Interest Groups
A FORCE TO RECKON WITH
Special Interest Groups
An interest group, or a special interest group, is a group of concerned individuals who share common goals (JB-HDNP, 2012). They connect the public to lawmakers and vice versa. They try to sway public opinion, election, and public policy (JB-HDNP). Special interest groups make strong demands on the government (Magleby et al., 2010). These groups may be economic or occupational, ideological, public interest, foreign policy or ethic and racial. They often organize themselves into movements. They assert their influence through their size, resources, cohesiveness, leadership, and funding, and most importantly, their relationship with the political and governmental environment. Lobbying is their chief activity, although they also connect directly with the public through mass mailings, advertising campaigns and cooperative lobbying. Lobbying is chiefly aimed at public officials, particularly legislators, and the policies they sponsor. Lobbyists may accost legislators to directly influence their vote on a certain issue. Lobbyists fulfill the important role of providing information for legislators' decision-making, educating and forming public opinion, and even contributing to and testifying to certain legislations. Lobbyists are mostly involved in the electoral process through the use of political action committees (Magleby et al.).
Types and Examples
The types of interest groups are business and labor groups, agricultural groups, professional groups, religious groups, specific cause groups, public interest groups, government-interest groups, and general welfare organizations (JB-HDNP, 2012). Examples are business and labor groups -- National Manufacturers Association and AFL-CIO; agricultural groups -- American Farm Bureau federation and National Farmers' Union; professional groups -- American Medical Association and American Bar Association; specific causes groups -- American Civil Liberties Union and Sierra Club; religious groups -- National Council of Churches and Anti-Defamation League of B'nal B'rith; public-interest groups -- Common Cause and Public Citizen; government-cause groups -- National Governors' Association and National Conference of State Legislators; and general welfare organizations -- American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (JB-HDNP).
Interest Groups vs. Political Parties
These groups may either be allies or opponents but they both work for similar goals (JB-HDNP, 2012; Magleby et al., 2010). Interest groups advance a particular area of concern and bring it to the attention and support of elected officials. Political parties, on the other hand, represent bigger groups of people who nominate candidates for office. Interest groups focus on a particular goal or issue and bring it to the attention and support of elected officials and the public through select methods. One method is hiring lobbyists to meet with these elected officials or their staff. Other methods are planning rallies and communication modes, such as direct mail and social media. Interest group, American Civil Liberties Union, for example, raises issues on the people's side and argues that their rights are being violated or ignored. They assert their influence or power during elections by putting out ads in various media. Their lobbyists also talk with legislators or file lawsuits against them for what they believe as legal or right (JB-HDNP, Magleby et al.).
Political parties collect people who share the same or compatible views on how the government should operate (JB-HDNP, 2012; Magleby et al., 2010). They nominate candidates from the municipal to the national levels. They are quite influential in a republic. If they belong to a majority party, their legislative priorities are acted on easily, as long as the factions within them are agreeable. Administrative positions are often awarded to friends and supporters of the majority party. Those who decide to run as independent candidates find it difficult to win. Every political party is in place to sustain advantage over independent candidates (JB-HDNP, Magleby et al.).
Tactics
Large numbers of people, frustrated or disconcerted with government policies, band together and form themselves into movements (JB-HDNP, 2012; Magleby et al., 2010). Their power derives from their size, resources, cohesiveness, leadership, and techniques, particularly in assisting specific candidates or political parties and funding lobbyists. But their actual power proceeds from the way these elements relate with the environment where a given interest group operates. Lobbying is their major activity. Lobbyists contact target lawmakers or other government leaders for their cause. Lobbyists work at the federal, State and local levels. Many lobbyists are former government officials who have friends in Congress and the executive branch. Lobbyists supply lawmakers with information, which supports the interest group's
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