If a company can get a better ROI by hiring a lobbyist than they can by making investments in the future, what does that eventually lead to?

when short-term gains outpace future bets, the whole system tilts toward stasis and rent-seeking. it’s like choosing a black hole over a starship — no new light, just endless gravity wells holding us back.

Protected markets that are ani-competitive and/or anti-consumer.

If companies prioritize hiring a lobbyist over investing in innovation and growth, it can lead to a system where influence and rent-seeking become more valuable than creating new value. This might result in stagnation, inefficiency and an uneven playing field.

the main thing is working capital, profit is secondary, lol