Corruption chronicles

The NYT has an article on the latest in the Cunningham corruption investigation. A lovely young lobbyist and the all too customary bribery tactics are profiled but this particularly struck me as illustrative of the biggest problem with the system right now.

The Republican leadership had begun assigning chairmanships in part based on how much campaign money a member had raised for other members. Mr. Lewis and his rivals for the post, Representatives Ralph Regula of Ohio and Harold Rogers of Kentucky, each began a fund-raising blitz. And each concentrated on the industry that had benefited from spending appropriated by their subcommittee, which in Mr. Lewis's case was defense.

They pick the chairs based on fundraising rather than competence or even seniority. A rather powerful incentive for corruption, as if the money alone is not enough. You know if they simply made it illegal for anyone working in a government position to take a job as a lobbyist for at least ten years or more, they could cut the corruption significantly.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for anyone to kill that cash cow though.