[zentiggr]

Maybe in some fantasy corporation-league version of America, but I see a constant stream of "oh, you lobbyists want concessions for your anonymous sponsors/donors/owners? Sure, always glad to get more votes paid for!"

The only way to keep the general populace from getting trampled as far as they will allow is to push back against all this.

I've said elsewhere, vote out every incumbent Congressperson. Once the current paid members are gone, if the new set appears to be voting by donor status, vote them out too.

Keep voting them out until we find a few decent souls who realize that we the people are serious about being represented, not sold.

I would use campaign contribution reports as a "who should be first out the door" list... individual personal donations of fixed maximum size only, everything else counts against.

[spaginal]

If you want to reduce corporate influence, reduce the size and influence of government.

The more a central authority takes and dictates, the more lobbying and money will be the influence that runs them. When you have a powerbase of politicians that can make or break conpanies, industries, and entire regions with a law or regulation, you will naturally have players interested in that space working for their own interests above all else.

[zentiggr]

Deregulation is the worse case in that sliding variable... an effectual government balances between the various parties, preventing corporate abuse of power at the expense of individuals.

When existing government gets hijacked by power brokers, that's where we the people should step up and say no by voting out the worst offenders. Tha's our check and balance, and where I despair of getting people to understand and care.

[s73v3r_]

That's not going to reduce corporate influence at all. It'll do the opposite.

Power abhors a vacuum. If government cedes power somewhere, who do you think is going to pick it up?