It's common knowledge that big business often buys influence with politicians--whether by outright bribes (e.g Randy Cunningham) or more often through political contributions (e.g. just about the entire Congress, particularly Republicans.) Until now, this has been largely a local and national phenomenon.
But in an increasingly globalized world, buying a politician may now be becoming a global phenomenon. Who else would be the first to start this trend than Rupert Murdoch, a political reactionary and head of one of one of the world's largest media conglomerates?
And Murdoch isn't just content to buy any old politician; not just congressmen, senators and members of parliament -- no, he's buying international heads of state. Recently Murdoch placed former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar on the Board of New Corporation, Murdoch's $60 billion multinational media conglomerate which owns, among other things 175 newspapers around the world (including the Times of London and the New York Post and numerous tabloids in England and Australia), Twentieth Century Fox Film Studios, the Fox Network, Fox News, 35 TV stations in the US, the highly influential neocon weekly, The Weekly Standard and satellite services (including DirecTV) which deliver programs in 5 continents..
Murdoch is himself a Republican and a neocon, but recruits heads of state both to advance his own political views, and to advance his business interests. As Yale School of Management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld stated, "Murdoch is interested in influence as much as affluence." For example, Murdoch has been a strong supporter of Tony Blair.
In fact, according the English newspaper, The Independent, Murdoch is expected to offer Tony Blair a senior role in News Corporation when Blair steps down as Prime Minister of England. Murdoch is so brazen that he doesn't even wait until Blair is a private citizen, but promises Blair future financial rewards while Blair is still in office and in a position to influence policies which effect Murdoch's business and personal interests. It is reported that Tony Blair meets with Murdoch two to three times a year, but goes to some lengths to keep their contacts secret. British journalists who have tried to get more information under the English Freedom of Information Act have been stonewalled.
This past weekend, Blair was a participant in a management retreat for 250 top New Corp. executives in Pebble Beach, California. Other invitees included Bill Clinton and Israeli Vice-Premier Shimon Peres. Clinton even waived his normal $100,000 speaking fee to talk to, and socialize with, the News Corp. execs. (Could there be any relation to Murdoch's New York fundraiser last week for Hillary Clinton?)
Until now, buying a politician (legally or illegally) has been largely a local and national affair. Murdoch seems to be taking this to frightening new levels. A leader of a multi-billion dollar multinational corporation, with the ability to shape media coverage of politics and business throughout the world, is now putting heads of state on his payroll.
In the new globalized world, it may be that multinational corporations, major media companies, and heads of state will be under common ownership.