Carol is exactly right about "money equals votes" according to this article from Corpwatch.org - Top 200: The Rise of Global Corporate Power Money can not only buy media images and sound bytes, but also the lobbying institutions through which corporations "buy" governments, as well as voters. To quote the article above re the top 200 corporations of 1999,

"B. Political Clout

Campaign contributions

The 82 U.S. companies on the Top 200 list made contributions to 2000 election campaigns through political action committees (not including soft money donations) that totaled $33,045,832. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, corporations in general outspent labor unions by a ratio of about 15-to-1. The group also found that candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives who outspent their opponents were victorious in 94 percent of their races. Unfortunately, campaign contribution data for non-U.S. firms is not available.

Lobbying

Of course global corporations also spend massive amounts each year influencing the political system through lobbying. The exact amount spent on these activities is not known, but of the Top 200 firms, 94 maintain ''government relations'' offices located on or within a few blocks of the lobbying capital of the world Washington, DC's K Street Corridor." (emphasis mine)

"Plutocracy". Is that what this is??

daylia