It is no coincidence that many Americans are dissatisfied the minute their Congress members move to Washington and forget all about the constituents back home. There is no common personality flaw that causes politicians to abandon progressive ideals in favor of money politics. However, they are all trapped in the same broken political system.

So how can progressives push government to be of, by and for the people, rather than for the privileged few? The Nation‘s Ari Berman joined Darcy Burner of Progressive Congress and David Waldman of Daily Kos yesterday at Netroots Nation 2011 to discuss money in politics and ways to break down the structural barriers to progressive success.

—Anna Lekas Miller