Are all countries the same?

It's not the case that all countries are the same - it's tempting to think that as we are often presented with a view of the world that suggests that, however that's certainly not the case. What you saw during COVID is not uncommon - especially when what was done was pushed from outside - in the UK where I am, the ideas of lockdowns, mask mandates etc wasn't a homegrown idea but pushed from the outside - like it was in most western countries. In fact, even the pandemic response plans from WHO were anti lockdown/mask etc until 2019 based on the previous reaseach they were found to be ineffective howver something happened in 2020 and suddenly the main-stream-media were demanding them on behalf of the people and politicians caved to the pressure. Clearly they didn't believe in them as they only adhered to them in public (I'm not picking sides - in UK both main parties were breaking rules privately).

As to whether stuff gets reported or not is an interesting one - we saw quite a lot of state control of main-stream-media and here stuff like "partygate" didn't get reported until quite some time later although it was probably known about closer to the time. There was also political shenanigans in UK where the media was utilised as a weapon between factions seeking control.

How this was in other countries I can't say - I very much doubt that the same sorts of things didn't happen but if there isn't such a culture in the media then it's not necessarily going to be reported. Likewise political scandal often isn't reported outside of the country where it occurred as it's not considered particularly newsworthy since, unless the politicians are well known internationally, people aren't interested - unless the wrongdoing is particularly egregious. An example of this is in UK we get quite a lot of news about how bad Donald Trump is but here relatively little about Joe Biden - part of that is political bias but also part is that Joe Biden isn't a well known politician in UK anyway. Many had never heard of him until he became president and many still wouldn't know who he is. Donald Trump is a much better known figure in UK due to his former business and entertainment work as well as being former president.

Certain people who are born into wealth and privilege and rarely have to face up to the consequences of their actions, begin to think they are above the common law and that they can bluff their way out of trouble by force of personality. There are normal, good people in public life, but the general election cannot come fast enough.

I think most politicians mean well or at least go into politics meaning well...

And it would be uncharitable to say anything more!

When I was about your age, Amy - maybe a bit younger - I read a joke in a University Rag Magazine: "It doesn't matter which party you vote for, the government always gets in". It's a truism that nothing which has happened in the last 50+ years has disabused me of.

@happygoluckygal

There's always the entitled, entitled through birth, through wealth, connections or their own sense of importance... They often come a cropper in the end

More like 50-50 but my thought seems little far fetch....who knows

The whole of Capitol Hill is corrupt.

No.. but that’s the goal of the rich n powerful..