[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.64,0:00:03.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Once upon a time,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:03.54,0:00:06.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there was a place called Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.98,0:00:09.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now Lesterland looks a lot like the United States.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.93,0:00:14.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Like the United States, it has about 311 million people,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.67,0:00:17.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and of that 311 million people,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.00,0:00:21.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it turns out 144,000 are called Lester.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.89,0:00:23.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If Matt's in the audience,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.02,0:00:25.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I just borrowed that, I'll return it in a second,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.71,0:00:28.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this character from your series.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.37,0:00:30.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So 144,000 are called Lester,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.79,0:00:35.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which means about .05 percent is named Lester.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.07,0:00:38.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, Lesters in Lesterland have this extraordinary power.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.80,0:00:41.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are two elections every election cycle in Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:41.96,0:00:44.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One is called the general election.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.18,0:00:47.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The other is called the Lester election.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.52,0:00:50.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in the general election, it's the citizens who get to vote,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.50,0:00:53.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but in the Lester election, it's the Lesters who get to vote.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.78,0:00:54.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here's the trick.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.91,0:00:58.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In order to run in the general election,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.56,0:01:01.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you must do extremely well
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.11,0:01:02.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the Lester election.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.48,0:01:05.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't necessarily have to win, but you must do extremely well.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.58,0:01:09.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, what can we say about democracy in Lesterland?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.53,0:01:10.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What we can say, number one,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.92,0:01:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as the Supreme Court said in Citizens United,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.56,0:01:17.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that people have the ultimate influence over elected officials,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.84,0:01:20.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because, after all, there is a general election,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.49,0:01:23.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but only after the Lesters have had their way
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.44,0:01:26.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the candidates who wish to run in the general election.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.94,0:01:30.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And number two, obviously, this dependence upon the Lesters
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.54,0:01:33.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is going to produce a subtle, understated,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.30,0:01:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could say camouflaged, bending
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.73,0:01:38.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to keep the Lesters happy.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.92,0:01:42.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, so we have a democracy, no doubt,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.19,0:01:43.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's dependent upon the Lesters
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.87,0:01:45.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and dependent upon the people.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:45.88,0:01:48.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It has competing dependencies,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:48.52,0:01:50.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could say conflicting dependencies,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:50.93,0:01:55.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depending upon who the Lesters are.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.20,0:01:57.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. That's Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.55,0:02:00.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now there are three things I want you to see now that I've described Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.30,0:02:03.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Number one, the United States is Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:03.55,0:02:05.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The United States is Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:05.42,0:02:07.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The United States also looks like this, also has two elections,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.80,0:02:10.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,one we called the general election,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.94,0:02:14.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the second we should call the money election.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.19,0:02:16.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the general election, it's the citizens who get to vote,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.35,0:02:18.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if you're over 18, in some states if you have an ID.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.95,0:02:22.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the money election, it's the funders who get to vote,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.16,0:02:24.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the funders who get to vote, and just like in Lesterland,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:24.92,0:02:27.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the trick is, to run in the general election,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.08,0:02:29.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you must do extremely well in the money election.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.90,0:02:32.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't necessarily have to win. There is Jerry Brown.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.52,0:02:35.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But you must do extremely well.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.07,0:02:39.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And here's the key: There are just as few relevant funders
Dialogue: 0,0:02:39.60,0:02:45.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in USA-land as there are Lesters in Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.09,0:02:46.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now you say, really?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:46.100,0:02:50.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Really .05 percent?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.14,0:02:52.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, here are the numbers from 2010:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.35,0:02:54.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,.26 percent of America
