So would you spend $55 million without expectation of return? You know, if you made billions in profit and could afford it?

The oil and gas industry has spent that much this year — so far — to lobby for its governmental interests. According to Jennifer Lance, writing at Red, Green, and Blue, an offshoot of the Green Options website, that puts the industry on a pace to exceed the most it's ever spent in a year, $83 million.

She gets her information from Open Secrets, the website of the Center for Responsive Politics.

The most lobby-happy industry is Big Pharma, at $112 million and counting, but if you add the other side of the power equation, the electric utilities, the combined figure exceeds $120 million. Individually, they are ranked fifth and third, respectively.

No consumer representatives appear on the list. Presumably, that's because the senators and representatives speak for us, but does it seem that way to you?