I can't think of all the things a more conscientious artist could do.

Stewart, Jon: Could something like this happen?

Trevor Potter: Legally, this could absolutely happen. Somebody could create a political organization... so-called outside group, a super PAC, 527... raise an unlimited amount of money, and then choose to give that money to another organization, a charity, and use it for public purposes. And you don't need the donors' consent to do that.

Trevor Potter: The problem we have is that none of the pieces of the system are working today. You have regulators like the Federal Election Commission that don't have a quorum, can't meet, and when they do, they disagree on what the law is. You have Congress deadlocked so it can't rewrite the laws. You have the Supreme Court that thinks that almost nothing is corrupt and that citizens won't think the sale of access, what the court calls ingratiation in return for giving money to candidates, is a problem.

Stewart, Jon: So, to sum up, we currently have hundreds of millions to billions of dollars that is... uh... uh... untraceable, uh... that can pour into groups that are actually coordinating with... with candidates who end up having to spend a good amount of their time raising more and more money to keep up with the arms race that is occurring. Uh... the money continues to pour in and corrupt not just where they spend their time and how they spend their time, but on the types of legislation that they would even bring to the fore. And the one group that would be charged with regulating, uh... this spigot, uh... doesn't meet 'cause there aren't enough of them.

Trevor Potter: Yes.

[incredulous laughter]

Trevor Potter: I realize that's not helpful to you, but...

Stewart, Jon: It is very helpful. Thank you.

Jack Hastings: [walks to the microphone at a city council meeting] Excuse me, fellas.

Mayor Braun: Jack, I already told you, you can widen that easement on Hamburg...

Jack Hastings: Um, actually, it's about that resolution you're thinking about passing.

Mayor Braun: With all due respect, Colonel, that discussion has ended.

Jack Hastings: Yeah, yeah. So I heard. But, uh... the thing is that, um... it's a bad idea.

Big Mike: Y... you can't... Uh, okay, well, I already seconded, but whatever.

Jack Hastings: I know we're in a bad spot, but... you can't bring it back by throwing these people under the bus.

Mayor Braun: Whoa, we're not throwing anybody under anything, Jack.

[scoffs]

Mayor Braun: Money was tight when the base was still open, but now... I mean, we just got to be smart. We got to eliminate cheating the programs.

Jack Hastings: There's not a damn soul using those programs that doesn't need 'em, and you know it.

Mayor Braun: And all they need to do is produce the acceptable I.D., and the benefits will be...

Jack Hastings: And you know they can't do that.

Mayor Braun: Well...

[scoffs]

Mayor Braun: I don't make the rules, Jack.

[all eyes look at the Mayor]

Mayor Braun: I mean, I do, I guess. Not by myself, but... this is over.

[Jack turns and begins to exit]

Mayor Braun: Okay, we have a motion that has been seconded. It is time to bring it to a vote.

Jack Hastings: [Jack turns about-face and returns] Uh, you know, uh, just curious... you know, when the river backed up and the folks you think might be cheating stood shoulder to shoulder with us stuffing sandbags for three days straight, ended up saving your store, you check their I.D.'s then?

Mayor Braun: Discussion's closed, Jack!

Jack Hastings: You checking I.D.'s when they're bringing food to the church

[Mayor bangs gavel]

Jack Hastings: potlucks, Walt?

Mayor Braun: Enough, Jack. You had your say.

[sighs]

Mayor Braun: Look, we got rules here, but that don't make us bad people.

Jack Hastings: I'm not saying you're a bad person, Billy. I'm saying you're scared. Hell, we all are. Damn town went from 15,000 to five overnight, and business went with it. We're not bringing it back by... by turning on each other. Corps taught me the chain's only as strong as its weakest link. And Father Heuvel here taught me that I am my brother's keeper.

[...]

Jack Hastings: Whatever you do for the least of us, you do for the Lord.

[...]

Jack Hastings: The point is, it's easy to be strong of character in the good times. The test is the bad times. If you can't live your principles then, well... I guess they aren't principles; they're just hobbies.