Discussion Post
Make sure is at least 2-3 paragraph
Professor's note: Interest groups dominate the political landscape, so much so that there is now a lot of scholarship devoted to the immense power and control of these groups. As we have discussed, an interest group is a multiplicity of individuals bonded together for the common purpose of getting a particular policy enacted. In the U.S., interest groups mostly favor rich, wealthy people who have business interests.
It may seem that interest groups are a concept developed in recent years since mass media regularly discusses the influences of these groups. However, interest groups have been around since the U.S.'s founding. Historically, disadvantaged communities (women, poor and African Americans) haven't had much representation by interest groups and often lacked the ability to get major policies passed without addressing grievances through riots and other demonstrations. Again, this is because interest groups tend to favor wealthy business persons.
For example, when the health care law (aka Obamacare) was being debated and enacted, many stakeholders were involved. Although the Democratic majority wanted to institute a form of Medicare for All, the insurance lobby (interest) blocked any attempts to implement Medicare for All. Another example of a powerful lobbying and interest group is the National Rifle Association (NRA). This group defends the rights of citizens to have guns. The NRA often works with Republican lawmakers to stop any attempt to limit the use and control of guns.
So what exactly is an interest group? What role are these groups supposed to play in a democratic society? What benefits are they supposed to provide? In reality, do they play these roles and provide these benefits? Explain. Are there any disadvantages to interest groups?
May add your opinion and can relate to our current politics.
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.
Text Book: Roskin, M. G., Cord, R. L., Medeiros, J. A., & Jones, W. S. (2014). Political science: An introduction (13th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. References.