Good Governance
Q: Prior to politics, you represented accused organized crime figures. What’s the biggest difference between politics and the mob?
A: My clients gave me their word, and their word was their bond. They always paid me. They always thanked me at the end of the day. In the political world, none of that happens. A politician’s word usually doesn’t mean a damn. His word is for the moment.
(Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman in Reason)
Ambiance 
wj said,
August 7, 2010 at 10:14 am
Hence the old definition:
“An honest politician: One who stays bought.”