S4E22: How Dark Money Controls Our Elections - It's Not "Citizens United"

History Behind News Program

"I don't care who does the electing, as long as I do the nominating!" William M. Tweed (1823-78), New York political boss of Tammany Hall. Story of how billionaires determine our voting choices. Big money has replaced the power of 19th century party bosses. In this interview, my guest explains how dark money controls our elections and how big money is responsible for institutional corruption in America. But contrary to popular belief, the story of dark money and Super PACs doesn't really originate with the 2010 "Citizens United" Supreme Court decision.

***** 🚩About My Guest:

Prof. Lawrence Lessig⁠ is a professor of of Law and Leadership at Harvard Law School. He is the founder of Equal Citizens and a founding board member of Creative Commons. He is the recipient of many awards and was once cited by The New Yorker magazine as “the most important thinker on intellectual property in the Internet era.”

Prof. Lessig has also published extensively, including the following books:

1. They Don’t Represent Us: Reclaiming Our Democracy,
2. Fidelity & Constraint: How the Supreme Court Has Read the American Constitution,
3. The USA is Lesterland: The Nature of Congressional Corruption, and
4. Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress—and a Plan to Stop It.

***** History of the Republican Party:

Here is my interview with Prof. Joel Paul about the origins of the Republican and Democratic parties and how and when they switch their platforms.

***** History of American Conservatism: Here is my interview with Dr. Allan Lichtman regarding how conservative ideology and politics have changed in American politics. He also answers this question: is Trump a conservative?

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***** I hope you enjoy these episodes. Thank you for listening and thanks for your support of our program.

Adel

Host of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠History Behind News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast

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