Interest Groups in America

Interest groups have long been an integral part of the makeup of the American experiment we call democracy. Perhaps their role is best explained by an examination of the “iron triangle.” Interest groups interact with both bureaucrats and members of the Congress on Capitol Hill in order to enact legislation and make change that best suits their particular interest. Interest groups influence the political process in a good manner because of three main mechanisms (according to the pluralist theory): they are a voice for citizens who believe in a cause, they make citizens feel as though they have power, and they are a stable part of government affairs. Though the elitist theory may successfully challenge these points there is still room for argument that interest groups are a vital part of democratic order.
Interest groups are able to keep legislators in check through lobbying. By sending their lobbyists to Capitol Hill, the interest groups can begin such actions as grassroots campaigns. These are particularly effective because they are able to remind the Congressperson of the people who elected them and their duty to represent them. The most important aspect of interest groups, however, is their ability to represent the people of America who may not otherwise have a voice in Washington, D.C. Interest groups allow a person to interact with more than one group who has the same beliefs they do, and if they so choose, to be active in seeing changes made to better accommodate their beliefs and values. Interest groups are a viable means for the public to take action and a hands on role in their government.
The American Legion is an interest group which has long supported the values and goals of veterans across the United States. It is comprised of veterans who seek better benefits and acknowledgment of the sacrifice they have made on behalf of their country. Because the service men and women in our country are so often disrespected or ignored the American Legion plays an important role in insuring that their voices, needs, and wants are heard by the people who have the ability to do something for them. As a family member of active participants in the American Legion there are many useful tactics the Legion employs to get their point to Washington. Heather French Henry was an advocate who worked on behalf of the veterans when she was crowned Miss America. Each year many veterans travel to our nation’s capital for the Memorial Day holiday so that our legislators remember they are the reason we celebrate and they should never be forgotten. I believe the American Legion long ago found the tactics which work best for their interests and has employed them well.

Public Opinion and the Media

As the media becomes more powerful and influential in American society their portrayal of politicians and their decisions becomes even more important. Public opinion is vulnerable and therefore heavily influenced by the media and the news it chooses to report or omit. The media also conducts public opinion polls which measure the feelings of the public on various issues and decisions of politicians. Politicians are elected by the masses as their representatives. As such, these representatives are expected to vote and make decisions based on the ideals and political values held by their constituents. In reality politicians often disregard the opinion of the public who elected them. Rather than act on majority opinion these politicians often ignore these polls and vote on personal belief and value. This is demonstrated by the public polls which indicate legislators and politicians are the least trusted professionals in America. This public distrust of the elected officials has been fostered by years of politicians disregarding the ideals held by the people who actually elected them.

Few American citizens would claim that the media is not an important source for information about the political system in our country. These same people would also have to admit that almost every media source is biased. The right to be biased is essentially guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. This bias is orchestrated through the slant they take on the stories they report. They often demonstrate this bias in their coverage of elections and portrayal of the opposing political party. It can be argued that the media should be an unbiased source of political information. However, it must also be argued that American citizens have a responsibility to actively seek unbiased news for themselves. The best solution lies in citizens being willing to separate the bias of reported news from the truth. These citizens must also seek the truth regarding the issues which are important to them. This dual responsibility would create more educated, knowledgeable citizens who are capable of making decisions based on facts.

The media is an important part of a working political system in America. The citizens look to this media for information but should be often reminded that this form of media is often biased and should be “taken with a grain of salt.” The responsibility of receiving unbiased information is a dual relationship which must be assumed by both the media and American citizens.