...An interest group, also known as lobbies group, or special group; is an organized group that is determined to encourage or prevent changes in public policy without any interest or attempts to be elected. Such groups are formed among individuals who share common ideas, views, beliefs, and commands; where they work hard in trying to influence government officials' decision making by presenting their ideas and beliefs directly to them (Wilson, 2009). There are countless interest groups that exist in the United States today, and there are several reasons behind their rapid growth and existence. One is the diversity of our nation and large amounts of immigrants from all over the world; having different cultures and backgrounds which lead to different views and expectations of the government. Another factor playing a role in the ability for interest groups to form is the nature of our decentralized political system and the manner in which the Constitution was written; giving citizens the freedom and many rights that other countries do not have. Since the Constitution gives people the power to choose who and how the nation should be governed, it gives them access to politicians and those holding seats in office, to demand and have the freedom to speak up about their expectations of their leaders. And lastly, the weakness of our political parties help set the stage for more and more interest groups to arise; using both areas of strength and weakness of each political party to influence...
Words: 2008 - Pages: 9
...Assignment 2: Special Interests What Are Special Interests Groups Special interest groups are often referred to as pressure groups, single issue groups, vested interest groups, lobbyist and several other titles. Through there are many names they essentially are all the same meaning; “An organization of people or a “letterhead” organization, sharing a common goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy” (Wilson, 2009, pp. 141). There is a lot of debate as to the negative and practical aspects of interest groups. Interest groups come in forms of Unions, Economic groups, Ideology groups, Social Policy groups or Public interest groups. They exclusively are engaged to influence the president and congress by promoting what values enforced by the government. Interest groups play a vital role in shaping public policies. They are one of four linkage groups which also include the media, elections and campaigns as well as political parties. These groups keep the citizens connected to the government. James Madison explains in Federalist #10 that public views are refined and enhanced "by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens, whose wisdom may discern the true interest of their country..." (Independance Hall, 2008). This was written in the essence of how to mitigate the effects of particular interest groups. It is hard to know what he would think of this design today. Impact on Government in the Creation of Public Policy Special interest groups can have...
Words: 2034 - Pages: 9
... The U.S. has the largest and most technologically advanced economy in the world. It mainly consists of the industrial and service sectors. The main industries include petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber and mining. Agricultural production, though only a small part of the economy, includes: wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, fish and forest products. Geography The U.S. borders both the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans and is bordered by Canada and Mexico. It is the third largest country in the world by area and has a varied topography. The eastern regions consist of hills and low mountains while the central interior is a vast plain (called the Great Plains region) and the west has high rugged mountain ranges (some of which are volcanic in the Pacific Northwest). Alaska also features rugged mountains as well as river valleys. Hawaii's landscape varies but is dominated by volcanic topography Political three defining characteristics of the U.S. political system - U.S. politics are shaped by two major political parties: Democrats and Republicans. - Citizens have competing interests that differ based on their different backgrounds—the types of jobs they have, their race or age, whether they have children, etc. - Politics are also shaped by special interest groups, lobbyists, and the media. The U.S. federal...
Words: 894 - Pages: 4
...WEEK 8 ASSIGNMENT Interest Groups Professor Karina Arzumanova U.S. Goverment An Interests Group is defined as an organization of people or a letterhead organization, sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy. In the American political system, there are a wide variety of interest groups that are organized for the sole purpose of exerting influence on the political and legal systems. These groups play a central role in deciding who gets what, when, where and how in legislative and budget processes. They also play a significant role in deciding which values will be promoted and enforced by the government. When individuals have common interests, it often makes sense for them to join together in pursuit of those interests. When this happens, a special interest group is formed. These groups then compete for a share of the limited resources distributed through the political process. While many groups are formed to compete for economic resources, others are formed to support their positions on issues like abortion and gun control. The limited resource these groups compete for is not money or real estate but rather the use of governmental power to enforce a particular set of values. At the group level, it makes sense for groups to form and do the things they do. However, at the individual level, there are powerful incentives to be a free rider. If a group is pursuing your interests even though you, as an individual, are...
Words: 2263 - Pages: 10
...Define an Interest Group: Through my research I found that there are many definitions of an Interest Group. For example one is from out text book the definition is; An Interest Group is an organization of people or a letterhead organization sharing a common interest or goal that seeks to influence the making of public policy. (Wilson J. Q. (2008) American Government) The term 'interest group' describes the nature of association this work is concerned with. According to Truman, interest groups can be defined as groups that based on one or more shared attitudes, engage in influencing political decision-making, in order to successfully implement certain political goals or values (Truman, 33). They usually, but not always, are formally organized. The relation between interest groups and government and society is an affirmative one, although groups may at times employ destructive methods in order to accomplish their goals. The existing social order is accepted by interest groups, and governmental power and its institutions are utilized to attain advantages, protect members, and to fight political opponents. As you see they all relate to political decision making, political goals, and organization of people. In Washington DC there are nearly seven thousand organizations that are represented by politics. These interest groups are also referred to as Lobby’s or Lobbyists. The textbook we use gives the opinion that interest groups are a group of people with shared ideas...
