Tweedism: Why Democracy And Money Don't Mix
We already know that democracy as we know it simply doesn't work. We also know that concentration of money and power doesn't bode well for a functioning democracy, but how exactly does money influence the democratic process? Enter Lawrence Lessig, as he explains what Tweedism is.
source: Wikimedia CommonsWilliam M. Tweed: "As long as I count the Votes, what are you going to do about it? Say?"
This short post is kind of a follow-up on my previous article "Myths Of Our Economy: You Live In A Democracy", so if you haven't read that yet, please do :-) I'll leave the more elaborate explanation with Larry Lessig in the video at the end of this post, but in short Tweedism is the procedure by which a very small group of the population get to nominate the candidates in any election. "I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating" is a famous quote by William M. Tweed who invented this anti-democratic process.
To find out how just 0.02% of the American population decides who the rest of us get to vote on, and to hear his solution to fix this, listen carefully to Larry Lessig's TED talk titled "Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it."
I hope you don't mind too much the shorter post today; you all, my fellow Steemians, followers and readers are the ones that keep me inspired to write these posts; sharing our thoughts and opinions is what keeps Steemit interesting and also what democracy is really about. But, like I said once before: time and circumstances don't always permit the long format I much prefer, and you have come accustomed to. From now on I'll leave a short list of my latest articles in the tail of my blog-posts to keep you entertained (hopefully) until my next article. I got this tip from @movingman, who has a great blog about true independence. Go check him out!
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quick question, are you an american? do you mean Republic and maybe rephrase to a republic/democracy due to the electoral college? some info might be missing, thought i might add that to the mix here ... not in argument but for clarity. this is an ongoing debate for awhile and since i was a political science major, this is of interest. i am very up on politics and whats going on in the world so at least imo its important to put clear info out ... hopefully, you agree. :)
PS. sounds like Lessing is "agreeing" the deep state are the ones deciding on what Americans vote on ... that i would agree with. LOL
Nope not American: born in South America, living in The Netherlands :-) Thanks for adding that info, @eaglespirit. But I must be honest and say that I don't really see how that changes anything Larry has to say in the video about democracy. America isn't the only country where politics is ruled by economics; this is a world wide phenomenon. It would be like having something to say about the democracy in The Netherlands and forgetting to mention that we're actually still a Kingdom...
Or did you mean something completely different? If I'm missing something, please don't hesitate to teach me and others who might be reading this!
And yes, I do agree that putting out clear info is important, something the mainstream media seems to have forgotten ;-)
The Title as well as the Video can be misleading. The USA is a country based on a Republic ultimately not a Democracy. I added the argument as some do, so I am stating it is important since facts are important. We see too much of what people say and do as "fake news." That is because many of the social media, news are bought off including professors from Harvard.
There are many Americans that are very tired of false information being spread about this country. I added the term Shadow Government because that would be that small percentage that is thrown around and yes they do "own" most of the world and make decisions for all of us. I say all because most of us are from the families of those select few. I also add that economics is not really what is going on here, it is about control and that is in many forms, yet only a small portion of it as well as politics. Do you know who that small percentage is? Do you know who I am speaking of when I mention Shadow Gvt? Democracy and Kingdom are two separate things and how things are ruled. Yes mainstream is totally out there and on their way out. Doing research is very important.
This is why the difference of Republic and Democracy is an important difference to Americans: http://www.thisnation.com/question/011.html
The YT you posted was from 2 years ago, Americans voted to get rid of that .02 by what we call "cleaning the swamp," maybe you have heard about it? Things are changing in our country and it's about time. The Shadow gvt is falling ... maybe more read about that?
There is a lot more going on since 2015, and this guy after listening to him is a sellout.
I'm still in the dark here @eaglespirit, to what difference between Republic and Democracy you're referring to. For all intents and purposes the Republic is a representative democracy in which a group of "wise men" is elected who select or nominate between them the candidate(s) for the presidency, like almost all democracies in the world. All of them I know of also are accompanied by a constitution in which the minorities are protected against the "Dictatorship by the Majority". It's that way in The Netherlands, in Britain, in Germany and in the U.S.
Maybe I would understand better if you explain to me why you think Lessig is a shill. Like I said to @passion-ground, I disagree with Lessig on the "solutions" he offers, but his explanation of the reality of the plutocracy is crystal clear and applicable, in varying degrees, to all democracies I know of.
well, here's the thing maybe its a difference of you not being an American? I have no idea why it isn't clicking, but when it doesn't it just doesn't. I explained it with research and spent time trying to explain. i never used the word Shrill. it's better we just state we agree to disagree, although it does appear we do agree with Lessig's "solutions." so if at all that in of itself is the bottom line and most important out of the presentation.
let me emphasize that so much HAS happened since 2015 and that video, having a new prez that is making huge changes. this is american politics at the core and what is going on behind closed doors. things that those outside of the country really do not know about. even those here have no idea or refuse to see. thus the term "those awakening." the lies are endless, i guess what i'm also stating is this is old news and a country based on economics as was the theory is changing. bankers, big business, men just out for money ... slavery. it gets deep. is this worldwide and interconnected, yes!
You didn't use the word "shill", you used the word "sellout", I stand corrected :-)
We agree on that to.
What we must respectfully disagree on is, I guess, that much has changed since Trump's election. As far as I, from the outside, can see is that "the swamp" is alive and kicking. His secretary of the Treasury (the most powerful position), for example, is an ex Goldman Sachs partner during the period that led to the 2008 economic disasters. Steven Mnuchin specialized in hedge-fund management, his profession was betting with other people's money, not the skills I would want for the person who is supposed to guard the treasury.
But... That's only what I can distill from the little news I follow and I certainly don't follow all of it, so I'm grateful for your additions and responses from within "the belly of the beast", so to speak :-) Maybe Trump will surprise the world yet, I surely do hope so. <3
yes a lot more going on than that, and who better than to "guard" the money as you say then someone who knows how to invest. he didn't steal the money like so many others. yes, as far i guess as you have seen and maybe watch there isn't much. however, from my perspective so many things are happening. firings, resignations, and many who are being busted for child porn/slavery, the thing is coming down. most of which does not hit mainstream media but underground media. most of us laugh at what people actually watch. those that are awake and aware understand that this thing as in the system is going down. the one as we know it including "economics." but only to rebuild again. we are in the right place.
I've been a former fan of Lawrence from many years back... Needless to say, he's come up short in delivering the goods... Not his fault per se, but a disappointment nonetheless... The "root" as it were, is no longer palpable as a target for striking in terms of Mr. Lessig's efforts, valiant as they may be...
Thanks for stopping by @passion-ground always honored to have a fellow Pilger-fan in my house :-)
Well, I can't really be disappointed because I never believed in his solution, at least not like he proposes in the video; I've only seen 1 other speech by him on this same subject, and that's the extent of my acquaintance with Larry Lessig...
This video is such a must watch... fark...
edit:
im summoning some love...
Thanks @meno! You're awesome! :-)
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