Who would you rather have running the nation - a wage earner or a business consultant / corp executive?
I can tell you this that $150,000 in DC is not enough money to attract top talent.
If you've ever been in DC and understand the multitude of perks (try putting a value on these too) that go with the job, which is being a public servant, you would understand the significance. Plus, CEO salaries, if you've noticed, are coming more under public scrutiny and most of these high-paying salaries aren't merited.