Dick Armey. Tom Daschle. Tom Foley. Trent Lott. Once, these politicos ranked among Congress’ most powerful members. Today, they share another distinction: They’re lobbyists (or “senior advisors” performing very similar work). And they’re hardly alone. Dozens of former members of Congress now receive handsome compensation from corporations and special interests as they attempt to influence the very federal government in which they used to serve.

Take a look over at this database and reflect on how many former members of the House or Senate now are lobbyists. This has become the standard career path for mostly useless politicians.