After the huge scandal that has rocked the UK parliament, reports of US Lawmakers expensing their personal purchases are sure to cause a stir this side of the Atlantic. Obama's presidency has had its fair share of scandals involving lawmakers and members of parliament - first the indiscretions of the governor of Illinois, then the news of senators not paying their taxes, and now this. Mind you, these are the infractions that have surfaced; some government watchers suggest that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
When I first read about scandals of this nature, I couldn't quite fathom the outrage the taxpayers felt at the actions of their elected representatives. In India, I grew up reading about the excesses of ministers, their almost habitual flouting of the laws of the land, and witnessed their life of excess first hand. Truth is, politics corrupts even the best of us because with power comes money. I can't wait for the day when Indian politicians are subjected to the same scrutiny that their counterparts in the rest of the developed world. Until that day, I don't think India will be quite ready to usher in a new era of growth and prosperity.
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