http://videosift.com/video/You-Have-No-Idea-How-Wrong-You-Are

Here is one source. He discusses how corrupt our government was in prior decades, and how we now have arguably the least corrupt government in our history.

Not saying that he is 100% right, but comparatively speaking, I think he has a point.

I also look at foreign governments that are labeled "corrupt" in the media and I see little in common with America.

Perhaps our real issue here is the definition of "corrupt."

And now we sneak up on why I called you naive.

Naive is a negative word, though. A more accurate adjective would be "idealistic."

I have found it is the idealists who are the most devastated by an imperfect world. I see human error, I hear "corrupt police state." I see political compromise in a complicated world, I hear "spineless sell-out and/or corrupt."

And we get back to why I admire you -- it is your idealism that gets me to rethink my positions.

You can't tell it, but I erase many things before I post them. I find that as I write, I see the fallacy and the complacency in my unexamined world view, and I re-think, re-examine, re-write.

The first time @blankfist called me an "apologist" I took a good hard look at how I thought about different topics (after I insulted him back, those were early days here on the sift.) I still hold the same points of view in general, but I am not so knee jerk in my responses. Knowing that blankie is watching, or might be watching, I consider my words carefully. My Imaginary Blankfist keeps me intellectually honest.

So that is why I say our government is not corrupt. What would you like me to know now? What do you think I can honestly say differently? Convince me, my friend, convince me!

In reply to this comment by GenjiKilpatrick:
Hah. Thanks for even acknowledging my questions & concerns.

Tho after this whole "The government is not corrupt" thing.

I'm much more curious about what in your experience and knowledge has lead you to that conclusion.