Time to connect the dots

Reuters:

The United States has dropped out of the "top 20" in a global league table of least corrupt nations, tarnished by financial scandals and the influence of money in politics, Transparency International said on Tuesday.

. . .

The United States fell to 22nd from 19th last year, with its CPI score dropping to 7.1 from 7.5 in the 178-nation index, which is based on independent surveys on corruption.

This was the lowest score awarded to the United States in the index's 15-year history and also the first time it had fallen out of the top 20.

In the Americas, this put the United States behind Canada in sixth place, Barbados at 17th and Chile in 21st place.

Americans are disgusted with politicians. Both Republican and Democrat approval ratings are in the gutter. We're tired of the games and the lies and the corruption. Few groups are viewed with such contempt and scorn.

Yet we go right on handing them more and more power and control over our lives. We put them in charge of our health care, our retirement, our children's educations, and all manner of things.

Instead of placing our lives and fortunes in the hands of people we don't trust, wouldn't in make more sense to take power away from them? Isn't the best way to protect against waste and corruption in Washington to simply give them control over as little as possible? If we can't trust the people who run government, isn't the answer to make government as small and limited as possible?

Time to connect the dots, America.