An interest group is an organized group of people that come together to attempt to influence policymakers in any level of government. They influence the different levels of government by giving money to a political candidate. They write letters, emails, and make phone calls to the policymakers. They attempt to get the policymakers to make legislation reflecting the objectives of the group (This Nation, 2008).
Americans choose to join these interest groups because they are motivated by the group's objectives. They believe the group will protect their interest within the political realm. For an example, a Texas restaurant owner might join the local chamber of commerce in order to have her business' interest represented within the local government. If this same owner were to join the Texas Restaurant Association and the National Restaurant Association, her business interest is represented in the state and federal governments as well (This Nation, 2008).
There are three major interest groups. They are economic, environmental, and public-interest. The most common is the economic interest groups. These groups are formed to represent economic interests of the members of the group. The sectors of these group includes business, agriculture, labor unions, government workers, and professionals (Schmidt, S., Shelley, M., Bardes, B., 2011, p.145).
The environmental groups are formed to influence policymakers on environmental issues. They influence policymakers to establish laws protecting the environment. These groups also try to buy land in order to protect it from others that want to destroy it such as strip mining (Schmidt, S., et al., 2011, p.148).
The public interest group is a group that is exist for the public good. This group...
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... Congress. The NRA holds conferences where a restaurateur has the opportunity to talk with Congress. NRA-PAC is voluntary, non-partisan political action committee to support and elect pro-industry and pro-business congressional candidates for Congress (National Restaurant Association, 2011).
Works Cited
National Restaurant Association. (2011). Advocacy & representation. Retrieved June 4, 2011, from http://www.restaurant.org/advocacy/
Schmidt, S., Shelley, M., Bardes, B. (2011). American government politics today 2010-2011 brief edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning
Texas Politics. (2011, June 5). Introduction: interest groups and representation in Texas. Retrieved June 4, 2011, from http://texaspolitics.laits.utexas.edu/5_1_0.html
This Nation (2008). Interest groups. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www.thisnation.com/textbook/participants-groups.html
One of the most important groups would be the Big Five. “The most money, being 82% of the Federal Budget is put into this group” (Document C). This group includes Interest on National
Representation: the effort of elected officials to look out for the interests of those who elect them
The voters are stakeholders because they aren 't necessarily able to elect the party or representative of their choice, just because of where they live. The representatives are stakeholders because they aren 't always given a fair chance to win the district that they live in. Finally, the people that live in the districts that don 't vote are stakeholders because they are having someone selected that they don 't always support that is representing them in Congress.
. Factions can be present in many different settings in society. They can be a passion for different opinions on religions, government, or war. Madison claims that "the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever been formed distinct interests in society." The modern government includes factions as necessary operations, and the regulation of these interest groups form the foremost assignment of legislation.
In discussing the problems surrounding the issue of factionalism in American society, James Madison concluded in Federalist #10, "The inference to which we are brought is that the causes of cannot be removed and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects." (Federalist Papers 1999, 75) In many ways, the nature of American politics has revolved around this question since our country's birth. What is the relationship between parties and government? Should the party serve as an intermediary between the populace and government, and how should a government respond to disparate ideas espoused by the factions inherent to a free society. This paper will discuss the political evolution that has revolved around this question, examining different "regimes" and how they attempted to reconcile the relationship between power and the corresponding role of the people. Beginning with the Federalists themselves, we will trace this evolution until we reach the contemporary period, where we find a political climate described as "interest-group liberalism." Eventually this paper will seek to determine which has been the most beneficial, and which is ultimately preferable.
