Political machinations like this are one of the reasons most of the population in western democracies do not feel represented in any way whatsoever. The systems

Political machinations like this are one of the reasons most of the population in western democracies do not feel represented in any way whatsoever. The systems designed to balance power between civil servants, the economy, the military and the populace are increasingly bound by the whims an wishes of a selected few. One can argue that this was always the way of the world -- and it's only coming to light now, but I think that this is a far too cynical view IMO. It neglects the steady decline in political participation, party/union membership and actions a single individual can take. Keep in mind, that this is not only a problem in the United States -- maybe its just more visible there. My home country Germany has more than enough shady connections between economic execs and the political machine.