[neocone]

Did anybody tried to ever formally devise a formula between $$$ invested for lobbying and net profit for a particular interest group?

For example how much did the credit card companies invest to lobby for some changes in the bankrupcy bill passed in 2006 vs. the profits it provided to them?

Same for the current bailout efforts by the big 3?

I am sure this was studied and would be interesting in seeing how social power and near-monopoly translate to profits and their redistribution.

Marx in a way formalized it using the concept of "Plus Value" i.e given it hurts a worker more to be laid off than for the company laying his off being deprived of his labor (provided a "natural" unemployment rate is maintained) that disbalance will always translate in the worker not being fairly compensated for his work.

Today the lack for the commoneer in accessing lobbying methods available only to the conglomerates and specific professions (realtor/truckers/airline pilots etc...) will invariably result in more monetary loss for the former at the expense of better conditions for the later.

[MrMambo]

That relationship does not only cover lobbying, in todays economy where almost anything is for sale, to be in a position where you sit on large amounts of money represents an unpresedented amount of power potencial if you have the brains and will to use it. Such financial power translates very easilly to political power and has for a long period of time seen very little limitations from political regulations or national boarders.

Even if you are a "stupid" rich guy you could get lucky and hire clever advisors who will make you immensly powerful. One excample of that would be George W. Bush.

[vaseline2008]

Natural Selection at its finest: The better you are at making money the better you and your offspring will be, who cares about the others (being sarcastic)

[Kristen]

The relationship between power and money is money equals power. Whether it be real currency, gold or a ponzi scheme. Those who have money usually recieved an inheritence of some sort...

The american dream is a lie. We live in a caste system