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.65,0:02:57.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gave 200 dollars or more to any federal candidate,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.39,0:03:01.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,.05 percent gave the maximum amount to any federal candidate,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.85,0:03:05.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,.01 percent -- the one percent of the one percent --
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.28,0:03:08.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gave 10,000 dollars or more to federal candidates,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.49,0:03:11.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and in this election cycle, my favorite statistic
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.57,0:03:15.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is .000042 percent
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.42,0:03:19.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,— for those of you doing the numbers, you know that's 132 Americans —
Dialogue: 0,0:03:19.46,0:03:23.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gave 60 percent of the Super PAC money spent
Dialogue: 0,0:03:23.42,0:03:26.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the cycle we have just seen ending.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.17,0:03:28.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I'm just a lawyer, I look at this range of numbers,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:28.90,0:03:30.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I say it's fair for me to say
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.61,0:03:34.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's .05 percent who are our relevant funders in America.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.86,0:03:38.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In this sense, the funders are our Lesters.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.16,0:03:41.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, what can we say about this democracy in USA-land?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:41.66,0:03:44.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, as the Supreme Court said in Citizens United,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.00,0:03:46.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we could say, of course the people have the ultimate influence
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.84,0:03:50.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,over the elected officials. We have a general election,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.87,0:03:54.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but only after the funders have had their way
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.08,0:03:58.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with the candidates who wish to run in that general election.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.24,0:04:00.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And number two, obviously,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.76,0:04:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this dependence upon the funders
Dialogue: 0,0:04:03.04,0:04:06.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,produces a subtle, understated, camouflaged bending
Dialogue: 0,0:04:06.97,0:04:09.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to keep the funders happy.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.60,0:04:12.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Candidates for Congress and members of Congress
Dialogue: 0,0:04:12.65,0:04:16.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spend between 30 and 70 percent of their time
Dialogue: 0,0:04:16.93,0:04:19.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,raising money to get back to Congress
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.11,0:04:20.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or to get their party back into power,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.88,0:04:24.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the question we need to ask is, what does it do to them,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.31,0:04:26.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these humans, as they spend their time
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.42,0:04:29.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,behind the telephone, calling people they've never met,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:29.84,0:04:33.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but calling the tiniest slice of the one percent?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:33.31,0:04:35.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As anyone would, as they do this,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:35.68,0:04:39.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they develop a sixth sense, a constant awareness
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.53,0:04:42.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,about how what they do might affect their ability to raise money.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:42.87,0:04:44.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They become, in the words of "The X-Files,"
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.28,0:04:47.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,shape-shifters, as they constantly adjust their views
Dialogue: 0,0:04:47.73,0:04:50.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in light of what they know will help them to raise money,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.59,0:04:52.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not on issues one to 10,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:52.16,0:04:55.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but on issues 11 to 1,000.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:55.25,0:04:56.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Leslie Byrne, a Democrat from Virginia,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.97,0:04:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,describes that when she went to Congress,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.58,0:05:02.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she was told by a colleague, "Always lean to the green."
Dialogue: 0,0:05:02.50,0:05:04.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Then to clarify, she went on,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.14,0:05:08.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"He was not an environmentalist." (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:08.83,0:05:10.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here too we have a democracy,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.91,0:05:12.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a democracy dependent upon the funders
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.93,0:05:14.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and dependent upon the people,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:14.71,0:05:16.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,competing dependencies,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.85,0:05:18.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,possibly conflicting dependencies
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.87,0:05:22.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depending upon who the funders are.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.48,0:05:25.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, the United States is Lesterland, point number one.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:25.24,0:05:27.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here's point number two.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.25,0:05:30.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The United States is worse than Lesterland,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.04,0:05:32.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,worse than Lesterland because you can imagine in Lesterland
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.92,0:05:35.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we Lesters got a letter from the government that said,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.27,0:05:38.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Hey, you get to pick who gets to run in the general election,"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.53,0:05:42.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we would think maybe of a kind of aristocracy of Lesters.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:42.68,0:05:44.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, there are Lesters from every part of social society.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.97,0:05:47.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are rich Lesters, poor Lesters, black Lesters, white Lesters,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.62,0:05:50.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not many women Lesters, but put that to the side for one second.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.35,0:05:52.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have Lesters from everywhere. We could think,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.48,0:05:55.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"What could we do to make Lesterland better?"
