The “occupy” campaign to force a redistribution of wealth is already history, at least until spring, and the 1 percent crowd still controls America. A 2011 Northwestern Un. survey suggests why: the rich are nearer politics than everyone else. The poll of 104 people with an average worth of $7.5 million indicates: half contact members of Congress, 64 percent make campaign contributions (averaging $4,600), and one in five solicit cash from others on behalf of candidates. As a qualifier, most of those surveyed claimed that they hit up lawmakers for “the common good,” which often is a euphemism for their own interests.
TOM TIEDE