Mike Capuano: 'The People Elected Me to be Unethical'
Ethics reform is totally cool when you're just running for office, but once you're there, man, it's a total drag. After all, the people elected you to serve them for a finite term because theywantyou to become a House of Lords-style legislator-for-life, unbeholden to anyone but your largest contributors. Just ask Mike Capuano!
Others say they do not see the point of doing more. "I didn't make any of those campaign promises," said Representative Michael E. Capuano, a Massachusetts Democrat who questions the bundling disclosure proposal and also opposed the extension of the so-called "revolving door" ban on lobbying by former members.
"I made a career change 20 years ago to be a full-time elected official," Mr. Capuano said, explaining his position. "I am no longer qualified to be a tax attorney. It is like saying to people, 'Please, come into public service, give it your all, and when you are done you are completely unqualified for anything else.'"
The poor schmuck, unqualified for anything but fundaising! If stricter ethics reform is approved, he could be starving on the streets by the end of the term, desperately begging for change from passing pharmaceutical company representatives, then forced, humiliatingly, to disclose those pathetic transactions.
Christ, at the least the Republicans didn't whine so much then their party said they couldn't fuck 15-year-old boys any more.