> build ridiculous palaces for themselves I'd go further and say the whole model of a gleaming capital city with ornate temples of governance is well out of da

> build ridiculous palaces for themselves I'd go further and say the whole model of a gleaming capital city with ornate temples of governance is well out of date. Most representative government could be handled over conference calls and the internet. You could rent out a convention center somewhere a few times a year to hold sessions.