How deep does it run?

[Trump]

About earmarks....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124416236598887387.html

We all know that it seems the entire focus of Congress seems to have shifted to earmarks, and I think this is one of the main reasons I don't like anything to do with our government now. How deep do you really think this corruption goes? Does Congress actually still serve a purpose beyond passing out money to whomever they see fit?

[CNagy]

There's nothing new about corruption, especially in government. How deep does it run? It's second nature in Congress. It's been going on for so long that the only thing that makes it stand out is the way times have changed. It happened in our up years, and in our down years. But when the economy is this down, corruption involving taxpayer dollars hits harder.

Additionally, it is human nature to slowly find new ways to abuse power. It works like this: pork barrel politics has been in place for so long that it is an accepted tradition, practically a recognized right. Occasionally, someone pushes too far, then people shake their heads, roll their eyes and talk about how every politician is a crook. A political career is a job where you have to convince people that you deserve to keep working for another term; pork was a good way to show your constituency that you were looking out for them. But in today's political scene, it's not enough to do that--you also need to have campaign money to remind people of who you are and what you've done for them. Demonizing your opponent doesn't hurt, either. So suddenly, you've got a need (campaign dollars) and you've got a resource (the ability to place earmark projects)--a resource the use of which has become second nature to you. If this were better times, if we were on economic high times, most of us would roll our eyes and mutter about every politician being a crook.

But in lean times, you trim the fat. It's always been there, but now it is more unacceptable. As for your question about Congress serving a purpose, I have to assume that was hyperbolic. Love them or hate them (they never have high approval ratings), Congress does its job and does it well enough. These earmark scandals start and end at the exorbitant cost of campaigning: the system encourages, if not requires, this sort of thing at current and, while we can shake our heads and tell politicians that they really should do better, those politicians are people. People tend to be flawed.

[archdukezeb]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzNj0Vobss this one truly disgusted me. Just as bad as the bridge to nowhere except this one got built. Seniority in congress is some of the biggest bullshit ever.