Capitalism or Constitution: Who Runs the United States

After reading two different views on what influences political power in the United States, I have set out to answer 4 questions assigned to me to help define how laws and regulations are laid out, and in most cases, gone around all together. In the text "American Government", the reading was a very fundamental basis of how the federal government was ran according to the constitution and the various philosophies that members of political leadership employ to wield power to influence voters and fellow congressional leaders. On the other hand, "Voices of Dissent" gives a different point of view on how business and the capitalists in fact run this country through campaign contributions and legal loopholes.

In the text "American Government", the way power is defined as the ability to persuade others to go along with your plan. Which is an adequate definition considering you would feel more powerful convincing others to give you money, and do as you say. On the contrary, "Voices of Dissent" defines power as the ability to get a person or group to go against their morals. This is overall power, in my opinion. Not only does an individual or group of individuals tell you what to do and when to do it, they also convince you that all you thought about what is right and what is wrong is all together incorrect according to a particular situation. Scary.

Corporations are thought to have utmost power on shaping how the United States is ran, whether economically, environmentally, or socially. Business dictates in this country how we live, where we live, and unfortunately, if the people of this country are to face good times or bad times. If the economy falters in the United States, which is the foundation of business, then this country will also falter. With this knowledge by big business, the corporations have corporate hegemony; the ability to wield power and the mold making influence on Congress to shape laws and design loopholes for these massive corporations to jump through just in case.

With the four theories of political power as defined by "American Government", the main theory I feel dominate the readings in "Voices of Dissent" are the theory of Marxism. The theory of Marxism stands out like a sore thumb. With all the grumbling about how big business gets away with murder and can pollute at an ungodly rate, the major factor behind this oversight is the money, or plainly economics.