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So here's the drat deal: I work with Prof. Lawrence Lessig at the Mayday PAC. It's a SuperPAC that is dedicated to reducing the influence of money in politics, by raising a poo poo-ton of money. "Embrace the irony." Here's a Wired Magazine article on it: This Harvard Professor Wants Your Help to Take Over the Government http://www.wired.com/2014/05/lawrence-lessig/ And here's a video of a speech he gave in New York yesterday: http://fora.tv/2014/05/13/the_politics_of_innovation Anyway, back to the Mayday PAC. We set two goals: First, we'd raise $1M in 30 days in the month of May using an all-or-nothing "kickstarter-like" crowdfunding site. That site is https://www.mayone.us. Once again: https://www.mayone.us We hit a million in the first 13 days. Over 11,700 people gave an average of $87 in order to hit that goal. So, what does this have to do with some guy in Something Awful who just bought a forum account for the first time ever and is probably making an rear end of himself by saying "Visit my site, pleeeeeeease?" I'm trying to come up with ways that we can get the word out about the PAC, why we need to reform our corrupt campaign finance system, why we need money to do it - in short, I'm coming to Something Awful because if someone's going to come up with a crazy-rear end plan that'd actually help with convincing Americans to cough up $5M in 30 days in June, they're going to be here. Asking for your help. -- Brian Boyko Right now, my plans kinda suck. Like trying to buy the L.A. Clippers for $1.00 (if nobody else bids, Sterling HAS to sell, right?) and renaming them the "L.A. Campaign Finance Reform Advocates." Look, it's a cause I feel strongly about.
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May 15, 2014 08:00
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If you could've bothered to lurk enough to figure poo poo out around here, you would not have made this post.
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May 15, 2014 08:04
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Most US posters here are also pretty unhappy with living in an oligarchy but what is this going to accomplish. A single billionaire will easily be able to outspend any populist superpac not to mention a group of them. The 1% control 50% of the wealth, you literally could not outspend them even if you could rally the remaining 99% behind you (you can't). Edit: Yeah, this post is also a pretty bad idea.
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May 15, 2014 08:07
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Hi Democrats, please stop co-opting socialist holidays like May Day, you guys have your own stupid milquetoast labor day to pretend like you didn't gently caress over the working class in this country. This poo poo has next to nothing to do with labor anyways, the Democrats outspent the Republicans in 2008 and 2012. The parties aren't terribly different economically, if you actually widen your discourse even slightly further than the gun slit narrow Overton window currently perpetuated by the media. e: The more I think about this and the more I read about it the madder I'm getting. poo poo, if you had spent more time on actually educating yourself about what the gently caress is actually wrong with this country and why your little PAC spending $10million to elect some Democrats is like trying to empty the ocean with a tablespoon than on your snazzy flash transitions, you would have realized why this thread is going to go over pretty horribly in this forum. To do what you guys want to do, you're going to need at least 100 times as much money to create your own political party from the ground up. There is no way either a Democrat or Republican lead government is going to pass significant enough amount of campaign finance reform to actually matter, because with recent court rulings it might take a constitutional amendment to enact. And it isn't going to happen in 2 years, more like 15-20 if you're incredibly good at what you are doing. Christ. This is what comes out of Harvard? How loving sheltered are you guys if you're this naive? rscott fucked around with this message at 08:48 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 08:20
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A strong platform, a charismatic leader, a plan to build the kind of institutions that generate new politicians that are rooted and answerable to them. Those are interesting and could work eventually. If your pitch is "lets raise a lot of money to counter the rich and corporations money" then its not going to work because they, by definition, have more money than you and they also have social/cultural benefits granted to them by that money that you don't have (politicians didnt go to the same schools as you, they dont operate in the same social circles, they didnt have the same kinds of career. all of those are really powerful forms of social influence that just a pile of money cant buy you).
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May 15, 2014 08:49
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Liberal Professor discovers ONE WEIRD TRICK to wresting power from the ruling class. Socialists hate him! Can you think of any social struggles that were won this way, by trying to outspend the rich, rather than with protests, strikes and riots? Why buy into their ideology at all and pretend you can fix the broken system using the broken system?
