QOTD 11/7/11

"You know, when you're done working on the Hill, we'd very much like you to consider coming to work for us." Now the moment I said that to them or any of our staff said that to 'em, that was it. We owned them. - Jack Abramoff

And that, my friends, is a big reason why you have such a corrupted Congress. Notice there is nothing about campaign donations here. Not to say that isn't part of the problem, too, but I think the energy being invested in trying to overturn Citizens United and limit campaign donations ought to be put on this topic. Serve in Congress, take your pay and your pension, and forgo the chance to work in any industry your votes affected. I'm pretty sure there are better-stated versions of this idea, but the key is we have to stop the "a cushy job is waiting for you" form of bribery.