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.48,0:06:00.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's at least possible the Lesters would act for the good of Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.26,0:06:03.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But in our land, in this land, in USA-land,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.50,0:06:06.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there are certainly some sweet Lesters out there,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:06.12,0:06:08.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,many of them in this room here today,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.10,0:06:12.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the vast majority of Lesters act for the Lesters,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.58,0:06:16.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because the shifting coalitions that are comprising the .05 percent
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.97,0:06:19.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are not comprising it for the public interest.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.09,0:06:23.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's for their private interest. In this sense, the USA is worse than Lesterland.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.49,0:06:25.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And finally, point number three:
Dialogue: 0,0:06:25.91,0:06:28.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Whatever one wants to say about Lesterland,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:28.85,0:06:31.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,against the background of its history, its traditions,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.16,0:06:36.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in our land, in USA-land, Lesterland is a corruption,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.10,0:06:37.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.57,0:06:41.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, by corruption I don't mean brown paper bag cash
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.60,0:06:43.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,secreted among members of Congress.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.46,0:06:46.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't mean Rod Blagojevich sense of corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:46.52,0:06:48.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I don't mean any criminal act.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:48.43,0:06:51.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The corruption I'm talking about is perfectly legal.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.82,0:06:56.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a corruption relative to the framers' baseline for this republic.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.87,0:07:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The framers gave us what they called a republic,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:00.37,0:07:04.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but by a republic they meant a representative democracy,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:04.55,0:07:07.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and by a representative democracy, they meant a government,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:07.74,0:07:10.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as Madison put it in Federalist 52, that would have a branch
Dialogue: 0,0:07:10.72,0:07:15.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that would be dependent upon the people alone.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:15.66,0:07:16.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here's the model of government.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:16.68,0:07:19.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They have the people and the government
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.28,0:07:21.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with this exclusive dependency,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:21.72,0:07:25.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the problem here is that Congress has evolved a different dependence,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.82,0:07:28.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no longer a dependence upon the people alone,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:28.49,0:07:30.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,increasingly a dependence upon the funders.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.92,0:07:34.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now this is a dependence too,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:34.06,0:07:37.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it's different and conflicting from a dependence upon the people alone
Dialogue: 0,0:07:37.92,0:07:42.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so long as the funders are not the people.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:42.23,0:07:44.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:44.49,0:07:46.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, there's good news and bad news about this corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:46.99,0:07:49.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,One bit of good news is that it's bipartisan,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.36,0:07:51.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,equal-opportunity corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.52,0:07:56.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It blocks the left on a whole range of issues that we on the left really care about.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.18,0:07:58.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It blocks the right too, as it makes
Dialogue: 0,0:07:58.65,0:08:02.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,principled arguments of the right increasingly impossible.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:02.57,0:08:04.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So the right wants smaller government.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:04.76,0:08:07.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Al Gore was Vice President, his team had an idea
Dialogue: 0,0:08:07.46,0:08:11.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for deregulating a significant portion of the telecommunications industry.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:11.37,0:08:14.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The chief policy man took this idea to Capitol Hill,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:14.05,0:08:16.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as he reported back to me,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:16.08,0:08:18.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the response was, "Hell no!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.28,0:08:20.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If we deregulate these guys,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:20.06,0:08:23.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how are we going to raise money from them?"
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.82,0:08:27.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a system that's designed to save the status quo,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:27.62,0:08:31.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,including the status quo of big and invasive government.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:31.26,0:08:33.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It works against the left and the right,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:33.71,0:08:35.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that, you might say, is good news.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:35.25,0:08:37.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But here's the bad news.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:37.04,0:08:40.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's a pathological, democracy-destroying corruption,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:40.94,0:08:43.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because in any system
Dialogue: 0,0:08:43.20,0:08:45.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where the members are dependent upon
Dialogue: 0,0:08:45.10,0:08:48.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the tiniest fraction of us for their election,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:48.27,0:08:51.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that means the tiniest number of us,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.06,0:08:53.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the tiniest, tiniest number of us,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.34,0:08:55.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,can block reform.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:55.06,0:08:57.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I know that should have been, like, a rock or something.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.95,0:08:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can only find cheese. I'm sorry. So there it is.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.99,0:09:02.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Block reform.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:02.38,0:09:06.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because there is an economy here, an economy of influence,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:06.36,0:09:08.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an economy with lobbyists at the center
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.91,0:09:11.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which feeds on polarization.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:11.57,0:09:13.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It feeds on dysfunction.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:13.42,0:09:16.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The worse that it is for us,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:16.06,0:09:19.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the better that it is for this fundraising.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:19.99,0:09:23.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Henry David Thoreau: "There are a thousand hacking
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.10,0:09:27.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root."
