Lawrence Lessig, Champion of Electoral Reform, Drops Bid for President

[eridani]

Actually, I think that wanting to use presidential debates as a public forum should only be allowed to those candidates with actual campaign organizations.

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/11/02/lawrence-lessig-champion-electoral-reform-drops-bid-president

Harvard professor Lawrence Lessig announced Monday that he was dropping his bid for the Democratic nomination because the party effectively "shut him out."

Lessig's campaign, which launched in early September, primarily focused on campaign finance reform and the failed electoral process.

In a video message posted to his campaign website, Lessig said that he was forced to drop out of the race because new Democratic Party rules excluded him from taking part in the upcoming debate.

"From the start it was clear that getting into the Democratic debates was the essential step to this campaign," he stated. However, under new inclusion rules announced last week "unless we can time travel there is no way I can qualify," Lessig said. "Under the new rule I am just shut out."

[Hortensis]

1. Eridani, I certainly wouldn't want GOP-type frivolous, self-aggrandizing

candidates messing up our elections either. That said, I do really wish Professor Lessig had been allowed into the debates to lay his one-issue platform before the electorate. There is nothing frivolous, after all, about our desperate need for campaign finance reform.

To save Democracy.

[eridani]

2. I agree that his signature issue is really important

But actual candidates have organizers, and some plan for GOTV.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

3. He'd gotten up to the 1% 'cutoff' the DNC required.

Then DWS changed the rules to keep him out of the debates, because he'd be yet another lefty pushing Clinton places she didn't want to go, defending unsavory economic policies and actions that people don't like.

[nc4bo]

4. And what a humongous lefty issue it is!

The stench of corruption kept hidden in plain sight.

[Bucky]

5. It was always a silly gimmick... running for president in order to resign from the job

As important as the issue of campaign finance reform is, let's leave the "performance art" candidacies to the Republicans.

Lessig should join the WolfPAC team.

[aidbo]

6. He walked that back later, but too late the damage was done.

Still, the DNC told him the rules, he met them and was denied.



Unfair to him, and unfair to the people who helped put him in that position.

[WillyT]

7. Did You Catch THIS:

DULink: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251759196

[eridani]

9. Now I did. Hadn't realized how much DNC was screwing around with the rules n/t

[WillyT]

11. Yep... DWS And Her Cronies...

[Cosmic Kitten]

8. K&R The DNC is corrupt to the core

The DNC is a corrupt den of 3rd Way cronies

[tritsofme]

10. To his dozens of supporters, he will be missed.