> Since it's a commonly-held sentiment that politicians and the laws they make are bought and paid for, I don't understand why some of the shockingly wealthy VC

> Since it's a commonly-held sentiment that politicians and the laws they make are bought and paid for, I don't understand why some of the shockingly wealthy VC firms don't start buying up their own lobbyists. What makes you think that they haven't? Seriously - look at how the the govt incentives for "green energy" line up with VC investments. Which way do you think that the causality runs? WRT "internet openness", VCs don't capture as much of the benefit from buying legislators so they don't bother. VCs try very hard to be rational about money.