Esta frase está relacionada principalmente con la resistencia a perder privilegios o posiciones ventajosas, por ejemplo un gobernante proclama una serie de leyes que "perjudican" a altas esferas del poder en oposición a él, y estos con tal de no verse afectados se oponen a esta ley, tratan de descalificarlo o hasta de poner a la opinión pública en contra del gobernante.

  Tratan de "hacer ver como algo malo" esas leyes, pero en el fondo no quieren perder sus privilegios, esto es lo que significa principalmente la frase, la resistencia a adoptar o permitir algo que ponga fin a los privilegios o los disminuya significativamente.

  This phrase is mainly related to the resistance to losing privileges or advantageous positions, for example a ruler proclaims a series of laws that "harm" high levels of power in opposition to him, and these, as long as they are not affected, oppose this law, they try to disqualify him or even turn public opinion against the ruler.

  They try to "make those laws look bad", but deep down they don't want to lose their privileges, which is what the phrase primarily means, resistance to adopting or allowing anything that ends or significantly diminishes privileges.