Corruption Nonpartisan

Government corruption is invariably focused on the last major scandal or scandal set. Failure to look at all the components, including historical and seemingly minor events, distorts perceptions and the ability to deal with the phenomenon effectively.
Of course, WE, the people, have a blunt understanding of all this; all politicians are crooks. A simple notion, and potentially reliable, but it doesn’t really solve the issue. Better to try and understand the workings and demand a fix.
Historically, politicians have rarely been interested in fixing the underlying issue. Timely scandal makes good campaign fodder More to the point, unless there is some real value to be had raising corruption charges against political foes, why spoil a good thing; or worse, risk the mud flying back at the thrower?
Australia’s major parties, the conservative Liberals and the ‘pretty conservative’ Labor Party have things too cozy to want to rock the boat too much. Between them they have legislated, and continue to do so, to maintain their own club and keep others out.
Sure, the odd scandal surfaces. But these are most often on ‘ideological’ lines. They don’t touch the real issues. Just look at the latest program to reduce democratic effectiveness; this includes allowing business and individuals to make donations up to $10,000 without disclosure. Legalised corruption has always been the Australian politicians approach.
In the USA, perceptions are skewed by vicious attacks at each new scandal or revelation, drowning memory of the past. Corruption is historically a nonpartisan affair in Congress. It is a live soap opera, where only the last episode and unfolding events gain focus.
It has, perhaps, something to do with the innate arrogance of many sectors of the population. An arrogance demanded by the underlying insecurity built into the nations psyche.
In Canada the ‘sponsorship scandal’ has held the attention of pollies and media for several years now, at the cost of dealing properly with a string of other ethical aberrations, across party lines.
The hope in Canada is that Martin’s promise to fix the underlying factors allowing the opportunity for politicians to plunder the public purse. The recent announcement of an additional 300 (almost doubling the numbers) auditors to monitor expenditure in real time is a step in the right direction.
The scandal Canadians seem to have missed is the vast amounts of money wasted satisfying the Conservatives politically motivated muck raking over the affair.
There are not going to be many key heads rolling from this affair, but there should be a long term fix come out of it.
Where that leaves Canadian politicians in the ‘scandal for political purposes stakes’ will be interesting. There are still issues arising, including former Mint president, David Dingwall.
So you can also be sure that the country will never be a stranger to breaches in ethical behaviour, just a little better protected.