I was just about to log off for the day... You must know I cannot ignore such an obvious target. ;)

Too many politicians became focused on the $ and power and started to believe they have a right to large incomes and privileges because they are simply superior, even if the service they provide isn't commensurate with the $ and power they demand. And the more they received, the more they wanted until service, $ and power were hardly connected at all. At a basic level, that's why the housing crisis occurred: because politicians could demand huge contributions by taking ridiculous risks to repeatedly deliver bad legislation, with no concern for the consequences which had been learned decades prior.