Monday, February 8, 2010

Nick Gillespie debates Lawrence Lessig

My friend Dr. Ralph, of The Journal Of Post-Ralphaelite Thought, has long been the agent provocateur of this site, and he does his job well. Especially for someone whose job it is to be WRONG WRONG WRONG on almost all economic issues.
Dr. Ralph admires Harvard University's Lawrence Lessig.

I'm a huge fan of Reason magazine's Nick Gillespie. I have a black leather jacket that's almost identical to the one Gillespie wears to all his video and TV appearances, and my political opinions are almost identical to Gillespie's, but I have much less hair.

Lessig and Gillespie debate The Supreme Court's recent Citizens United ruling here. Bill Moyers is the moderator.

Enjoy.

1 comment:

Dr Ralph said...

Interesting post - indeed I'm a fan of Larry Lessig, at least on issues around copyright and intellectual property rights reform. I read the transcription rather than watching the clip, so I missed The Jacket.

I confess, having spent a decade in advertising I have a rather jaded view of corporate Free Speech. If a corporation is, as Gillespie says, an association of individuals, they have now essentially been given the chance to speak twice to my (and your) once, since they can speak corporately and individually.

Also, if you or I can't be heard over the volume of the corporation's money has our speech been silenced? And are you okay with that?

Thanks for the shout out - it's an ugly job but somebody has to do it.