From the Washington Post:
Surveying more than 100 lobby shops and law firms, Influence.biz reported they had more than $700 million in revenue last year from traditional federal lobbying and Foreign Agents Registration Act work, as well as from regulatory, state, grass-roots and other related lobbying work. That's up from $570 million in 2002.
"Medicare reform, homeland security and new business in foreign markets helped drive the 23 percent increase," Influence reported.
Good God, what chance does the poor have in this environment?
What's really sickening about the story is the reporting of the regular, every day hirings by lobbying firms of legislators and staffers. It just doesn't look right.