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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: grusum who wrote (120708)	12/28/2011 1:09:04 PM
From: JBTFD	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224718

Just because they can't legally compel someone to do something doesn't mean they don't have power. The CEO that decides to close a factory, lay off 2500 people, and open up another factory offshore is exercising power. I am amazed you are arguing this point. The only way it can be argued that he doesn't have power is to define power exclusively as the ability to legally compel someone to do something, which is not the way most people define it. The boss who fires his employee has power over that employee. Also the company that gives financial support to a candidate has some power over that candidate's decisions. Not absolute power, but power to influence. The industry that undergoes a media blitz to influence legislation is exercising their power. Just like that food labeling issue in Oregon. The food industry waged a campaign that argued that food prices would go up if the new labeling law was enacted. The ability to wage such a media campaign is an example of economic power. Just because that type of power doesn't have the force of the rule of law behind it doesn't mean that it is not power.