Being the king has privileges. You get a large standing army to command, can raise funds by increasing the amount of wealth you’re expropriating from your subjects, and are in a position to command favors from the merchant class. Whenever somebody runs for a state position I’m instantly suspicious of their motives. My reason for this is obvious. Obtaining a position in the state is very lucrative:
For the first time in history, most members of Congress are millionaires, according to a new analysis of personal financial disclosure data by the Center for Responsive Politics.
Of 534 current members of Congress, at least 268 had an average net worth of $1 million or more in 2012, according to disclosures filed last year by all members of Congress and candidates. The median net worth for the 530 current lawmakers who were in Congress as of the May filing deadline was $1,008,767 — an increase from the previous year when it was $966,000. In addition, at least one of the members elected since then, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), is a millionaire, according to forms she filed as a candidate. (There is currently one vacancy in Congress.)
I should get in on this scam called Congress. Not only do you can to tell 300 million people what to do but you can also become quite wealthy doing it. All it takes is a lack of morality and a little bit of psychopathy. Sadly, as far as my checkbook is concerned, I lack both.