Washington's revolving door powers on

Boehner, Cantor
Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) (2nd R) walks to a press conference with House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) (L) at the U.S. Capitol Dec. 21, 2012 in Washington, DC.
Win McNamee/Getty Images

Don't feel bad for Eric Cantor, wrote Mark Liebovich in the New York Times Magazine this month. Cantor may have lost his seat in the House, but there's no shortage of opportunity in the private sector:

"Fortunately for the former House majority leader, one truth remains self-evident in Washington: No matter how soundly you've been walloped by voters, "opportunities in the private sector" await. Cantor is the latest example of Washington's upward-failing, golden-parachuted, everybody-wins calculus."

It's important to remember that the so-called revolving door was not always so strong, Liebovich argued. But now, very few question the fluidity with which politicians enter the private sphere.

"Cantor is, in some sense, living poof of the thing that most voters loathe about Washington: the notion that membership in its political class guarantees a win-for-life lottery ticket," Liebovich wrote.

To prevent ethical violations, federal rules governing the lobbying industry were revised in 2007. But more than 1,650 congressional aides have registered to lobby within a year of leaving office since those more stringent reforms were put in place, according to a recent analysis by The New York Times.

Why should we care if our politicians work in the lobbying industry later in their careers? Are we doing enough to monitor and legislate the revolving door? Leave your comments below.

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