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.

Political Party Policy Divisions

The two political parties in America, the Democrats and Republicans, have been moving toward the same ground in the majority of their issues for a long time. There are certain issues, however, that clearly distinguish one from the other and separate them for voters today.

One such issue on which the two parties are clearly divided is that of sexual education in America’s schools. Democrats believe that because more than three million teenagers are contracting sexually transmitted diseases each year that safe sexual activity, rather than abstinence, should be instructed in our public schools. Republicans, on the other hand, argue that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to guard from sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Likewise, Democrats are supportive of school-based clinics which offer contraception and information on abortion. Republicans do not support these and are advocates of, in the coming budget, doubling the funds being spent on abstinence education. The different stances by these two parties on such a delicate issue are ones which continuously define the voters who remain party voters.
Another issue which in the most recent elections has purportedly increased the number of party voters on a strict conservative/liberal line is that of same-sex marriage. Democrats support all Americans and are willing to accept the union of two individuals of the same sex as a lawful marriage. Republicans, on the other hand, argue that marriage is strictly between a man and woman and refuse to give even basic rights to same-sex couples. Democrats are increasingly alarmed by Republican efforts to pass a Federal Marriage Amendment. They claim that because the right to define marriage has been delegated to the states since our country’s beginning there is no reason for the federal government to involve itself in that particular issue. Certainly, this issue is one that will be one full of controversy in the coming years.

Women's Right Impacting Lives

As a white female growing up in a primarily white rural Appalachian community I was not exposed to many of the biases involved with various pieces of equality legislation. I was not alive when civil rights were a hot topic. The right to vote was granted to women 68 years before my birth. Schools were not segregated for over two decades before I began attending. To be completely honest, I grew up leading a sheltered life which guarded me from the discrimination faced by so many Americans.
Though I am just a small town girl who felt impacted very little by the decisions of the government in Washington, DC I am now an independent woman viewing my country with a new sense of its positive and negative attributes. Certainly I am not the standard victim of discrimination. However, there are certain barriers I expect to encounter as I embark in my chosen career. The Civil Rights Act is very important to my success as a woman in the workforce today. Title VII guaranteed that my sex would not be means for discrimination against me in my application for jobs. It also insured that hiring, pay, and promotions would not be contingent upon my sex. Title IX of the same act prevents discrimination against me as I seek to further my education. This law guarantees there will be equality in admissions, housing, rules, financial aid, faculty, staff recruitment, and athletics. Title IX guarantees that I receive the same opportunities as my male counterparts as I grow as an individual in college. The Civil Rights Act offers me the ability to move forward in a country which once prevented the basic equality of men and women.
The recognition of equality between men and women was not easily attained. Feminine activists worked diligently for rights in the home and the workplace. These same activists later met in Seneca Falls for a convention which is now well-known. Not long afterwards the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution granted women the right to vote. Suffragists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony devoted much of their lives to insuring that the women who would live in America in the next centuries would have the rights they had been denied. These women are role models and inspirations for the women of 21st century America who are fighting to make their mark in various arenas which were once closed to females.
Women’s rights is still an issue which is hotly debated. The Family and Medical Leave Act was not passed until 1993. This Act guarantees women the ability to take leave from their employment positions after the birth of their child without facing pay cuts or potential loss of their job. This act was an important piece of legislation, especially for women like me. As I start a career I also want to be able to start a family. The Family and Medical Leave Act allows me to start my family without suffering negative consequences in my career. This act guarantees a certain amount of leverage in the workplace even though a woman takes time off.
This legislation has impacted my life even though I gave it little consideration when it did. I was able to vote in my first political election in May without fear that I would be denied that right because I was a woman. I was admitted to the University of Kentucky as a female and was not discriminated against in receiving financial aid or housing. In the future I will be able to have a career and raise a family. I may not have been politically active in making this legislation reality but I am aware of how it impacts my life without my realizing it is doing so. Legislation like this is what makes my life so different from that of women a century ago and I am thankful that they worked so hard to insure I would be this privileged.

