Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.– George Washington

My Take – How far is it from campaign contribution to quid pro quo?  Our electoral system is awash in money, and it has a corrosive effect on our republic.  How we deal with that has been the subject of long winded and pointed debate for decades, and I don’t have a good answer.  If we restrict how much money can be donated to a candidate or cause, we restrict the free speech of the donor.  But if we don’t find a way to keep deep pockets from buying our politicians, we risk devolving into an oligarchy where only the rich get a real voice.