You still don't understand. It has nothing to do with material things like money. It is something much greater than that. Civic duty is the highest honor one can achieve in their life.
That's a great ideal, but the reality is that if you slash the salaries for being in elected office down to something token like $50k, you won't get more "civic minded" people in elected office, you'll get more rich assholes because they're the only ones who can afford to quit their job to campaign and hold office, fly back and forth to DC, and maintain two residences on that salary.
I've come around to the idea that we'd be way better off just paying them a lot more. I also think people should be able give their congressman a tax deductible 'tip' up to $20. Put a line on the Form 1040.
