How many readers noticed the full-page advertisement paid for by the Cato Institute urging Obama to halt the passing of the stimulus bill? This is a perfect example of how corporate America now controls the American people through the power of pen instead of the sword.

The Cato Institute is among the most powerful of the 500 right-wing think tanks. It believes in limited government, free markets, globalization and peaceful international relations. They denounced Bush and associates for the war in Iraq and their neocon ideas.

Their $24 million annual income is financed by Rupert Murdoch (Fox News), the tobacco industry, insurance and financial services, retirement accounts, oil, pharmeceuticals and media conglomerates.

Their main objective now is pushing for privatization of Social Security. When President Bush toured the country appealing to allow partial privatization of your Social Security money in 2003, most of those savings would have been wiped out in the present financial meltdown. McCain began his campaign by pushing the same agenda, but found it dead in the water after the financial crises.

The Cato Institute, working under a pseudonym, representing the tobacco companies, masqueraded as facts, a research paper that attempted to prove that smoking does not cause death.

They are undoubtedly right that Obama's stimulus package will not work. But why didn't they print this when Bush gave away billions to the banks? Could it be that CitiCorp, Chase Manhattan and other banks would be the beneficiaries of their privatization scheme?

Democracies do not last because eventually the powerful gain control of the government. This has happened. As a result, our country cannot sustain itself any longer. Our national debt is 90 percent of the entire wealth of America. The middle class can no longer support both and rich and the poor. The Office of Budget and Management reports the $150 billion annual corporate subsidies and tax benefits for the rich eclipses the annual $130 billion for social aid.

The Cato Institute is perhaps correct. The tragedy is neither McCain, Obama or anyone else can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.