Why is Congress precluded from conflict of interest?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

Not news to DUers, but at least it's finally official.

Members of US Congress Get Richer Despite Sour Economy

The study also indicates that a significant number of members owned shares of major players in the health-care and financial-services sectors, which were the subject of major reform legislation during the period.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Members-of-US-Congress-Get-cnbc-1255923366.html?x=0

Of course health care is doomed to fail when these guys are big investors.


New Rule

Upon taking office, politicians must divest themselves of all of their stock holdings and reinvest them in the "Congressional 401K." The Congressional 401K is a mutual fund that cannot own a single company's stock worth more than 1/2% of the total value of the fund.

[MadHound]

1. What, you think that candidates for Congress spend millions to obtain an office

Simply to get their relative pittance of a salary?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

4. one argument goes...

...the more people are subject to vetting, the less likely quality people are going to run for office. Which, of course, is a euphemism for saying, "Us douche bags will never get elected."

Perhaps, just perhaps, one of these millionaires will say, "F that noise! I've got millions in Cigna and Humana stock. I'm not walking away from that!"

This New Rule should serve as another deterrent to the douchebaggery of Congress.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. And how do we get thim to change those rules?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

5. If brought to light, it's the kind of thing that should piss of the Tea Party

Hopefully, our guys at MSNBC won't let this story die a quiet death because I'm sure the Darrell Issas are expecting on just that.

[ladjf]

3. Sounds like a good idea to me. nt