evidence: It is no secret that lobbying groups like AIPAC and the far-right Christians United for Israel lobby for unquestioning support for Israel’s right-wing government. They spend enormous sums of money to influence our political system. [...] But let’s be clear: It’s certainly not just issues relating to Israel where this money warps our politics. The Saudis, Emiratis, Qataris, and others spend tens of millions on lobbying and political influence, both licit and less so. We have no clearer example of this than the Trump White House, where these countries brazenly bought influence. [...] Instead, the US is reportedly focused on protecting the patent monopolies of hugely profitable pharmaceutical companies, even in the face of a future pandemic. Might that have something to do with the $8.5 billion drug companies have spent on lobbying over the past 25 years? Or the $700 million they’ve given in campaign contributions to political candidates?