Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it | Larry Lessig | TEDxMidAtlantic
TEDx Talks・15 minutes read
A protest in Hong Kong against a law proposed by China may lead to biased candidate selection, similar to Boss Tweed's tactics in the US, highlighting the influence of economic elites on policy decisions. Efforts like the Citizen Equality Act aim to address campaign funding disparities and ensure fair representation in Congress to tackle pressing national issues like climate change and social security.
Insights
- The protest in Hong Kong was driven by concerns over a proposed law that would allow a small, potentially biased group to control the nomination process for the Governor of Hong Kong, drawing parallels to similar issues in American politics.
- Initiatives like the Citizen Equality Act, proposed by Fair Vote, aim to address systemic inequalities in the US political system, such as the disproportionate influence of economic elites on candidate selection and policy decisions, highlighting the importance of fair representation and voting rights in tackling critical national issues.
Get key ideas from YouTube videos. It’s free
Recent questions
What sparked the protest in Hong Kong?
A law proposed by China regarding the selection of the Governor of Hong Kong.
What is Tweedism in American politics?
A two-stage process where a select few nominate candidates.
How does the Money Primary influence candidate selection in the US?
By focusing on fundraising, a small fraction of Americans dominate.
What is the proposed Citizen Equality Act aiming to change?
Campaign funding and ensure equal representation in Congress.
What is the core fight for equality in democracy crucial for?
Tackling critical national problems like climate change and social security.
Related videos
Summary
00:00
Protest Against Biased Nominations in Hong Kong
- A year ago in Hong Kong, a protest began involving high school and college students, elementary school students, and their parents.
- The protest was against a law proposed by China regarding the selection of the Governor of Hong Kong.
- The law required a two-step process involving nomination and election, with a nominating committee of 1200 people.
- The fear was that the nominating committee would be biased, dominated by a pro-Beijing elite.
- The concept of controlling nominations to influence candidates was compared to Boss Tweed's strategy in American politics.
- Tweedism, a two-stage process where a select few nominate candidates, was practiced in the US as well, like in Texas in 1923.
- The Money Primary in the US determines which candidates can run by focusing on fundraising.
- A small fraction of Americans, 0.02%, dominate the fundraising process, influencing candidate selection.
- A Princeton study showed that the views of the economic elite and interest groups have a significant impact on public policy, not the average voter.
- To address inequality in the system, a proposed Citizen Equality Act aims to change campaign funding and ensure equal representation in Congress.
14:57
"Ensuring Fair Representation and Voting Equality"
- Fair Vote proposes the Citizen Equality Act to ensure proportional fair representation across the country by changing the way districts work.
- The Equal Freedom to Vote aims to address the challenges people face in voting, with 10 million individuals waiting over 30 minutes to vote in the last election, disproportionately affecting working families.
- The Voting Rights Advancement Act, part of the Citizens Equality Act, seeks to eliminate barriers that make voting difficult, particularly in black or brown districts with limited resources.
- The core fight for equality in democracy is crucial, as addressing fundamental democracy issues is essential to tackling critical national problems like climate change, social security, and student debt.
