Political office is a pretty appealing gig when you consider the compensation package - full retirement and health care for a minimal service term, among other lavish perks, to include retroactive legal immunity for many actions deemed criminal elsewhere. Then there's the 'afterlife' where huge lobbying $'s can be realized in the so-called consultancy sphere. Lastly, is the status boost, which many of these over-achievers clearly need to maintain their low self esteem - the fundamental reason these folks are attracted to government service to begin with.

Once installed, and that having been made possible by huge injections of special interest money, they simply can't bring themselves to tell these constituency cliques that the Constitution prohibits X, Y, or Z. And, once they've sold their office it becomes so much easier to do it the next time, especially when they are surrounded by fellow enablers.

This process of ethical rationallization is called pragmatic compromise - the way things get done for the 'People'.

Regrettably, as we have seen over time, the nation has evolved into something that would be unrecognizable to the Founders. Unfortunately, this process accelerates at a geometric pace and in so doing we may have already passed the 'tipping point' in terms of its reversibility.

If is fundamental human weakness that feeds this process. Insecurity, or low self-esteem, is a common human character flaw requiring huge repetitive injections of the elixir 'power'. This narcotic is available in quantity in centers of power like Washington D.C., in spite of the on-going national war on drugs.

This condition can not be controlled by an appeal to reason or compassion, or even an oath of office. It can only be controlled through limiting the power of office to begin with.

The Constitution clearly addresses this matter in several clearly defined articles and amendments. Tragically, we have not remained faithful to its tenets.

The age of American leadership and promise may be rapidly ending, because we are not mature enough as a species to have earned it.