Ever notice that no matter how Conservative a Repubbie is, once they get to Washington D.C., they get co-opted?
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Profoundly true. The new arrivals quickly get accustomed to all the perks, benefits, power and status of life in DC. Once they get there they never want to leave.
This phenomena actually afflicts members of both parties and used to be known as “Potomac Fever”.
That said, nowadays money is so important to campaigns that the party organs and K-Street have enormous influence on members. Once they get to DC their dependence on inflows of money converts politicians into pliable tools of the ubiquitous moneyed interests that infest the Swamp and who constantly demand favors in return for their financial support.
Such corruption is now permanently ingrained in the Washington culture which explains why so many well intentioned people get co-opted.
(No matter who we elect the system works tirelessly and insidiously to turn them into reliable Swamp supporters. Very few can resist the siren call of money.)
My former Senator from SC, Jim DeMint a former businessman, wrote a book about his experience.
Recalling from my memory he basically reported that in his first and only term, he was called to GW Bush’s office about a vote he disagreed with. Present was not just GW but VP Cheney.
They told DeMint if he didn’t vote as they instructed, they would not support him financially for the next election and that his job as a junior senator was to raise money for others and do as he was told.
He quit, not because of lack of campaign cash but because his eyes were opened to the deep state swamp and he wanted no part of it.
We can get good people but cannot keep them.