Lawrence Lessig:

Washington is the kind of city where one never writes if one can call, never calls if one can speak, never speaks if one can nod, and never nods if one can wink.

There may be a quid. There may be a quo. But because the two are independent, there is no pro.

Marcia Angell:

They consistently refer to "potential" conflicts of interest, as though that were different from the real thing, and about disclosing and "managing" them, not about prohibiting them.

In short, there seems to be a desire to eliminate the smell of corruption, while keeping the money.

Decius:

I've come to the conclusion that you actually want shifty, dishonest politicians elected by an apathetic populace. This means that things are working.

Wendy Kaminer:

These issues, you say they're going to get vetted in the campaign. They're going to get talked about in the campaign, but that's not getting vetted -- because, it's going to be, a conversation, it's going to be an is-too, is-not conversation ... It's not as if the voters are going to go out there, and read the underlying legislation, do the underlying research on the issue. They're just going to decide whose word they take. You know, that's how voters decide these issues. They decide whose word they're going to take, because they're not going to do the underlying research, and that's why I say, it comes down, not to specific issues ... but to what people glean are the attitudes of the candidates, personalities, and what the general environment feels like.

I wish the issues were vetted ... but I think they're not, because voters don't have the time, or the energy, or the information.

Tom Cross:

Most people in the State of Georgia have never heard of a Voter Information Guide and the idea has never occurred to them. If you think this is a good idea, tell someone else about it.

Gunnar Hellekson:

You get transparency first, and that compels reform. That's the whole point.

Dan Gillmor:

Maybe we, the audience, have to take some responsibility on ourselves, being more literate about media techniques, especially the kind used to persuade or manipulate audiences.

An exchange:

Moe: You gotta ... think hard, and come up with a slogan that appeals to all the lazy slobs out there.
Homer: [moans] Can't someone else do it?
Moe: "Can't someone else do it?", that's perfect!