answer:In some ways we are in that situation, but it may not be as dire as we think. That is because corporations have conflicting interests, and not all are in a position to scratch each other’s backs. Small business and large business often have different interests. For example, in the health care debate, big business has an interest in forcing small business to pay their fair share for health insurance. Of course, small business complains they’ll go out of business if forced to cover their employees. The interests of other industries are not always in consonant. I can’t think of a good example… well, let’s say energy producing firms and energy consuming firms are usually on different sides of an issue. Trial lawyers are not on the side of tort control companies. Green energy is opposed to spending on the military-industrial complex. Tech firms and communications firms may be on the same side on some issues and on opposite sides on other issues. Consumer goods companies want regulation that helps people make a lot of money. If we don’t have money, we don’t buy, and they don’t make any profits. And on and on. Sometimes the people who run companies don’t understand what is in their best interest and sometimes they do. But they are no different than the electorate in that. The point is that there is not really a corporatocracy. Corporations are not all on the same side on different issues. Thus there is conflict in government, whether or not companies are more involved or not. As to the revolving door—I don’t know what to say. It’s been happening for ages. Congress passes legislation saying there must be a one or two year gap between government employment and private sector employment in the field they were regulating. It’s all about who you know, and people in power know people in power. How can it be otherwise? Elections, more and more, are becoming referendums about how the party in power is doing over all. It has nothing, really, to do with the issues. But parties benefit and suffer from this. Yet, in a way, none of it matters. It’s the economy. As the economy goes, so goes the party in power. The hatred between left and right? I think that is there because it is perceived to work. Everyone loves their own congressman but hates congress. You need to be seen as vociferously representing your constituents. So this encourages more and more radical language. I seriously doubt that what we are seeing now is all that much different from what has happened at times in the past. There have been times of vicious partisanship and corporations throwing around all kinds of money in Washington before. It really doesn’t matter whether we have laws trying to limit corporate campaign spending or not. They always find a way to spend the money. Always. I don’t think this represents any significant change from any time in US history.