* The Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) table shows a country's ranking and score, the number of surveys used to determine the score, and the confidence range of the scoring.

* The rank shows how one country compares to others included in the index. The CPI score indicates the perceived level of public-sector corruption in a country/territory.

* The CPI is based on 13 independent surveys. However, not all surveys include all countries. The surveys used column indicates how many surveys were relied upon to determine the score for that country.

* The confidence range indicates the reliability of the CPI scores and tells us that allowing for a margin of error, we can be 90% confident that the true score for this country lies within this range.

spot on here

rank 84

Thailand

While he was occupying the White House, Ronald Reagan's administration found a way to deal with graft -- they legalized it, and the practice is now commonplace via what are called political action committees.

Just about every US senator takes money from them, and I'm sure they also spread the funds around in the House of Representatives.

I would like to see TI expose this for what it is, and put the US on a ranking just a little above Zimbabwe. Maybe this will shame the US into doing something about this mess.

It was funny when Microsoft was cited for monopolistic practices. The day the verdict came in Mr Gates (who had just been officially classed as a scofflaw) met with Bill Clinton (he was president at the time), all smiles and handshakes, and for the next few days during his DC visit he was warmly received by just about every senator. Not a bad deal when you think about it: 50 senators, give a million to each campaign (every six years), so that averages to a little more than $8 million a year. Not a bad price for an entire house of Congress.

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50 senators

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Woops, make that 100 senators.

100 million dollars every six years, so app. $17 million a year, still not a bad price when it allows making billions per year.