> Talking to the state should be free. It is free. Hiring a lobbyist is much like hiring an advertising firm. You could do the work yourself, but you pay for e

> Talking to the state should be free. It is free. Hiring a lobbyist is much like hiring an advertising firm. You could do the work yourself, but you pay for expertise and connections. Where lobbyists have the advantage is they know who to call to get the meetings, and they have information from other clients they can leverage. The problem isn't that money changes hands, it's that votes change hands, and oftentimes, lobbyists are the ones best positioned to trade in this currency.