Lawrence Lessig: Anarchy Freedom

Lawrence Lessig Money Quote saying that we must own our creative rights and the things we create should be compensated for freedom to exist. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“A culture without property, or in which creators can’t get paid, is anarchy, not freedom” — Lawrence Lessig

Lawrence Lessig’s quote is saying a lack of compensation for creative works can lead to anarchy because it undermines the incentive for creators to produce new content.

Without financial rewards, creators may be less motivated to invest time and effort into producing high-quality content, leading to a lack of new content and a devaluation of the cultural commons.

This can ultimately lead to a breakdown of the social contract that underlies the creation and dissemination of cultural works, resulting in anarchy.

Lawerence Lessig: Funders of Campaigns

Lawrence Lessig Money Quote saying government lobbyists and businesses that employ them are determining how laws are written, which benefits them, not the public. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“Our government is held hostage by the funders of campaigns. And those funders don’t spend their money to get good public policy. They spend their money to get public policy that pays them” — Lawrence Lessig

Funders of campaigns, such as government lobbyists and businesses, can influence public policy to benefit themselves rather than the public. Some examples of public policies that may have been shaped by funders’ interests rather than the public’s needs include:

• Laws that favor certain industries or corporations over others, such as tax breaks or subsidies.
• Regulations that are weaker or less enforced than they should be, allowing companies to operate with less oversight.
• Policies that prioritize the interests of the wealthy and powerful over those of the general public, such as tax cuts for the rich or reductions in social welfare programs.

It’s important to note that these are just a few examples, and there may be many other instances where public policy has been shaped by funders’ interests rather than the public’s needs.

Lawrence Lessig: Innovators Earn Success

Lawrence Lessig Money Quote saying Entrepreneurs don’t succeed because they paid lobbyists to secure subsidies or tax shelters, but by earning it. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“Entrepreneurs succeed by working harder. By competing better. By creating more. They succeeded by innovating, not by hiring lobbyists to get them a special tax favor. Not by paying Congressmen to get a special subsidy. Not by begging Congress for corporate welfare, but by making money the old fashioned way: by earning it” — Lawrence Lessig

Lessig emphasizes the importance of innovation over hiring lobbyists or paying Congressmen because he believes that entrepreneurs succeed by earning their success through hard work, competition, and creation, rather than relying on special favors or tax breaks.

He values the old-fashioned way of earning money through innovation and competition, rather than through political influence and corporate welfare.

Lawrence Lessig: U.S. Gov Purchased Policy

Lawrence Lessig Money Quote saying American politics is ruled by special interest groups donations to campaigns. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“America’s government has been bought. But not by us. Not by the American people. America’s government has been bought by the cronies and special interests” — Lawrence Lessig

This quote suggests Lawrence Lessig believes that the government of the United States has been influenced and controlled by special interest groups and wealthy donors, rather than the general population. He is implying that the government has been “bought” by these interests, rather than being responsive to the needs and desires of the people

Lawrence Lessig: Government Bought

Lawrence Lessig Money Quotation saying American politicians have been paid for by corporations and the wealthy to get richer. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“America’s government has been bought not by those who care about America, but by those who want to use our government to get rich” — Lawrence Lessig

Based on the quote from Lawrence Lessig, the best interpretation is that the government of America has been influenced and controlled by individuals and groups who prioritize their own wealth and power over the well-being of the country and its citizens. This implies that the government is not serving the public interest, but rather the interests of the wealthy and powerful

Lawrence Lessig: $10 Billion Difference

Lawrence Lessig Money Quotation saying Donald Trump’s net worth isn’t a solution to money in politics instead of representative democracy. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“The difference between Donald Trump and me — well, there’s $10 billion in difference, at least — but in addition to $10 billion, the difference is that Donald Trump’s solution is that we elect billionaires” — Lawrence Lessig

In the context of the quote, the $10 billion difference between Lawrence Lessig and Donald Trump’s net worth highlights the vast disparity in their wealth and the different solutions they propose to address the issue of money in politics.

While Trump’s solution is to elect billionaires, Lessig’s solution is not based on accumulating wealth but rather on representative democracy.

Lawrence Lessig: We Have A Green Primary

Lawrence Lessig Money Quotation saying those who fund the campaigns are acting as decision-makers for the country by choosing those we can pick from. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“We have a green primary. We have a primary where those who fund campaigns get to pick the candidates that the rest of us get to vote among” — Lawrence Lessig

Based on the quote, the best interpretation is that Lawrence Lessig is suggesting that the primary elections are influenced by those who fund the campaigns, and that the candidates are chosen by the funders rather than the general public. He is implying that the funders have a significant amount of power and influence over the political process.

Lawrence Lessig on Two $tage Democracy

Lawrence Lessig Money Quotation saying our leaders today are chosen by a miniscule percentage or the wealthiest citizens. Lawrence Lessig said:
 

 

“We’ve built a democracy wherein a tiny tiny fraction of the one percent dominate… and a consequence of this is a democracy responsive to the funders only” — Lawrence Lessig

The phrase “funders only democracy” suggests that the political system is only responsive to the wealthiest citizens, leaving the average citizen with limited influence. This can lead to policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the majority, widening the wealth gap and limiting opportunities for social mobility. It can also lead to a lack of representation for marginalized communities and a lack of accountability for those in power.

Steve Sack, The Minneapolis Star Tribune