Lobbying

Did you ever wonder what became of Senators and members of Congress when they were defeated or their terms were completed? Well, they didn't go home! They wandered down to "K" street to hang out their shingles. Of course they had to wait a year before they could use their "influence". But then a new batch of lawmakers would come into town swelling the population and driving up the rents. Bob Dole never went back to Kansas. Neither did former Senator John Breaux return to Louisiana. And no way was Dick Gephardt going back to his blue collar district in St. Louis. There are hundreds of former elected officials just like them receiving six-figure salaries at the trough coupled with their lucrative fees for speaking engagements. Some would argue that we shouldn't lose their talents and that they play a role in keeping the wheels of government turning - or perhaps grinding. The British retain such talent in their House of Lords. But a quote I read from a former senator that sums it up was "My vote could never be bought, but it might be rented!"
tjs
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