Why is Big Business so down on politics and President Obama? The business-friendly Economist magazine wants to know. It claims American firms suffer from a "gilded grump."

These are salad days for Corporate America. Company CEOs should be dancing in the street and singing praises of the President. The S&P index is near a record high and US firms dominate the rankings of the world's most valuable companies for the first time in a decade and a half. Profits are at their highest level relative to national income since the 1960s, noted the Oct. 25-31 issue.

The Economist speculates that increased globalization, where US firms see better regulatory and low-wage conditions overseas, and political polarization are possibilities for Big Business' funk.

Here's where the magazine throws a curveball. It suggests the Big Business is making things worse on the polarization front by sending gobs of money on lobbying, which will top the $5B mark this year.

It notes the US Chamber of Commerce "has broken new ground by trying to influencing primaries as well as elections." Of the 280 endorsements made by the CoC, only five are Democrats.

The Economist says "throwing cash at politics makes sense for firms individually," "but is collectively insane." While Big Business ponies up the cash, those unable to write the big checks, including voters and small businesses, grow cynical.

The Economist concludes: "Businesses hate partisan politics, but it is partly to blame for it."

Big Business has the opportunity to mend its way and work to better the state of political affairs.

We would all benefit from less heat and more light emanating from the nation's capital.