One last Economist-inspired post. Also in last weeks issue, Beware the K-Street conservatives listed some interesting riders attached to the Homeland Security Bill.

The lobbyists’ biggest coup has been the revision of the Homeland Security Bill. One new provision allows companies that have registered overseas to escape American taxes when they get contracts with the department. A second provision frees companies that make faulty anti-terrorism equipment (such as bomb detectors and gas masks) from liability to prosecution. A third restricts the liability of drug companies that produce smallpox vaccines. A fourth tries to shield Eli Lilly from lawsuits seeking billions of dollars for families of autistic children. And there is more of this sort of stuff to come. Last month the lords of the pharmaceutical industry—who spent $35m on the two most recent elections—went into a huddle to plan their next demand.

In fairness, they do point out that the some of these issues “are more nuanced than they appear” and then just focus on the importance of appearing beholden to lobbyists. It’s a good article in general and there are some great points made… take a look.