In at least one way France is ahead of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Thetheory are going after officials who pass out no-show jobs. Yesterday's International Herald Tribune had an article on the conviction of former Resident Jacques Chirac, 79, of corruption and gave him a two year suspened sentence. The crimes happened when he was the Mayor of Paris.
Lesson Learned? Even the French can, from time to time, move to clean up their political scene. The question is, can we?
Supplemental Lesson Learned is that justice does not require a sledge hammer. It can be administered with a rolled up newspaper.
Regards — Cliff
It would seem that the corruption for which Boston, the state of MA, and in fact, the Northeast is known for is so endemic that I'm not at all certain that it can be eradicated. It's corruption whackamole. Some years ago there surfaced an EyeWitness News series on local and state employees who were on disability retirement.....and living lives of relative splendor displaying no evidence of their "disabilities." Much hue and cry about it. Editorials of disgust for the practice...and promises to clean it up.....but no prison terms yet.....and the beat goes on...and on......and on.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a MA issue either.
And of course, the one fully partisan aspect of our Federal government is the graft and corruption that infuses it no matter who is "in charge" for four years or more.
I think the practice got its start with pre-reformation "indulgences," a practice that quickly gained the attention and favor of politicians of the day.