75% in U.S. See Widespread Government Corruption

[Purveyor]

Source: Gallup

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Three in four Americans (75%) last year perceived corruption as widespread in the country's government. This figure is up from two in three in 2007 (67%) and 2009 (66%).

Is corruption widespread throughout the government in this country, or not?


While the numbers have fluctuated slightly since 2007, the trend has been largely stable since 2010. However, the percentage of U.S. adults who see corruption as pervasive has never been less than a majority in the past decade, which has had no shortage of controversies from the U.S. Justice Department's firings of U.S. attorneys to the IRS scandal.



These figures are higher than some might expect, and while the lack of improvement is somewhat disconcerting, the positive takeaway is that Americans still feel fairly free to criticize their government. This is not the case in some parts of the world. Questions about corruption are so sensitive in some countries that even if Gallup is allowed to ask them, the results may reflect residents' reluctance to disparage their government. This is particularly true in countries where media freedom is restricted.

This is why it is most appropriate to look at perceptions of corruption through such lenses as the Freedom House's Press Freedom rankings. Ratings vary among countries with a "free press," including the U.S., and range from a high of 90% in Lithuania to a low of 14% in Sweden. The U.S. does not make the top 10 list, but notably, it is not far from it.

Read more: http://www.gallup.com/poll/185759/widespread-government-corruption.aspx

[840high]

1. Only 75?

[Hydra]

5. 25% Who are in the 1%, or thiink their interests align with them

That was about Bush's approval rating for a long time- we had arguments here on how little support you needed to run a revolution(which they were doing). They proved 25% worked just fine.

[zeemike]

8. 25% benefit from trickle down corruption

Or just blind and stupid.

[Hydra]

10. I'd say abut 5% benefit from it, the rest are suckers

One poll showed 30% of Americans think there are in the 1%. Consider it a tax on being stupid.

[zeemike]

12. That's probably about right.

PT Barnum used to say there is a sucker born every minute.

[Hortensis]

17. Wrong on the 1% reflecting 25%. Economic status is a SMALL factor in ideology.

Surprising, and contrary to what was thought for a long time, but true. Personality trumps all.

I suspect most of this 25% reflects authoritarian loyalty to conservative leaders, whether they can actually attach names to them or not. Most of them will have been in the 22-25% who supported everything Bush II did, no matter what and up to the very last weeks (when they realized they'd thrown in with a loser). Even then about 12% or so remained totally loyal, refusing to admit ANY wrong.

Definitely suckers, though. And you know the one about those who can be fooled all the time -- those turn out to be mostly people who INSIST on being fooled all the time, and authoritarians are practically synonymous with those.

[Demeter]

2. Criticize, but don't expect any changes? OR prosecutions, either!

NO way to run a country.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

3. For once, I'm in the majority.

We live under a thoroughly corrupt government. Sure, there are places that are worse, but that's no cause for celebration.

[snappyturtle]

4. +! nt

[LiberalArkie]

6. Look at the least corrupt countries.

[BlueJazz]

7. Not too bad. We're 13th.

From the bottom

[Zorro]

9. Exactly what is meant by "government corruption"?

Widespread bribe taking by elected or other government officials?

The article doesn't define what is meant by the term.

[NonMetro]

13. Good Point!

So, since corruption is subjective, the next question would be to count the ways people think it's corrupt. I'll start: Instead of serving all of the people, legislators make tax laws that benefit the wealthy few, and harm everyone else, the result being that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That's corrupt because it's unfair.

[greatlaurel]

11. Gallup doing another hatchet job on America. Convince people it is hopeless to vote.

The right wing try anything to keep people from voting.

[passiveporcupine]

14. Brazil is known for it's corruption

but it just ended corporate donations to politicians. Get it?

Do we need to sink as low as Brazil (not even on this chart) before we do the same?

[Lychee2]

15. I once asked a much older person about the apparent increase in corruption.

I asked her whether there was more of it now, or whether it was just more open. She said both. And that the one feeds on the other.

[bemildred]

16. The Raygun Revolution was all about more corruption.

And Citizens United cemented it into place.

[Overseas]

18. Sad because so much has been Privatized. That's where the corruption comes in.

But people will just summarize as Government Is Corrupt, when it is really the privatization that has corrupted things.

They told us privatization would make things more efficient, transparent and less corrupt.

Right around the time Dick Cheney became Secretary of Defense and began privatizing military services. Then went on to be Halliburton CEO and rake in the dough. Then VP and more privatization and poorer quality of services.

And of course the Prisons have been privatized and then prison corporation lobbyists push for stricter sentencing so they can keep their occupancy rates high and maximize their profits.

Privatization has made corruption ten times worse than it was when more things were done in-house.