--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you look at all the lobbyists in…" description: "\"If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is not a democracy. This is ruled by special interest groups. That includes the military, the phar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/deepak-chopra-63_debt_if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-wash_634602.jpg" --- # If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is… ![“If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is not a democracy. This is ruled by special interest groups. That includes the military, the pharmaceutical industry, the people who produce mechanized debt, GMO foods. We are prisoners.” quote by Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/deepak-chopra-63_debt_if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-wash_634602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/deepak-chopra-63_debt_if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-wash_634602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/deepak-chopra-63_debt_if-you-look-at-all-the-lobbyists-in-wash_634602.jpg) > “If you look at all the lobbyists in Washington, this is not a democracy. This is ruled by special interest groups. That includes the military, the pharmaceutical industry, the people who produce mechanized debt, GMO foods. We are prisoners.” [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that powerful special interest groups dominate Washington, undermining true democratic governance. **In simple terms:** Special interests control politics, limiting democracy. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge undue influence. Themes politics power democracy corruption influence Mood critical concerned Type political activist When to use this quote - voting - activism - policy advocacy - media literacy - community organizing Key Concepts interest groups elite capture policy making public trust Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens reduce special interest power? - What reforms could restore democratic balance? A Different Perspective Democracy also requires citizen participation and institutional checks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Gmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gmos/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Interest groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest-groups/) [Lobbyists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lobbyists/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Pharmaceutical industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pharmaceutical-industry/) [Prisoner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prisoner/) [Special interest groups](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interest-groups/) [Special interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/special-interests/) ## Related quotes > [Since the 1920s, virtually all continuing medical and public health education is funded by pharmaceutical companies. In fact, today, the FDA can't even tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-horowitz/since-the-1920s-virtually-all-continuing-medical-and-public-health/) Leonard Horowitz > [Heads of state are actually prisoners of special interest groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/heads-of-state-are-actually-prisoners-of-special-interest-groups/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I think too many politicians are not listening to the men and women they represent, and if we're going to change the path America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-think-too-many-politicians-are-not-listening-to-the-men-and-women/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [American consumers are not saying they will not buy GMO foods. What they're saying is "I want to know. I want to know." EU…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shumlin/american-consumers-are-not-saying-they-will-not-buy-gmo-foods-what/) [Peter Shumlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shumlin/) > [We are eating hybridized and genetically modified (GMO) foods full of antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, and additives that were unknown to our immune systems just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hyman-m-d/we-are-eating-hybridized-and-genetically-modified-gmo-foods-full-of/) [Mark Hyman, M.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hyman-m-d/) > [The long-term study of GMO foods is going on in real time and in real life. Not in a lab.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/the-long-term-study-of-gmo-foods-is-going-on-in-real-time-and-in-real/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [Lobbyists in Washington are making six figure salaries selling our government out to the corporate interests and we just sit and smile as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-holbrook/lobbyists-in-washington-are-making-six-figure-salaries-selling-our/) [Hal Holbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-holbrook/) > [The crush of lobbyists on Washington and purchase of the media by corporations has created a big business-run government and a worthless press leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/the-crush-of-lobbyists-on-washington-and-purchase-of-the-media-by/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) > [What I always say with these things, when you're trying to do comprehensive things like tax reform, there will be 20,000 lobbyists in Washington…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-yarmuth/what-i-always-say-with-these-things-when-you-re-trying-to-do/) [John Yarmuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-yarmuth/) > [Fur is a contentious issue. 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The National…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-andersen/after-more-than-three-decades-and-many-hundreds-of-studies-the/) [Kurt Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-andersen/) > [The institution of the family has very few friends in Washington. There are lobbyists in Washington for every possible entity, from the possum-growers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/the-institution-of-the-family-has-very-few-friends-in-washington/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [Genetically modified organism (GMO) foods are feared and hated by environmentalists and the public alike. Yet the scientific assessment of GMOs is remarkably different.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramez-naam/genetically-modified-organism-gmo-foods-are-feared-and-hated-by/) [Ramez Naam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramez-naam/) > [When I took the oath of office, I pledged loyalty to only one special interest group - ‘We the people’.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/when-i-took-the-oath-of-office-i-pledged-loyalty-to-only-one-special/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) ## More by Deepak Chopra > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“Molecules form and dissolve, returning to the primordial soup of atoms. But consciousness survives the death of the molecules on which it rides. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/molecules-form-and-dissolve-returning-to-the-primordial-soup-of-atoms/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Unbounded awareness is the reservoir of possibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/unbounded-awareness-is-the-reservoir-of-possibilities/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Spiritual awareness is not only one of the keys to the healing process. Spiritual awareness is the only way that healing can occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/spiritual-awareness-is-not-only-one-of-the-keys-to-the-healing/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [All experiences are either positive for your brain or negative. 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Be who you are and your life will transform forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/the-soul-knows-everything-be-who-you-are-and-your-life-will-transform/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [The willingness to reach inside every part of yourself opens the door to total understanding. 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