Quote du Jour

From Ken Connor, past president of the conservative Family Research Council:

Here's the sad truth about money and politics today: Special interests "invest" in political campaigns as a "cost of doing business," expecting that if they ride the right horse across the finish line, they will get a "return" on their investment. Often, that return comes in the form of tax breaks, government subsidies, or some other form of preferential treatment under the law. Campaign contributions are viewed as a mere "down payment." "Maintenance fees" are seen as a means of preserving one's asset once it is in place. Some politicians are higher maintenance than others. Some are content with box seats at the Super Bowl or the Kennedy Center. Others prefer junkets which include golfing at St. Andrews in Scotland. Still others, like Duke Cunningham, favor luxury accommodations on a yacht, rather than a hotel room in the District. Most of this is accomplished within the bounds of the law, the law having been drafted by the beneficiaries of the lobbyists' largesse. Of course some politicians remain above reproach, but they are few and hard to find. And some, like the "Duke," get greedy and go too far. He is Exhibit A to the fact that the truism heard often in the investment arena that "Pigs get fat; hogs get slaughtered" applies with equal vigor in the political arena.