House Democrats prefer business as usual

House Democrats, as noted in a post earlier this week, do not appear to appreciate the need for reforming the way they do business.
Though they took over the majority with indictments of the Republicans and the "culture of corruption," many are saying, they were already in office, and they didn't make any such campaign promises. An article in today's New York Times spells out the problem:

Others say they do not see the point of doing more. “I didn't make any of those campaign promises,” said Representative Michael E. Capuano, a Massachusetts Democrat who questions the bundling disclosure proposal and also opposed the extension of the so-called “revolving door” ban on lobbying by former members.

"I made a career change 20 years ago to be a full-time elected official," Mr. Capuano said, explaining his position. "I am no longer qualified to be a tax attorney. It is like saying to people, 'Please, come into public service, give it your all, and when you are done you are completely unqualified for anything else.' "

Others grumbled that Mr. Van Hollen, whose Democratic campaign committee duns each member for contributions, was pushing a measure that would make it harder to tap the easiest sources of such money — lobbyists.

"We have dues that we are supposed to raise of several hundred thousand dollars, and in the same breath we are informed that this is something we will have to vote for," Representative James P. Moran, Democrat of Virginia, said. "I don’t know what we are supposed to do, except cold call all the people in the phone book in our districts."

For some reason, I am not filled with sympathy.