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May 15, 2014 09:18
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Come up with an original idea: American People Hire High-Powered Lobbyist To Push Interests In Congress
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May 15, 2014 09:43
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Okay, rough landing. 1) Most billionaires who participate in this crony capitalist system are more interested in preserving their own industry's monopoly than in preserving the actual system of corruption. Sheldon Adelson could outspend, if he wanted to, twice as much as we will in 2014 simply to defeat the candidates we like. But he's not going to because, quite frankly, he's not interested in defeating campaign finance reform, he just wants favors for his casinos. So he'll spend his millions on killing online poker, while we strike at the root of the problem. 2) I didn't come up with the name "Mayday." And it's "mayday" as in the ship is sinking, not the socialist one. And honestly, if I was in the room when names were being considered, I'd have raised hell. > (politicians didnt go to the same schools as you, they dont operate in the same social circles, they didnt have the same kinds of career. 3) Well, for one, we're being led by a professor of law at Harvard. But you're right. It's not like President Obama is a law professor... oh, wait. He is. Well, he's not a law professor at Harvard. He was a law professor at the University of Chicago. He only got his *law degree* at Harvard. Completely different worlds there. Me, I got my undergrad from Rutgers (a public university) and my M.A. from University of Texas (another public university) so... yeah. 4) I could be wrong. I could totally and utterly be wrong. But the way I see it, this may be the last big gasp of trying to work within the system we have to fix it before I start investing in companies that make canned goods and shotguns. I get the cynicism. But even if it's futile, I'm still going to try anyway. And I guarantee you that if everyone who sneered sarcastically at me and said "yeah, buddy, good luck with that," when I talked about getting money out of politics actually got off their rear end and did something about it, this would be a problem solved quickly. 5) Maybe to fix *everything* we need a constitutional amendment. But we could pass statutory reforms now that would allow politicians to break the fundraising corruption cycle and opt-into a system where they raise funds from the people. They tried it on the state level in Connecticut, and 78% of politicians opted in. I'm not saying I have THE solution. I'm saying that I'm trying A solution. And if you can't see how trying A solution is better than trying NO solution, then whatever man, don't come crying to me.
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May 15, 2014 09:58
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Regarding #1, do you believe people like Adelson who want favors for their industry will allow someone to remove their ability to get those favors? That sounds like an existential threat to capitalists, and something for which they'd be willing to spend as much as they needed to spend. And yes, it is one potential solution, but unfortunately people with limited resources can only contribute to a finite number of potential solutions. Why should I think this is a better use of my time and money than, say, strike funds and community centers or organizing protests and boycotts? By the way, "Opportunity" is misspelled on your website. Edit: If it feels like everyone jumped you it's not because your ideas/policies are no good, but because of how you laid out (or didn't lay out) a real argument. It felt less like the prelude to a discussion than a announcement of your wonderful idea. Usually people try to anticipate simple arguments and objections and address those concerns within their initial post. Another simple, predictable argument: the people who want this policy are the people who can't donate, and the people who can donate don't want it. Obviously you'll have an exception here or there but data consistently shows very strong correlation between wealth and political alignment. OwlBot 2000 fucked around with this message at 10:19 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 10:04
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Boy, this sure sounds great! Let's show those rich assholes, oh wait I'm a 25 year old living with his parents working part-time as a dishwasher making $6.04 after taxes. Looks like your revolution is over.
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May 15, 2014 10:37
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Also, everybody's jumping on him because he's advertising. He's not interested in a discussion or a debate, he wants to sell a product.
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May 15, 2014 10:41
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Stephen Colbert had this idea, only it was funny.
