interest groups

In the past fifty years, the range of interest groups has grown enormously at the federal level. There are groups that have an impact on a broad range of policies and appointments. Today there are several kinds of interest groups present in Congress that fall into the categories of economic groups and non economic groups. The four main types of economic groups are business, labor, agricultural, and professional groups. These groups seek some type of economic gain for its members. The four main types of noneconomic groups are public interest, single-issue, ideological, and government groups. Non-economic groups fight for causes that will benefit everyone in society. Examples of interest groups include The American Medical Association (AMA), The American Federation of Labor Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) , National Rifle Association and the Sierra Club. There are many strategies used by interest groups to influence who serves in government, the shape of particular policies, and how laws are implemented. Five ways interest groups do so are by using lobbying, access, the electoral process, litigation and mobilizing public opinion.

Lobbying efforts use direct contact and personal relationships, such as government connections to gain access and have influence on policies. Lobbying intends to put direct pressure on legislature. Aggressive efforts are used by lobbyist to provide administrators, legislators and committee members with facts pertinent to its interest groups issues and those who support them. Lobbying can influence the passage, defeat, rule-making and implementation of legislation.

Access is an important technique used by interest groups as well. Having regular access to decision makers can be difficul...

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...otesting are all means to seek influence while mobilizing public opinion. The idea is that the more visibility of the issue and support by larger groups of people is an opportunity to bring it to the attention of persons in power that can have an effect on lawmaking and rulings on their interest.

Interest groups want the opportunity for their issues to be acknowledged and supported. The many strategies used to influence who serves in government, the shape of particular policies, and how laws are implemented are done so by lobbying, obtaining access, using the electoral process, initiating litigation and mobilizing public opinion. These varying techniques used by interest groups to seek power and political influence are necessary in order for an interest group to be fully represented, due to the fact that there are thousands of interest groups in the United States.