---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The scandalous question that hangs over…"
description: "\"The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political money and what it buys. What exactly do thes..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg"
---

#  The scandalous question that hangs over modern government…

![“The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political money and what it buys. What exactly do these contributors get in return for the hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars they funnel to the politicians?” quote by William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg)

> “The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political money and what it buys. What exactly do these contributors get in return for the hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars they funnel to the politicians?”

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote critiques how large political donations influence government actions, questioning the tangible benefits donors receive for their money.

**In simple terms:** Money in politics buys influence, not just policy.

Key Takeaway

Demand transparency and accountability.

Themes

politics money influence corruption

Mood

critical concerned

Type

analytical political

When to use this quote

- election campaigns
- lobbying
- policy making
- public hearings

Key Concepts

campaign finance public trust elite power

Questions to Reflect On

- What safeguards could limit donor influence?
- How can citizens monitor political spending?

A Different Perspective

Donors may gain indirect benefits that are hard to measure.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Contributors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributors/) [Corruption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corruption/) [Dollars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dollars/) [Funnel Politicians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funnel-politicians-4998025/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hang over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hang-over/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Modern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/modern/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage/) [Outrage Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrage-political-4998023/) [Perpetual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetual/) [Perpetual Outrage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perpetual-outrage-1775181/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-money-845069/) [Politician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politician/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Return](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/return/) [Scandalous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandalous/) [Scandalous Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scandalous-question-4998024/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/)

## Related quotes

> [In the world of perpetual outrage, people cannot see the difference between deflated footballs, a dead lion, and dismembered babies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/in-the-world-of-perpetual-outrage-people-cannot-see-the-difference/)

[Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/)

> [“But the whole modern world, or at any rate the whole modern Press, has a perpetual and consuming terror of plain morals. Men always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-k-chesterton/but-the-whole-modern-world-or-at-any-rate-the-whole-modern-press-has/)

[G.K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-k-chesterton/)

> [For more than two thousand years gold's natural qualities made it man's universal medium of exchange. In contrast to political money, gold is honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-f-sennholz/for-more-than-two-thousand-years-gold-s-natural-qualities-made-it-man/)

[Hans F. Sennholz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-f-sennholz/)

> [In our political system, money is power. And that means a few can have a lot more power than the rest. That's bad news…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/in-our-political-system-money-is-power-and-that-means-a-few-can-have/)

[Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/)

> [We all know how powerful the web can be for raising political money. Well, if you're game, the Duke Cunningham Legal Defense Fund is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-micah-marshall/we-all-know-how-powerful-the-web-can-be-for-raising-political-money/)

[Joshua Micah Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-micah-marshall/)

> [This famous quote hangs over my desk, as well as the desks of many people with the hubris and optimism to believe they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-atkisson/this-famous-quote-hangs-over-my-desk-as-well-as-the-desks-of-many/)

[Alan AtKisson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-atkisson/)

> [The new supplants the old. Yet men's minds are stuffed with outworn bunk. Educating the young in the latest findings of authorities and scholars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-barnett-gilson/the-new-supplants-the-old-yet-men-s-minds-are-stuffed-with-outworn/)

[Mary Barnett Gilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-barnett-gilson/)

> [I sleep during the day. I still dream about drinking and drugs. Sometimes I wake to a hang-over, sometimes I wake to a trickle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frey/i-sleep-during-the-day-i-still-dream-about-drinking-and-drugs/)

[James Frey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frey/)

> [Assuredly whatsoever things are fabled to exist in deep Acheron, these all exist in this life. There is no wretched Tantalus, fearing the great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/assuredly-whatsoever-things-are-fabled-to-exist-in-deep-acheron-these/)

[Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/)

> [Death hangs over thee, While thou still live, while thou may, do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/death-hangs-over-thee-while-thou-still-live-while-thou-may-do-good/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [Poetry, for me, is the answer to, 'How does one stay sane when private lives are being ransacked by public events?' It's something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisel-mueller/poetry-for-me-is-the-answer-to-how-does-one-stay-sane-when-private/)

[Lisel Mueller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisel-mueller/)

> [I have actually programmed a fair bit in Perl, like I have C++ code published with my name on it. Other things I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-naggum/i-have-actually-programmed-a-fair-bit-in-perl-like-i-have-c-code/)

[Erik Naggum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-naggum/)

> [Enjoy your life. No curse hangs over you, nor did it ever. No devil chases after your soul. Sing and dance and be merry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/enjoy-your-life-no-curse-hangs-over-you-nor-did-it-ever-no-devil/)

[Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/)

> [Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/do-not-act-as-if-you-were-going-to-live-ten-thousand-years-death/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“On a scale of one to bitchy, how hung-over are you?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/on-a-scale-of-one-to-bitchy-how-hung-over-are-you/)

[Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/)

