It's also demoralizing. Like with Russia and other highly corrupt countries, the average person sees all this and ignores the corruption at their local level, while saying "well that's just how things work here".

I can't wait until he leaves office unpeacefully.

This is how organized crime works. Everyone is dirty, so everyone supports the organization for self-preservation. Anyone who steps out of line gets thrown under the bus. The mob doesn't trust anyone they don't have dirt on.

Make that four: child molestation

Don't forget "always looking like a terrified cartoon frog." He was the right pick, and really stepped into the role and is doing his own thing with it. I don't think people are giving him his due credit there.

Who is “everybody” in your book? Patel isn’t ex-Soviet.