When I was in cub scouts and catechism, it used to be that The Golden Rule meant "do unto others as you want others to do unto you."
From my farm boys little ego, I resented this formulation. Somehow it did not prescibe for what was worth doing. It only puts the fear of what others might do, thus putting things beyond my control.
Then I got schooled in the ways of the world. Just don't ask me how because I can't tell you. Somehow things changed. The 'Rule' evolved to mean "whoever owns the gold makes the rules."
I find this more realistic and made the world easier to deal with. The programme is reduced to: just make sure to make sufficient gold so you can do whatever you wish.
The point is, one accumulates wealth to buy influence and power. Corruption is as old as Adam and Even and when Paradise devised the Snake. So what's the point of fretting about it?
It only remains to make sure that we don't put in a position of power somebody who can easily be bought and sold. Or better yet, we just have to make sure that we are the ones in power.
Easier dreamed of than be brought to pass, I'm quite certain:)
Cf,
http://townhall.com/columnists/Column2.aspx?UrlTitle=the_o bama_white_house_bundlers_paradise&ns=MichelleMalkin&dt=10/ 30/2009&page=full&comments=true&submitted=true