Suppose you were a big company with 'deep pockets' from a state like... oh say... Utah, and you wanted to bring your business into a small community. But there is a problem. Your business sucks and would be of no benefit to the small community. As a matter of fact your business would hurt the small community. How would you go about it?

You could send in an emissary to check out the town, find out who has the 'power', who controls things. See if they have done things in the past that might be a bit shady, like... oh... say... permit some building against the rules. Something like that. You would then talk to that person and maybe give them a bit of money with the promise of a whole lot more when your company comes in. The amount you give in the beginning has to be just big enough; you don't want to spoil the person. Then you give more as the need arises.

Then you announce that your company is coming to town. Those that haven't been 'influenced' by your generosity raise an uproar. They have meetings, form groups, write letters. You let them. In time they will wear themselves out. Fight amongst them selves, destroying their town in the process. People in the group will give up and the group will get smaller and smaller. Soon, it may take a couple of years, the opposition is so small that you get your way and build your business in the little community.

Here is the best part. After you are all settled in the person who did all your dirty work for you comes to get their 'payoff' and guess what? You DON'T pay them. You don't have to now... you're in! What are they going to do... complain? To who? About what? It's sweet isn't it? You've destroyed the community, but that is better for you because now you can expand and do anything you want without any opposition. All you have is one bitter person who didn't get their 'payoff'. If you feel like it you can give them a little bit of what you promised. That's up to you.

After all... they don't have the 'power' anymore... you do.

And that's that!

PS Just hope that there is not some tenacious jerk with a web site who you can't buy off, and a bunch of great lawyers who will work for free to fight you. If you can avoid that, then you've got it made.

(This is a story of fiction. Any resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.)