It’s said that history inevitably marches toward democracy, but it only leaves the possibility of democracy, and the constant threat that it would be eroded by big money. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
Quid pro quo has an interesting history. It’s originally a contract law term, not a criminal bribery term. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
I propose a full day of live one-on-one debates on unannounced issues, with no aides to help or reply. Each candidate would be paired with another candidate for seven 60-minute sessions. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
The Internet doesn’t just enable cool avatars and the shorter form. It also allows the deeper form: cross-linked blog posts, extensive research, simultaneous screens and raw debate footage that anyone can scan online, at any time. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
The structure of private campaign finance has essentially pre-corrupted our politicians, so that they can’t even recognize explicit bribery because it feels the same as what they do every day. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
Facebook and Google are essentially an advertising duopoly, and we have almost no idea how their algorithms work. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
The corruption that hides in plain sight is the real threat to our democracy. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
Politicians are expected to spend half their time talking to funders and to keep them happy. Given this context, it’s not hard to see how a bribery charge can feel like a technical argument instead of a moral one. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
My first job out of law school was representing people on death row in North Carolina, where I often saw the impact of hasty prosecutions. Zephyr Teachout Read Quote
