Comments on: This feisty UN agency just put Guatemala’s president in jail for corruption

By: wsurfs .

wsurfs . — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 00:17:00 +0000

Politicians are exempt from impunity….don’t you know that by now?

By: wsurfs .

wsurfs . — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 21:04:00 +0000

Flash back to you…SHUT UP…!! YOU and I BOTH know we’re talking about Obama…you remember…the domestic terrorist…YES…that one…..!!!

By: Canamjay

Canamjay — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 19:49:00 +0000

you are just profoundly ill ..good thing you’re out of US…

By: Canamjay

Canamjay — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 19:42:00 +0000

flash to you wsurfs: W is no longer prez, so good idea, but maybe a bit late?

By: SDPUS

SDPUS — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 16:46:00 +0000

Very well articulated. Prisons are more of a front to combat crime. The serious individuals who cause most of societies problems rarely go. Prisons are full of drug users. Seldom do any of the big fish ever go down. Legislators are fully aware of this.The drug war is the perfect example. If they were regulated, instead of criminalized, society would be very different. 40+ years of criminalization has destroyed our framework. We have wasted trillions of dollars that could have been much better spent. No one enjoys living in a police state, but in essence, that is exactly what we all have. A trillion dollars since 1980 could have had much greater impacts if it were reallocated long ago.

By: zzzzz

zzzzz — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 16:02:00 +0000

In a system where bribery is prevalent, it sets the tone for all others to do the same and before long everyone dances to that tune. I think humans are hardwired for that kind of thing and you can’t really change that specifically but rather it is part of a complex social structure not a simple cause and
effect like punish bad behavior. Look at the war on drugs in the US as an
example. What did putting all those people in jail do to change behavior? [in case you are scratching your head, the answer is it made things worse]

Law and order is the cornerstone of a functional society but
setting that up is complex and procedural and if jail alone were a deterrent then
there would be no crime. The fact is that people need to believe in the system for it to work and fighting corruption is not about a law or two and the few
bullshit examples that are set, it’s about infrastructure, process and society.
One would be hard pressed to change the fact that corruption exists (and in
every nook and cranny at that) but would have far more success in targeting the cost to society by means of traceable bureaucratic accountability for money. Open transparency and competition is part and parcel of that.

But ok, go put your guys in jail and more power to you I am all for that.

By: SDPUS

SDPUS — Sun, 06 Sep 2015 13:39:00 +0000

I agree with much of that. And yes, I do think prison is a detterent, but where institutions are weak and corrupt– they certainly will take advantage. And that is the very reason I think this type of institution should also be implemented in Costa Rica.

By: Roberto

Roberto — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 17:54:00 +0000

At least some of the corruption in the US gets investigated and prosecuted. Whatever happened to the major scandal and corruption in Costa Rica known as “La Trocha?” After 3.5 years, 42 persons under investigation and doubts about the $32,000,000 spent….what?

(CNN)The nation’s premier federal program that provides work for people who are severely disabled is mired in widespread corruption, financial fraud and violations of the law, numerous sources tell CNN. And instead of helping the severely disabled find work, the taxpayer-funded agency is at times allowing jobs to be taken away from the disabled, the sources say.

AbilityOne, along with the nonprofit agency that manages its program for the severely disabled, SourceAmerica, are being investigated by authorities for illegal operations, financial fraud, mismanagement, operating in violation of the law, steering of contracts, and possibly obstruction of justice. Several inside sources tell CNN the program is among the worst cases of its type they’ve ever seen in a federal agency.

By: zzzzz

zzzzz — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 16:52:00 +0000

sadly, it is probably only bureaucracy that can effectuate change. I mean access to information, accountability and scope of influence to name a few. Things like that are all bureaucratically defined processes. Corruption is something that is so deeply entrenched that there is little you can do to scare people from it.
For example a uniform VAT and reporting system can reduce tax fraud appreciably.
Government institutions bleed money through budget misappropriation more than any other source.
Do you think jail time is a deterrent to the Mafia?
In many places, removing death squads is a good start

By: SDPUS

SDPUS — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 20:21:00 +0000

http://www.forwardprogressives.com/republicans-mad-obama-president-wished-bush-been/