The Effects of Interest Groups on Politics

The interest groups often lobby members of the congress for favorable policy. The members of congress often listen as well because they are depended on the interest groups for political advertising and campaigning during the

This is why interest groups are so useful to “we the people” because they represent a body

Interest groups have a lot of influence over decision that the government makes and has made. These groups, when formed right, are highly organized and have a definite agenda they are trying to push that is important to them. Interest groups will lobby in congress as well as other levels of government to get new laws and regulations passed.

Moreover, the Schoolhouse Rock presentation identified the major committees that play a vast role within legislation, but furthermore failed to acknowledge the significant influence of interest groups, lobbyist, and campaign contributors. Interest groups are pertinent to the legislation process because of their vast influence. While interest groups strive to “influence public policy” to benefit its members, it accomplishes this task by using inside strategies that “pursue a narrow policy of change and directly influence legislation” and through its relationship within the iron triangle that works to “seal off” external influencers that are irrelevant to the groups view towards public policy; thus leaving a “closed

Limiting interest group is like cutting off the blood that flows through America’s vein. Interest groups plays a pivotal role in todays U.S society ranging from but not limited to; helping Congress and the administration to draft legislation and policy initiatives, provide information both to government and the public on a broad range of topical issues, and contribute significantly to political

They have lobbied for the recent drug coverage that the government offered to help older Americans pay for their prescription drugs (AARP website, n.d.). In addition, they have helped to advocate the Older Americans Act, which allows the older Americans to have continued established programs, such as Meals on Wheels, to help with the aging population. Lastly, they have even helped the older Americans who are of same sex relationships understand how this will affect their benefits in Social Security and Medicare. AARP has evolved to include the issues that the public is most concerned about, thus making them a relevant and strong special interest group to help lobby the United States Congress on possibly new health policy

Public interest lobbies form a linkage element between citizens and governmental elites. In lobbying they articulate what they perceive to be the issue positions of certain sectors of society. Public interest groups also play an important role in facilitating the political participation of their members and related attentive publics. By helping to bring new issues to the table, interest groups influence the shape of political agendas.

Congressional committees, bureaucracy and interests group all have a big part in getting policy changed. The interest’s groups all have a big part in getting policy changed. The interest groups have an enormous influence on congress as well as public opinion. Which allows them to shape the public’s perception of the congressional committees and bureaucracy. When changing a law or policy the interest group provide a lot of information that the bureaucracy or congressional committees committee, bureaucracy and interest groups all work together can be very powerful in the changing of policy.

The NRA and AARP It is only natural that in today’s society of conflicting interests, people with similar interests and views have banned together to garner influence through their numbers. As James Madison noted in the Federalists Papers, like-minded people naturally aggregate together. Two of the most influential of such modern groups are the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Driven by the common interests of their supporters, each of these organizations has involved itself in government and society to become powerful voices in America.

American Association of Retired Persons, which is also known as AARP, is one of the most powerful lobbies in the political eyes in Washington, DC. AARP ran through $21 million last year building up its binds to Democrats in Congress and applying a great deal of political impact in Washington, D.C., and state capitals. It takes in tens of millions of dollars in federal grants annually as a registered nonprofit charity and its for-profit corporation makes millions of dollars licensing the AARP brand name. AARP reported revenue of over $1 billion and assets of $994 million in 2008 (Carney, 2010). AARP is in fact considered a private organization, not for gaining profit, they were established in 1958 with an essential mission to offer seniors

But interest groups do not have a real place in congress. For them to affect motions in congress they need to utilise their powers of persuasion to influence the right people.

Some interest groups have so much power that a congressperson could care more about the group than the people. The interest groups give money to the candidates and cause them to focus on pleasing them rather than the people. “The Politicians only come back to us when they want to win elections, and after they win, they are beholden to the special interest groups.” (Source 5) The politicians do not always go to the people.

Once known as the American Association of Retired People, AARP is one of the most powerful political lobbies in Washington. Congress of Democrats with close ties with Washington, DC, and the state capital to exert enormous political influence. That year the federal government and not-for-profit corporation that take tens of millions of dollars in grants to not-for-profit registered charity millions of dollars to license the brand of AARP. AARP reported $ 994 million in 2008 revenue and more than $ 10 billion assets. AARP will lobby heavily on health care reform, approved by more radical measures favored by the Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives in November. AARP It and health care reform,

Political parties and pressure groups are dependent upon one another. Interest groups find the parties an important method of gaining access to those in public authority, and the parties need the support of groups to elect and maintain themselves in power. The loose party structure and the nature of the federal system foster a chain of continuous relationships between the two. Interest groups participate in both nonpartisan and partisan primaries and general elections through candidate endorsement, providing campaign funds, and general campaign activity. Interest groups are particularly interested in programs and seek to influence party platforms and may provide speech materials for candidates. There is some attempt on the part of both to infiltrate each other though rarely has an interest group been able to capture complete control of a party organization. The overlapping memberships help to educate the parties about the interests of the private groups and vice versa, and provide some cross-fertilization of ideas as well as manpower assistance. Political parties have a prime function of accommodating the demands of the private interests into the larger public interests (Bone. A, 1958).

     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,