What Sort Of Financial Reform Bill Is Wall Street Buying?

Here’s all you need to know, if you are wondering whether the Congress will produce real reform or Swiss-cheese loophole reform (click for larger version):

This helpful (and depressing) image comes via Ezra Klein, who notes:

It’s bad enough that our campaign finance system makes the rich more important constituents than, well, everyone else. But that’s actually the least of its problems. More infuriating is that they system is used qualitatively differently by the rich than by the poor. It would be one thing if the situation was simply that the rich had more money to donate to the candidates that ignited their passion. But in reality, the motivations of a child-care worker who sends $100 to Barack Obama or Ron Paul and a hedge fund manager who holds fundraisers for both the RNC and Chuck Schumer could not be more different. One is supporting a candidate. The other is investing in access to candidates.

Some version of this corrupt game gets played as ANY legislation moves forward. So if you are tired of a Congress that sells out your interests (i.e. the public interest) it’s not enough to simply elect new members of Congress. You have to elect only members who will pledge not to hook up to the special interest money IV. It’s that simple.