Stop whatever you’re doing right now and watch this eight-minute speech from Christopher Lauer, a Member of State Parliament in Berlin who was elected last fall.

After you’ve seen the speech (after clicking Play, press the uparrow and then CC to turn on subtitles in English, as I did), try to tell me with a straight face that Pirate Parties worldwide isn’t exactly what is needed to reconquer democracy and make a government for the people, by the people. Now, you need to remember as you watch this, that this man is actually an elected representative. He is a Member of Parliament in Berlin, elected for the Piratenpartei, the German Pirate Party.

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Every day, I am amazed at the sheer brilliance, clearsight, and almost brutal candor of my colleagues. Christopher, I would be honored to buy you the first beer next time we meet.

At the same time, I can’t help noticing the von oben attitude of the old-guard politicians filmed in the video, just thinking that the pirates are a nuisance that will eventually go away, so that power can get back to caring for power.

With professional conduct in Parliament like this available for everybody to see, well, we’ll see about that.