Is Government Dominated by Business
Special interest groups have dominated government since the advent of America 's
political system. Special interest groups or lobbies are collections of individuals who
join together to pursue common interests and to influence the decisions on public
policies. Many people view special interest groups as an integral part of the political
process, legitimized by the first amendment of the Constitution. In that way, special
interest groups are good. The point that disgusts many people is that more often then not
money overpowers the right decision; that is why Big Business is a problem. The richer
the companies and organizations, the better chance they have to persuade the government
officials.
In the United States alone there are thousands of special interest groups working
for their own cause. Some of the causes they are working for are: business, banking,
labor, environment, women, seniors, the economy, and farming just to name a few.
Some groups or businesses which partake in lobbying are: N.O.W., Green Peace, AFL-
CIO, Teamsters, Sierra Club, N.R.A., Tobacco industry and the ACLU. These groups
often work at the national, state, and local levels attempting to influence government
policy. Many groups have permanent offices in Washington DC. The primary goals of
these groups are the passing, blocking, or amending legislation to achieve a favorable
ruling for their own benefit. In Washington the groups primary targets are the House and
Senate sub-committees which are the key places where legislation is considered. The
groups often speak in front of Committee hearings to put their views on the record.
One of the most well known special interest group is the National Rifle
Association. This group has done tireless work in Washington trying to stop Gun Control
bills from passing in Congress. The worst blow that happened to the NRA was the
Cited: 'Political Action Committee. ' The 1995 Groliers Multimedia Encyclopedia. CD-ROM. 'Lobbyists spent $400 million in first half of year. ' Portland Press Herald 23 Sept. 1996