[robbmorganf]

Just an observation: IF we take it as GIVEN that policymakers are going to find a way to earn some fixed amount X which is greater than their salary (this is a big assumption and probably not true, but just for a thought experiment)

THEN maybe making money from stock options is actually better than taking money from lobbyists? Lawmakers can make money from both hurting and helping companies, so it doesn't create a particular incentive to go out and help PARTICULAR companies (that said, there is an incentive to create volatility, which isn't great). Meanwhile, lobbying tends to advantage some of the least ethical companies (e.g. Opiods, fossil fuels) because the only incentive is to HELP the company at the expense of customers.

To be clear, I don't think it's right for lawmakers to make any more by virtue of their position than the salaries set forth by the law. I'm just saying that of the several unethical ways they can make money, stock options have incentives least misaligned with the public good.

[jdoliner]

Making money through insider trading is very maligned with the public good. One it is essentially using the stock market as a mechanism to transfer wealth from unknowing public traders to insider traders, if they're making money they're making it off of someone. Two, because of this, it creates the existential risk of a lose of trust in the public markets which can lead to their collapse. It's a real case of who watches the watchmen though because insider trading laws were, of course, created by congress itself.

[Clubber]

>I'm just saying that of the several unethical ways they can make money, stock options have incentives least misaligned with the public good.

You are assuming that said laws are for the public good and not the good of lobbyists. I would guess this happens more often than not: politicians pass a law that is for lobbyists and against the public good, then make money buying stock against the reaction of said law.

"Never trust a politician," is probably as old as civilization, why do we think ours are any better?

Oh, and when the system finally crumbles from under all the rot, guess who suffers and who doesn't. I'll give a hint, the people who control the police and criminal justice system won't be the ones suffering.