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Featured 75% in U.S. See Widespread Government Corruption

Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by poncho, Sep 20, 2015.

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  1. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Three in four Americans (75%) last year perceived corruption as widespread in the country's government. This figure is up from two in three in 2007 (67%) and 2009 (66%).

    While the numbers have fluctuated slightly since 2007, the trend has been largely stable since 2010. However, the percentage of U.S. adults who see corruption as pervasive has never been less than a majority in the past decade, which has had no shortage of controversies from the U.S. Justice Department's firings of U.S. attorneys to the IRS scandal.

    Continue . . . http://www.gallup.com/poll/185759/widespread-government-corruption.aspx
     
  2. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    I would have guessed the percentage would have been much higher.

    I wonder how many people participated in the poll and what were their demographics.

    Rob
     
  3. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
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    If you're into proof, Puncho, how many of this 75% can prove such corruption? And what can you prove concerning the matter?
     
  4. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    I can prove the word perceived means . . .

    : to notice or become aware of (something)

    : to think of (someone or something) as being something stated

    http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perceive

     
    #4 poncho, Sep 20, 2015
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  5. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    And where is your proof that this perception has any basis in reality?
     
  6. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    Merriam Webster told me. I suppose that's not "mainstream" enough or has the required amount of corporate sponsors to be considered a credible source now right?

    Ya know, I can't prove it but I have a sneaking suspicion that the other 25% of the population who doesn't perceive wide spread government corruption are all Baptist Board members. :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #6 poncho, Sep 20, 2015
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  7. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    I believe you misapprehended my question.. My question is not about Merriam Webster's definition of "perception". My question is what proof do you have of that perception having a basis in reality. Further, what was the methodology used in this survey?

    "Wide spread corruption", to my mind, means it exists at all levels Federal, State, regional, county, and local (city, town, and village) and in very corner of the country. Mind you, I am not saying various government officials are not corrupt. I am saying the level of corruption in the US is far less than in other countries.
     
  8. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    What proof do we have that the universe is real and we aren't all physically in a fish bowl somewhere wired into the matrix? Scientists are beginning to wonder if the universe and everything in it isn't just a big hologram that we perceive as being in a solid state. I read that on a "mainstream" news site with lots of corporate sponsors, BTW. I can provide a link if you like.

    The methodology? They asked a bunch of people if they thought there was wide spread corruption in the government. It's in the link.

    Why does everyone want to compare this country's problems to other country's problems? I don't get that. What does that have to do with anything? Are we supposed to judge the condition of tyranny and corruption in this country by what's happening in other countries instead of judging the condition of tyranny and corruption in this country by how far we've drifted toward a totalitarian state?

    Oh boy, I probably shouldn't have said that without providing a detailed description of the political spectrum and instructions on how to read it that nobody would pay any mind to anyway. I'm sorry Squire but sometimes I have to wonder if people here can actually comprehend that politics is more than just arguing over what "The Donald " said about Obama and Oprah. I don't mean to put anyone down but gee golly wow man some days here is like trying to have a grown up conversation with a room full of third graders on a Twinkies and soda pop high.

    But I digress . . .

    Let me give you an example of small town USA corruption. I grew up in a town with a population of 2500 people except for spring break when half the population went to Myrtle Beach. Back when I was in high school in the 1970's there were three cops in this town. The chief of police and the two other officers and the town judge who was formerly a butcher in one of the two small grocery stores in town were involved in a conspiracy (as defined by Blacks Law book) to enrich themselves by handing out tickets to people, taking them to court, imposing fines on them but "forgetting" to give out receipts and pocketing the money.

    I guess those were the days before the police were legally allowed to steal from citizens through the asset forfeiture laws.

    Anyways long story short. They all got caught, the judge committed suicide, two of the officers went to jail, one was fined 10,000 dollars and the chief was fired. And that's just one story about how the police here acted back in those days. I could spend the whole night telling you about some of the other crooked stuff the town "officials" pulled like the fire dept and their wife swapping scandal but I'm pretty tired from reading another posters endless diatribes about how I should be ashamed and kick myself senseless for questioning authority.
     
    #8 poncho, Sep 20, 2015
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  9. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    The good news is the poll is a Gallup poll. On the other hand, Gallup is part of the MSM complex. And again, perception is not reality.

     
  10. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    You aren't real big on answering questions are ya? Can you prove that perception isn't reality or am I just suppose to take your word for it because you're an administrator?

    Are you going to close this thread now because you've already answered the question of perception vs reality to your own satisfaction? Or will you just delete my last two posts and act as if I never asked you the questions you haven't answered?

    Ever hear of Snagit? I just used mine to take a scrolling screen shot of this whole page as backup to prove my last two posts were indeed on it. I love my Snagit. :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #10 poncho, Sep 20, 2015
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  11. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Your OP opened the thread, so the questions are yours to answer. For the sake of argumentation, I won't repeat my original question. I would note that a few of the countries with lower perception ratings (France 64%, United Kingdom 46%, Germany 38%) have tighter government regulation than the US. Why? I have no idea.

    I drilled a little further and found a link to a Gallup pdf titled Country Data Set Details
     
  12. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    I disagree Squire.

    You're the one that is comparing other countries to the USA. The least you could do is explain why you feel it's necessary to do it.

    For the sake of argumentation? There's no argumentation when one of us namely YOU refuse to answer simple questions. Are you to high and mighty to answer questions?

    Why are you even taking part in this thread if you aren't going to answer questions? To show off your superior intellect to impress yourself maybe?

    Is this post going to mysteriously disappear now?
     
    #12 poncho, Sep 21, 2015
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  13. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    I followed the link to the pdf cited above.
    I found on page 117 that the 2014 (the latest) US polls (there were two) were based on a total of 2,048 interviews. Using the 75% figure, 1,536 respondents believe there is "widespread corruption" of government in the US.

    How you can be so dogmatic based on 1,536 responses, I don't pretend to know. As for comparing the USA to other countries, well Gallup did the same thing. Its poll was an international one.

    Again, I am not saying there is no government corruption in the US. I do take issue with the corruption being labeled as widespread. The word widespread to me needs to be clearly defined by the pollster. By that, I mean not simply a dictionary definition.
     
  14. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    But.....that would ruin the narrative.
     
  15. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    Was that so hard?
     
  16. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    And your simple question is?
     
  17. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    Nope but you could have done the same for the rest of us.
     
  18. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    You could have just answered the question instead of using the condescending attitude. We all might get along better here if you would drop that "greater than thou" act.
     
    #18 poncho, Sep 21, 2015
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  19. Squire Robertsson

    Squire Robertsson Administrator
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    And the question you're asking is?
     
  20. poncho

    poncho Well-Known Member

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    You already answered it in your own special way . . .

    A new Gallup poll reveals that half of all Americans view the federal government as “an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens.”

    http://www.infowars.com/half-of-americans-believe-federal-government-to-be-an-immediate-threat-to-freedom/

    A new Reuters poll indicates that a significant chunk of the American population believes that the President is a threat to the safety of the nation.
    When asked ‘How much of a threat does President Barack Obama pose to the United States?’ 29% of respondents said he poses an ‘imminent’ (18.3%) or a ‘serious’ (10.6%) threat to the nation.

    http://www.prisonplanet.com/almost-a-third-of-americans-say-obama-poses-imminent-or-serious-threat-to-us.html

    I won't be asking or answering any more questions or responding to (what I perceive as) condescending remarks in this thread. You all can argue it out among yourselves or ignore it. Your choice.
     
    #20 poncho, Sep 21, 2015
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