United States Of Corruption

I was reading about North Korea. One thing I found out is that it is officially the worlds most corrupt country.

Here's a corruption map of the world. Green is where you want to be. I guess the U.S. is yellow because it means caution. President Obama has called the struggle against corruption “one of the great struggles of our time.” I am not sure if he's winning the struggle. Remember when he went back on his promise of no lobbyists  in his administration?
 In Russia corruption is a way of life. If you look at all those red and dark red countries it's a way of life there too. 
With the passing of Citizens United, corruption in this country got a get out of jail free card. I found This article, a CIA agent states "that corruption is rampant among government officials in the United States, and that Congressmen are misappropriating funds earmarked for Afghanistan’s reconstruction" The thing is, I am not sure misappropriation of funds is only going on in and for Afghanistan.
I wonder what level of government isn't overrun with corruption?
Many lobbies are an employment program for the husbands or wives, sons or daughters of government officials.
"But Harry Reid is in a class by himself. One of his sons and his son-in-law lobby in Washington for companies, trade groups and municipalities seeking Reid's help in the Senate. A second son has lobbied in Nevada for some of those same interests, and a third has represented a couple of them as a litigator."
Proving that there is no difference between parties, check this out, "
Tom DeLay's wife, Christine DeLay, and daughter, Dani DeLay Ferro, received more than $500,000 from DeLay's national political action committee, AMPAC, his House campaign committees, and the closely aligned Texans for a Republican Majority. DeLay's wife made over $4,000 a month from AMPAC. His daughter also got a sweet chunk of the pie. Since 2003, she received over $3,500 each month from DeLay's national political action committee, AMPAC. Through her consulting firm, she also raked in $222,000 in fees from DeLay's House campaign committees. - Progress Report 2/05
 Nothing about nepotism or cronyism is new. George W. named the wife of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) as his labor secretary. I guess these examples are just one aspect of government corruption. 
So we all know that government officials and their families are doing very well and not feeling the economic pressure most Americans are dealing with now, this is why I think we may be on the way to a situation like North Korea regarding corruption. The people of North Korea starve while the leaders concentrate on military pursuits. This sounds eerily familiar to me. It scares me to think things could get that bad here. This is one of the reasons that our social programs are so necessary. 

Corruption undermines our society. What I think about is the unemployment situation in my own country that is not being addressed, which in turn is causing widespread poverty. Even if you are working you can still be in poverty. What is saving us now are food stamps and other social programs. However hunger exists for over 50 million Americans.
I heard on N.P.R. the other day that the Chinese call Kim Jong Un "The Third Fattie". Meaning, that the dictators in North Korea have all been overweight.  Meanwhile, starvation is driving North Koreans so insane they have been eating their own children. The Cannibals of North Korea
 There is talk that North Korea is collapsing, may be that is why all this nuclear bullshit is going on. Everyone can look at that instead of why this "Dear Leader" isn't helping his own people. It's really appalling.  I personally think that this is where we are headed if our leaders get their way and cut off all social programs. They just do not care what is happening to the majority of Americans. Corruption is everywhere, the banking system, corporations, lobbies, it is pervasive on so many levels. This situation, I am sure is nothing new, but it just seems like it's getting worse and it's taken for granted, like in Russia, that it's just the way it is.
 While North Korea may be the most corrupt country in the world, it looks like this may be the way we're headed.