Lobbying is a fact of political life in most democracies. And as with everything else, it isn’t for free: you can never get something for nothing, and the companies know that very well. So they are prepared to spend quite a lot of cash on lobbying the US House and Senate for laws and regulations that meet their needs.
How much? It depends. Toyota Motor Corp., for example, spent $1.29 million in the second quarter of 2011 lobbying on tax incentives for patent laws, alternative energy vehicles, fuel cells and other issues, according to a report filed on July 20 with the House clerk’s office, and which was obtained by the media.
If you think that’ a lot, consider that it’s 20% down compared to the $1.61 million Toyota spent in the same period of 2010, but a little bit more than the $1.04 million it paid during the first quarter of this year.
Story Source: Businessweek