Words: 1998 - Pages: 8
...People, of the three branches, Congress possesses “the greatest of all the powers of government, the power to make the laws” (328). The significant role of Legislators necessitates the need for immediate reform before the other branches due to their unique power. Currently, Congress is “the only form of elected office in American government not regulated by term...
Words: 1042 - Pages: 5
...indicates a privileged where corporate interests trump the public interest and politicians do the will of the highest bidder. Corporations in the early twentieth century not only faced scattered and weak enforcement of the Tillman Act's contribution ban and thus no great deterrent to violating the ban, but also exploited glaring legal loopholes that allowed them to bankroll their favored campaigns with relative ease. Even after the enactment of independent corporate expenditure restrictions, corporations faced minimal barriers to political spending on television or in other national media. Until the FEC's creation in 1974, the ban on independent corporate spending on elections was not rigorously enforced. The relevant time frame for evaluating the decision's practical consequences is, at the very longest, the period after Congress substantially amended FECA in 1974. Campaign contributions as emphasized here discusses the ways in which contributions are made to influence new or incumbent candidates to support a particular agenda based on factors that impact the candidate personally, such as the raising of significant funds to help a candidate be re-elected, or environmental issues to even social issues are of concern. Since the last decade, millions upon millions of dollars have been spent in state judicial elections, primarily by contributors with an interest in the outcome of litigation. Spending large sums of money on judicial elections is not a new phenomenon, but following...
Words: 4484 - Pages: 18
...Revised May 1992 THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE by William C. Kimberling, Deputy Director FEC Office of Election Administration (The views expressed here are solely those of the author and are not necessarily shared by the Federal Election Commission or any division thereof.) In order to appreciate the reasons for the Electoral College, it is essential to understand its historical context and the problem that the Founding Fathers were trying to solve. They faced the difficult question of how to elect a president in a nation that: • was composed of thirteen large and small States jealous of their own rights and powers and suspicious of any central national government contained only 4,000,000 people spread up and down a thousand miles of Atlantic seaboard barely connected by transportation or communication (so that national campaigns were impractical even if they had been thought desirable) believed, under the influence of such British political thinkers as Henry St John Bolingbroke, that political parties were mischievous if not downright evil, and felt that gentlemen should not campaign for public office (The saying was "The office should seek the man, the man should not seek the office."). • • • How, then, to choose a president without political parties, without national campaigns, and without upsetting the carefully designed balance between the presidency and the Congress on one hand and between the States and the federal government on the other? Origins of the Electoral...
Words: 8191 - Pages: 33
...defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. The United States is a Democratic Republic The United States is the oldest continuously functioning democracy in the world Democracy – A style of government in which people vote in elections to choose their leaders. Republic – A style of government where the people retain control over the government and the head of the government is not a monarch. Balance of Power Writers of the Constitution wanted to make sure no group would become too powerful. They, therefore, created 3 branches of government, each with their own power. So the U.S. has a strong central government but a balance of power. Three Main Branches Checks and Balances Legislative Branch United States Capitol Membership Senate Two from each state. 6 year terms. Must be at least 30 years old Must be a U.S. citizen for 9 years House of Representatives Based on state population 2 year terms. Must be at least 25 years old Must be a U.S. citizen for 7 years Special Responsibilities of the House of Representatives 1. Writes any law that makes people pay taxes. 2. Decides if government officials should be put on trial before the Senate if s/he commits a crime against the country. This is impeachment. 3. Can elect the President if the Electoral...
Words: 1131 - Pages: 5
...Chapter 14 1. During the nomination campaign, the candidates target party leaders and interest groups. This is the time for the candidates to learn that a single phrase could end the campaign or guarantee a defeat. The media take much less notice of mistakes at this time than in the general election campaign. A danger not always heeded by candidates during the nomination campaign is that a candidate can move too far left or right and appear too extreme to the electorate. If a candidate tries too hard to appeal to the interests of party elites, they jeopardize their chances of winning the election. An example of this is the election of 1964 when Barry Goldwater went too far right and lost the presidential election. 2. After earning the party’s nomination, candidates embark on the general election campaign, or the phase of a political campaign aimed at winning election to office. Unlike the nomination campaign, where candidates must run against each other, during the general election campaign, candidates in partisan elections run against nominees from other political parties. All eligible voters, regardless of political party, have the opportunity to vote. For this reason, candidates are more likely to move their positions on political issues toward the ideological center. The length of the general election campaign varies from state to state. 3. Paid staff, political consultants, and volunteers work behind the scenes to support the candidate. Collectively, they plan...
