The state is not doing the bidding of entrenched interests. The state is just more comfortable with the status quo, and the entrenched interests take advantage

The state is not doing the bidding of entrenched interests. The state is just more comfortable with the status quo, and the entrenched interests take advantage of that. When ascending in power, people are ambitious, and willing to stir things up. As soon as they reach a powerful position and don't think they will make it much further, they get lazy. They can still make and break businesses if they really wanted to, and they could get new revenue streams (campaign contributions, nepotism, etc.). But they are comfortable and lazy, so they won't. When speaking with politicians, I doubt businesses make many demands. Politicians have expected contribution levels, etc., which are essentially demands. But I doubt businesses want make a demand, for fear that the politician will feel threatened and cease being lazy. Instead, businesses feed on the laziness of politicians by offering to do all kinds of things like studies and research and authoring large portions of bills.