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Originally Posted by Cynthetiq
read some in depth historical books and what you are saying is painted quite well. I've been in 2 different countries for almost 3 weeks and reading the papers here isn't much different than america when it comes to scandals for government officials. I'm assuming that people think that just because it's America that there isn't such thing as corruption... especially after the dismantling of Tamany Hall and that machine of corruption.
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Although Tamany Hall (and other similar operations in other cities) did have alot of corruption, the organizations did serve an important purpose. They provided many underclass citizens (especially immigrants) opportunities and a voice they might not have otherwise gotten. Whereas much of the influence peddling mentioned in this thread by Bush and Clinton seems to be little more than the lining of their own pockets, the lining of close associates' pockets, or political paybacks.