Looks to me like an all or nothing power play for absolute power, there's a point where their (ironically imaginary) money buys enough tanks, planes and Janissaries that can't be matched by any other group.

Readers are so accustomed to opinion which is little more than transcription of thought - with it's idiotic rambles, dead-ends, and scurries, absence of form, indifference to language/syntax - they have lost all consciousness that a piece of journalism is also an object of craft, inviting appreciation for it's unique configuration, as well as for the imagination employed in the presentation of ideas.

Mr. Sirota is unique among us for being an artist at his work, typified by a marked consideration of the vessel which will carry his message, and the delight which can be afforded readers as he leads them on a journey of observation, speculation and conclusion. In short, David gives us relief from the dysentery of writers who harangue witlessly under an illusion something of worth can be produced through endless reams of writ, registering clicks, and profiteering from the troubles of a nation.

Willb and xypro are correct. In his blog Willb states the corporate media control the public now. These are clear simple statements that encompass the entire problem.

We are being propagandised to death. The corporations are now in charge of America. Maybe it would help if we all just started calling it what it is. In fact, not to do so, at this point is irresponsible. I believe the oligarchy is in charge of Obama, on multiple levels; The financial sector, the highest level of the judicial and civil rights sector, the armament and oil industry sectors.

We now can only count on an outraged citizenry and those within the judicial system who still have honour and on international pressure. What a profound disappointment the puppet Obama is.

Regarding the international monetary crisis, please check out

http://mwcnews.net/content/view/29827/26/. This is truly scary stuff.

Graft and bribery can not be both legal and illegal. Besides, business and industry will benefit from a rising market as well as everyone else. Leaving the lack of financial regulation in place which caused the bubble will create another bubble, obviously. I was all for spending more stimulus dollars to create jobs but all that got gutted out of the stimulus package by the Republicans and conservative Democrats.

So much wrong with your letter.

You're correct in asserting that no laws were broken. However, the fact that bribery and graft have been made legal - by the very same people who are the recipients of graft and bribery, by the way - in no way makes the situation acceptable.

And no, you can't draw a straight line between the $100K AIG donated to the Obama campaign and the famous bonuses or the billions in bailout money they were handed with no hint of oversight, or any of the other banks getting free money from the taxpayers. But good government does it's best to avoid even the appearance of impropriety (it's possible that you are too young to remember when that was the case in this country), and AIG didn't spend that money out of some sense of civic responsibility - obviously, in their case.

And your choice of words regarding the market is telling. You want the market to go up, so you will benefit. We all need to think more in terms of American industry and commerce returning to a state of health, with people like yourself benefiting from markets that value companies properly and discourage speculation. You seem to be looking to a return to the go-go attitude of 1996 - 2007, which may benefit you today but will not be good for anyone in the long term.

I dunno about this article. In the first place, is graft the culprit? What laws were broken? This writer makes it sound like everybody on Wall Street got rich and are still rich. That's not the case, though there are some exceptions, I'm sure. If and when there are no new regulations put on the financial markets, then I'll get concerned and will be thoroughly disappointed in Obama. Thus far, I am pleased and, furthermore, I want stocks to go up. That will help millions and millions of small fry like me who have a little in the stock market... as well as stabilize the market place.

"Why do the American people apparently lack a capacity for outrage." -- gfr001

Because the American people suck brilliantly at math and science. Too bad the economy isn't stuck in a rain forest, then we'd get it resolved in a week.

Violation of campaign finance law should be punishable by not less then 100 years imprisonment in a medium security facility without possibility of parole, and forfeiture of all personal assets, for anyone who give or receives illegal funds.

Sounds harsh? Not to me. They will have been found guilty of violation the civil rights of every citizen represented by that politician for personal or corporate gain, so you are talking about anywhere from several thousand to hundreds of millions of counts against them.

Oh, and any money not spent on a campaign during a given election has to be returned to the general fund within 10 days of the date of the election. Let's make incumbents gain a stronger position based on their voting record instead of the size of the war chest they have accumulated.

Let's give campaign finance laws some teeth.

And to the commenter who said publicly financed elections are not the way, that they will find a way around them - at least it will put up a big hurdle; I don't agree - I believe we desperately need publicly funded elections, the sooner the better!

Do I ever like your sarcasm. It would be funny were it not so sad. Keep it up, Establishment and you will accomplish what 150 years of Marx couldn't do: Sour the American people on Capitalism and make them embrace Socialism.

It's the Enron / Ken Lay approach - before doing something illegal, get your pet politicians to make it legal.