A thesis on lobbying

By Liam Day
July 18th, 2008

Right now, the economy is struggling. Home prices are down, gas prices are up and credit markets seem to be in almost daily convulsion. It has, however, not been bad news for everyone in Massachusetts. As the Globe reported yesterday, it’s been a banner year thus far for the lobbying industry. This is at least partially due to the fight on Beacon Hill over casino gambling, but I can’t help wondering whether there isn’t an actual causal link between the struggling economy and its thriving lobbying sector.

My thesis - and it is only that, a thesis - is this: In strong economic periods, different firms and industry sectors don’t require government largess to help turn a profit, but, when the economy sours, they go, hat in hand, looking for the tax credits and other goodies that government too often hands out in the name of job creation. Thus, increased revenue for lobbyists.

I suppose there’s also a thesis to be offered to explain the concurrent boom in Lottery ticket sales, but I will leave that for some other armchair social scientist.