The most corrupt state(s) in America

[Anti Federalist]

No grade higher than "C".



The most corrupt state(s) in America

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/01/22/the-most-corrupt-states-in-america/

....

Lest we dwell solely on the bad news, here’s the good news: States such as Washington, Oregon, Minnesota, Utah, Nebraska and New Hampshire consistently show up near the bottom of the corruption lists. Generally speaking, those states have stronger ethics boards, tighter rules on lobbyist and vendor gifts and more transparent reporting systems for political contributions.

[DamianTV]

A race to the bottom. Problem is, they all want to win.

[aGameOfThrones]

If they had D.C. it would win valedictorian.

[Occam's Banana]

No grade higher than "C".

Where? On the CPI report? (The article references a number of reports/studies, each with different criteria & rankings.)

In the CPI report, New Jersey got the best grade - coming in with a B+ ... yeah, that's right - New frakkin' Jersey!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/files/2014/01/mapgraphic.jpg

[DamianTV]

Where? On the CPI report? (The article references a number of reports/studies, each with different criteria & rankings.)

In the CPI report, New Jersey got the best grade - coming in with a B+ ... yeah, that's right - New frakkin' Jersey!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/files/2014/01/mapgraphic.jpg

Thats just because the map was compiled by opinions of a person living in New Jersey. Obvious Bias is Obvious.

[Dr.3D]

Obviously they are not grading on a curve or at least one would have an A.

[compromise]

Thats just because the map was compiled by opinions of a person living in New Jersey. Obvious Bias is Obvious.

Now we know what Christie was spending those Sandy funds on...

[Origanalist]

Horse feathers.

[Teenager For Ron Paul]

Depressing map.

[LibForestPaul]

Maine, NH, Vt, Wyoming...hmmm....

[heavenlyboy34]

Horse feathers.
Sounds like something my grandmama would say if she were alive...

[Anti Federalist]

Where? On the CPI report? (The article references a number of reports/studies, each with different criteria & rankings.)

In the CPI report, New Jersey got the best grade - coming in with a B+ ... yeah, that's right - New frakkin' Jersey!!

Oh, holy shit, I just noticed that.

Ridiculous report is ridiculous.

Disregard

[Origanalist]

Sounds like something my grandmama would say if she were alive...

When you cuss about everything it loses it's effect...:)

[thoughtomator]

If New Jersey - which still has not ejected its Governor for an unconscionable abuse of power - is the least corrupt, then the whole country is Sodom and Gomorrah.

More likely, there was corruption that went into the creation of this report in the first place.

[Occam's Banana]

If New Jersey - which still has not ejected its Governor for an unconscionable abuse of power - is the least corrupt, then the whole country is Sodom and Gomorrah.

More likely, there was corruption that went into the creation of this report in the first place.

Or they just used a heads-up-their-asses model of what constitutes "corruption" ...

Regarding the CPI report, WaPo says this:

In March 2012, the Center for Public Integrity released a report tracking 330 separate ethics, transparency and accountability metrics in each state. The results showed Georgia had some of the laxest ethics rules in the country and lacked a strong ethics enforcement agency to enforce the laws on the books. More than 650 government employees accepted gifts from vendors doing business with the state between 2007 and 2008, the report showed.

Other big losers in the Center for Public Integrity study included South Carolina, Maine, Michigan, South Dakota, Wyoming — and, yes, Virginia. All seven states earned F grades.

You can have "ethics rules" and "enforcement agencies" out the wazoo - but it doesn't do a damn bit of good when the people in charge of those "rules" and "agencies" are ... well, the people in charge ...

[The Free Hornet]

Maine, NH, Vt, Wyoming...hmmm....

A lot of the ranking is based on having particular mandates. E.g., defining lobbyists and having them register (or re-register) annually. Other things like citizen participation in the budget process. Of course if your legislator pay is squat ($100 in NH) and your government is smaller, much of the shit they track becomes superfluous.

I would dare say they are measuring the regulation of corruption, not corruption itself. They probably tie into those public campaign finance guys too. You know the game, to take our money by force to convince us who best to lead us.

[Root]

I'm kinda disappointed Dirty Jersey isn't #1.

[oyarde]

Of the best 20 , 11 are pretty good ( those that are very suspect of that 20 are Ore , Vt ,NV,Hawaii,Alaska, Maine, Del ,RI, NM) , of the worst , no suprise , La , NY ,Ill , DC ,NJ , Caly, Penn .

[heavenlyboy34]

When you cuss about everything it loses it's effect...:)

True that. I throw in dagnammits, bloody 'ells, and some others in for variety myself. :) ETA: "bloody" is a naughty word in teh UK. In "respectable" publications it's bleeped out or written as bl-dy (or something similar).

[kathy88]

Yeah!!! I'm in the top 10!

[Dianne]

I object to this article. North Carolina, owned by banksters and corrupt attorneys and judges has to be in the top five corrupt states. I demand a victim recount !!

[donnay]

This map makes me want to put my house up for sale and move to New Jersey! <s>

[FindLiberty]

IL gets a "C" ?
I don't see enough "A grades" elsewhere...

It smells funny.

[oyarde]

IL gets a "C" ?
I don't see enough "A grades" elsewhere...

It smells funny.Ill should be at the very least a D -.