How Corrupt Are We?
By Pat Racimora on February 7, 2010 at 7:00 AM in Current Affairs
Whether it’s AIG’s perverse multiple rewarding of the executives who almost brought our economy down or the likes of Bernie Madoff and Ken Lay, we see our country as rife with greed at the expense of weary American taxpayers. The 2009 Global Corruption Report by watchdog group Transparency International has some stunning revelations about us and the rest of the world.
For the United States there is both good news and bad news.
Here’s some good news. Out of 180 countries surveyed, the United States is tied in 18th place with Belgium and Japan as having lower amounts of business and political corruption. Denmark gets the best rating followed by New Zealand and Sweden. Better ratings reflect political stability, long-established conflict-of-interest regulations and solid, functioning public institutions.
The worst offender is Somalia followed by Myanmar, Iraq, Haiti, and Afghanistan. (Notice two especially interesting countries at the bottom of the barrel?) China weighs in as tied with 8 other countries for 72nd place, and Russia tied with 3 other countries at a dismal 147th.
It appears that we have made some improvements compared to most countries when it comes to corrupt practices. The report notes that “despite prominent corruption scandals and the lack of transparency and accountability that has been shown to lie at the root of the financial crisis, there has been encouraging and real progress towards stronger corporate integrity.” This is not to say that we are doing great. The report continues, “Corporate performance in the fight against corruption often does not yet match corporate commitments, however.”
Before patting ourselves on the back for making positive strides, it is important to mention that most of the rest of the world is a stinking cesspool of sleaze, so it’s relative. And interestingly, we are skidding backwards in one area. Can you guess which one?
If you guessed lobbying our legislators, you are correct. Lobbying, after all, is a euphemism for bribery. And bribery of one sort or another is often at the root of corruption.
Despite the fact that the United States is one of the few countries that regulates lobbyists, lobbying expenses have almost doubled over the last decade, reaching $2.8 billion in 2007. The all-time record of the number of lobbyists was 16,000 in 2008 (and this may have risen since then). The Center for Public Integrity, has consistently documented unethical ties between business, their Washington-based lobbyists, and powerful politicians.
Term limits and public campaign financing anyone? Maybe if those we elect to represent us know they only have so much time and so much money as opposed to hustling while trying to keep their jobs forever, we would attract candidates who only have the American peoples’ best interests at heart.
The complete and extremely detailed Transparency International report can be accessed and downloaded here.
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