Zócalo's Connecting California
Let's Give Political Donations a Lyft
The cost of political influence is going up in California, so why not democratize the process by taking a cue from ride-sharing companies like Uber and Lyft?
Can the sharing economy make politicians more responsive? Zócalo Public Square columnist Joe Matthews thinks it can. Good government advocates will cringe, but Matthews says we need an app -- sort of like Uber or Lyft -- to help us inform our elected leaders of what we want and what we need. Matthews says his idea will bring transparency to influence peddling, and have the extra benefit of eliminating the lobbyists who currently serve as middlemen.