"[12][better source needed] Others have used the term in calls to, e.g, "empower the people" by petition or referendum processes[6][13] or, similarly, for "broader and more direct participation in our governance" by eliminating the Electoral College, implementing e-voting and other measures.
[14][better source needed] In an article titled "The 'Fourth Branch' of Government", Alex Knott of the Center for Public Integrity asserted in 2005 that "special interests and the lobbyists they employ have reported spending, since 1998, a total of almost $13 billion to influence Congress, the White House and more than 200 federal agencies.
Additionally, non-executive, or "independent" administrative agencies are often called a fourth branch of government, as they create rules with the effect of law, yet may be composed at least partially of private, non-governmental actors.
The intelligence agencies have also been referred to as the fourth branch of government by people such as House of Representatives member Ron Dellums, Lloyd Gardner and Tom Engelhardt.
[19][20][21] Bob Jessop, in his book, 'The State: Past, Present, Future’[22] notes the similarity of three constructs: Per Engelhardt: “Classically, … the three branches of government … were to check and balance one another so that power would never become centralized ….