Whenever government gets bigger, somebody’s getting rich. That’s a general rule in Washington, and demonstrating this rule motivates much of my reporting and writing. When I show which well-connected special interest groups lobbied for and benefitted from big-government regulations, a common reaction from the Left is: Who cares if someone’s getting rich?
(For examples, see Timothy Noah and Ezra Klein)
Recommended Stories
One reason to care: Finding out who’s behind a policy push can often tell you something significant about the policy’s expected effects. For instance, when it comes to laws that would set mandatory fire safety rules, it’s relevant that a group like “Citizens for Fire Safety” is funding the lobbying effort, and that the group represents certain companies that would profit from the legislation.
Why would you care who profits from a fire safety law? Because these are chemical companies that will profit by forcing school buses to include flame-retardant chemicals in their seats. And studies suggest that these chemicals are harmful.
The LA Times and Chicago Tribune reported on this money trail connecting Citizens for Fire Safety to chemical companies. Now the Center for Public Integrity has updated the story, cementing the links between this public interest group and the industry.
Similar stories include the big sugar money behind the anti-corn-syrup push by “Citizens for Health,” the casino money behind the “Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling,” the life insurers behind the “Coalition for America’s Priorities” supporting the inheritance tax, and others.
Always follow the money. You usually learn something.
