In a free market, where government and economics are separated, the largest business on Earth has no power to force me to do anything. Not true of even a local politician.

It is odd that there is constant condemnation of those who give politicians bribes...er...that is, campaign contributions, but rarely are the politicians dragged over the coals for accepting them. It takes two to be corrupt, which is why watching the Democrats get so holy about campaign reform is such a hoot. Stop me before I sin again, but for God's sake not before the next election.

I repeat, it wouldn't even be an issue if the government was not empowered by our current system to interfere with economic activity at almost every conceivable level. If the government could not dispense favors or destroy competition, there would be no reason for corporations or anyone else to try and influence it.

As it is, crooked businesses become political to gain government favors and wreck competitors, while honest businesses must become political to keep themselves from becoming victims of the others. You know...protection money.

There was a time when there was no separation of church and state in Europe, and the resulting amalgams of political power and money is what convinced our founding fathers that the two should be kept apart. Had they seen what would happen today with the mixed economy, there would probably have been another amendment or two on the Bill of Rights. Actually, the Bill of Rights as written should have been enough, but the Tenth Amendment became toilet paper years ago.