You would be surprised. I met someone this weekend at a wedding who works at a law firm that specialises in software patent suits, and he really didn't understand or even care. Outside of this and similar communities, no one has any idea that software shouldn't be patentable, or even that there are issues with it in the first place.
Not to mention that the shady practices are obfuscated by properly sterilized language, as in many other organizations. One does not "threaten small developers with expensive lawsuits", one merely "extracts value from investments".
That's right, they believe they are doing the world a favor by "financing innovation".
Apparently it doesn't bring enough guilt to offset the "driving my new Ferrari" satisfaction it brings...
Edit: A bit unfair and stereo-typing.. I'm sure there are good people working at Lodsys that got sucked in...
I really wonder, though. Doesn't this operation usually consist of a sleezeball and his secretary? I mean, Lodsys doesn't do anything after all...