Zephyr Teachout

Yeah, and I'll just repeat, I guess, what I said before, which is I think we focused on the wrong kind of corruption, right? So that what you want is systems... where there are lots of contractors and there is competitive bidding. So it actually really matters that there's lots of contractors. That's an anti-monopoly issue, by the way.

Yeah, and I'll just repeat, I guess, what I said before, which is I think we focused on the wrong kind of corruption, right? So that what you want is systems... where there are lots of contractors and there is competitive bidding. So it actually really matters that there's lots of contractors. That's an anti-monopoly issue, by the way.

And then when you have those lots of contractors, and then you want systems that don't reward inside deals, like campaign finance deals, But I think that we've thought we can root out corruption by doing micro-checklists as opposed to looking at structures and systems.

And then when you have those lots of contractors, and then you want systems that don't reward inside deals, like campaign finance deals, But I think that we've thought we can root out corruption by doing micro-checklists as opposed to looking at structures and systems.

And that we should look at structures and systems of power as the big defenses against corrupt systems as opposed to the checklists. We need some checklists, by the way. Yeah, you can't have no rules. Right. You can't have no rules. And I do think that there's some innovative things happening with procurement. But as I understand, there is a real issue with only a few suppliers.

And that we should look at structures and systems of power as the big defenses against corrupt systems as opposed to the checklists. We need some checklists, by the way. Yeah, you can't have no rules. Right. You can't have no rules. And I do think that there's some innovative things happening with procurement. But as I understand, there is a real issue with only a few suppliers.

That's one of the big corruption risks that we don't deal with through checklist compliance. You deal with through making sure there's more suppliers.

That's one of the big corruption risks that we don't deal with through checklist compliance. You deal with through making sure there's more suppliers.

But to me, there's just something staring us in the face about why politicians aren't mission-driven. And it is money in politics. So you probably are familiar with the oligarchy study. It's now, I think, 10 years old, and it's only gotten worse, that wealthy people, there is real responsiveness here.

But to me, there's just something staring us in the face about why politicians aren't mission-driven. And it is money in politics. So you probably are familiar with the oligarchy study. It's now, I think, 10 years old, and it's only gotten worse, that wealthy people, there is real responsiveness here.

to their interests, and there's almost no responsiveness to what the public wants in terms of the outcomes. And what happens in those emergency situations, I believe, is that the leaders forget all their responsiveness to their donors. And they do for a combination of reasons. One is they really care about people who are dealing with the flood. And they really care.

to their interests, and there's almost no responsiveness to what the public wants in terms of the outcomes. And what happens in those emergency situations, I believe, is that the leaders forget all their responsiveness to their donors. And they do for a combination of reasons. One is they really care about people who are dealing with the flood. And they really care.

I mean, I don't think everybody's awful. They really care about serving those people. But also they are out of the campaign mode and in the campaign mode when half of the money is coming from people who are making $100,000 donations in the post-Citizens United World.

I mean, I don't think everybody's awful. They really care about serving those people. But also they are out of the campaign mode and in the campaign mode when half of the money is coming from people who are making $100,000 donations in the post-Citizens United World.

The imagination of leaders, of who they are delivering for, the voices in their head, are not the people who are really not sure where their next paycheck is going to come from, have to pay too much for an inhaler, have had a stagnant wage. Their own sense of mission has truly been clouded by money and politics. And so breaking that, that's not an easy thing to break.

The imagination of leaders, of who they are delivering for, the voices in their head, are not the people who are really not sure where their next paycheck is going to come from, have to pay too much for an inhaler, have had a stagnant wage. Their own sense of mission has truly been clouded by money and politics. And so breaking that, that's not an easy thing to break.

But, I mean, if Bernie Sanders had been president, right, if Bernie had won, I don't think any of us doubt that he would have felt like it was an emergency.

But, I mean, if Bernie Sanders had been president, right, if Bernie had won, I don't think any of us doubt that he would have felt like it was an emergency.

That it's an emergency for working people in this country in the sense that he would have figured out how to do what Pete Buttigieg did or Lena Kahn did or Jonathan Cantor did or Shapiro did in those moments is to take the tools of government to serve the working people of the country. So it's a hopeful story because it suggests we're not that far away.

That it's an emergency for working people in this country in the sense that he would have figured out how to do what Pete Buttigieg did or Lena Kahn did or Jonathan Cantor did or Shapiro did in those moments is to take the tools of government to serve the working people of the country. So it's a hopeful story because it suggests we're not that far away.