WHEN IT’S EASIER TO BECOME “THE MAN” THAN TO CHALLENGE HIM: Google, once disdainful of lobbying, now a master of Washington influence. ” Nine years ago, the company opened a one-man lobbying shop, disdainful of the capital’s pay-to-play culture. Since then, Google has soared to near the top of the city’s lobbying ranks, placing second only to General Electric in corporate lobbying expenditures in 2012 and fifth place in 2013.”

Yeah, like I said, they’ve gone from rebel outsiders to crony insiders.