Has there ever been a point in our history as a country where 'big business' has so effectively dictated public policy before now?

Sure. The Gilded Age of the 1890s, when the Steel, Oil and Railrods tycoons literally ran the country, and the Roaring Twenties.

But corporations then were powerful only relative to the size and power of the nation's pre-World War II isolationist self.

The same level of influence and power is far, far more dangerous today because of the vastly greater absolute power wielded by the corporations and the vastly greater absolute power of the United States that those corporations control.

Kind of like the difference between a five-year-old boy playing toy soldiers and that same boy 50 years older - but not a minute more mature - sending real men and women out to be slaughtered.

Actually, my response may have under-stated the efficacy of a "hold" in the Senate to block legislation. Let me see if I can find out more specifically - or if someone here with knowledge of Senatorial procedure - knows the answer.

Here is what Chris Dodd said - maybe he could be convinced to block something with a "hold" -

"While the President may think that it's right to offer immunity to those who break the law and violate the right to privacy of thousands of law-abiding Americans, I want to assure him it is not a value we have in common and I hope the same can be said of my fellow Democrats in the Senate.

"For too long we have failed to respect the rule of law and failed to protect our fundamental civil liberties. I will do what I can to see to it that no telecommunications giant that was complicit in this Administration's assault on the Constitution is given a get-out-of-jail-free card."

http://chrisdodd.com/blog/dodd-responds-bush-telecom-immunity

We need to encourage him

“We have every intention of completing consideration of this critical legislation and fulfilling our twin objectives – protecting the American people and protecting their civil liberties.”

And then he added, "As long as neither of those objectives infringes on the right of the government to eavesdrop in secret on your phone calls!"

(Sorry, I made up that last part.)

The real target of these unconstitutional, anti-democratic, and authoritarian measures isn't Al Qaeda.

It's us.

Our government (both parties) no longer pays attention to our feeble bleets of protest. It's apparent that only more direct action will have an impact at this point.

What are the practical impacts of all this, both in Congress and amongst the rest of us?

Precisely how hardball can/should we expect the Democratic leadership to play now, particularly given the Speaker has gone on record as saying at least the House will not pass any teleco immunity?

Rather sad to see how far we've fallen as a country.

And that's because of "the marriage between the government and business". And according to Mussolini that's the definition of fascism.

And that traitor Jimmy Carter gave that socialist Andrew Young a Medal of Freedom. Disgusting!

http://www.medaloffreedom.com/AndrewYoung.htm

Still, I have to chuckle at some of you younger kids who are surprised and shocked by this and think this is something new or unusual. Welcome to America. It's been like this for most of my life and I will be eligible for Social Security soon, or maybe I already am. Whether or not it will be available to me is another matter, and you can be sure there are some businessmen who would prefer it wasn't. No profit in it for them. I don't know if Frank Rich is being naive and overly optimistic here or not.

Working Wounded: Frank Rich on Corporate Scandals

The New York Times Columnist Talks About Leadership and 'Truthiness'

By BOB ROSNER

Oct. 27, 2006 —

DEAR READERS: Frank Rich is a celebrated New York Times columnist and the author of "The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina" (2006).

We met in Seattle to discuss the scandals that have plagued business and what can be done about them.

Working Wounded: After Enron, Worldcom, Tyco, etc., do you believe there is a leadership crisis in business?

Frank Rich: You expect people in leadership positions in any part of American society -- whether business, government or the clergy -- to set an example. We've come through a period where we've had the Catholic Church scandals, big-business scandals, and scandals in government. I don't think business can be singled out. It's a systemic problem. Very few people in leadership positions in any field want to step up to the plate and take responsibility for their actions.

WW: What is causing all the scandals?

FR: No accountability, lying and propaganda -- what Steven Colbert calls "truthiness." This is the subject of my book, the feeling that you can say things to the public that have the illusion of truth. But it's not the truth. It's fascinating how, when caught in a scandal, people at the top of business, government and the clergy behave in very similar ways -- saying things that are manifestly false in order to avoid accountability and responsibility.

WW:What are they thinking?

FR: They think that with so much bombardment of all kinds of media we don't look at the fine print too much anymore. That we just don't pay attention. That we're stupid.

WW: Andrew Young once said, "Nothing is illegal if 100 businessmen decide to do it."

FR: He's saying cynically that you can get away with murder. But I think it's less true. We have now seen some very successful prosecutions of people who were crooks or who practiced fraud at the highest echelons of business. So I think he's wrong.

WW: You seem optimistic.

FR: I do feel optimistic. It's a terrible time, but I feel that history works in cycles. Eventually Americans will educate themselves. I have a lot of faith in America and the American population to push through this bad period. That's our history. We bounce back.

WW: Is there anything that we can do to stop the scandals?

FR: Most of the American public feels they've been lied to. This will change only when there are new leaders in every field. There is a huge hunger for this. The moment is ripe.

WW: What do you look for in a leader?

FR: I look for genuine authenticity and a desire to tell the truth and to let the chips fall where they may. We've gone through a period of tremendous propaganda and manipulation, and I think the kind of leader that I'd like to see is someone who says, "This is what I know. This is what I don't know. This is what I really believe, and I'm not telling you because I think it will make you like me better."

http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=2624652