As Adam Smith (author of the "The Wealth of Nations" (1776)) wrote, “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the co

As Adam Smith (author of the "The Wealth of Nations" (1776)) wrote, “People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices.” The same is often true when businessmen talk to politicians. That is a cynical take, which I cannot prove true, but I think it is part of the answer.