>"What I can't seem to make anyone understand, is in a mixed economy, where the government is given vast powers over the private business sector, this flow of money from businesses to legislators is a given. The system itself demands it. Any so-called "campaign reform" will be worthless, as the money will find another direction to flow."

No, the system does NOT demand any such thing.. In fact, the corruption you so rightly object to is precisely a preversion of the system and must be vigorously prosecuted. Campaign reform need not be worthless if violations are not just winked at.

"The dissident scientist was to be humiliated; authority was to be shown large not only in action but in intention. Galileo was to retract; and he was shown the instruments of torture as if they were to be used."- Jacob Bronowski, describing the trial of Galileo"

This is a great quote showing how absolute authority is destructive not only to the dissident scientist (Galileo) but to all dissident opinion and inquiry. Let us agree to keep religious authority from dominating our legal systems and executive arms.

>"The power of our government to regulate and control the private sector has no perceptible limits. Any Constitutional limits were surpassed, if not utterly annihilated, decades ago. If the government passed a law requiring all businesses to paint their buildings fire-engine red, it might be defeated with pressure brought to bear on legislators, but with a few minor exceptions, not one single person would question the fundamental right of the government to make such a law."

Pretty far off the mark here, Tom. FYI see US v. Lopez, 514 US 549 (1995) in which the Supreme Court held congress had exceeded its authority under the Constitution on the Gun-Free School Zone act of 1990. Obviously limits are perceptible and in place. Also, in the same vein, in 2000 in US v. Morrison (120 s.ct. 1700) found congress had overreached and that non-economic violent conduct was not enough to justify national regulation. Actually, Clint Eastwood reqauired a town to do exactly as you suggest--don't remember the name of the movie. But my, are you hyper-negative on your opinions of your fellow man. I would question, and would you and many others on this board.

>"That most people don't even SEE this is testament to the socialist brainwashing that has pervaded our society."

Yadda, yadda, yadda.. Same old, same old. Forgive me for not humming this same old saw.

>"Just once, I'd like to see a businessman subpoenaed by the Congress to come up and ask where the hell they found the authority in the Constitution to call up a private citizen as though they were members of the Judicial Branch. And then tell them to fuck off, with a little bit of a reminder about who exactly in this picture is supposed to be the public servant. "

I would like to see this also, good theater is always entertaining. The highlight of the show would be the scene where they carted off the ass of your businessman and tossed it into jail along with a lubricant jar.

Congress "found" the authority to do this under Article I, Section 8 in a place that has become known as the commerce clause. Clearly, Congress has the power to regulate trade--and has had since the founding of this country.

The authority of Congress was further amplified by the Supreme Court in the cases of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) and McCulloch v. Maryland (1819). These cases established the national government had additional authority under the necessary and proper clause of the Constitution to call up your private citizen.

These cases defined commerce and extended interstate commerce to include intrastate commerce as all business dealings and was an exclusive national power (John Marshall). The only exception would be if the businessman could establish he was solely intrastate---something impossible to do today.

I am sure you will be pleased to know your public servant are mostly acting within their legal constraints. To the extent they are not, they should be properly and legally chastised, this is why Enron needs be examined and openly disposed of--just to satisfy you.