Special Interest Groups

Special Interest Groups

Special interest groups although, a definite element in today's politics seem to pollute political water ways with unjust policies and excessive spending. An interest group is more or less an organized group of individuals that seek political advantages through lobbyist tactics. Although, special interest groups can be righteous it is becoming more and more rare to find an honest group despite an increasing number of groups. With nearly thousands of different groups with nearly unlimited funds all trying harder than the last to wow people in political power, it can be challenging for even the truest politician to not be tempted.

There are many ways that the groups can influence politics. The increase in interest group activity has separated political parties into little pockets of debates and have often belittled the power of political parties with these pockets (Wikipedia). Special interest groups also give money to incumbents, which means that incumbents can gather large reelection funds that discourages potential challengers. This causes most incumbents to win because they have the ability to outspend their challengers (Waldrough p.24).

These are some numbers to demonstrate how corrupt things have become. The Heritage Foundation has sprung from nothing to

command an annual budget of $11 million. The budget of the Center for Strategic

and International Studies (CSIS) has grown from $975,000 ten years ago to $8.6

million today. Over a somewhat longer period the endowment of the Hoover

Institution has increased from $2 million to $70 million. At least twenty-five

other noteworthy public-policy groups have been formed or dramatically expanded through the decade (Waldrough p.128-132).

Conservatives are one of the big groups that influence politics. Conservative thinking has spread throughout our political and daily lives and stands poised to become the dominant party in American public policy.

While the political rising of the idea of conservatism has taken place in full public view the power transformations have for the most part occurred behind the scenes, in a network of think tanks whose efforts have been influential.

Conservative think tanks and similar organizations have flourished

since the mid-1970s (fightline).

Lobby groups also track how programs are working in the field and try to persuade government to take action when problems become obvious when they monitor programs (Waldrough p.12). The traditional interest groups have been organized around some form of profitable economic cause. The number of business oriented lobbies has grown since the 1960s and continues