back to article Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook blow massive amounts lobbying Trump administration

Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple are finding the Trump Administration a very expensive prospect, at least according to their newly released lobbying figures. In the second quarter of 2017 – April through to June – Google spent $5.93m on sending its representatives to meet with Senators. Amazon came next with $3.21m, then …

  1. Steve Davies 3 Silver badge

    But did it do any good?

    IMHO, it did not. The current administration seems to only want to listen to the people who bankrolled the election campaign.

    Everything else is branded

    FAKE NEWS

    Mind you, the Daily Fail and Express are not much different on this side of the Pond.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: But did it do any good?

      You also need to consider that this in nothing new, they were doing it with the previous administrations as well. After all US politics is the best money can buy!

    2. Daggerchild Silver badge

      Re: But did it do any good?

      Oh I dunno - the cable monopolies seem to be getting value for money now :)

  2. jMcPhee

    Chump change...

    ... for those companies. They probably get to write it off.

    1. Chris G

      Re: Chump change...

      It may be chump change but it's nearly 5 grand a week per senator that Google has just spent influencing members of government. I still see lobbying as undemocratic as those with the greatest means are more likely to influence a greater number of senators.

      The average citizen can't hope to get their needs and opinions across as well.

      1. Wade Burchette

        Re: Chump change...

        A politician's jobs are to get elected or re-elected. Our needs are a distant third. And elections are not cheap. This is true no matter what country you are in.

        The last presidential election, Hillary Clinton spent $1.2 billion (thousand million) and Donald Trump $600 million. Do you think the corporate overlords give money because they like these politicians? Quite frankly, I can't think of two more unlikable people than Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Corporations may in public life talk about how much they hate Donald, but in private life they will do what they can to influence him. And every other elected official as well. This is a game, we are the losers of this game.

        1. Peter2 Silver badge

          Re: Chump change...

          A politician's jobs are to get elected or re-elected. Our needs are a distant third. And elections are not cheap. This is true no matter what country you are in.

          In the UK we started regulating this with the Corrupt and Illegal Practices (Prevention) Act in 1883. The Representation of the People act of 1983 limits election spending by a party to £100k per seat which basically limits our parties to spending an absolute total of £65 million nationwide, or about 5% of what your cite Hillary Clinton as having spent.

          Just FYI. Doesn't have to be about "who can spend the most".

          1. John Crisp

            Re: Chump change...

            Except the limits have now been easily bypassed with social media etc. with no accountability for ads on Goggle, Feckbook & the like which can coveniently be funded anonymously from overseas

            UK law needs a complete rewrite.

  3. James 51

    Their best bet is to stall actual laws while encouraging debate and discussion of what they should look like till the next person takes office.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ANOS

    presidunt TRIMP and HOT LADY magnolia WILL not take RUDE DOLLAZ from stoopid cumpanys with TWAT logos (xcept APPUL WHO I love with HOYNESS) so they can SPEND ALL THEY WONT ON rubbish And Ting. TRUMPP Will take the TRUTH up the IceHole. With lady marmalade TO HOLD THE CAMMERa. TRIMP doeenunt need google to SEarch for NEWS. HE MAKES IT FOR AMORICAN and the wurld. Except France with its Oniins. I AM NOT NAKIDMTODAY. XXX. )))))

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: ANOS

      you are a pissed up verity snob and I claim my 5 pounds of bacon.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Money wasted

    No point on spending on lobbying, now that the swamp is drained.

  6. Garibaldi
    Megaphone

    Knocking On Wrong Door

    They would be better off sending money to Putin.

    Our current administration resides in Kremlin.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    ask yourself why they lobby so hard and fast with the money.

    There is more to this than I know or understand.

  8. Wolfclaw

    The word "lobbying" is a smoke screen, call it what it is bribery and undemocratic, that benefits those with power and money, on both sides !

    1. adnim

      Thats exactly what it is...

      Bribery, you took the words from my mouth. +1

  9. Commswonk

    Erratum...

    Please amend So you can expect to see Google and friends spending more and more of their hard-earned cash attempting to align their interests with those of lawmakers

    to read

    So you can expect to see Google and friends spending more and more of their hard-earned cash attempting to align lawmakers with their interests.

    Sorry for any misunderstanding...

    1. the Jim bloke

      Re: Erratum...

      further correction

      "So you can expect to see Google and friends spending more and more of their hard-earned cash attempting to align lawmakers with their interests."

      to

      "So you can expect to see Google and friends spending a slightly larger fraction of their profits from selling your preferences and history on attempting to align lawmakers with their interests."

  10. Turbo Beholder
    Trollface

    Is it the same Google that censors results and hides search suggestions to catch any dirt falling on the socialists, and occasionally does even more laughable things, like redefining words in the dictionary?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Wrong approach

    They need to be paying off Trump Company, not lobbying senators.

    1. Aryanking

      Re: Wrong approach

      what makes you believe they are not doing both?

    2. TheDillinquent

      Re: Wrong approach

      Whats the difference?

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