Lobby Talk: Interest Group and More
Now that we've touched on political ideologies, I want to talk interest groups. An interest group is a group of people with a common want who promote that want in hopes of influencing the government. Interest groups influence the government through lobbying, campaign contribution, and voting mobilization. If you don't know what any of this means, they basically attempt to control government leaders, fund campaigns for support in return and make sure the people who will vote in their favor are voting.
Interest groups are a great way to promote the democracy that is American Government, but like anything, they do have their faults. Interest groups use a democratic process, and build communities of voices that can put huge checks on the majorities in our political system-- but they can also be closed minded, and turn the government that is for interest groups, rather than the people. "Well aren't interest groups for the people?" You might ask, and yes, this is partially true. The problem though is that they represent specific groups of people, meaning that even with all of the interest groups, they are still not wholly inclusive.
There are many, many interest groups, and they all want different things. One group I want to focus on is the Gun Owners of America. As of recent events, gun control has been a hotly debated issue. Some interest groups, like the Newtown Action Alliance, argue that we need more gun restrictions for tragic events like Sandy Hook, Pulse Nightclub and Thousand Oaks to stop happening. Gun Owners of America believe otherwise. They lobby to defend their right to bear arms, feeling that restriction on firearms is a violation of their constitutional rights as Americans.
Here's a snapshot from the page explaining what they're about:
Now if you know anything about conservatives, you know that they love themselves some freedom. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are what America is all about right? The GOA sees "firearm ownership as a freedom issue" and are fighting to "preserve and protect the second amendment rights" for Americans. So, since the GOA argues that gun control slanders the privileges and given rights of Americans and that the government shouldn't put more restrictions on things like purchasing firearms, it's safe to say that they're a more conservative interest group. Conservatives want fewer government regulations for the sake of protecting Americans rights, and so does the GOA.
On the contrary, the Newton Action Alliance is a more liberal interest group. Their mission is "to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes." When they say "through legislative" they're talking lobbying for laws that put death grips on things like background checks for purchasing firearms, licensing and everything else concerning accessibility to guns. They're considered to be a more liberal interest group because they want more government involvement, something that most liberals believe is direly needed for America to not only hold it's freedom but be a place that is fruitful and safe. For all.
These are two interest group, campaigning for the complete opposite of each other. The GOA and NAA both appeal to the masses emotions, but in different ways. On the GOA's website, they use language such as "freedoms""amendment rights" and even the all capitalized statement "WE WANT THEM BACK!" To spark outrage, because who doesn't want to keep their rights? And how dare the government even try to take them away? Whereas the NAA taps into our inner empathy. They refer to Congress as "shamefully failed" and refer to gun laws as "sensible" and straight up "common sense." And they finish their statement off with a powerful "guns do not make our communities safer." With all the lives that have been lost, how could we not cry for change? How many more need to be slaughtered for us as Americans to change our ways?
The purpose of using such rhetorical devices, or even conveying their message in general, is that they want you to agree with them. For any interest group to have significant clout, they need to have a following. The more people on board, the more pressing the issues they're advocating for seem and the easier it is to put pressure on legislators to make a change. Both websites not only appeal to emotions but also ethics, and use loaded language all to appeal to the most sympathetic senses of the masses and encourage them to join forces.
Now, who you stand with is your business, and there is no right or wrong answer here. The beauty of interest groups, regardless of what they're promoting, is that they contribute to the democracy of America. Giving everyone not only a voice, but connecting people with similar pursuits together to take action and get things done. Yay for advocacy!
Interest groups are a great way to promote the democracy that is American Government, but like anything, they do have their faults. Interest groups use a democratic process, and build communities of voices that can put huge checks on the majorities in our political system-- but they can also be closed minded, and turn the government that is for interest groups, rather than the people. "Well aren't interest groups for the people?" You might ask, and yes, this is partially true. The problem though is that they represent specific groups of people, meaning that even with all of the interest groups, they are still not wholly inclusive.
There are many, many interest groups, and they all want different things. One group I want to focus on is the Gun Owners of America. As of recent events, gun control has been a hotly debated issue. Some interest groups, like the Newtown Action Alliance, argue that we need more gun restrictions for tragic events like Sandy Hook, Pulse Nightclub and Thousand Oaks to stop happening. Gun Owners of America believe otherwise. They lobby to defend their right to bear arms, feeling that restriction on firearms is a violation of their constitutional rights as Americans.
Here's a snapshot from the page explaining what they're about:
Now if you know anything about conservatives, you know that they love themselves some freedom. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are what America is all about right? The GOA sees "firearm ownership as a freedom issue" and are fighting to "preserve and protect the second amendment rights" for Americans. So, since the GOA argues that gun control slanders the privileges and given rights of Americans and that the government shouldn't put more restrictions on things like purchasing firearms, it's safe to say that they're a more conservative interest group. Conservatives want fewer government regulations for the sake of protecting Americans rights, and so does the GOA.
On the contrary, the Newton Action Alliance is a more liberal interest group. Their mission is "to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes." When they say "through legislative" they're talking lobbying for laws that put death grips on things like background checks for purchasing firearms, licensing and everything else concerning accessibility to guns. They're considered to be a more liberal interest group because they want more government involvement, something that most liberals believe is direly needed for America to not only hold it's freedom but be a place that is fruitful and safe. For all.
These are two interest group, campaigning for the complete opposite of each other. The GOA and NAA both appeal to the masses emotions, but in different ways. On the GOA's website, they use language such as "freedoms""amendment rights" and even the all capitalized statement "WE WANT THEM BACK!" To spark outrage, because who doesn't want to keep their rights? And how dare the government even try to take them away? Whereas the NAA taps into our inner empathy. They refer to Congress as "shamefully failed" and refer to gun laws as "sensible" and straight up "common sense." And they finish their statement off with a powerful "guns do not make our communities safer." With all the lives that have been lost, how could we not cry for change? How many more need to be slaughtered for us as Americans to change our ways?
The purpose of using such rhetorical devices, or even conveying their message in general, is that they want you to agree with them. For any interest group to have significant clout, they need to have a following. The more people on board, the more pressing the issues they're advocating for seem and the easier it is to put pressure on legislators to make a change. Both websites not only appeal to emotions but also ethics, and use loaded language all to appeal to the most sympathetic senses of the masses and encourage them to join forces.
Now, who you stand with is your business, and there is no right or wrong answer here. The beauty of interest groups, regardless of what they're promoting, is that they contribute to the democracy of America. Giving everyone not only a voice, but connecting people with similar pursuits together to take action and get things done. Yay for advocacy!
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