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by beart 3161 days ago
Define "enough".

I don't think this solution really works. For some folks, nothing is ever enough. Then you also need to consider that it is less about money for some and more about friends and power. Maybe I don't do what corporations ask because they are going to pay my campaign. Maybe I do it because it makes me feel like a big man being the person they all come to for favors. Maybe I do it to gain acceptance into an aristocracy. I don't know how you can compete against that on a government salary, no matter how big.

Donald Trump is supposedly worth $3.5 billion. Do you think paying him more money would change the way he governs? I only use him as an example because he is the richest US politician, but there aren't too many poor ones at the federal level.

I guess I just don't see how you could ever pay a politician enough to be "indifferent to corrupt forces".

1 comments

I’m dismissing Trump as an example as he’s a clear outlier.

How much do you figure you would have to pay Bill Gates to babysit? Unless you’re in his immediate circle that’s going to cost quite a lot of money. People react to incentives in relation to their current wealth. A chartered flight or sweatheart real estate deal will mean a lot less to someone making plenty for their job of representing the people. They’ll also be much more sensitive to scandals.