Words: 2558 - Pages: 11
...current insights for a better change, political corruption can be found easily and corrected by the power of people, and everyone who is eligible for elect do so not because it is their duty but it is because they are well-versed and determined to choose right candidate for a representation. All of this would have been a beautiful picture to paint, however it is not the type of democracy currently appear to exist in the U.S. It is tough to say that U.S is fully democratic country since that few of the researchers and sources have been arguing that democracy has not been seem to be present for the last few decades, and in fact it has been slowly changing onto an oligarchy system. As of Fall 2014 “ Research conducted by Princeton and Northwestern university found that U.S policies are formed more by special interest groups than by politicians properly representing the will of general people, including lower-income class” ( C.Chumley,1). Large number of people get the understanding that U.S is in fact a fully democratic country. That is because elite groups in this country may have manipulated common citizens to think that...
Words: 958 - Pages: 4
...C. State and Local Organization 1. election, caucuses 2. wards Prereading and Vocabulary 2 1. should cut back on expensive government programs Sample definition: Conservatives believe in cutting costs and government programs. 2. came to vote Sample definition: The electorate is the group of people who are allowed to vote. 3. voted at the polling place, elementary school Sample definition: A precinct is a small area from which all the residents report to vote at one location. 4. wards 5. bipartisan 6. nominate 7. Liberals 8. resign CHAPTER 5 Section 1 Reading Comprehension 3 1. Answers for rankings will vary. Historical basis: The two-party system is rooted in the beginnings of the U.S., when the ratification of the Constitution gave rise to the first two parties. Tradition: Most Americans accept the idea of a two-party system simply because there has always been one. Electoral system: Since only one winner per office comes out of each election, voters have only two viable choices—the candidate of the party holding office or the candidate with the best chance of replacing the current officeholder. Voters tend to think of a vote for a minor party candidate as a wasted vote. Republicans and Democrats work together in a bipartisan way to write election laws to make it hard for a minor party or independent candidate to win elective office. Ideological consensus: Compared with other countries, the U.S. has been free of longstanding disputes...
Words: 24569 - Pages: 99
...China The first one is the economy. China's economy has been typically the best-performing economy or among the best-performing economies in the world since 1979 when reforms began, averaging about 7 percent growth. One note of concern, though, is that those conditions that allowed that 7 percent growth are not likely to be prevalent in the years to come, because for over 30 years, China has relied extensively on lower wage rates and export-driven growth. But wage rates have been bid up, as happens; the Chinese are victims of their own success, you could say. And secondly, the rest of the countries in the world are not going through high rates of growth, and they’re not going to be importing the way they had been historically. So, that formula isn’t going to be as successful going forward as it has been. China needs to shift away from an export-driven economy to more of a consumption model. It needs to be mindful about funding its state-owned enterprises, about subsidizing state-owned companies. It needs to lessen its reliance on low-end manufacturing and move up the value chain. By the way, these aren’t my observations; these are observations by Chinese leadership. If you follow any Chinese leader’s speech on China’s economic transformation, these are the points he’ll make. We would call that market rationalism or just normal evolution as a country rises to middle-income status. But there are also some countervailing impulses. There’s a strong streak of economic nationalism;...
Words: 31136 - Pages: 125
...Unit I Foreign Policy What is Foreign Policy? Foreign policy has many exegesis as there are internationalist who attempt to define this most intriguing subject of international relations. Initially, it has been define as a “ statement of national goals limited both absolutely and relatively by national power”. The Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines prefers to allude to it as “ set of guidelines articulated by the government to a country in order to promote its national interest through the conduct of its relations with other countries” The Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines has likewise quoted a dictum ascribed to President Ferdinand E. Marcos that: The foreign policy of a nation is the articulation of its fondest needs and aspiration, and in international affairs, it is its sole weapon for the promotion of national interest. Foreign Policy is a “part of the general program of government. It is furthermore an extension of its domestic policy”. The term “system” when used in the context of an organization, implies an entity composed of a set of parts and created to accomplish certain, objectives. The aim of the system is the coordination of human efforts and material resources to produce desired results in a dynamic organization. An organization, as social system, has certain inherent characteristics: 1) it has subsystem and, is part of a suprasystem in continual interaction with one another 2) It has define objectives...
Words: 31291 - Pages: 126
...that was created by the foundations of the U.S Constitution in which rule of law is used to manage society and the country. The way government oversees there own activities is through the distribution of authority within the different branches of government, called separation of powers. Separation of Power is a way for each branch of government to have enough power to not over dominate over another and thus keep an eye on each other. This process is used to moderate branches of government through a structure called checks and balance. The state and national level use the same structure to govern themselves; the differences and similarities between both of them come down to the way the rule of law is used in the democratic process. An example of this would be through comparing those differences and similarities between the political power that Nevada’s governor and the Presidents hold; along with the political power. The title of governor provides leadership in the state by representing its interest within the Federal Government. The responsibilities for governor, as stated in the Nevada State Constitution under Article 5 sections 8 through 9 are to appointing leaders, fill vacancies, commissioning people to different departments, and holding memberships on several important boards and commissions. He is also responsible for ceremonial occasions. Other responsibilities are recommending legislation for the state’s budget and calling special sessions when state business cannot wait...
Words: 6611 - Pages: 27
