Overview – corruption in America
Over the past six months, it has felt that corruption in the US has grown incrementally, without any checks on it. It seems to have had tentacles, though most of it seems to have come from the American Executive Branch. This article from the Brennan Center highlights and provides a good synthesis of the state of play in the US, which is very concerning as it comes from a country which previously had led in the fight against worldwide corruption. “Harmful Supreme Court decisions, erosion of norms, and public officials’ increasing brazenness have created this moment… President Trump, however, has intensified and normalized the extreme mix of money, power, and conflicts of interest with his uniquely transactional and personalist approach to governing, merging his political identity with his personal business interests.” A clear review of these actions over the past six months reminds us that this type of behavior is not normal, nor should it be reflective of governance in the US. The article highlights the impact of these behaviors, which are an ongoing erosion of trust in government.
Why is this so important to highlight? The need to address the next steps is essential during such a time. What should be done is to refuse to accept that corruption is inevitable and an unavoidable element of politics and there should be an accounting. This should occur through monitoring, publicity, whistleblowing and political pressure. All of this is a reflection that citizens should not accept corrupt behaviors from their government officials. Additionally, they should require more from their congressmen, looking for greater checks and balances as well as a need for a clear agenda to restore integrity in government. Finally, an executive branch must be restrained and possibly reform some elements of the Supreme Court, which can be seen as out of touch with the people. Fundamentally, accountability and transparency should be a priority.
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