alt Hacker Newsthe system is such that the only incentive career politicians (and we don't have other kind anymore) is the campaign. they make the same money if they lose. why would they win? its a lot more work! they just have to keep it at a minimum to be considered for next campaigns.
You don't get up the ranks over years and decades by not caring.
Politics is not foremost about money, but about power. You can make a lot of money, obviously, but the driver is power.