This segment aired on November 8, 2012.