| Mr Khan said: I disagree. I believe the source of abuse stems from politicians' ability to cash in and cash out. The "in" is generally illegal now (lavish gifts from lobbyists, bribes, kick-backs), but the "out" also lures in those who are less daring, and really, even those who aren't all that corrupt (namely highly paid consultant or analyst positions with their special interest of choice. The guy who used to be my congressman before his district was eliminated after the census, he moved to Florida to lobby for Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield). With the knowledge that you can live like a king off of one company's patronage for the rest of your life after you retire from politics, you're going to help them out. My belief is that few people care about "power" in the abstract sense, especially as we've corraled politicians' abilities to really abuse power in the classical sense (compared to the frivolities of modern-day tyrants like the Kims of North Korea), and that the real temptation comes from their ability to secure financial gain. |
there would be no need for lobbying if the government didnt have the power to control people like it does. the wealth that flows from politicians in the form of lobbying, or gifts, come from the power that they hold over people. no need to buy that power with gifts if it wasn't there to buy. the best way to solve this is to have a small government that doesn't over see every aspect of life or tax its citezens too much.
