[Opinionated Blowhard]

Corrupt crony capitalism is familiar everywhere. But in Russia the corruption is so pervasive that even the cronies have to pay bribes, not just to the higher-ups but to the lower-downs.

In Russia, small town girls go to the big city and get ruined, but that’s what they’re trying to do. Really trying. They go to school for it.

Among that everything is PR used to promote cults.

These statements about Russia sound like they're talking about the US. We are a lot closer to a corrupt, crony-capitalist authoritarian state than some would like to believe.

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

These statements about Russia sound like they're talking about the US.

The Russians make all perverts and all thieves and corrupt people everywhere else in the world look like pikers. There is no comparison.

[RipSawyer]

“We are a lot closer to a corrupt, crony-capitalist authoritarian state than some would like to believe.”
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Off hand I can’t think of a reason to say we are not already exactly that. Corruption if obvious and rampant, crony capitalism is built into our whole legal system and it has been estimated that the average citizen in the USA commits three felonies against federal law every DAY without even knowing it. It is not even remotely possible to be a law-abiding citizen in this country no matter how hard you may try. Anyone who thinks he can do it is simply not paying attention.