"Clout is the political argument of last resort," said James Jordan, political director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.
During a violent argument, Lowenthal clouts Wilshire on the head with a bust of his revered sage, killing her.
But signatures from technology leaders in companies like from Apple and Google bring a new level of clout and visibility to this argument.
As money plays an ever bigger role in politics, goes the argument, so the clout of the ultra-wealthy grows, particularly to block things they don't like.This claim is hard to prove, but circumstantial evidence for it seems to be mounting, particularly since the Supreme Court's 2010 "Citizens United" decision lifted any restrictions on political spending by individuals or firms.
However, this claim hinges on the direct alignment of scientific merit and empirical clout; but this requires an argument, for it is far from obvious: from whence this prescription?
If Americans do not want to hand even more money and clout to the likes of Iran, Russia and Venezuela, the argument runs, they should not curb offshore drilling.
Citing the "chronic under-representation of women on the British stage", she considers Propeller's casting policy to be unjustifiable, an argument that carries a lot of clout.
And the revived energy of grass-roots conservatives has given electoral clout to the movement's intellectual and constitutional arguments.
In the Muslim world, and in Washington and Europe, Beijing uses its economic clout and fears of Islamic radicalism to make its arguments.
America, they suggest, should use its clout in the market for immigrants to pick only the best an argument that may gather force in a downturn.
