interest groups

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Recommended: Special interest groups in american politics

Special interest groups get a bad rap from the media and people from the hill trying to blame someone, but truth be told, interest groups are a necessary evil. Whether you think interest groups are good or bad, these special interest groups are a natural part of our political system. Interest groups are any organization of people with policy goals who work within the political process to promote those goals. An interest group hires lobbyists whose job are to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without even trying to be elected into office. These groups attempt to influence policy in many ways like lobbying government officials, engaging in electoral activities, educating and mobilizing various publics (Interest Groups: Organizing To Influence). Some of this power groups in California include the California Teachers Association, American Civil Liberties Union, AT&T Inc., NRA, or the California State Council of Service Employees. In California, interest groups have a lot of power and influence over every aspect of the political spectrum. In its simplest definition, special interest groups have a lot of purpose in the political ring, but the way that they are free to roam today, with little regulation, it's just not feasible for a democratic government to be run. In this paper, I will discuss the contending arguments for and against interest groups, whether they are good or bad for the political system in California and what reforms can be done to curb the influence of these lobbyists.
Interest groups are an essential part of the political system. “Lobbyists see themselves as professional, disinterested gladiators/under tremendous pressure from clients to deliver” ( Michael, Walters 4). Congressmen are not experts on ev...

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...probably should not be doing that type of transaction. Corporations and unions should be able to have a saying into what becomes law, just like anyone else, as it may affect them as well, but due to the amount of money they pour into the political system, it would be best if there were better disclosure laws in place to end the secrecy. The blame does not just fall on the corporations and unions, it also lies within the people that take their money. I would improve the California Fair Political Practices Commission, or FPPC, and raise the fines and penalties for anyone caught doing wrongdoings. We need to stop having individuals corporations, and unions from putting all their money into policies they want. Ultimately this is not improved democracy and disclosure. This would be my solutions for reducing special interest influences on the California political system.

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