A couple background pieces on the increasing influence of money in politics and the disconnect between policy and the social good: http://www.mindfully.org/Ref

A couple background pieces on the increasing influence of money in politics and the disconnect between policy and the social good: http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2004/Republican-Propaganda1sep04.htm http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/2004/Republican-Propaganda1s... http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became-the-party-of-the-rich-20111109 http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/how-the-gop-became... These focus on the Republican party but much of the same can be said of the Democrats as well.