What I learned about power from LBJ and Robert Moses
Preparing to interview Robert Caro.
Robert Moses, the master builder of New York, amassed incredible political power over more than three decades. He wielded this influence by writing laws that granted him powers beyond his elected position. Moses specialized in creating public authorities, government corporations that built infrastructure and sold bonds to fund projects.
As long as the bonds were repaid, the authorities would dissolve. However, Moses cleverly inserted a clause that allowed the authority to issue fresh bonds for any purpose, effectively granting him perpetual power. This allowed Moses to continue building roads, parks, and housing, financed by the toll revenues and bond borrowing.
To protect his powers from revocation, Moses even inserted a provision into the bond contracts that barred any alteration to the contract terms, ensuring his authority was secure beyond a Constitutional Convention.
Written by urgent.news from Dwarkesh Patel's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
