corporate influence

stolen from huffingtonpost.com

Corporations now are so powerful they threaten democracy and capitalism itself. Says who? Robert A.G. Monks*, a true capitalist-insider. His book Corpocracy was published yesterday; it would be difficult to overstate its importance. Mr. Monks knows where we went dangerously wrong, AND he's found a clear path out of this looming disaster. His sense of urgency is all the more compelling as he is a very successful venture capitalist, lawyer, businessman, and the world's most respected - or feared, depending on your perspective - shareholder activist.

It looks like the utility companies are having a banner year as far as manipulating Public policy. We're about to strip the budget from the State Energy Office, so instead of funding research into the things we really need like Solar, Wind and other renewables, they're going to be wandering around changing light bulbs:

The Senate's proposed budget contains no state money this year for the SEO's grant work. Many of those grants go to three university energy programs—N.C. Solar Center in Raleigh, Appalachian State and N.C. A&T.

Shirley argues that without state funds, there would be no comprehensive resource for energy policymakers or citizens.