• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

U.S. Government Seen as Most Corrupt in Seven Years

Rogue Valley

Lead or get out of the way
DP Veteran
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Messages
93,577
Reaction score
81,648
Location
Barsoom
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Independent
U.S. Government Seen as Most Corrupt in Seven Years

1/28/19
The U.S. plunged in an annual global corruption index as a surge in support for populist leaders and the erosion of democracy hobbled efforts to tackle graft around the world. The U.S. under President Donald Trump dropped six places to 22nd globally in the 2018 corruption-perception index published by the Berlin-based Transparency International. Denmark came in first, trading places with New Zealand, which was deemed least corrupt in 2017. The rise of nationalist leaders has led to deteriorating transparency when it comes to public finances, including via the dismantlement of checks and balances on power, according to the graft watchdog. It said examples include Turkey and Hungary, which in the last seven years have seen their corruption ratings plummet in line with worsening scorecards on democracy.

“Our research makes a clear link between having a healthy democracy and successfully fighting public-sector corruption,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, the chair of Transparency International. “Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and, as we have seen in many countries, where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage.” The U.S. registered its lowest score on the annual index in seven years. Transparency cited “threats to its system of checks and balances as well as an erosion of ethical norms at the highest levels of power.” Transparency International used 13 different data sources from 12 different institutions that capture perceptions of corruption within the past two years.

The Trump administration is blatantly corrupt and a black-mark on America's international reputation.
 
Why only a drop to #22?
 
U.S. Government Seen as Most Corrupt in Seven Years



The Trump administration is blatantly corrupt and a black-mark on America's international reputation.

Growing up, I really had the sense that the US was an exceptional country, a shining city on the hill which had finally gotten its act together in terms of a modern, sophisticated, functional, advanced form of government. But the level of rhetoric, the proud ignorance, the boorishness, the primitive social conflicts, and the kinds of problems we’re dealing with right now, were never supposed to happen here. These were problems for less developed, primitive, struggling Third World banana republics. We would always look at that in the news and think that eventually, some day, eventually they too would be able to get their act together and have a functional system of government like us. After all, they could look to us because we had blazed the path, and could serve as a role model for the rest of the world, right?

Man, was I wrong! Never did I think we would be one day find ourselves in their position instead. Very humbling.
 
Last edited:
So is Denmark most or least corrupt?
 
Do you think that's why Trump wants the U.S. to be 'more like Denmark' or do you suppose it's because Denmark has a predominantly Caucasian population?
 
I have to go to Europe later this week on business. It's always interesting to listen to their opinions of how badly we have fallen under Trump.
 
I have to go to Europe later this week on business. It's always interesting to listen to their opinions of how badly we have fallen under Trump.

When the missus and I travel (tourists) we practice the following: “je suis Canadien”
 
If Adoph Hitler, Mussolini, Saddam Hussein, Al Capone, Fidel Castro and Mai Tse Tung could all be rolled up together and made into one man, he would be Donald Trump.

....wait, did I just describe the anti-Christ?

One difference might be that they were not as completely uneducated and ignorant, and so proud and arrogant about it, as Trump.
 
"blatantly corrupt"???

How do you get that from the article when it clearly says "perceptions of corruption"?

There you go with that nonsensical spin again.

How many Trump admin officials have resigned in disgrace? How many of his campaign team have been indicted? Two Emoluments Clause trials against Trump are now taking place.

Yes, blatantly corrupt.
 
We elected a guy who can't get a loan from a US bank. What did we expect?
 
Back
Top Bottom