Not sure why this is downvoted. This is factually accurate and a major factor in why we haven't seen tax reforms.

Take a look at my comment history for the past 2 weeks if you want to see a bunch more unexplainable downvotes. I've also been repeatedly IP banned multiple times during the same period, sometimes even multiple times a day, which has never happened before. I don't spam requests to the site, and haven't changed my browsing habits a whit. I've emailed admin and they won't even acknowledge me as a human. It's pretty maddening, actually.

Not sure what's going with your account but I upvoted you.

I logged back in just to do that. Downvotes should cost.

How has the influence of lobbying been counteracted in other cases?

In general, it hasn't. Unless there are at least competing interests with similar sized bank accounts or a _very_ strong and _very_ vocal preference from voters, lobbying wins.

We've legalized bribery in America, we just call it something else.