Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

Unit 3
Essay Question








Interest groups were formed because it is very hard for one person to have a big

influence on a political figure or a single issue. By starting interest groups we

end up having a multitude of people standing together for one issue or one

political figure. As society changes the names in which we call these interest groups

are forever changing. At one time we called them factions. Thus, “meaning a group that

pursues self interest at the cost of common good“. It is not politically correct to use

this term any longer. So we have changed the names to protect the innocent.

So how do interest groups use lobbyists and Political Action Committees, (PACs) to

affect public policy? The term “interest groups” has a negative meaning for most

people; its brings to mind the twin evils of faction and money. The primary goal of

any interest group is to influence public policy. Public Policy is when the government

reacts to a certain issue by writing a policy on how it will handle a said problem (like

censoring video games). Interest groups will try to affect public policy through three

different ways, elections, courts, and the lawmakers in office. Interest groups will

create PACs in order to better influence elections. These PACs will gather money

to support a certain candidate or oppose a certain candidate. Interest groups will

also align themselves behind a certain candidate if that candidate promises to

support their views. This is how they use elections to help their interests.

Interest groups will sue groups who are harming their interests. This is how they

use the courts for...