Other Peoples' Money

Governing.com pointed me to a Washington Post chat with political
reporter Shailagh Murray
(http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2007/09/28/DI2007092801282.html)
that goes to the heart of why I tend to be fiscally conservative:

***

Tampa, Fla.: What is it about D.C. that makes it such a thoroughly
corrupt city, professionally and socially?

Shailagh Murray: Very simple. Everyone here is spending other people's money.

***

It's easy to be generous with other peoples' money. You get to say
that you're taking action, and can get righteously huffy when others
prefer to be stingy. This apparently is the point of a book that's
been recommended to me:
http://www.amazon.com/Who-Really-Cares-Compassionate-Conservatism/dp/0465008216/ref=sr_1_2/105-3444724-4362851?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191281608&sr=8-2.

Makes sense to me, now I just need to get through the eighteen books
ahead of it in my queue.