| They're also paid well so they're less likely to take bribes. As bad as we think it is, it might be worse if they were paid much less. That's also why cops should be paid well. You want these people to be as far above temptation as possible.
Aside from that, of course the wealthy are more likely to run for Congress. They don't live paycheck to paycheck like most Americans (negative savings rate anyone?) so it's easier to afford the time off to run for a job they might not get. What parent wants to expose their family, if they have one, to the uncertainty of a political race? I don't think that'd be very wise unless I had roughly a year of my salary saved up.
Kim Jong-Ill is aptly named. |