Wow, We're Right Up There With the Northern European Welfare States

According to Transparency International, Canada is right up there with the northern European welfare states when it comes to corruption.   In fact, we're supposedly the 6th least corrupt country in the world.   Denmark topped the charts at 9.3 out of a possible 10 points.  Finland and Sweden came in at 9.2.  Canada scored 8.9.   Norway was 8.6 and debt-ridden Iceland trailed at 11th place for 8.5.

Stephen Harper has open contempt for the northern European nations but, by gosh, they're remarkably decent, honest and open.

Steve's American Idol slipped out of  the top-20 for the first time since the index was created 15-years ago.  The U.S. fell to 22nd with 7.2 points thanks to its financial scandals and the "influence of money in [U.S.] politics" which seems like an awfully nice way to refer to America's bought and paid for Congress.

Meanwhile those countries that Washington has spent most of the past decade invading, conquering and supposedly rebuilding, Iraq and Afghanistan, were right at the bottom.  Afghanistan tied with Myanmar for second-last with 1.4 and Iraq placed fourth from last with 1.5.

Particularly worrisome are countries that scored 5 or less.   They're the bottom three-quarters of the 178-country rankings.   Their ranks aren't getting any smaller either.