I would like to know when our government became a group of self-interested, power-hungry materialists. It's been this way at least since WWII but even before that, I think. I would like to see some political historian write a book on the progression of our democratic republic from relatively pure, unpaid, elected officials with a focus on serving and the goal of making our country a better place, to today's greed infused representatives. When did they begin to be paid? I'm sure Alexander Hamilton would be aghast at the hugeness of government compared to the population. Whenever greed takes hold a democracy surely will fall.