According to Retail Dive, retailers and retail trade groups are spending more on lobbyists than even before, with a collective $58.1 million spent in 2017, up from $46.1 million the year prior.
Using data from Open Secrets, the story found that “the National Retail Federation spent $12.9 million on lobbying efforts” while “Walmart and CVS shelled out $6.9 million and $6.4 million respectively,” representing the sector’s top spenders.
(Amazon, for the record, spent $13 million on lobbying efforts in 2017, but they’re counted as “internet,” so it didn’t factor into the retail total.)
All of that money – and all of those lobbyists – have helped the industry win “several major public policy fights,” including getting the new tax bill passed, and having the proposed border adjustment tax left off of it.
As the story notes, “Corporations weren’t always so directly involved in Washington and the increased presence of big companies — both financially and physically — appears to signal a new normal for mixing business and politics.”
Yet another horrible new normal. Keep it up, 2018.
You can read more about it at Retail Dive.
