What’s broken: Most corruption in Washington is legal. That’s the actual scandal. Members of Congress trade stocks in industries they regulate. They leave office and walk straight into lobbying jobs paid for by the companies they oversaw. They spend four hours a day calling donors, which means the people who fund them get four hours a day of their attention; and you get a form letter.
You can’t fix a system while you’re billing it.
What I’ll just do myself, no legislation required: No individual stock trading — starting now, since I don’t own any. No PAC money — already true. My campaign ledger is already public and stays public if I win, alongside my official calendar. You’ll know who I met with, because I’ll tell you.
I’m not asking Congress to live under rules I won’t live under. I’m already living under stricter ones.
You can’t buy a representative who isn’t for sale, and you can’t blackmail a guy who admits everything up front.
What I’d push for: