As some Americans worry about collecting enough money to pay rent or help their children pay for college, there are politicians somewhere more worried about spending public funded money on furs and vacations – or maybe that’s just former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and his wife. Wednesday they were both handed down their punishments. Sandi Jackson received 12 months and Jesse Jackson Jr received 30 months, a sentence some say they don’t think is harsh enough. Although some are grateful the pair are being held responsible for their misuse of campaign funding the warning signs for broader issues with corruption in America are more than evident.

When it comes down to it, this and similar events has happened an incredible amount of times and people get away with it all the time. Few Americans would argue that some politicians are even rewarded for their corruption and forgiven once out of the public eye. Take Eliot Spitzer, former Governor of New York.

He reportedly spent over $80,000 on a high-end escort service and now is doing decently in the race for Mayor, along with not so popular anymore Anthony Weiner who hasn’t been able to keep his alternate ego “Carlos Danger” from sex-ting women other than his wife. This time at least Jackson and his wife spent it on things other than prostitution. Instead they bought fur, vacations and…Michael Jackson memorabilia? Hey some things you just have to have, right?

On top of everything else, Jackson’s defense made clear that he has bipolar disorder but the judge in the case made it clear that his mood swings had nothing to do with his 3,100 illegal transactions which included an extravagant spending of $43,350 on a gold -plated watch, TV’s and mounted elk heads. His wife spent more than $171,000 on salons and spas, Disney vacations and furs.

Reflecting on Jesse Jackson Jr.

This debacle was called one of the worst abuses of government funds ever documented. Now they will both pay for their crimes behind bars and in $22,000 of restitution. They will not have a herd of people outside their home waiting for a way to get their money back but Jackson will always be tainted with this on his sparkling record as a once rising star in politics.

But who knows, once he has paid his debt to society, Jackson may win the sympathies and trust of his constituents once again just as Eliot Spitzer and Anthony Weiner has tried to do and in a way succeeded. Perhaps even Jackson can win his way back into office. Stranger things have happened right?