US lobbyists have changed how America's political process works

Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

The very lucrative practise of lobbying has seen corporate profits soar and transformed America's economy and the political process itself.

A glaring example of lobbyist's power must be the failure of President Clinton to win passage of much anticipated health care reform during the 1990s.

Once a business using personal connections and access to lawmakers in Washington, lobbyists now focus on shaping the opinion of constituents back home in their districts, cozying up to PR gurus, social media experts, pollsters, and grassroots organisers to further the interests of big US Corporations, and reshaping how both major political parties operate.

Guest: Brody Mullins, author of The Wolves of K Street: The Secret History of How Big Money Took Over Big Government (Simon and Schuster)