The disgraced former lobbyist and convicted felon was on 60 minutes last night to deliver his mea culpa. He seems genuinely contrite and laid out the details of how he manipulated congressmen. Watching something like this makes me feel so helpless and discouraged that I don't know how we will fix this system. While Abramoff mostly worked the republican side, I am sure he has counterparts working the democrat side using similar tactics. How in hell are we the people going to get some control of this system and get the lobbyists and money influence out of politics. We on this board and others like it can rail at the republicans or the democrats or the president, the congress, the supreme court, or each other, but the system has evolved into something that has virtually nothing to do with ideology, logic, ethics, or any other lofty ideal we may debate. I think that most people get into public office with altruistic and idealistic intentions, but the system seems to corrupt most, if not all, in time.