Corruption in the US went from proxying bribes through layers of shell corps and lobbyists to just buying Trump coin.
It has always existed, but it is absurdly easy now and happening in plain sight.
It has always existed, but it is absurdly easy now and happening in plain sight.
Kinda like when women say that men harass them in the bars and a lot of men seem confused because we don't think we harass them, when it can be like 1 guy harassing 20 women in a bar on the same night.
So I think it's quite unevenly distributed.
Nixon resigned to avoid impeachment for political corruption.
Reagan colluded with Iran to prevent the release of hostages during Carter's re-election campaign and later sold them weapons to bypass congressional oversight.
These are just a couple well known examples at the presidential level, I am sure that for every one we know about there are dozens if hundreds of similar examples.
Go further down the scale to the congressional, state, city, and municipal levels and you encounter even pettier levels of corruption where you can buy votes for 5 figure construction contracts or just simple cash handoffs.
Note that it set the terrible precedent of the President pardoning high level crimes.
But Reagan did not put any money in his pocket. Other than a set of snow tires, Lt.Col Oliver North did not take any money for himself.
It makes it better, somehow, not for money to be the motive. Or maybe it makes it worse.