Political systems within the United States work together to establish laws and create boundaries for their people. Government officials work with the Senate in Congress to help establish regulations not only for the American people but also for corporations in order to not become monopolies in today’s market. This all corresponds to a legislative process in order for Congress to have a clear idea of passing effective laws that help reinforce results within our society. Members of Congress and political affiliations are impacted by representatives from large business corporations through the process of bribing these government officials into supporting the ideas and desires of these corporations. In order for this to occur, these companies engage in lobbying. Lobbying is the attempt to influence government officials in decision making processes or swaying the government by employing tactics through various agreements in the form of verbal or written statements to public officials in Congress. This usually occurs through donations of large amounts of money to members of Congress as a way of bribing them to support the representatives of these corporations. Therefore, corporations have widely influenced Congress, making it difficult to pass laws and bills that are not in favor of these corporations. Thus, lobbying is influenced by money and promotes the interests of these specific corporations.
We elect politicians on the basis on the issues by which they stand, and these issues are either held up or weakened by the numerous interest groups that exist today. Interest groups target both major and minor issues, using all of their resources to sponsor or overpower the groups’ concern. Interest groups are composed of a limited range of the body of voters who have a great stake in the issues their group support. They make evident the issues their group supports. Their resources are used in an attempt to make their issue public policy. Interest groups are persistent; they do not give up until they succeed. They lobby congress, take legal action, and attempt to influence election results in order to benefit their cause. ”The AARP monitors local and national legislation of interest to its members.”1 The AARP, an example of a non-PAC interest group, focus their efforts to electioneering and media. They influence the elections through their voter guides, election forums and the large senior voting population. Through television, radio, and periodicals the AARP is able to achieve many of their goals to aid retired persons.
This select group rules at the expense of common people. Increasing wealth is commonly the main consideration.
South University Online. (2013). POL2076: American Government: Week 4: People and Politics—Interest Groups. Retrieved from http://myeclassonline.com
Essentially, interest groups use many different tactics to accomplish their central goals but this paper will detail 2 of them. The first being lobbying, which is the act of persuading businesses as well as government leaders to help a specific organization by changing laws or creating events in favor of that group. Interest groups use this technique by hiring someone to represent them and advocate their cause to on the behalf of the entire group. These hired representatives usually have more than enough experience within the political field and are able to persuade connections within the government for help with their concerns. This method gets a lot of criticism because although lobbyist offer their input to government officials on pending laws, they only look at what is favorable for their cause. When trying to make a difference you have to not only reflect on your argument but on the side affects of that argument as
United, ROC. 16 Things the Restaurant Industry Doesn't Want You to Know. 10 02 2014. 29 04 2014 .
The “advocacy explosion” in the United States in the 20th century has been caused by the extreme increase in the number of interest groups in the United States. The general public views the increase and the groups themselves as a cancer that has come to the body of American politics and is spreading. The explosion in the number of interest groups and interest group members and finances has had an effect on the decline of the American political party and partisanship, the effect on democracy and the public interest, and the bias that has come with interest group competition.
Lobbying involves more than persuading legislators. Professional lobbyists investigate and examine legislation or dogmatic proposals, are present at congressional hearings, and teach government officials and company officers on imperative issues. Lobbyists in addition work to transform public opinion all the way through advertising campaigns or by control 'opinion leaders'. There are approximately 30,000 recorded lobbyists, other than that does not comprise the public relations experts, marketers, support personnel pollsters, and others who support their work. The majority lobbyists are hard–working professionals who comprehend how to find the way the political process, gain access to lawmakers and main executive–branch officials, and construct a strategy to accomplish their legislative objective. Whether or not you like the renowned place they engage in our system, lobbyists have turn out to be such an essential part of...
National Restaurant Association. 2013 Restaurant Industry Pocket Factbook. Rep. National Restaurant Association, 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. .
These pluralistic interest groups are free to operate and lobby in the political arena, fighting against the majority and other competing factions for voice in Congress. With the influence of multiple factions operating throughout the political system, a balance of power is created (Kernell 2000, 429). This is much like the international theory of sovereign states balancing each other’s power to create a political system that focuses on stability, yet is always in a constant flux of power. With this in mind, special interest groups are constantly contending for power by raising money, campaigning, and lobbying in Congress. When a special interest group is threatened by a competing policy, the group will organize efforts to balance, or transcend the power of the competing group.