Lobbying is corruption
Points and comments are a snapshot, not live.
Lobbying is legally sanctioned corruption, not a distinct American practice.
Carette responds to George Hotz's defense of lobbying by arguing lobbying is indistinguishable from bribery except in legality. He quotes Wikipedia's definition of corruption, which explicitly includes lobbying as a legal form of power abuse for private gain. The author notes U.S. practices match the same pattern, simply rebranded as 'lobbying' instead of 'corruption.' The piece ends by stating lobbying is corruption, differing only by nicer suits and lawyer supervision.
This is a direct rebuttal: lobbying is corruption, period.
What commenters are saying
Commenters split into two camps. One group argues lobbying is legitimate persuasion separate from campaign finance, citing examples like Mothers Against Drunk Driving as ethical lobbying. They say banning lobbying would block all advocacy, not just corporate influence. The other camp contends on-the-books donations are a red herring; real corruption lies in promises of future rewards like consulting jobs or junkets. One commenter notes Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's corruption as a concrete example. A lower-ranked comment dismisses the European-superiority framing. Some argue transparency, like publicizing lobby signatories, would empower non-corporate groups.