is such widespread, systemic corruption an issue in the US? As a far away observer (AUS), the US system does not seem so pervasively corrupt.
Worse than our actual thieves. I am on the paranoid side and most Americans don't think this way as far as I know, but I feel safer walking through a bad neighborhood with a pile of cash than going by a cop. I'll most likely get mugged in the bad neighborhood but the cops will take the money and put me in jail