Legislative Action (NRA): The Purpose Of Interest Groups

When the Framers wrote the Constitution, they did not allude to the prohibition or permission of citizen-led groups that could influence the policy-making process. Later, the Bill of Rights was passed, which included the First Amendment, granting the freedom of assembly and right to petition. These two rights allowed for the rise of unrestricted factions, as predicted by James Madison, therefore the natural formation of interest groups. Although the Founding Fathers were all aristocrats who tried to limit the common majority’s power, the simple governmental structure they created had few constraints regarding the public’s power to advocate for their opinions.

The Purpose of Interest Groups
Interest groups are associations whose purpose is to influence political officials to support

Gradually, the organization also became a major educator for gun enthusiasts. In 1923, it started releasing information through their own first magazine, American Rifleman. Their publications aimed to inform the public about the current bills, regarding Second Amendment rights, being discussed in Congress. Considering the ineffective divulgation of Congress’s actions at the time, the National Rifle Association underwent a remarkable transformation with the creation of the Legislative Affairs Division in 1934 (NRA n.d.). However, in the seventies, this branch underwent change to become what the NRA is commonly known as, Institute for Legislative Action. “The lobbying arm of the NRA” was established as members believed that, in order to protect their right to bear arms, they had to directly impact decision-making in Washington (NRA-ILA n.d.). Due to the contemporary debate of whether the number of gun regulations should increase, the Institute has retained the media’s spotlight since 2008 because of their prominent public influence, especially during the former presidency of Barack