There’s only one way to do away with the bribery and corruption in America…

Reduce the government down to what it needs to be, instead of this giant leech that steals and devours everything it comes in contact with, and restore the States’ rights to enforce the country’s and their laws effectively without moronic arguments that stall the process.

Oh, and drop American Income Tax down to ZERO percent, so that the government will never have enough cash to try and take over the country and our rights again. That should do it, then it won’t matter what anyone’s political affiliation will be, the power will be back in the PEOPLE’S hands instead of the government and the rich.

No Taxation Without Representation

I agree that corruption is rampart in all facits of politics and government. Let’s look at the corporate world a little. The hidden and even obvious bribery and payoffs became exceedingly more pronounced when the courts allowed Corporations and Unions and other large types of business the same rights as the individuals was meant to have. The big business as well as the unions should not be able to contribute or support any organization the promotes any political office. We can inject the issue of morality here and it is completely valid. Our colleges teach the students that you are subservant to the Corporations and it’s you job, in any manner, to make sure they have the advantage in any situation irregardless of any moral issue involved. There is little morality in the business world generally. That’s not to say there aren’t honest and moral business people in the world but it seems that they like politicians frequently lose grip of the individual morality that is necessary for the democratic system to work. We are becoming a two level syster, ie, the rich and the poor with now middle class. Can we change things–not until we can get rid the political element and pass laws where corporations and unions are not individual’s under our laws that was meant to apply only to individual humans. When we do that we can make the government work for all the people and not for the lobbyists and PAC’s that bribe them.

Of course, It will be very easy because only the democrats are CORRUPT and easily bribed.

I think that to a large extent the corruption is systemic.

By that I mean the system of electing Congressmen.

These Senators and Represenbtatives promulgate all Federal Laws and have oversight powers.

The problem is that give or take a few dollars they are officially paid about $300K a year if you include various job benefits but exclude “campaign contributions (read bribes).

REPERESENTATIVES HAVE TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION EVERY 2 YEARS AT A COST OF FROM $2-$3 MILLION. Senators have to run every six yars at a cost from $4 to $7 Million. So unless they can get contributions from lobbyists or are already hugely “Rockerfeller-Kennedy” wealthy they would all be bankrupt after their first term or at least out of office. To survive at all they have to: “get camaign contributions”,
that is to say “bribes” and they spend 75% of their time in office chasing these contributions. The costs of this to the voters is ultimately in the trillions.

My remedy would be to forbid Congressmen from accepting any contribtions while in office – not even a cup of coffee – with seriously enforced criminl felonies for violation, in cluding being expelled from Congress permanently.

To make this realistic I would increase each member’s salary to $2 million a year so they could live comfortably and vote their consciences freely.

As for lobbyists – they can lobby as much as they want but there is to be no payment or benefit flowing from them to the Congressmen of any kind direct or indirect – also with seriously enforced felony penalties.

Only then will we have a chance of pulling out of the ABYSS
Bush has landed us in.

I agree that corruption is systemic in the US, and that it is allowed to flourish because of the continual, very costly election process.

I think the first action is to put a floodlight on the activity, and report what we see. The legislation is written by the lobbyists. Lobbyists represent special interest groups. Special interest groups that are motivated by profit and money are ruled by the bottom line and do not act as human beings with a conscience. So put that all together and we have these entities (lobbyists)writing our laws (running our government) that do not act in the interest “of the people”. The results is big business rule of law and we see it in all industries, often to the detriment of “the people”.

In addition we have to find some way to break the connection between our elected leaders and big business. This all came to point for me when I viewed the movie “Food Inc.” – an excellent example of how special interest influences our government in ways that are disastrous to the people.

There are some interesting ideas among the replies I have read here. If we could wave a wand and mandate term limits, that would help. Unfortunately that would require a change to the constitution. Another good use of the wand would be to ensure that all incumbents lose their next election.

At this point the only tangible thing I can think of is the floodlight idea. The American public is asleep at the wheel.We need to wake them up and when they see perilous path we are on, we can mobilize to change it from the grass roots. Perhaps the power of social media and networks provide an effective vehicle to start a grass roots community movement.

I for one am compelled to do something – I’m not sure what it will be but I will take action!