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.98,0:09:31.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is the root.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.37,0:09:35.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, now, every single one of you knows this.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:35.51,0:09:39.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You couldn't be here if you didn't know this, yet you ignore it.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.14,0:09:42.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You ignore it. This is an impossible problem.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.72,0:09:45.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You focus on the possible problems,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:45.27,0:09:48.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like eradicating polio from the world,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:48.54,0:09:51.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or taking an image of every single street across the globe,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:51.67,0:09:54.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or building the first real universal translator,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:54.98,0:09:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or building a fusion factory in your garage.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:58.58,0:10:01.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are the manageable problems, so you ignore —
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.50,0:10:07.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter) (Applause) —
Dialogue: 0,0:10:07.13,0:10:09.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,so you ignore this corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:09.58,0:10:15.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But we cannot ignore this corruption anymore.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:15.05,0:10:18.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:10:18.15,0:10:21.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We need a government that works.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:21.74,0:10:24.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And not works for the left or the right,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:24.60,0:10:27.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but works for the left and the right,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:27.06,0:10:29.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the citizens of the left and right,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:29.10,0:10:32.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because there is no sensible reform possible
Dialogue: 0,0:10:32.69,0:10:35.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until we end this corruption.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:35.22,0:10:39.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So I want you to take hold, to grab the issue you care the most about.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:39.40,0:10:41.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Climate change is mine, but it might be financial reform
Dialogue: 0,0:10:41.96,0:10:44.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or a simpler tax system or inequality.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:44.33,0:10:46.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Grab that issue, sit it down in front of you,
Dialogue: 0,0:10:46.52,0:10:50.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,look straight in its eyes, and tell it there is no Christmas this year.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:50.36,0:10:52.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There will never be a Christmas.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:52.18,0:10:54.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We will never get your issue solved
Dialogue: 0,0:10:54.90,0:10:57.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until we fix this issue first.
Dialogue: 0,0:10:57.86,0:11:01.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's not that mine is the most important issue. It's not.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:01.19,0:11:05.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yours is the most important issue, but mine is the first issue,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:05.37,0:11:08.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the issue we have to solve before we get to fix
Dialogue: 0,0:11:08.09,0:11:10.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the issues you care about.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:10.06,0:11:13.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,No sensible reform, and we cannot afford
Dialogue: 0,0:11:13.36,0:11:17.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a world, a future, with no sensible reform.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:17.28,0:11:20.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. So how do we do it?
Dialogue: 0,0:11:20.15,0:11:23.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Turns out, the analytics here are easy, simple.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:23.64,0:11:26.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the problem is members spending an extraordinary
Dialogue: 0,0:11:26.49,0:11:29.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,amount of time fundraising from the tiniest slice of America,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:29.65,0:11:33.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the solution is to have them spend less time fundraising
Dialogue: 0,0:11:33.91,0:11:36.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but fundraise from a wider slice of Americans,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:36.58,0:11:37.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to spread it out,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:37.75,0:11:41.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to spread the funder influence so that we restore the idea
Dialogue: 0,0:11:41.03,0:11:44.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of dependence upon the people alone.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:44.22,0:11:47.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And to do this does not require a constitutional amendment,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:47.66,0:11:48.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,changing the First Amendment.
