One of the Few “Industries” That Had a Record Year Last Year: Lobbying

2010.01.14 05:29:12

It is no secret that our economy is not doing well, so when there is news that a sector of our economy had a record year last year, it is usually cause for celebration. Not many people will be as enthusiastic to learn, though, that more money was spent on lobbying last year than ever before. In 2009, $3.33 billion (that is $3,330,000,000.00!) was spent on federal lobbying, the highest it has ever been. According to a post on CBS's Political Hotsheet, the Center for Responsive Politics calculated that last year $3.33 billion was spent lobbying Congress and federal agencies. There are over 13,000 registered lobbyists, which means an average of $256,153.00 was spent per lobbyist.

This is why more than seventy percent of Americans want term limits: to give us Senators and Representatives who represent their constituents' interests, instead of politicians who pander to special interests and sell themselves to the highest bidder.

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