What a difference a year makes: Power and Money
have always been close companions, and the global
economic crisis has only made them more so.
But the Out Power 50 list has never been only about
person wealth: congressman Barney Frank rose to
the top this year because of his power over national
financial policy. On the other hand, since just about
everyone from Warren Buffet (not on our list -- he's not
gay) to Dolce & Gabanna (also not on the list -- they
don't live and work primarily in North America) has
taken a personal financial hit, changes in person
wealth generally didn't affect rankings.
As last year's were, these were determined by: (1)
Political clout; (2) cultural resonance; (3) individual
wealth; and (4) current personal profile. New entries
are marked with a star, and the arrows indicate
change from last year's rank.
