In a representative government, government authority is based on the will of the people. People elect representatives who make government decisions for them. This also gives them the confidence to criticize the government freely. The essay deals with different linkages that link citizens to the government. This essay aims to examine to what extent people’s preferences are included in the political process, how citizens are connected to the government, and to what extent do political process promotes or distorts these links. We thus aim to evaluate interest groups and political party linkage.
Interest Groups
Interest groups are of many types based on the members or things they lobby for. Such examples include institutional, business, trade, professional, and labor. The two main organizational structures are centralized groups-largely known organizations. The other structure is the confederation-consisting of mostly independent, locally formed organizations. They form public-interest groups. After the election, citizens should also keep participating in politics and not only waiting for the next election. One of the methods through which citizens can achieve this is by joining an interest group. These are an organization that puts pressure on elected officials to enact laws favorable to its causes (Bianco, and Canon). The main objective of these groups is working for the well being of the public and not their self-interest. In America, The National Organization for Women (NOW) pressurizes legislative bodies as well as the Congress to follow laws, and that mostly benefit American women.
Moreover, the organization works hard to get more women into office. Also, the American Bar Association is an organization for American lawyers. Doctors belong to the American Medical Association (Bianco, and Canon). For the teachers, they have the National Education Association or American Federation of Teachers. As well as Teamsters to protect workers in businesses and industries. All these are interest groups to protect those who belong to them.
Furthermore, the most common interest group are corporations, businesses, and trade associations. These types of interest groups represent about half of all interest groups in Washington. Those who question interest groups for having unjustified power in government consider that the business groups get a particular advantage for people who already have more say and wealth than ordinary citizens (Bianco, and Canon). Such include the tobacco and oil industries each have interest groups promoting their various interests. Interest groups follow representative democracy through which they send representatives to Washington, D.C., and state capitals to pressurize policymakers and members of Congress. These representatives engage in lobbying, or the organized process of influencing policy and legislation (Bianco, and Canon).
Lobbying takes different forms. Interest groups can testify in congressional hearings. For instance, some years ago, when Congress was considering the discrimination in private clubs, representatives of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts persuaded to permit each of the scout group to remain a single-sex organization. This is one of the tactics that the interest group helps to keep this link viable (Bianco, and Canon). Lobbyists can also contact government officials directly, present technical information and research results, talk with citizens from the media, and to some extent, get involved in drafting legislation. Interest groups are included in political campaigns to some extent. This is intended to assist elect officials who favor their opinions or to protect those who oppose them (Bianco, and Canon). It is generally conducted by Political Action Committees (PACs), which are the unique political arms for the interest groups such groupings include the PublicCitizen. This is the reason why politicians should listen to interest groups.
The number of PACs in America has grown increasingly since the 1970s. These committees have altered the face of American elections. They have contributors who write checks to them specifically for campaign donations (Bianco, and Canon). There is as a result of campaign finance reform laws that restricted individual contributions to campaigns. For instance, those who want to protect candidates opposing gun control, one can contribute to the PAC in charge of the National Rifle Association. The PAC, then, will be responsible for directing those contributions to individual campaigns of the specified candidates.
Consequently, critics believe that interest groups corrupt the government through buying influence. They think so since most of the money comes from corporations and businesses compared to other sources. This makes interest groups more connected to the government that other people. From another perspective, everyone is free to join or form interest groups. There are groups for everyone (Bianco, and Canon). These multiple contacts will make American democracy powerful because it allows all Americans to have better access to their government. Still, more grouping will maintain more viable links.
Political Parties
Political parties act as the center of politics in the modern world. Most of the people have an attachment to a significant political party in their territory. This attachment is the one that shapes their policies, vote decisions, and their attitude toward their candidate. Sometimes parties plan the choices made in elections. Americans, for instance, take pride in their position as independent voters, partly because sometimes parties lack vision for the country (Bianco, and Canon). Furthermore, political parties should take stands and inform the public on issues and criticize the views of other parties if not in agreement. This well-publicized information assists in informing citizens about important issues while providing an alternative. Lastly, they organize the government. State legislatures and the Congress are classified according to party affiliations (Bianco, and Canon). More so, the legislative representative supports their party’s position when considering potential policies and laws. Sometimes most of the voters fall roughly along party lines. Most democratic nations have multi-party systems. Even though these political parties are regarded as unhelpful, they still play a crucial role in modern America. The two broad-based major political parties: two-party system and third parties offer alternatives to voters and assist in connecting citizens to their government (Bianco, and Canon).
Political parties help in keeping their linkage viable through training and recruiting candidates and raising money for their campaigns. Also, they help in the legislative process. Furthermore, political parties have the responsibility to mobilize and unifying disparate groups, simplifying the choices faced by voters and bringing efficiency to government policymaking (Bianco and Canon)). Some Americans have become disenchanted by partisan politics. Further, they avoid being identified as loyal Democrat or staunch Republican. These negative attitudes toward parties is a way through which political parties distort their link (Bianco, and Canon). The primary role of a political party is to run candidates for political office. Political parties appoint candidates for elected positions in American politics. Parties present an alternative policy for voters. Also, political parties act as a watchdog for other parties. The party in power is kept on the toe by the party that does not hold the majority in Congress (Bianco, and Canon). Party officials can openly question the actions of a President elected by the opposite party. The questioning of partisanship comes from this party.
Lastly, interest groups and political parties as linkages between the American government and its citizen plays a significant role to connect people and the government through their representatives. Also, through these two linkages, there is public participation in governance. At times, these linkages may contribute positively, and sometimes they even misrepresent their roles. Through their representatives, the general public can either air their grievances or criticizes the government.
References
Bianco, William, and David Canon. American Politics Today. 6th ed., W. Norton & Company, 2018, pp. 340-355 & 265-287, Accessed 11 Mar 2020./