Dialogue: 0,0:11:48.91,0:11:52.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,To do this would require a single statute,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:52.27,0:11:54.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a statute establishing what we think of
Dialogue: 0,0:11:54.46,0:11:57.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as small dollar funded elections,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:57.16,0:11:59.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a statute of citizen-funded campaigns,
Dialogue: 0,0:11:59.37,0:12:01.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's any number of these proposals out there:
Dialogue: 0,0:12:01.46,0:12:02.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fair Elections Now Act,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:02.91,0:12:05.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the American Anti-Corruption Act,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:05.34,0:12:08.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an idea in my book that I call the Grant and Franklin Project
Dialogue: 0,0:12:08.43,0:12:10.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to give vouchers to people to fund elections,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:10.76,0:12:13.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an idea of John Sarbanes called the Grassroots Democracy Act.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:13.96,0:12:18.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Each of these would fix this corruption
Dialogue: 0,0:12:18.06,0:12:22.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by spreading out the influence of funders to all of us.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:22.41,0:12:25.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The analytics are easy here.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:25.07,0:12:30.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's the politics that's hard, indeed impossibly hard,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:30.58,0:12:36.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because this reform would shrink K Street,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:36.94,0:12:41.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and Capitol Hill, as Congressman Jim Cooper,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:41.80,0:12:44.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a Democrat from Tennessee, put it,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:44.78,0:12:49.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,has become a farm league for K Street, a farm league for K Street.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:49.60,0:12:51.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Members and staffers and bureaucrats have
Dialogue: 0,0:12:51.56,0:12:53.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,an increasingly common business model in their head,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:53.78,0:12:56.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a business model focused on their life after government,
Dialogue: 0,0:12:56.84,0:12:59.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,their life as lobbyists.
Dialogue: 0,0:12:59.16,0:13:02.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Fifty percent of the Senate between 1998 and 2004
Dialogue: 0,0:13:02.71,0:13:05.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,left to become lobbyists, 42 percent of the House.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:05.37,0:13:06.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those numbers have only gone up,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:06.84,0:13:09.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and as United Republic calculated last April,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:09.19,0:13:12.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the average increase in salary for those who they tracked
Dialogue: 0,0:13:12.40,0:13:17.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was 1,452 percent.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:17.76,0:13:24.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So it's fair to ask, how is it possible for them to change this?
Dialogue: 0,0:13:24.13,0:13:28.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now I get this skepticism.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:28.20,0:13:33.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I get this cynicism. I get this sense of impossibility.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:33.13,0:13:35.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I don't buy it.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:35.46,0:13:39.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a solvable issue.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:39.31,0:13:42.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you think about the issues our parents tried to solve
Dialogue: 0,0:13:42.47,0:13:44.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the 20th century,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:44.31,0:13:47.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,issues like racism, or sexism,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:47.59,0:13:50.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or the issue that we've been fighting in this century, homophobia,
Dialogue: 0,0:13:50.70,0:13:53.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,those are hard issues.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:53.19,0:13:56.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You don't wake up one day no longer a racist.
Dialogue: 0,0:13:56.11,0:14:00.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It takes generations to tear that intuition, that DNA,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:00.42,0:14:02.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,out of the soul of a people.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:02.86,0:14:06.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But this is a problem of just incentives, just incentives.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:06.11,0:14:08.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Change the incentives, and the behavior changes,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:08.65,0:14:11.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the states that have adopted small dollar funded systems
Dialogue: 0,0:14:11.34,0:14:14.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have seen overnight a change in the practice.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:14.47,0:14:16.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Connecticut adopted this system,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:16.45,0:14:20.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the very first year, 78 percent of elected representatives
Dialogue: 0,0:14:20.64,0:14:24.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,gave up large contributions and took small contributions only.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:24.89,0:14:26.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's solvable,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:26.86,0:14:29.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not by being a Democrat,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:29.68,0:14:31.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not by being a Republican.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:31.47,0:14:35.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's solvable by being citizens, by being citizens,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:35.12,0:14:38.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,by being TEDizens.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:38.10,0:14:42.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because if you want to kickstart reform,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:42.44,0:14:45.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,look, I could kickstart reform
Dialogue: 0,0:14:45.89,0:14:49.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at half the price of fixing energy policy,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:49.48,0:14:52.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could give you back a republic.
