Seriously, Someone Pay For Us to Go on a Junket -- We're Totally Easy and Willing to be Bought Off

So lawmakers take lobbyist-sponsored trips, so what? So a 4-day jaunt to London for Thomas Bliley (R-VA) cost $30k, so what? TheTimespoints out today that even more lucrative than being a member of Congress is working for a member of Congress. Congressional aides got $30 million in sponsored trips over the last couple years, beating their bosses by $10 mil.

Now we're way less concerned about this whole culture of corruption thing. 'Cause seriously, Congressional Aides can take all the trips and gifts and meals they want, no one seriously expects them to get anything done! If you're a major defense contractor, buying the influence of some idiot 20-something Hill staffer won't get you those oh-so-hot no-bid contracts, it'll just get you a drunk hooligan making promises he has no intention of keeping. Trust us, we've drank with Hill staffers.

So, crisis averted! Everyone can stop worrying about it and go back tracking down the Facebook profiles of Bill Frist's dozen or so strapping sons and amending the constitution to permanently ban girly drinks and mesh shirts.

 Trip Study Finds More Was Spent on Aides Than Lawmakers [NYT]