> I think your confused here as trade groups are NOT non-profit groups. Non- profits can't do much lobbying The point of the original article was about 501(c)(

> I think your confused here as trade groups are NOT non-profit groups. Non- profits can't do much lobbying The point of the original article was about 501(c)(4) organizations running PR campaigns. And that they don't really have direct sway with lawmakers. That's what I was speaking to. I think the CBO is an amazing accounting organization, but even they rely on industry data organization and commercial forecasts and outside consultants. Regardless of how you feel about Citizen's United and PACs, any representative democracy is going to have lobbyists. The only thing that changes is who's allowed to have one, how you account for them, and what you call them.