Jack Abramoff is trying to make amends and telling anyone who will listen that money spent by lobbyists is, if anything, even more corrupting than we imagined.
When a public servant has a debt to someone seeking a favor from the government, the foundation of our government is at risk. Each time a lobbyist or special interest makes a political contribution to a public servant, a debt is created. Lobbyists are very adept at collecting these debts. Unfortunately, the true debtor on these obligations is the American people. In a very real way, congressmen who take contributions from lobbyists and special interests are selling our nation to repay their debts of gratitude. That is the price of their votes and offices -- and it must stop.
The problem is that no one is listening. Least of all the Democrats. Instead of banning contributions from lobbyists and committing to shutting the revolving door, each candidate is doing his/her best to convince us that he/she is different. Every piece of campaign mail I have received in the past two weeks tells me that all we need do is elect the correct candidate and he/she will "change Washington" by the force of his/her special moral strength.
That will not work. If a candidate has not changed the influence of money in his/her own campaign, there is no chance of that candidate changing Washington. Once a politician is addicted to money, those plying Jack Abramoff's erstwhile trade are still in control of debt collection.
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