Executive and Judicial Branch

Guided Learning Response #6

Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court Justices
· John G. Roberts Jr., Chief Justice
· John Paul Stevens, Associate Justice
· Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice
· Anthony M. Kennedy, Associate Justice
· David Hackett Souter, Associate Justice
· Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice
· Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice
· Stephen G. Breyer, Associate Justice
· Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr., Associate Justice

Executive Branch:
President: George W. Bush, Republican
Vice-President: Richard B. Cheney, Republican

Cabinet Departments:
· Department of Agriculture - Secretary Mike Johanns
o Department of Commerce - Secretary Carlos Gutierrez
o Department of Defense - Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
o Department of Education- Secretary Margaret Spellings
o Department of Energy - Secretary Samuel W. Bodman
o Department of Health and Human Services - Secretary Michael O. Leavitt
o Department of Homeland Security - Secretary Michael Chertoff
o Department of Housing and Urban Development - Secretary Alphonso Jackson
o Department of the Interior - Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
o Department of Justice - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales
o Department of Labor - Secretary Elaine Chao
o Department of State - Secretary Condoleeza Rice
o Department of Transportation - Deputy Secretary Maria Cino
o Department of the Treasury - Secretary Henry M. Paulson, Jr.
o Department of Veterans Affairs - Secretary Jim Nicholson

Cabinet Rank Members:
o Vice President - Richard B. Cheney
o Office of Management and Budget - Rob Portman
o Environmental Protection Agency - Stephen Johnson
o White House Chief of Staff - Joshua B. Bolten
o United States Trade Representative - Ambassador Susan Schwab
o Office of National Drug Control Policy - John Walters

Politicians of the Legislative Branch

Legislative Branch:
Kentucky Members of House of Representatives
· Ed Whitfield-Republican
· Ron Lewis-Republican
· Anne M. Northup-Republican
· Geoff Davis-Republican
· Harold Rogers-Republican
· Ben Chandler-Democrat
Kentucky Members of Senate
· Jim Bunning-Republican
· Mitch McConnell-Republican

Leadership Positions in the United States House of Representatives
· Speaker of the House-Dennis Hastert-Republican-Illinois
· Majority Leader-John Boehner-Republican-Ohio
· Minority Leader-Nancy Pelosi-Democrat-California
· Majority Whip-Roy Blunt-Republican-Missouri
· Minority Whip-Steny Hoyer-Democrat-Maryland

Leadership Positions in the United States Senate
· President Pro Tempore-Ted Stevens-Republican-Alaska
· Majority Leader-Bill Frist-Republican-Tennessee
· Minority Leader-Harry Reid-Democrat-Nevada
· Majority Whip-Mitch McConnell-Republican-Kentucky
· Minority Whip-Dick Durbin-Democrat-Illinois

Battle for Power: The Limits of the Tenth Amendment

With the Garcia decision in 1985 the United States Supreme Court continued the idea of a strong federal government. The powers afforded to the states in the 10th amendment were lessened further by this decision which gave Congress the right to legislate and involve themselves in state issues. The debate surrounding this decision is still very poignant and has become intensified again with several new issues.

One issue which was debated a few years ago and seems to be resurfacing again is the question of whether stem cell research should be legislated by the national or state governments. This topic encompasses a myriad of moral, societal, and scientific boundaries and issues. The best solution for the United States is for the national government to assume the role of regulating stem cell research. Stem cell research opens up debates about the uses, and misuses, and practical applications which may one day be discovered. The issue of stem cell research is important because it is an issue which the entire world is facing together and which the United States must make a decision about in the very near future. Leaving this issue to the states could leave our country years behind other countries which have already begun regulating this research. This issue is much better handled on the national level because there are too many ways for the states to handle it. Scientific research is a national topic and if each state legislates what their universities and schools can do the flow of scientific knowledge in our country would soon be in shambles. For example, a California scientist who performed a promising experiment could not demonstrate the results to his colleague from New Mexico because the two states did not have the same legislation regarding this issue. The topic of stem cell research is much better handled by the national government.

If and when the national government becomes involved in regulating stem cell research there are many groups of elites who will be a part of that. First of all, scientists from around the nation would have to be consulted. Though there is no doubt they would be in favor of little regulation and few rules their knowledge and insight into the issues would be vital. In fact, some of these elites are already members of Congress. Others would be elites associated with federally funded organizations which do scientific research. Because they already receive federal money they would be the most involved in this particular type of research. One of the understood principles of democracy in the national government is that elected elites almost always act in their self-interest. Certainly, the regulation of stem cell research would involve decisions made in the self-interest of other elites like them. Most likely Congressmen who are associated with elites at large research institutions would be most instrumental in this process. When enacting legislation to regulate stem cell research Congressmen will vote in a way which serves their interest and that of the elites they represent.

There is no doubt that stem cell research and the issue of who regulates it will become a hotly debated topic in the next few years. With the threat of epidemics of various illnesses including the Asian Bird Flu, scientists will begin pressuring the federal government to allow them to search for new and innovative ways to prepare for these plagues. The elected elites will be all too willing to vote for what the elites they represent want and before too long America will be a nation which permits all kinds of stem cell research like other nations around the world.