Dialogue: 0,0:14:52.26,0:14:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay. But even if you're not yet with me,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:55.91,0:14:59.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if you believe this is impossible,
Dialogue: 0,0:14:59.49,0:15:02.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what the five years since I spoke at TED has taught me
Dialogue: 0,0:15:02.93,0:15:05.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as I've spoken about this issue again and again is,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:05.53,0:15:09.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if you think it's impossible, that is irrelevant.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:09.35,0:15:11.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Irrelevant.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:11.34,0:15:14.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I spoke at Dartmouth once, and a woman stood up after I spoke,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:14.91,0:15:16.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I write in my book, and she said to me,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:16.75,0:15:22.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Professor, you've convinced me this is hopeless. Hopeless.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:22.44,0:15:25.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's nothing we can do."
Dialogue: 0,0:15:25.30,0:15:27.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When she said that, I scrambled.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:27.22,0:15:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I tried to think, "How do I respond to that hopelessness?
Dialogue: 0,0:15:29.36,0:15:31.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What is that sense of hopelessness?"
Dialogue: 0,0:15:31.02,0:15:35.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And what hit me was an image of my six-year-old son.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:35.89,0:15:39.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I imagined a doctor coming to me and saying,
Dialogue: 0,0:15:39.07,0:15:46.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Your son has terminal brain cancer, and there's nothing you can do.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:46.38,0:15:48.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nothing you can do."
Dialogue: 0,0:15:48.64,0:15:51.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So would I do nothing?
Dialogue: 0,0:15:51.73,0:15:54.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Would I just sit there? Accept it? Okay, nothing I can do?
Dialogue: 0,0:15:54.10,0:15:57.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'm going off to build Google Glass.
Dialogue: 0,0:15:57.92,0:16:01.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Of course not. I would do everything I could,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:01.57,0:16:05.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and I would do everything I could because this is what love means,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:05.15,0:16:07.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the odds are irrelevant and that you do
Dialogue: 0,0:16:07.47,0:16:11.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whatever the hell you can, the odds be damned.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:11.05,0:16:14.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then I saw the obvious link, because even we liberals
Dialogue: 0,0:16:14.89,0:16:17.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,love this country.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:17.15,0:16:20.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:16:20.12,0:16:22.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so when the pundits and the politicians
Dialogue: 0,0:16:22.38,0:16:24.69,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,say that change is impossible,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:24.69,0:16:27.75,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what this love of country says back is,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:27.75,0:16:30.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"That's just irrelevant."
Dialogue: 0,0:16:30.49,0:16:32.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We lose something dear,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:32.53,0:16:35.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,something everyone in this room loves and cherishes,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:35.73,0:16:39.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,if we lose this republic, and so we act
Dialogue: 0,0:16:39.68,0:16:44.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with everything we can to prove these pundits wrong.
Dialogue: 0,0:16:44.98,0:16:47.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So here's my question:
Dialogue: 0,0:16:47.41,0:16:52.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you have that love?
Dialogue: 0,0:16:52.02,0:16:54.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Do you have that love?
Dialogue: 0,0:16:54.85,0:16:56.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Because if you do,
Dialogue: 0,0:16:56.53,0:17:01.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,then what the hell are you, what are the hell are we doing?
Dialogue: 0,0:17:01.92,0:17:06.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When Ben Franklin was carried from the constitutional convention
Dialogue: 0,0:17:06.46,0:17:10.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in September of 1787, he was stopped in the street by a woman who said,
Dialogue: 0,0:17:10.47,0:17:13.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,"Mr. Franklin, what have you wrought?"
Dialogue: 0,0:17:13.92,0:17:21.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Franklin said, "A republic, madam, if you can keep it."
Dialogue: 0,0:17:21.68,0:17:26.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A republic. A representative democracy.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:26.58,0:17:33.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A government dependent upon the people alone.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:33.79,0:17:38.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have lost that republic.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:38.38,0:17:42.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All of us have to act to get it back.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:42.73,0:17:44.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you very much.
Dialogue: 0,0:17:44.37,0:17:50.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:17:50.42,0:18:01.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. (Applause)