Question

Are interest groups seeking to corrupt the political process? - Please respond to the following MAIN DISCUSSION QUESTION How do tightly organized, single interest groups differ from broadly based interest groups? For example, how should a Congressman react when confronted by a single interest group in his district that has a substantial voting bloc and includes millions of dollars in campaign contributions as opposed to focusing on the broad welfare of citizens (example – NRA vs. groups for gun control).

Answer 1

Because of single interest groups, like The National Rifle Association of America (NRA), has directly lobbied for and against firearms legislation since 1975. It is one of the top three most influential lobbying groups in Washington, DC. It has always influenced legislation activities and authorities, participated/ initiated lawsuits, and even endorsed or opposed many candidates at local, state and federal level. Such leading companies make millions of dollars in campaign donations to Democrats/ Republicans, while holding their stake in it. It fosters a deregulatory consensus.

It gives NRA unnecessary power. It enables movement of money for their spending needs. It is similar in some way as a legalised corruption than a fairplay, since corporations, especially the large ones with more corporate strength always spend higher than even a bunch of citizens or group of similar interest big and small companies.

The Interest groups involved in Lobbying, need a great sum of money, piling day by day, in order to lobby successfully, which usually come from contributions and donations, which further can supposed to be originated from bribery/ corruption/ theft/ fraud etc. illegal activities.

Lobbying may begin to infringe upon others’ freedoms in many ways. It influences legislators or other public/ government officials in favour of a specific party/ reason/ goal (monetary or non-monetary). Sometimes lobbying can further result in violence and even death casualties.

These people can let their country destroy itself. Hence, for above all reasons, lobbying by Single Interest group can make a country’s government just not shiver or tumble, but destroy it internally at once, or can slowly corrode its economic growth, if it prevails continuously.

Presence of lobbying by single interest group would benefit specific contractors/ vendors/ supplies/ financial institutions/ political leaders/ local land lords etc. It’s all a chain, like a nuclear reaction. Once delivery of unwanted benefits starts to one collection of people, others too want it! Result can be chaos, hibernation/ stoppage of the smart city program, resulting in huge monetary loss to the government, which is actually a tax payer’s money. Finally the government will cripple.