## More by William Greider

> [If you think about it, Washington's overwhelming power in the world is founded on death, the awesome arsenal for killing people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-you-think-about-it-washington-s-overwhelming-power-in-the-world-is/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The threat to globalization is not the wasted American dollars but Washington's readiness to mix US commercial interests with its self-appointed role as global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-threat-to-globalization-is-not-the-wasted-american-dollars-but/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [If US per capita income continues to grow at a rate of 1.5 percent a year, the country will have plenty of money to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-us-per-capita-income-continues-to-grow-at-a-rate-of-1-5-percent-a/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The burnt odor in Washington is from the disintegrating authority of the governing classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-burnt-odor-in-washington-is-from-the-disintegrating-authority-of/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [If one benefits tangibly from the exploitation of others who are weak, is one morally implicated in their predicament? Or are basic rights of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-one-benefits-tangibly-from-the-exploitation-of-others-who-are-weak/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The rich nations of the world are acting like ancient usurers, lending money to the desperate poor on terms that cannot possibly be met…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-rich-nations-of-the-world-are-acting-like-ancient-usurers-lending/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [Maybe the reason some folks lag behind in our free enterprise system is because they depend too much on the free part and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/maybe-the-reason-some-folks-lag-behind-in-our-free-enterprise-system/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [If we have wealth, it will be protected from inflation and possibly even enhanced in value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/if-we-have-wealth-it-will-be-protected-from-inflation-and-possibly/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [A profound political question is suddenly on the table: Must the country continue to give precedence to private financial gain and market determinism over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/a-profound-political-question-is-suddenly-on-the-table-must-the/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The point is, the political reporters are the ones who no longer understand the ritual they are covering. They keep searching for political meanings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-point-is-the-political-reporters-are-the-ones-who-no-longer/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The trauma of 9/11 stimulated infinite possibilities for worry - some quite plausible, but most inspired by remote what-if fantasies. A society bingeing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-trauma-of-9-11-stimulated-infinite-possibilities-for-worry-some/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The economy is not governed with the bottom half in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-economy-is-not-governed-with-the-bottom-half-in-mind/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The ways in which people treat animals will be reflected in how people relate to one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-ways-in-which-people-treat-animals-will-be-reflected-in-how/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [The quest for homeland security is heading ... toward the quasi-militarization of everyday life ... If danger might lurk anywhere, maybe everything must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-quest-for-homeland-security-is-heading-toward-the-quasi/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

> [Americans cannot teach democracy to the world until they restore their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/americans-cannot-teach-democracy-to-the-world-until-they-restore/)

[William Greider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

[Explore all 48 William Greider quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/)

## More Contributors quotes

> [“Contributors and distributors tend to do better at personal branding than takers and fakers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/contributors-and-distributors-tend-to-do-better-at-personal-branding/)

[Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/)

> [As a result of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, American democracy is being undermined by the ability of the Koch brothers and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-a-result-of-the-citizens-united-supreme-court-decision-american/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

> [The Washington Post said that 50% of the contributors of the Republican Party were Jewish and 70% of the Democratic Party. That's 2% and they control America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-duke/the-washington-post-said-that-50-of-the-contributors-of-the/)

[David Duke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-duke/)

> [The same sports sayings seem to be used over and over again. If you have your own favorite sport saying and would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-lynn-rajskub/the-same-sports-sayings-seem-to-be-used-over-and-over-again-if-you/)

[Mary Lynn Rajskub](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-lynn-rajskub/)

> [Because the character is a fiction, he's a composite of other contributors to the science that brought this enzyme therapy through the process. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-ford/because-the-character-is-a-fiction-he-s-a-composite-of-other/)

[Harrison Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-ford/)

> [There is not enough self-consciousness about what a family can be, about what it can inherit from forbearers, and what new traditions it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-nader/there-is-not-enough-self-consciousness-about-what-a-family-can-be/)

[Ralph Nader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-nader/)

> [Cigarette smoking is a significant contributor to global warming!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/cigarette-smoking-is-a-significant-contributor-to-global-warming/)

[Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/)

> [It is rare and very inspiring that a head of state would make such an investment of time to write a book like this.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keiko-fukuda/it-is-rare-and-very-inspiring-that-a-head-of-state-would-make-such-an/)

[Keiko Fukuda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keiko-fukuda/)

> [Dr Sue Johnson is the most original contributor to couples therapy to come along in the last thirty years. This book will touch your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-doherty/dr-sue-johnson-is-the-most-original-contributor-to-couples-therapy-to/)

[William J Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-doherty/)

> [One way we exercise political freedom is to vote for the candidate of our choice. Another way is to use our money to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/one-way-we-exercise-political-freedom-is-to-vote-for-the-candidate-of/)

[Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/)

> [Science is not a sacred cow. Science is a horse. Don’t worship it. Feed it. \[Addressing a group of prospective contributors to an Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abba-eban/science-is-not-a-sacred-cow-science-is-a-horse-don-t-worship-it-feed/)

[Abba Eban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abba-eban/)

> [How many physicians, scientists, teachers, pastors, missionaries, statesmen, musicians, businessmen, and notable contributors to society have been murdered in the womb?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-baldwin/how-many-physicians-scientists-teachers-pastors-missionaries/)

[Chuck Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-baldwin/)

> [Much of the shadow banking sector, a major contributor to the economic crisis, was also only possible because of taxhaven secrecy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-cable/much-of-the-shadow-banking-sector-a-major-contributor-to-the-economic/)

[Vince Cable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-cable/)

> [I think the most important thing is being in healthy relationships. That might be a weird answer, but I think emotional health is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-rose/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-being-in-healthy-relationships/)

[April Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-rose/)

> [The reality is we that have a corrupt campaign finance system which separates the American people's needs and desires from what Congress is doing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-reality-is-we-that-have-a-corrupt-campaign-finance-system-which/)

[Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/)

[Browse all 82 Contributors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contributors/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political money and what it buys. What exactly do these contributors get in return for the hundreds of thousands, even millions of dollars they funnel to the politicians?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Greider"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over-modern-government-and-excites/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Contributors"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over-modern-government-and-excites/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32c/william-greider-14089_contributors_the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over_3038695.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The scandalous question that hangs over modern government and excites perpetual outrage is about political…” — William Greider",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "William Greider",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greider/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The scandalous question that hangs over...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over-modern-government-and-excites/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greider/the-scandalous-question-that-hangs-over-modern-government-and-excites/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
