Right ...

"Don't tax you; don't tax me ... tax that feller behind the tree."

What do you think Huey practiced as Governor ... ? Populist demagoguery is what got him elected.

He played to the 'Sheeple Gallery' - just like today's 'populists' do ...

"Vox Populi" - the "Voice of the Sheeple" ...

The point is that wealth has ALWAYS had the greatest influence over power of any kind.

Unlike the private wealth of the past, portions of corpoarte wealth are redistributed in numerous beneficial ways throughout society.

I absolutely agree with you that corporate interests are better served because of that wealth, and often over the interests of us common folk.

But then we have to consider the places from which the interests are coming:

- The common folk, the majority of whom have limited education, and almost no knowledge of cultures beyond our borders, nor trade, nor how we fit into the world economy.

- The wealthy, more educated, and mostly international corporate elites, who understand laws, markets, trade, and economy and with that knowledge and their expereince they are more in tune with what is good for government, for growth and trade and the welfare of the general public.

So yes they have greater influence BUT as the OP suggests, grassroots movements are finding new pathways of influence, organizing - for example consider the many human rights non-profit organizations or the huge and very influential environmental non-profits - all corporate entities and international.

So perhaps non-profits will be the ticket to balance the exchange of influence - after all, including the charitable organizations, the economy of the non-profits of this country is so large that if it were a country it be ranked the 7th largest economy in the world.

So while we cannot easly relieve ourselves of Capitalist Corporate influence - we can find ways to compensate but it takes commitment of both effort (volunteerism) and money (donations). Are we yet a country willing to extend ourselves for the sake of public good above some portion of our own?

I believe that soon more in this country will see.

Corporations who have to receive help from the government, who are too big to let fail, that is a sobering thought.

I believe this will make changes.