Interest Groups In Today's Government

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Interest Groups Interest groups have had a tremendous amount of impact over today’s government. There are a variety of interest groups and some are more notable than others. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) are two prime examples of interest groups that have shaped America’s society into what it is today. With birth control and gun control being two of the most controversial issues out there, both of these groups aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. By covering these two interest groups in particular, one can gain a better understanding of interest groups as a whole as well as understand just how interest groups have made such a mark on America’s government. First, let’s examine some different types of interest groups that exist today. Social reform groups are the first on our list. They usually consist of citizens that come together on behalf of their views (Types of Groups). They tend to persuade the government into passing laws that are parallel to their beliefs. For example, the Christian Coalition of America is a social reform interest group that focuses on getting laws passed that fall in line with Christianity. Another common interest group is just that, common interest groups (Types of Groups). Common …show more content…
With this overwhelming sense of power comes increasing influence. Barry Goldwater, a politician at the time, stated the situation perfectly by saying, "It's not 'we, the people,' but political action committees and moneyed interests who are setting the nation's political agenda and are influencing the position of the candidates on the important issues of the day." With this comes a burning desire to want to grasp the possible ways in which interest groups influence the government