political science discussion post and comment response to a classmate s post jaime

Chapter 11 Essay – Groups and Interests

Interest groups have recently gained more and more prominence in America. As more people from diverse backgrounds enter the melting pot of America, interest groups form to have certain and many issues gain national attention. Special interest groups should be less regulated because the current situation meets the needs of today’s Americans and should be heard instead of monitored and controlled by government. An increase in interest groups is simply the amount of diverse people entering America, thus different needs occur. Also, younger generations tend to have different agendas/concerns than older generations which may contribute to the increase in special interest groups to fit each generational group’s needs. The effects of this political process can be too complex and frustrating at times because there is an enormous amount of them and it is hard to keep up. The interest groups that have gained a lot of attention lately are the NAACP and National Organization of Women because current events have really fostered on the minorities of America and wage inequality. I am unsure if the #MeTooMovement is considered an interest group but this movement in particular has given light to women in the workplace and fair treatment that have caught the interest of the public and very likely, political agendas. As a result, major parties like the Democratic Party, have taken interest in these movements and the NOW interest group (National Organization of Women) that Hilary Clinton was a serious contender next to Barrack Obama. On the Republican side, the AMAC (Association of Mature American Citizens) has influence on the Republican party’s agenda because of its conservative alternative to AARP. Republicans who are senior citizens tend to have a conservative viewpoint and baby boomers are one of the largest groups in America so receiving their vote is crucial for the Republican party. Another category of interest groups that have gained national attention over the years are environmental groups. As climate change becomes increasingly prevalent globally, environmental interest groups gain more importance through major political parties’ agendas. The Democratic party has included environmentalism as one of their agendas because of the impact and concern it has on the American people and the rest of the world. Interest groups will always carry significance in politics and over the course of generations change to other issues relevant to that particular time frame. Political parties in America must adapt to these changes if they want to succeed.