How do we stop corruption in government?

1. 60

   Bronteraeposted 12 years ago

   How do we stop corruption in government?
   
   Does money (i.e. corporate payoffs) really rule congress etc... and is there anything we can do to raise the ethical standards of our leaders? Why can't we have senate term limits?  Why isn't there more press about trading favors.

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2. 75

   shampa sadhyaposted 12 years ago

   Stopping corruption is not an easy task. The whole system is entangled in corruption. At one go it cannot be rectified but I feel, to make the system corruption free we need to start injecting this trait into the generations after generations to come. Once it is in the blood then it can be sorted out very systematically. Right now, if we want some drastic changes to take place then we who are against corruption must raise our voice but definitely in an honest manner. It is not possible for everyone to be Anna Hazare but at least in our minimum possible way we can protest but the fact is people are supporting Anna Hazare but when it comes to their personal choice they are opting the wrong path.
   
   Sometime ago I wrote a hub on curing corruption and I feel I have raised some valid points. If you feel interested then you may go through it.

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3. 60

   Bronteraeposted 12 years ago

   Shampa, I'm afraid (not disagreeing) that your ideas may be too idealistic.  I did check out your hub.  I feel the US started out this way.  We were proud of the goodness of our people and believed our leaders would make ethical choices for us.  As US citizens were brought up believing in this. 
   
   The last economic crisis changed all that. Money and power became our religion.  Its not just our leaders but our corporations that pay off our leaders that have exposed that reality.  I hope they continue to be punished and investigated but I've become a hard core cynic in the last ten years.  And I feel we have lost our hope in our government to do right by our citizens.  The Constitution that protects us from ourselves has become ancient history.  You have to use it for it to work.  The senate has become a clique.  Play the game or you get nothing for your district/state etc...
   
   Two educational movies that I hope everyone will watch:  "Milk" and "Fair Game".  I was shocked to find that the war in iraq was a direct result of Karl Rove and his actions.  Unfortunately, Bush trusted him.   
   
   I want to vote everyone out and start over!

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4. 61

   Edbert Chanposted 12 years ago

   Let's look at it this way: the ratings of Congressmen amongst their constituents is usually quite high while the overall performance of Congress is very low. If money bought everything and the decisions it helped influence goes directly against what the people want, shouldn't the constituents be constantly changing their man in office? Not so much, as it turns out. Even though money does buy airtime for these guys, it is still up to the people to cast the vote. (http://www.opensecrets.org/bigpicture/reelect.php)
   
   This can mean either two things. One is that on the small issues such as pork barrel spending, the people are very satisfied. However, when it comes to the big ticket items such as defense, we're not so satisfied because it requires a group decision. So if a district's congressman does a lot for his constituents but is one of the votes that goes against what the people want, most people are willing to overlook that one vote when they compare it to all the other decisions he's helped make.
   
   The other one is one that I also agree with: that we cannot stand each other. Congressmen are surrogates of a collective opinion and even though, from district to district, Congressmen continually are reelected at high rates, we dislike the Washington gridlock. Think about that. We approve of our own Congressmen and despise it when other people stand in the way. And everyone has the same mindset!
   
   So when you say that there is corruption in government, I do not disagree. However, I would not go as far as to say that every congressmen is corrupt because of their high retention rates. Those little decisions that people tend to overlook because of the benefits they get by reelecting someone add up. But maybe the inability to pin them down on it is our own inability to give up some of what we get and to listen to one another.

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      Bronteraeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I can't help feeling that your answer is optimistic, but well stated and thorough.  thx.  I would be happier if corporations stood on their products' success instead of payoffs.  Why is it that we encourage elections paid for by businesses?

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5. 65

   skgraoposted 12 years ago

   We are responsible for corruption as we want our work done by these Babus who keep files in their custody till we pay the sum fixed for the work. I saw a corporation typist climb to the post of Asst Commissioner and retired with an income from rent which he said was Rs.4,00,000 per month.He was in-charge of property tax assessment  he would bring a heavy bundle of files to his home daily.Why are they allowed to carry the files.
   To get a sale deed which was 30 years old I paid Rs.4,50,000 to the employes of the housing corporation of our  local govt.If I had not paid that much I would have lost Rs.30,00,000.
   The whole of the country lit candles to stop corruption but govt was cool as it had a towel wrapped around its head.
   Anna Hazare does not know what to do nor Kiran Bedi or Arvind Kejriwal.
   Baba Ramdev looks like ????????????.

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      skgraoposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      WATCH THE GADBAD & GOTALA on 03-06-2012 at Delhi.

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6. 85

   tamarawilhiteposted 12 years ago

   Reduce the influence and power has, and then there is less competition to control the government. When the government can decide which companies get bailed out, privatizing profits but sharing losses with the public, or can get exemptions to costly mandates (Obamacare waivers), then all companies want to ensure they get a say and pay to guarantee it. Take the power away from the government, and there will be less corruption.

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7. 53

   val1posted 12 years ago

   You can't. The larger the government, the larger the corruption. A start would be a return to state or provincial government without federal or central govt. After that a return to more local govt.

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8. 82

   Attikosposted 11 years ago

   A lot of people throughout history have tried, but no one has ever succeeded. Government is corrupt by its nature. You can't stop that. The best you can do is to make it small enough its corruption and abuses of power can't ruin your life.

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9. 60

   edmob1posted 11 years ago

   You almost wrote the answer yourself. Ethics or should I say politicians prepared to take an ethical standpoint and there follwers/believers to shout about their gains.
   Alas it seems to me there a few politicians of vision, and still fewer with a confrimed commitment to sustainable ethics in the world today.
   So the electorate everywhere not just your country is no longer willing to invest their social capital in them.

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10. 53

    Setank Setunkposted 7 years ago

    Practical steps include:
    1. Term Limits
    2. No Carpetbagging.
    3. No contact with Special Interest out side of constituency.
    4. No lawyers in elected office.
    5. Election of Supreme Court Justices.
    6. Mandatory adherence to Robert's Rules of Order in Congress.
    7. Line Item Presidential Veto.
    8. No 5th amendment rights for elected or appointed officials when they testify before Congress during or following their tenure in office.
    9. Presidential authority to dismiss any employee or non elected official within the Federal Government on the spot.
    10. Secretaries must be appointed from the existing staff of the department he or she presides over.

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