And then we have the other end of the spectrum, where the same mechanism allow cronyism to exist. You and kleinbl00 and WanderingEng all seem to be talking about whether or not it's normal. It's normal as shit. I know that. I'm not debating that. What I'm wondering is where, how, when, and why we draw the line and say "this is when it gets to be unhealthy, counter productive, and potentially dangerous."

If I could go to some country where it's normal as fuck to have to grease three different palms to get something as simple as a driver's license, a lot of people would shrug their shoulders and say "Yeah, it sucks, but that's just how it's done."

If the next time I renew my liscense, the teller slips me a bit of paper asking for an extra $20 to "expedite" things, it's gonna be a huge shock. If I see a former politician get paid more money for a few hours of speech than most of my friends will make in half of their adult lives, it's not gonna be a huge shock, but it's gonna stop and make me consider shit, including "why the fuck isn't this a huge shock?" That's the thought process that has been going through my head since this whole thread started and the more I think about it, the more I start to think that maybe people have a right to be upset.