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I'm curious which lobbying group Paul Graham is referring to as "America's most powerful lobby." Here are the top ten, by spending, in the US as of 2023: 1. US

I'm curious which lobbying group Paul Graham is referring to as "America's most powerful lobby." Here are the top ten, by spending, in the US as of 2023: 1. US Chamber of Commerce $49,970,000 2. National Assn of Realtors $33,661,316 3. Blue Cross/Blue Shield $21,634,765 4. Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America $21,043,000 5. American Hospital Assn $20,928,991 6. American Medical Assn $15,330,000 7. Amazon.com $14,970,000 8. Meta $14,640,000 9. Business Roundtable $13,490,000 10. CTIA $11,570,000 https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-spenders https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/top-spenders

CrypticShift 3y ago
You here made a list of "American Lobbies" and down another list of "Foreign Lobbies," which is clever but desinginious. He is talking about America's most powerful lobby FOR a foreign country. So this list is useless. Also, your second list only includes official foreign agents, while most pro-Israel lobbying is not registered as such (notably AIPAC).
- havelhovel 3y ago
  I don't think that providing actual lists of top spenders is either "clever" or "disingenuous," but if you have a better way to empirically evaluate the claims being made about lobbying influence please share. > He is talking about America's most powerful lobby FOR a foreign country. I'm only interested in discussing the actual text that received (as of writing) 2.3 million views and is the subject of this thread, not your own revision. > Also, your second list only includes official foreign agents, while most pro-Israel lobbying is not registered as such (notably AIPAC) I was responding to a comment about the "Israeli lobby." Israelis are not Americans, which is why I addressed foreign spending. But since you're insinuating that AIPAC is a channel for foreign influence despite being a US organization with 3 million American members, changing its status wouldn't influence the list I provided, so I don't see the relevance of this argument to the larger question of lobbying power.
  - CrypticShift 3y ago
    [flagged]
    - yablak 3y ago
      Call them Americans. As in "My fellow Americans.".
- tptacek 3y ago
  No he wasn't. He said "America's most powerful lobby". Not its most powerful lobby "FOR a foreign country". Words mean things!

CrypticShift 3y ago

You here made a list of "American Lobbies" and down another list of "Foreign Lobbies," which is clever but desinginious. He is talking about America's most powerful lobby FOR a foreign country. So this list is useless. Also, your second list only includes official foreign agents, while most pro-Israel lobbying is not registered as such (notably AIPAC).

havelhovel 3y ago
I don't think that providing actual lists of top spenders is either "clever" or "disingenuous," but if you have a better way to empirically evaluate the claims being made about lobbying influence please share. > He is talking about America's most powerful lobby FOR a foreign country. I'm only interested in discussing the actual text that received (as of writing) 2.3 million views and is the subject of this thread, not your own revision. > Also, your second list only includes official foreign agents, while most pro-Israel lobbying is not registered as such (notably AIPAC) I was responding to a comment about the "Israeli lobby." Israelis are not Americans, which is why I addressed foreign spending. But since you're insinuating that AIPAC is a channel for foreign influence despite being a US organization with 3 million American members, changing its status wouldn't influence the list I provided, so I don't see the relevance of this argument to the larger question of lobbying power.
- CrypticShift 3y ago
  [flagged]
  - yablak 3y ago
    Call them Americans. As in "My fellow Americans.".
tptacek 3y ago
No he wasn't. He said "America's most powerful lobby". Not its most powerful lobby "FOR a foreign country". Words mean things!