Took me a couple of reads to see that you don't actually disagree that big business has thoroughly corrupted our government...you just needed to let that knee jerk and blame it all on Democratic politicians. Still, that's progress.

I'm not too sure what you mean by "empowered by our current system to interfere with economic activity". The Constitution has little to say on the matter, in terms of either directives or prohibitions, just that one clause about interstate commerce. Our "current system" works in the discretionary realm--it does what interest groups pressure it to do, and as you pointed out so pithily:

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.

...a lot of that economic "interference" is at the behest of big business pursuing narrow self-interest by purchasing the police powers of the state to use against competitors and uppity customers. A dismal example of the latter is the bill the credit card industry has purchased, and that's making its way through Congress, to change the bankruptcy laws to protect credit card debt, even putting it ahead of child support. That takes real cojones!

I seem to recall that you think that campaign finance reform is a bad idea--another example of government meddling. Do you buy into the argument that corporations have free speech and other rights equivalent to us flesh-and-blood citizens? I raised that issue in an earlier post, and I was hoping to provoke a little discussion. What about it, eh? Hmm?

--Robert