[hilbert42]

Because you are now exercising more power than one person is normally able to do so in democracy, you, your company and friends now have a distinct advantage in influencing policy that normal citizens cannot exercise. This is very relevant if your company is benefitting you and your friends at the expence of other citizens—which, unfortunately, is an all too common occurrence.

The bigger your company gets the more money you are able to put into lobbying and the more this distorts the democratic process. Big Business, especially Big Tech, is damaging our democracies beyond recognition.

This is why this barring of Amazon by the EC is to be welcomed.

[denton-scratch]

But that's not the reason the EU gave for banning Amazon from lobbying; they said it's unreasonable for Amazon to lobby if they refuse to turn up to committee meetings.

I'm not keen on lobbyists drafting legislation. It saves the civil service effort and money, sure; but if the civil service don't have the competence to do the drafting themselves, who's going to review the draft?

[notquitetrue]

Fwiw I think the bigger issue is that existing businesses are overrepresented relative to the businesses that don’t exist yet, or that would exist if rules were changed in a way contrary to the interests of some existing businesses.

[hef19898]

So, kind of like a weird pro-life take on businesses then?

Seriously so, why would you priorotize some potential future business over an existing one? To pamper founders?

[6510]

I don't know any examples but someone explained some pulling up the ladder trick: An existing business you can implement nice things gradually over a long time and have them written into law. It seems very nice but the future business will have to implement everything before starting.

[notquitetrue]

No, the idea is that existing businesses will lobby for the government to prop them up. Politicians are inclined to think it’s reasonable to protect jobs and such. But maybe if they let the business fail, what rises from the ashes would be even better.

[ensignavenger]

Individuals band together to lobby for issues they care about all the time.