Very cool. I'm interested in seeing if the HN community will come up with any cool projects with this API. Might try to put something together myself.

The problem is that there is no alternative. If I told you that your congressman is taking oil money or gets payed by Blackwater/Xe, what would you do? It's not like the other guy you can elect is going to be any more honest.

Maybe, but what is the alternative to transparency? More regulation? The SCOTUS thinks not.

Even if the next guy is no better, with greater awareness/transparency, constituents will have a basis for trying again with someone new.

One hopes that, over time, the quality of the representatives will improve as it becomes clear that voters do not appreciate any undue influence.