"Creeping corruption"?

The term is Howard Shore's, from yesterday on NPR.

It was a good question yesterday and it's a good one today.

Is there, as it seems, this creeping corruption in the United States?

Think about it.

There's the whole fact of lobbyists paying their representatives so they can get the regulations they want. Does "banking crisis" mean anything to you?

Timothy Geithner is nominated to be Treasury Secretary but it's found he hasn't paid $34,000.00 in taxes.

Rod Blagojevich offers to give a Senate seat but not without being paid first.

It seems like there's both local and national representatives being on the take, in different examples and situations.

Now, Tom Daschle is nominated to be Secretary of Health and Human Services but, oops, he hasn't paid $140,000.00 in back taxes. Sure, after the fact, on January 2 he pays them in full but hey, doesn't that look as though he's trying to "get by"?

And there are many, many more indications of at least impropriety, if not out and out illegality.

Are we becoming no better than any other country in the world where graft is common?

Part of it might be results of a tougher economy, sure, but it seems we are victims of our own lower standards, too. Lower standards by politicians and ourselves.

When we hear of rampant corruption in the former Soviet Union or Mexico or other countries, I think we Americans always thought we were better than that.

And we have been, by and large.

When we want to see our doctor or dentist, we don't pay for that privilege, by and large, I don't think. And I think that's true nationwide.

But for our government representatives, it seems it's getting more questionable, at least.

We need to hold them--and ourselves--to a much higher standard.

______________________________________________

A fun side note, I think:

Did you hear this? Rush Limbaugh is referring to the White House/Democrats stimulus bill as "porkulus".

I have a recommendation:

I think it's the perfect way to refer to Mr. Limbaugh.

Think of it: "Porkulus is bloviating on the economy again!"

It's perfect.

Have a great week, y'all.