Question

Write a paper in which you discuss the role interest groups play in the American political system and how they attempt to shape public policy. After that, select a specific national piece of legislation during the Obama or Trump administration and identify two groups in favor of the legislation and two groups opposed to the legislation. Explain how the groups attempted to influence the passage or defeat of the legislation. (250 words)

Answer 1

Interest Groups are formal groupings of ndividuals or organizations that try to influence government decision-making and the making of public policy.Interest groups hires lobbyist who represents the interest group organization before government.

Interest groups try to influence how the law would look like and the way it would operate, influence lawmakers to support or oppose the legislation.Even after the legislation became law, interest groups remained involved, some seeking to influence the rules and regulations issued to implement the law, while others sought to challenge the law in court. Interest groups play a fundamental role in representing individuals, corporate interests, and the public before the government. They help inform the public and lawmakers about issues, monitor government actions, and promote policies that benefit their interests, using all three branches of government at the federal, state, and local levels. Evn interest groups and political parties have kind of coalition ,some interest groups supports Republican party and some Democrats and accordingly they favour or go against any legislation.

2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) which was brought under the regime of President Barack Obama had to go through lot of protests from interest groups comprising of insurance industry , medical device manufacture industry , doctors as it has larger impacts on their profits.

Interest groups like, Health Care for America Now (HCAN), Organizing for America (OFA), and MoveOn were in the favour of the PPACA act and organized rallies, circulated Internet petitions, and garnered online contributions to finance this issue campaign. Health Insurance interest group , AHIP was against the passage of bill as this act was threat to their profit margins. Interest groups try to bring obstacles in passage of bill by joining hands with opposition government/party and here the health insurance lobby joined hands with democrats to nullify that legislation and also puts pressure on ruling party by influencing citizens view against the legislation whereas those interest groups who wanted passage of PPACA act had created positive attitude among citizens for that legislation .