They relish their image of impoverished groups fighting long odds against rich business lobbies. In fact, Berry finds that liberal lobbies are often well financed and highly professional. They have no interest in advertising their weakness. If it did, it would have to admit that it often aids liberal lobbies. This is less the result of a conscious effort to advance an agenda than of shared beliefs.
Business is regarded as greedy, self-interested and undemocratic.
The convergence of values is easily inferred from opinion surveys. Consider a 1995 poll of Washington reporters. In a democracy, the vigor of liberal lobbies is healthy. They often succeed because they purport to speak for public opinion. Four-fifths of Americans, for example, see themselves as environmentalists, reports a Pew Research poll.