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May 15, 2014 10:41
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brianboyko posted:4) I could be wrong. I could totally and utterly be wrong. But the way I see it, this may be the last big gasp of trying to work within the system we have to fix it before I start investing in companies that make canned goods and shotguns. I get the cynicism. But even if it's futile, I'm still going to try anyway. And it's not a matter of needing a constitutional amendment to fix everything, it's a matter of needing it to fix anything, or SCOTUS will overrule it. At least for the reforms that aren't milquetoast tax credits. However, I see from reform.to that one "Republican" bill has already died an ignominious death and the other is a blog post, so despite the patina of bipartisanship you're also going to need a Democratic majority to get any federal law-changing done for even the basics. Best of luck with that! Elotana fucked around with this message at 11:04 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 10:46
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I understand the feeling that doing anything is better than nothing, but don't forget that the money you're raising isn't from some Billionaire's fun money account. It's important that you get results and on the face of it, it doesn't look like you have much of a real plan. I do think there's viable strategies, but I don't think a SuperPAC for regular people is going to work. The average donation was $87, right? I don't know about other states but in Arizona, a $5 donation can go a long way towards triggering public funding for a campaign. For that much money you could donate $5 to every person running. If all 11,000 of your donors were from AZ, you'd be able to trigger public finance for both parties, something I'm not actually opposed to. http://www.azcleanelections.gov/candidates/for-candidates/running-for-office.aspx Your website looks like it's focusing on national elections. I'd be more willing to contribute if it were geared towards getting every state on a public funding model. That's a viable goal. Edit: Do we have an active local politics thread? I might start one if people are interested, I'd love to talk about canvassing and precinct committee election stuff. Dr. Arbitrary fucked around with this message at 11:06 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 11:01
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Can I just say, not knowing who the gently caress he is, that this might be genuine and deserving of a less cynical attitude over the one has developed? The left tears itself apart the second one among them tries to speak. The concept seems a bit absurd, but for christ sake, give the poor bastard the benefit of the doubt at least. If nothing else, he seems to be at least trying to do something. Must we jump on every person who doesn't do something that is instantly the solution to everything? gently caress, at least let the guy get his point across before twenty of you dogpile him. Personally, I agree with point 4 to some extent. I think right now we are on the cusp of another historic turn involving Russia. This will be a prime opportunity to evaluate how we in the West address an aggressive Russia. Do we tilt towards our on paper dichtoms about freedom of representation, or do we wilt and resort to a 2 party version of dictatorship, where there are merely two differing versions of hell and we are made to choose between the two? I feel this is a generational question, and the first who will be made to answer it are the citizens of Ukraine. Will they be able to resist Russia, or are we to see little green men sprouting in other countries? I feel that is the fundamental question that is not being asked. If Putin succeeds, what is his definition of success? Sevestapol? Donetsk? Kyiv? There is one man who knows, and he isn't interested in talk, nor has he ever been. George W. Bush claimed to have saw into his soul and saw someone he could he reason with. George W. Bush is a dry drunk moron and this only proves that sentiment true. Anyone who could talk to Putin and trust a word he says at face value is a fool. I used to hold it against myself that he got reelected, until I came to grips with living in a country of morons. Vodka made me depressed about it, but whiskey made me laugh about it. What i'm saying is Jack daniels 2016 ya'll. Be honest, it's the only thing that'll make it remotely tolerable as Hillary sells some more neo liberal bullshit to the masses while dragging reality, kicking and screaming, farther right so she can appear progressive by not saying outright that those militant groups in the south are just helpin law enforcement keep looting down as the economy collapses due to, I dunno, 10 ft rising of the sea level because of melting polar ice. Sure that won't cause any problems in the near future, no everything looks just fine. I have a 2 year old daughter who gets to inherit this world we are ruining and seemingly nobody gives a poo poo. Disheartening doesn't even begin to describe it. E: Step one to American Politics "I have money now" Step two "Don't do something stupid with it. Invest in resources, on the ground campaigns that have a chance of winning, insurgents who are close to you in msg. DON'T SQUANDER THIS CHANCE" cucka fucked around with this message at 11:30 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 11:26
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cucka posted:Can I just say, not knowing who the gently caress he is, that this might be genuine and deserving of a less cynical attitude over the one has developed? The left tears itself apart the second one among them tries to speak. This guy isn't the left. He's a liberal who apparently has never bothered to look beyond ~money in politics~ , and even then it appears to be a cynical attempt at fundraising because this forum is just chock-full of Democrats, guys, let me tell you.  ,-- Brian Boyko
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May 15, 2014 12:02
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cucka posted:Can I just say, not knowing who the gently caress he is, that this might be genuine and deserving of a less cynical attitude over the one has developed? The left tears itself apart the second one among them tries to speak. Beaten but if this guy was a leftist instead of an idiot pretend academic "hacking democracy" he'd be working instead of engaging in a cargo cult imitation of work. e: everything about this demands to be taken seriously  e2: everything 
woke wedding drone fucked around with this message at 12:24 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 12:18
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SedanChair posted:Beaten but if this guy was a leftist instead of an idiot pretend academic "hacking democracy" he'd be working instead of engaging in a cargo cult imitation of work. ahahahahhahahahahhahah oh my loving Christ
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May 15, 2014 12:34
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SedanChair posted:Beaten but if this guy was a leftist instead of an idiot pretend academic "hacking democracy" he'd be working instead of engaging in a cargo cult imitation of work. Hahaha 
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May 15, 2014 12:41
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May 15, 2014 12:43
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cucka posted:Personally, I agree with point 4 to some extent. I think right now we are on the cusp of another historic turn involving Russia. This will be a prime opportunity to evaluate how we in the West address an aggressive Russia. Do we tilt towards our on paper dichtoms about freedom of representation, or do we wilt and resort to a 2 party version of dictatorship, where there are merely two differing versions of hell and we are made to choose between the two? Of course one issue is in the US, very few people have any idea what is going on in Russia or even less know how it came about. We simply don't have the intellectual tools left to deal with Putin beyond a kneejerk. Ultimately, nothing will be solved in the US until the pieces of what the hell is going are actually put together, and that is pretty much impossible because of our educational system (even at the highest levels) and our media. If you have no competent scholars of Russian history and contemporary politics, isn't a surprise no one knows poo poo about Russia or how to deal with it and competent study of our own economic and political structure has the same issue. Nothing will change because the asymmetry of information isn't likely to change.
