Power Corrupts

In Re Abramoff. What are people thinking? I have a hard time believing that people put enough thought process into these types of actions to realize how corrupt they are. The quid pro is not quite quo, so it's not specific, it's not a payoff, it's not wrong because I probably would have voted that way anyway. etc, etc. But doesn't anyone care what it looks like? Why not think that part of the process through and come to the conclusion that maybe that particular money doesn't look all that good after all.

From Professor Bainbridge:

"The solution to Washington corruption thus is not to change drivers. The solution is to slay the beast. “That government is best which governs least.” -- Thomas Paine