Chinese Public Expresses Concern over US Relations

Despite China’s vast economic growth, many citizens are concerned for the state of the nation. Concerns regarding food safety, corruption, income inequality, and relations with the US were at the top of the public's list of worries. Food safety is a paramount issue for the country. In 2008 only 12% of those surveyed considered food safety a very big problem. Over the past 4 years, this figure increased by nearly 30 percentage points, with 41% reporting that they worry about the safety of their food.  The Chinese public is also concerned about corrupt officials. About half of those polled reported that corruption was a large problem for the country. Additionally, the growing inequality between the rich and poor is a huge problem in the minds of Chinese citizens. When asked whether they agreed that in China “it’s really true that the rich just get richer while the poor get poorer”, 81% completely agreed or mostly agreed. 

Their concerns are not isolated to the state of domestic affairs. Many Chinese express growing reluctance to work with the US. In 2010, 68% of those surveyed said the country’s relationship with the US was one of cooperation, but in 2012 only 39% adopted this same view. Moreover, in 2010, 52% of those surveyed expressed confidence in Obama. In 2012, this figure dropped to 38%. Although these figures may seem to be a cause for concern for the Obama administration, it is important to note that many Chinese people still support American ideas about democracy. A majority of Chinese people between the ages of 18-49 support American ideas concerning democracy and when broken down by education, 65% of those with some college also embrace these key values.

Countries Improving Conditions to Conduct Business

According to a measure produced by the International Finance Corporation, Georgia, followed by Rwanda and Belarus, showed the greatest improvement in the ability to conduct business. The IFC measures the ease of handling business by taking into account various factors, such as how long it takes a company to pay taxes and become incorporated. Egypt, Mali, Colombia, and China also topped the list. 

The Economist notes that corruption, or lack thereof, plays a major role in a countries ability to easily conduct business. As figure 2 illustrates, greater corruption perceptions correlate to a lower “ease of doing business” ranking. Additionally, it appears that the position of countries to handle business has improved in most areas since 2005 partly because many states are following Singapore’s model of business. Singapore holds the top spot in the Global Dynamism Index, an index that measures which countries have the best business environments. 

Corruption Costs Illinois $500 Million a Year

The Economist recently highlighted a report published by the University of Illinois at Chicago in which corruption amongst American states is more closely examined.  The Economist’s daily chart displays the number of public corruption convictions from 1976 to 2010.  This analysis of public corruption comes just days after Rod Blagojevich began his 14-year prison sentence on March 15^th. The former governor of Illinois was impeached and removed from office for attempting to sell Barack Obama’s vacated Senate seat (amongst other charges) in early 2009.  The corruption report displays convictions per 10,000 population.  Louisiana leads all states with a rate of 2 appointees and government employees convicted per 10,000 of the state’s total population, followed by Illinois at 1.4, New York at 1.3, and Pennsylvania at just over 1.2 convictions per 10,000.  New York had the most convictions, at 2,522, followed closely by California with 2,345.  The District of Columbia has convicted public officials due to corruption at a rate of 16.7 per 10,000 of the population since 1976, but this figure is exaggerated due to the fact that the Jusitice Department and other federal agencies often try corruption cases regardless of where the crimes were committed.  The report also estimates that corruption costs Illinois $500 million a year, which is just over 2% of the state’s FY2013 budget, and more than the $425 million in spending cuts enacted by Governor Pat Quinn for the coming year.

2010: Starting the New Year Right with Senator Scott Brown

Had Enough Corruption Yet, Bay Staters?
How much corruption does it take for the good citizens of Massachusetts to say enough is enough? In 2009 the third consecutive Democratic Speaker of the House, Salvatore DiMasi, resigned and is currently on trial for a myriad of Federal corruption charges. Over in the State Senate it was even better with Senator Galluccio who can't stay sober and does the hit-and-run thing with a toothpaste excuse handy when he fails the breathalyzer, and 2008 former bribes-into-bra Senator Wilkerson who got handed a bunch more corruption charges.

Add to that it took his own death for Senator Ted Kennedy to release his dishonorable, dynastic stranglehold on the US Senate seat he seized for 46 awful years despite the wrongful death of his companion Mary Jo Kopechne.

Senate-appointee corruption
The culminating tragedy for the rest of America was the horrific way the corrupt legislature--the Massachusetts General Court--changed the rules on the appointment of US Senators to vacant seats to promote specific nominations to the seat. In 2004 when it appeared Republican Gov. Romney might replace Senator Kerry, at the specific urging of Senator Kennedy the General Court changed the rules to prohibit a Romney appointee. Yet when Kennedy suddenly died last August, the selfsame General Court rushed through restoration of the Governor-appointee process to give Democrat Governor Patrick the ability to appoint a crony, Paul Kirk. Even a 90-day request for the law to take effect by the GOP was denied. themostsearched vehemently denounces these actions by the Democrats as nothing short of evil, corrupt, political gerrymandering. Laws are designed to benefit the whole, not just Paul Kirk.

Yes Massachusetts, it is your Commonwealth, but we are watching. And when it comes to a Federal office, suffering. Were it not for this evil political gerrymandering we would not have had our Christmas ruined by needless debate and voting on unconstitutional healthcare scheme legislation.

Scott Brown vs. Martha Coakley

In December, Massachusetts held their primaries and the two parties came up with two contrasting candidates. On the Democratic side they put forth Martha Coakley who embodies the Democratic spirit of corruption by having kept in jail Gerald Amirault to advance her political prowess (credit to Right Klik who is all over this.) The GOP put forth principled conservative state Senator Scott Brown who the worst he's done is way back when as a college student posed semi-nude in Cosmo. In our research of Senator Brown, a decorated Lt. Colonel in the MA National Guard, we find him and his Brown Brigade campaign worthy of our trust, endorsement, and a financial contribution. That he announced his candidacy for US Senate on 9/12 and spoken at tea party rallies (pictured above) further reveals his principles.

This race is a chance for Bay Staters to decide on Tuesday, January 19th, whether to for a principled conservative in Brown or a known corrupted in Coakley. themostsearched has had enough corruption and wants our country back to principles; citizens of the Commonwealth, do you? Minutemen of Massachusetts: arise and throw off the chains of despotic, dynastic tyranny which enslave you into taxation, regulation, and socialism! Vote for Brown!!