A 2023 poll by Pew Research showed that 84% of Americans believe that “special interest groups and lobbyists have too much say in what happens in politics.” In a democratic system, where representatives are intended to listen to the will of the people but are often seen as being swayed by the Wormtongue-like influence of lobbyists, it’s understandable how the profession came to be demonized. While lobbyists are often painted purely as extensions of corporate power into the halls of governance, I always find it interesting to note the extent to which different levels of government lobby against each other – and the amount of taxpayer dollars they spend doing it.
