re: #25 Belafon

I think we should go the opposite direction: Require that their only source of income for the time in office be their official salary. They cannot be earning money in any other way during that time.

As I said yesterday, the costs of public office are too high for those of modest means. Such a person cannot afford to live in Washington DC and retain a home in their own state. If elected, they are forced to live away from their family and their ability to help out when there are family crises is strictly limited. For those who are wealthy, they’ll be getting investment income without having to do any work to maintain a lavish lifestyle in multiple locations. We have to do more to make public office financially feasible for those of more modest means.