Lobbying can get great returns if you target it well plus bring in people on defense side into your organization for "old boy network." I don't recall if Palantir does that but I wouldn't be surprised. Far as lobbying, to illustrate the ROI's achievable: oil companies spending tens of millions got billions (Solendra too with less); casino industry got $650 million in tax breaks donating around $3 mil to Nevada reps; banks probably put in tens of millions then got $1 trillion bailout; big defense contractors put in millions plus give Pentagon chiefs or acquisition folks six-figure salaries to get billions in return at good margins. Common stuff, my man. Nothing unusual with effective bribery, err corporate participation in democracy. ;)