Leaders Should Not be Bought and Sold

   What if a public official accepted money -- campaign funding, I suppose -- and used it to fight for the defeat of another elected official?
   No big deal, perhaps.
   But, what if the person he was fighting to remove from office was working on legislation against the payday loan industry? And, what if the official accepting money was accepting it from the payday loan industry? Now we have the outcome of legislation being affected by who can buy a result by giving money to someone who is running for office.
   Brad Daw, a Utah legislator, was the one crafting legislation to restrict payday lenders. John Swallow, a candidate for office, was the one accepting money that was funneled towards attack ads against Daw.
   We then have an interesting question: Is it right for a public official or someone aspiring to be a public official to accept money when that money is intended to influence the outcome of legislation?
   I don't think it is. Our leaders should not be bought and sold on issues. They should not be accepting money that clearly is being given to affect legislation. Those running for office should not be placed in the position of knowing that once they are elected, their position will expected to be used to benefit someone who has given them money.
   We love our American political system, and it is great. But, I tell you, it has a major flaw.