The first step is to spread more public information about it. I don't claim to to be able to do it or say it will be quick and easy. But this is not a myth about a demi-god such as Hercules. The good government movement in the early 20th century did end the spoils system. Graft at Tammany Hall and other machine politics didn't stay a feature of American life. Would you have also asked the same question at that time? By all means, if you have other ideas, please share them
I agree with you - it's a process which requires continued attention and mobilization over a long period. As someone who worked on changing societies for over thirty years in development economics at responsible and senior positions, I looked at a number of societies - oil economies like Venezuela, Mexico, and Algeria; Sub-Saharan Africa and its problems of state capture; Eastern Europe, etc. I don't believe corruption can ever be completely eliminated, but it can be reduced and controlled. Greater transparency and public vigilance are critical. It's not a coincidence that among the first agencies to be captured in America under Trump were the offices of Inspectors-General in various government departments. The crypto coins of Trump and Melania are flagrant corruption in public view as donations are anonymous and the coins have no intrinsic value - only the value purchased by payment to the president of the country. The Trump son's "club" with a $500,000 entrance fee is monetizing access to the presidency like the special dinner hosted by Trump for big contributors. The slashing by DOGE of IRS capacity to pursue tax defaulters or even collect revenues is in the service of the pillaging going on by billionaires who have purchased Congress and the Presidency. The 2010 decision by an already ideological SC majority on the Citizens United case opened wider a system of purchase of politics by corporations.
Trump follows in a long Republican tradition of cutting taxes and catering to the very wealthy, corporations, and business groups at the cost of the poor and middle-class. The Republicans enabled Trump, shielded him in two impeachments and didn't care that he had incited an insurrection. The Supreme Court majority is ideological and corrupt as a result of Reublican nominations and manipulation. The Republican Party must be denied power for decades to come if America is to survive after Trump no matter how effective any boycott of a few billionaires and against the lunatic in the White House. Also corrupt are the Democrats who feed at the troughs of criminal lobbies like crypto funds. Perhaps the wholesale economic collapse that Trump seems to be provoking can be an opportunity to clean out the corruption of American politics and its take-over by oligarchs.
Peter Turchin may be even more to the point now than when his book came out in 2020 on elites, counter-elites, and political disintegration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXXj23UL8zk
The first step is to spread more public information about it. I don't claim to to be able to do it or say it will be quick and easy. But this is not a myth about a demi-god such as Hercules. The good government movement in the early 20th century did end the spoils system. Graft at Tammany Hall and other machine politics didn't stay a feature of American life. Would you have also asked the same question at that time? By all means, if you have other ideas, please share them
I think the only mechanism to end corruption is public vigilance, which is a lot of work.
I agree with you - it's a process which requires continued attention and mobilization over a long period. As someone who worked on changing societies for over thirty years in development economics at responsible and senior positions, I looked at a number of societies - oil economies like Venezuela, Mexico, and Algeria; Sub-Saharan Africa and its problems of state capture; Eastern Europe, etc. I don't believe corruption can ever be completely eliminated, but it can be reduced and controlled. Greater transparency and public vigilance are critical. It's not a coincidence that among the first agencies to be captured in America under Trump were the offices of Inspectors-General in various government departments. The crypto coins of Trump and Melania are flagrant corruption in public view as donations are anonymous and the coins have no intrinsic value - only the value purchased by payment to the president of the country. The Trump son's "club" with a $500,000 entrance fee is monetizing access to the presidency like the special dinner hosted by Trump for big contributors. The slashing by DOGE of IRS capacity to pursue tax defaulters or even collect revenues is in the service of the pillaging going on by billionaires who have purchased Congress and the Presidency. The 2010 decision by an already ideological SC majority on the Citizens United case opened wider a system of purchase of politics by corporations.
I agree - thanks for your insight. Unfortunately, much of the voting public seems comfortable with what seems to us as obvious corruption.
Trump follows in a long Republican tradition of cutting taxes and catering to the very wealthy, corporations, and business groups at the cost of the poor and middle-class. The Republicans enabled Trump, shielded him in two impeachments and didn't care that he had incited an insurrection. The Supreme Court majority is ideological and corrupt as a result of Reublican nominations and manipulation. The Republican Party must be denied power for decades to come if America is to survive after Trump no matter how effective any boycott of a few billionaires and against the lunatic in the White House. Also corrupt are the Democrats who feed at the troughs of criminal lobbies like crypto funds. Perhaps the wholesale economic collapse that Trump seems to be provoking can be an opportunity to clean out the corruption of American politics and its take-over by oligarchs.
How do you propose to clear out the corruption?