Republic, Lost: How Money Corrupts Congress—and a Plan to Stop It by Lawrence Lessig is a book largely talking about how, in Lessig's opinion, special interest money is steadily corrupting America and his ideas on how to stop it. The largest argument being how the U.S legislative branch relies on donor money from a legal, but corrupt system of campaign financing. Lessig also looks into the lack of follow through on party interests in congress: left-wing activists don't get global-warming legislation and right-wing crazies don't don't see tax policy changing. Basically buying into the statistic that 76% of American voters believe that money buys results in government. The middle chapters of the book describe in detail the lobbying system of the United States, especially in its role with affecting congress.

"Our current tax system with all its complexities is in part designed to make it easier for candidates, in particular congressmen, to raise money to get back to congress ... All sorts of special exceptions which expire after a limited period of time are just a reason to pick up the phone and call somebody and say 'Your exception is about to expire, here’s a good reason for you to help us fight to get it to extend.' And that gives them the opportunity to practice what is really a type of extortion – shaking the trees of money in the private sector into their campaign coffers so that they can run for congress again." - Lawrence Lessig

The last few chapters of the book are explaining Lessig's plans for rectifying the corruption in Congress;

1. Congress could pass a law reforming campaign funding.

2. How a popular, non-politician individual could run for office within the House of Representatives in multiple jurisdictions in the same state, promising to campaign until the other candidates promised to reform their campaign funding procedures.

3. The president could kill government until Congress enacts a campaign finance reform.

4. An amendment could be put forth requiring a change in campaign finance policy