Interest groups date back to the year of 1834, when a young French social
historian was amazed at how Americans formed groups in which they could solve
problems. Today, in the United States, there are thousands of these same groups . They
share common objectives, beliefs, and attitudes. Interest groups form an organization to
attempt to influence policymakers, and in my opinion should be legal to a certain degree.
Interest groups are both small and large, some groups have membership fees or
monthly dues, and often provide there members with discounts on certain things. They
speak to their members and to the public through newsletters, magazines and educational
activities. In order for them to be effective they must be up to date with information that
is revalent to their interest and offer politician appealing incentives. At times they will
also testify at congressional hearings or draft amendments to legislation.
A well known person/s in an interest groups is what are called lobbyist. They
received this name because they originated as journalist who would stand in the lobby of
the House of Commons to speak with the legislators. Before the Public Utilities Holding
Company, and the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act were passed, lobbyist were able to
bribe politicians to change their views on legislation. The First Amendment to the
UNITED STATES Constitution also allows interest groups to survive. It states that all
The Essay on To What Extent Is Pressure Group Activity A Threat To Democracy
There are many Pressure Groups in the UK which campaign using a variety of methods to force the government to take a desired action. Both types of Pressure Groups (interest or promotional) intend to change the policies of the elected representatives of our country without using politics. It might be said that the actions of Pressure groups were a threat to democracy for many reasons however it ...
citizens have the right to free speech and the right to petition the government for redress
or grievances. These laws legalize the existence of these groups and because they have
limited them to certain actions, they now use other tactics and resources to pursue their
own interest.
One of their resources is an organizational resource. The members of the group
must be able to move around freely with little limitations this is incase if political action
must take place. The group will offer their members information quickly and tell there
members what they should do in any given situation. Another resource is the political
resource, it is extremely important for groups toward their success, which is why many
times former congressman are hired into the group. If lawmakers believe a group is
knowledgeable and trustworthy, they will have a greater advantage over the less
knowledgeable, trustworthy groups. Finally, the attribute which is the most influencing is
their physical resource, money. Money speaks louder than words, is a perfect saying
when discussing interest groups. It can be used to reach other resources such as political
and leadership skill and public talent. It also can be used as a campaign support for
candidates that the interest group thinks will do good for them. This method is mainly
used by corporations through indirect channels. Although legally each corporation is
allowed to gather money from fifty volunteer donors and contribute to one PAC (political
action committee) annually.
Today, many Americans believe that the use of interest groups is not a very moral
way of establishing laws. To some degree this is true, I believe that the use of money to
influence others in politics should not be used. I am sure the founding fathers of our
country would not agree that this is a ethical way of politics. Politicians should stand for
what they represent and should not be effected by the use of material thing, whether its
The Essay on It Goes Without Saying That Interest Rates Influence Our Decisions
It goes without saying, that interest rates influence our decisions, and affect many activities in our lives. Interest rates can be expressed as a percentage of the amount borrowed or saved. People always try to be well-informed about changes in economy and finance. They say that it helps them to make better decisions about their personal finance. It is evident that interest rates affected the ...
money, gifts, going to lunches, and things of that nature.
Although this issue is very sensitive, I do believe that the idea of America having
interest groups is good. These groups are still an important part of the legal system.
Aslong as there is no physical resources influencing politicians. The government should
have them under microscope for unethical practices that may influence politicians. The
reasons there are interest groups is for citizens to bring light on certain situations and to
share that with politicians. Situations like the killing of rainforest, and national gun
control, or even abortion. If America did not have interest groups the government would
have the power to impose laws that its citizens would not support therefore eventually
destroying our constitutional government.
