Hopefully you’ve read Professor Lawrence Lessig’s provocative new essay, "How to Get Our Democracy Back." Lessig’s piece is essential reading for people across the political spectrum, and we’re doing what we can to reach everyone concerned about the future of our democracy. Lessig appeared on Democracy Now and on Bill Moyers Journal, but also on the conservative Hugh Hewitt radio show, and his piece was reprinted at Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com. As Lessig argues, whether you are a progressive who wants healthcare reform or a conservative who wants smaller government, none of it is possible unless we fix Congress first. You can view the Bill Moyers Journal segment here.
Also Around the Nation this week:
Super Super Bowl reading from The Nation:
Really! be in-the-know for the big game:
What’s at the heart of CBS and their hypocritical airing of the Tim Tebow abortion ad? Katha Pollit explains in "Focus on the Fetus."
Dave Zirin fact-checks ESPN: Tim Tebow is not Muhammad Ali.
The Second Sex at the Super Bowl: Jaclyn Friedman on a women’s experience of this unique cultural event.
Also you can follow devoted Saints fan and Nation Contributor Melissa Harris Lacewell on Twitter for the least-objective, most-exuberant coverage of the big game.
The Breakdown with Chris Hayes: What’s the cost of Iraq?
For all the talk of the War in Iraq being "over," troops are still on the ground and the economic cost of Iraq remains high. But does President Obama’s long-term proposal for defense spending decrease along with our presence in Iraq? Chris Hayes invites in National Security writer and blogger Spencer Ackerman for a conversation about defense spending and the war. Can we freeze Defense?
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We talk a lot about the "future of journalism" here at The Nation, which I realize could seem a little self-absorbed. But in their new book, "The Death And Life of American Journalism," John Nichols and Robert McChesney aren’t looking back. Subtitled "The Media Revolution That Will Begin the World Again," the book lays out a number of compelling ideas to launch a new era in journalism, from a renewed role for savvy government subsidies like Americorps-style, community-based media centers in schools, to collaborative models for keeping the big dailies in business. Here is an interview with John and Robert from Democracy Now on Thursday.
We also had a spirited discussion on Wednesday night in New York, as Nichols and McChesney debated David Carr of the New York Times and Pamela Newkirk of NYU. We’ll have video from the event – moderated by Laura Flanders of GRIT TV – later this week.
An important new slideshow…
Finally this week, don’t miss an important and thoughtful new slideshow produced by Fernanda Diaz and The Nation‘s web team: Is 2010 The Year for Immigration Reform? Check it out.
As always, thanks for reading.
