Special Interest Groups In American Politics

As I read through the chapter and glanced at the essay assignment, I began to realize how much I am truly missing in the world of politics. I quickly change the channel when someone is telling me how bad America is, that they don’t have the same chances as the next person, that by making sure we vote that things can change. Looking back I can remember in school the teachings about the Constitution, Our Founding Fathers, the American Revolution, Patriotism and what it took to achieve and the sacrifices of so many in the earlier decades to ensure our freedoms. Have I taken all this for granted because I choose not to vote or be a part of conversations involving politics? What brought me to the conclusions to not be a part of it all? I can’t recall

Legislator’s have three main objectives: reelection, good public policy and influence within Congress. Some of the ways a lobbyist convey their goals is by using direct or indirect techniques in order to maintain it’s goals and also assist the objectives of the legislator. Direct techniques are the efforts used in a “face to face” with the legislator, meaning direct contact with public officials and telling them about the groups goals hoping to influence that official into agreeing with their topic and supporting it when the time comes. These meetings can be in public or a private setting, during dinner, a social gathering, or even in the forms of testifying for or against proposed legislation. Some lobbyists actually have more information on specific details on proposed legislation and how other legislators may vote. Lobbyists may use ratings: where the legislators voting records are scrutinized to see which way they have voted on similar events in the past, or may be released to the public to embarrass the member for possible changes in their policies (during an election year, promising to vote one way in order to obtain that constituents vote, then changing their mind on the issue after the election). As stated earlier, the group may form an alliance with another group who have the same goal in mind, so as not to hurt the others efforts. The larger affect that an interest group may play is when a candidate is endorsed by that group during the campaign where possibly millions of votes may be attained. Indirect methods influence public opinion, lobbyists and lobbyist groups may use social media campaigns, television publicity, newspaper and magazine advertisements and mass mailings to improve public image of the lobbied view. Climate