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May 15, 2014 12:43
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brianboyko posted:So, what does this have to do with some guy in Something Awful who just bought a forum account for the first time ever and is probably making an rear end of himself by saying "Visit my site, pleeeeeeease?" ___________________________/ 
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May 15, 2014 12:48
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May 15, 2014 12:55
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D&D just stumbled onto an accidental goldmine, I think.
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May 15, 2014 13:00
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 Edit: Follow up to this? 
CheesyDog fucked around with this message at 13:07 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 13:03
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I dare you to watch all of this without closing the window or slamming your laptop closed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_trB--3twOk
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May 15, 2014 13:06
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May 15, 2014 13:09
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SedanChair posted:I dare you to watch all of this without closing the window or slamming your laptop closed Oof, that's hitting below the belt there Sedanchair.
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May 15, 2014 13:10
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May 15, 2014 13:14
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May 15, 2014 13:17
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has anyone said buttcoin yet
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May 15, 2014 13:24
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has anyone said miniplushtwilightsparklecoin yet
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May 15, 2014 13:25
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Vulich the Subtle posted:has anyone said buttcoin yet Yeah, but it is up to you to read that article then report back.
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May 15, 2014 13:36
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brianboyko posted:Okay, rough landing. You can take your smug liberal superiority and shove it dude. I'm trying to organize a union in a right to work/at-will employment state. I understand the possibility of failure and would be far less insulated it from it than your pasty white rear end. So don't sneer at me while you blithely go about this harebrained scheme when it's patently obvious that you have no idea how large the scope of the problem you are trying to solve is. You have no idea how much institutional inertia there is in favor of private campaign finance. Any law that would meaningfully restrict the ability to of private donors to donate to campaigns would be challenged and deemed unconstitutional after the Citizen's United decision. The trend so far in the Roberts court is to allow MORE money in elections, not less. OK so let's pretend that we live in la la fantasy land and that isn't actually case, and that somehow a democratic majority in both house and the executive would pass some sort of meaningful reform law. There is no loving way you are going to get that majority in 2016. Like, it's objectively impossible. Republicans have redrawn congressional districts in states where they control state legislatures and ensured themselves a majority in the House until demographic changes overcome their gerrymandering. This is why in 2012, despite more votes being cast for democratic candidates in the House elections, there is a fairly significant majority for Republicans in that chamber. One can hope to speed along these demographic changes by increasing the voting percentage in under represented demographics which tend to lean democratic, but overcoming the long term game the right is playing is not something that is going to be overcome with mere $10s of millions of dollars and one electoral cycle. Let's pretend that none of the efforts of the lobbyists and every ancillary industry that relies on the vast sums of money spent on elections and campaigns wouldn't leverage their power to prevent a meaningful law from being enacted. Then what? What is your actual plan besides, "take money out of politics!!!"? poo poo is empty nonsense. You aren't doomed to failure because nothing will work, you're doomed to failure because you're a loving moron. e: ahahahahaha oh man this thread is going places 
rscott fucked around with this message at 13:46 on May 15, 2014 |
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May 15, 2014 13:44
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something has gone horribly wrong with this project
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May 15, 2014 14:02
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You goofed, boy.
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May 15, 2014 14:03
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D&D: No change except a revolution because everything else is somehow too much  .  That said, I think your project needs a new figurehead OP.
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May 15, 2014 14:11
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Asking the left to employ right wing tactics by asking for lots of money to influence politics? You'd be better off using tactics that actually work, like selling us gold vouchers and male stimulants.
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May 15, 2014 14:19
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Brian Boyko what's the extent of your "working with" Lessig? Have you ever met him or had a conversation with him?
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May 15, 2014 14:24
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the buttcoin article isn't too bad because it's literally "since bitcoin is good how bad must our system be" the article is obviously wrong because it assumes bitcoin is good, but at least it's not saying bitcoin will save us. I'm also reporting from the grave because I read a sincere article on cryptocurrency.
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May 15, 2014 14:25
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