POLI 330N Week 3 Discussion: Pros and Cons of Interest Groups, Lobbyists, and Corporations (Option 1)

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Week 3 Discussion: Pros and Cons of Interest Groups, and Corporations Option 1:  Political milestones and mileages are achieved through numerous techniques. Among the parties that hold central pol... itical positions are the interest groups, which can be both public and private. These groups are opinion shapers, and they influence the decisions in public policy.Above all else, these groups are essential, especially in nations that continuously strive to develop public interest and democracy (Tichenor & Harris,2005). Interest groups are easy to form with the immense diversity in the United States since they assemble individuals who hold shared objectives and interests that affect society to certain magnitudes. These postulations demonstrate that interest groups that include lobbyists are critical. Nevertheless, they still have outstanding shortcomings that make them inefficient and ineffective.  Predominantly, lobbyists are essential since they promote democracy through advancing the rule of the local majorities. According to Greenberg & Page (2018), the lobbyists assist in the legislation process, especially in drafting bills at the state levels. In many past cases, it took the lobbyists' efforts to prepare bills and pass them to the legislators. As aforementioned, interest groups shape public policy hence solidifying democracy and easing governance at the grassroots. The ordinary citizens gain a voice as their common interests are presented to the government.  The lobbying technique is a way to offer solutions in society. Ostensibly, as provided for by the tenets of representative democracy, the elected officials may not know all the needs and grievances of the citizens. Hence, lobbyists bridge the gap between the citizens and the government by shedding light on the problems areas and designing appropriate solutions, thus creating impact in the community (Tichenor & Harris,2005). These foundational actions make legislation easy since the legislators rely on the research conducted by the lobbyists. Again, they contribute hugely towards establishing law and order in society. They sometimes act as witnesses and give testimonies in lawmaking agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission. For instance, the members of certain law firms can be lobbyists; they present themselves as custodians of the people's will, hence making citizens politically active.  Nevertheless, the actions of trade associations, policy advocates and public relations firms show lobbying as a political technique used by interest groups. All interest groups perform it in incongruent and inconsistent ways, thus makes the process unreliable. Some lobbyists use unethical and illegal practices to gain influence over political leaders, making it inefficient (DukeHealth, 2021). Besides, the lobbyists are usually self-centered, and their intentions may lack a plan for society. Although the lobbyists claim to stand for the community, most of them seek to quench their political thirst. If it were a plan for the majority, lobbyists might become irrelevant since the majority in society can stand for themselves and voice their agendas. Also, lobbying interferes with the normal operations of the government since the government may invest lots of funds to finance the functions of the lobby groups in the United States. It makes the government focus more on the will of the lobbyists rather than the interests of the people.  Conclusively, it is undeniable that former members of Congress should be allowed to become lobbyists. These personalities hold big ideas that can transform the status quo of society. Retiring from their Congress roles does not deny them the opportunity to serve the broader interests of their people and promote cohesive and authentic leadership in the community. Hence, their contribution in lobbying might go miles in inventing a prosperous and harmonious society. References DukeHealth. (2021). Lobbying Definitions, Exceptions, and Examples | Duke Government Relations. Duke.edu. https://govrelations.duke.edu/ethics-and-compliance/lobbying- definitions-exceptions-and-examples Greenberg, E. S & Page, B. I. (2018). The Struggle for Democracy, 2018 Elections and Updates Edition. (12th ed.). Pearson. Tichenor, D. J., & Harris, R. A. (2005). The development of interest group politics in America: Beyond the conceits of modern times. Annu. Rev. Polit. Sci., 8, 251-270. [Show More]

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