Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely--the latter part of that a quotation by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, also known as Lord Acton, who was, ironically, a 19th Century British politician.

While I have no doubts that decent people get into politics with a goal to do good for their community, state or country, they often find that to help, they must please those around them with their hands out, and by doing som they earn power in return.  Power for polticians is like catnip for cats, the more they get the more they want, thus the above quote.

I do believe, and have for a long time, that what we need more deperately than anything else politically, is term limits.  Four years for all federal representatives, maybe two for state reps, would keep them all from getting entrenched.  And it would force people from the work force to become politicians for a short time, then retrn to their life's work--after all, this is what the fonders intended.  I fully believe the Founding Fathers would be sickened by the concept of lifetime politicians, by people lke Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden, by political dynastys like the Kennedys and, yes, the Bushes.