from outragedmoderates.org

The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from [businessmen] ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted, till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention."
Adam Smith, the 18th century economist who provided the theoretical framework for market capitalism. [The Wealth of Nations, Chapter 11]

When it comes to the issue of corporations' influence on government, a vast majority of Americans side with Adam Smith, and not George W. Bush. Over 100 of President Bush's high-level appointees to regulatory agencies previously worked as corporate lobbyists in the very industries they oversee. [Denver Post] And the shocking "If you were king" email from a energy department official to a corporate lobbyist gives us a rare inside look at how Bush's regulatory agencies have made policy changes based directly on lobbyists' wishes. ["If you were king" email]
The graph below shows the results from a recently nationwide Harris Poll, which asked: "Do you think big business has too much or too little power and influence on Washington?"
Too much
83%
Too little
9%
About right
5%
The Harris Poll. Feb. 9-16, 2004. N=1,020 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

Eighty-three percent of Americans are concerned about the unprecedented level of corporate influence that the Bush administration represents; a mere 14% were satisfied with the current situation (the remainder either did not know or refused to answer).
Where do you stand on big business's influence on our government? Do you agree with Adam Smith or George W. Bush? Are you with us in the eighty-three percent, or with Bush in the fourteen percent?