I had dinner last night with a friend, and after the meal, he asked (I couldn't understand) for a pink slip that he filled out, and then got a very fancy receipt.
After asking him what it was, he mentioned that he was giving it to a friend who works in government, just to help her out. She'd receive money from the government, as a "reimbursement" for the meal, but it wasn't bribery, he just wanted to help her.
"Interesting," I said.
He didn't seem terribly ashamed of the process, even as he tried to justify it to me. But we then started talking about government in China, vs. the US. I told him most kids that come from great colleges want to work in US business, and he seemed very surprised. Apparently Chinese kids all want to work in government, because it's the best way to get ahead and make money... still. I'm not sure how right he is, but there's certainly something to it.
Apparently everyone in the government gets their meals paid for on top of their salary--which is already higher than normal. I hear they gets lots more "benefits," as well, and this is all the over-the-table stuff. Corruption and bribery still runs rampant.
Even my friend, who was participating in the system, complained about it, citing the taxpayer burden. But can you blame a struggling middle-class worker for taking free government handouts when offered? Like most disgraces prepetuated by large governments, this one allows the user to hide behind the moral sanction of the government--that if they said it is okay, it must be. Turns out, people like free stuff, and will take most moral sanctions to have it that they can get.
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