Would You Like Fries With That, Trent?

Still waiting for that new porch, Trent Lott thinks some ethical reform ideas are excessive...

From a Washington Post article on Democrats' lobbying reform proposals:

Some lawmakers said they thought Congress was overreacting to the lobbying scandal with an excess of new rules and requirements.

"Now we're going to say you can't have a meal for more than 20 bucks," said Senator Trent Lott, Republican of Mississippi. "Where are you going, to McDonald's?"

My god, smell the elitism... I'm lovin' it!

I'm sure Lott is exaggerating the law (and let's ignore that there are plenty of nice places where one can get a good meal for $20), but this sort of attitude of entitlement is exactly what is wrong with Congress. Our representatives in Congress are supposed to do just that... represent us. But they do not. They represent their own personal ideology and whatever corporate interest makes the highest bid. God forbid Mr. Lott ever have to eat a meal at an inexpensive restaurant with the mere common folk who (for some reason) keep electing him. Senator Lott comes from Mississipi, the state hit hardest by the winds and waters of Hurricane Katrina. And even before that storm blew in and totalled major towns like Baton Rouge and Biloxi, it was a very poor state (I've passed through; it's in pretty rough shape). And while these people suffer and deal with the struggles of everyday life, Mr. Lott and his colleagues feast on lobster dinners in fancy restaurants paid for the Abramoffs of Washington in an institutional relationship which amounts to legalized bribery.

The very fact that so many Congressional officials find the Democratic proposals so 'harsh' is exactly why I like them. The laws should discourage the influence of lobbyists as strongly as possible (in both parties). They are a stain on our democracy. Surely Congressmen can make up their own minds about legislative decisions without the help of paid dinners, gifts, and vacations? Is that such a crazy concept?