[damoncali]

You can sort through thousands of opinions, or you can organize them. Organzied groups of similar thinking folks are what the media calls "special interest groups" or "lobbyists".

Now, quick - find me some scientific literature on a 1031 real estate exchange (for example). Then tell me what you think of them. How long did that take? How confident are you that you understand the issue?

Now do that for 1,000,000 more issues of equal or greater complexity.

Lobbyists are a necessary and good part of democracy.

[Flenser]

Lobbyists are a necessary and good part of democracy.

They just shouldn't be able to give politicians money.

[twoodfin]

A lobbyist can give a candidate for Federal election the same amount as you or I: $2,500.

[nealmydataorg]

There are other ways presidential candidates get more than 2,500 from a person. Please check out http://mydataorganizer.com/fund.html You can search for the donors who donated at least 30,000 . There are about 1000 people who donated more than 30,000 each for the 2012 US Presidential election.

[ypcx]

Lobbyists are a necessary and good part of...

...getting 90% of your money stolen by those who have money.

I hope you have absolutely no damn idea how delusional you are. Lobbyism is the cancer of this society and of this planet, and it will destroy it if not stopped.

It's a simple equation: do you know what you get, if you add an "interest group", less than 100% systemic transparency, and give it some time? The best term for the result is "organized crime".