Graft in the Western Hemisphere A brilliant diary on DailyKos brought my attention to twin problems: Graft in Latin America and Graft in the United States. I had not known that these problems existed (silly me! for some reason I had thought corruption was barely existant in Latin America!). But they do, and the exist so much and to such an extent that they are real. Very, very real, they are present at this time. Sorry, weird mood.

Graft in Latin America (NY Times)

We just signed Cafta with them, and now they tell us!!

Throughout Central America, too, prosecutors are pursuing cases against current and former leaders who lined their pockets while in power. In Nicaragua, former President Arnoldo Alemán has already been convicted of diverting state funds for his personal use and is appealing a 20-year sentence. Costa Rican prosecutors have accused two former presidents of taking kickbacks to award lucrative government contracts. And in Guatemala, the state's attorneys are seeking the extradition of former President Alfonso Portillo from Mexico on charges he embezzled $15.7 million.

Graft in America (DailyKos)

With control of all three branches of government, with the press snoozing and Democrats powerless to stop them, Republicans are feeding at the public trough, like, er, well, like Republicans!

  ¶ 2:12 PM