systemic patterns

Title: The Backroom Deals That Rigged the System: A Sharp History of American CorruptionIntroduction For anyone who studies American politics, moments where the curtain lifts and the machinery of power is exposed are both intoxicating and infuriating. From Gilded Age barons swapping favors with senators to modern lobbyists shaping law in smoke-filled suites, backroom deals have been the lubricant that kept the gears of U.S. government turning—often at the expense of the public good. In…