Been reading a book titled "The Creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin about the Federal Reserve. In chapter 22, William McAdoo is quoted:

 "The major contributions to any candidate's campaign fund are made by men who have axes to grind---and the campaign chest is the grindstone...The fact is that there is a serious danger of this country becoming a pluto-democracy; that is, a sham republic with the real government in the hands of a small clique of enormously wealthy men, who speak through their money, and whose influence, even today, radiates to every corner of the United States.

 "Experience has that the most practicable method of getting hold of a political party is to furnish it with money in large quantities. This brings the big money-giver or givers into close communion with the party leaders. Contact and influence do the rest."

Although I admit I have heard of the term "pluto-democracy" before, I never new exactly what it meant. After reading the above, which was writen around 1912, I have to say, I believe thats what we have become. Maybe we were already at that point before McAdoo even wrote that.