While choosing electing official with common values and philosophies is a great way to get representation on social issues, interest groups are also helpful in keeping an open line of communication with elected officials on what is most important to the affected group. Interest groups use tactics to protect policies by focusing on the unknown consequences and keeping close relationships with government officials whose values are similar (Baumgartner, Jeffery, & Hojnacki (2009). One interest group who has knowledgeable lobbyists to affect public policy is the National Rifle Association (NRA). The NRA is a single issue group who advocates their position by using both the direct and indirect approach to rally support on issues in Congress. As we all know, the Obama administration is advocating for stricter gun control. Every time there is a crime involving a shooting in the news, gun control advocates and the president use the media to persuade the public that America needs stricter gun laws. Seeing how the President does not have to do much to get publicity in the …show more content…
The NRA used the direct approach when the director of the NRA traveled to Huntsville, Alabama to meet with and endorse Senator Richard Shelby for re-election, and to tour the new Remington Plant (Bradley, 2016). The director of the NRA used the opportunity to meet with Senator Richard Shelby to form a relationship and advocate his position on the current gun control issues. According to Baumgartner, Jeffery, and Hojnacki (2009), elected official are often active advocates themselves who use their influence to lobby others in support of the issue. Also, the opening of the Remington Plant and photo opportunity with the senator provided the NRA media attention to get their message out to the mainstream public to influence
Guns need to be controlled. From the mass shooting in Newton, Connecticut that killed twenty-seven people, twenty of whom were faultless children at Sandy Hook Elementary, to nine people gunned down during Bible study in Charleston, South Carolina at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, guns have proven to be an extreme political problem. In 2011, former Arizona congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords became a victim of gun violence, along with eighteen other guiltless people. She was shot at point blank range in the head while campaigning outside of a Safeway franchise in suburban Tucson, Arizona. Lucky enough to have a second chance at life, Giffords found the motivation to tackle the law of purchasing and owning a gun.
Interest groups are essential to the legislative process because they represent the interests of specific groups of people and provide a means for those people to have their voices heard in government. By working to influence policymakers, interest groups help to ensure that the needs and concerns of their members are taken into account when laws are
On July 28th of 1967 Reagan signed the Mulford Act into law, the law stated that “from the moment it was signed anyone caught carrying a loaded gun on a public street in California would face five years in prison.” It was because of this law that there were many disputes between the black panthers and local law enforcement. With the arrest of their leader Huey Newton, the leadership of the panthers fell into the hands of Eldridge Cleaver who believed that the methods used previously again were not working. So he preached to the Panthers that their guns should be used on the offensive and that they should go out and “hunt down police officers during their coffee breaks”. This of course would not be tolerated by the federal government which
Interest groups in Texas are relatively powerful actors in the political process. Organized interest groups and their representatives, also known as “the lobby” participates in the policymaking and political processes in Texas. Interest groups provide critical channels for Texans to communicate their political preferences and attempt to influence government actors and their fellow
To understand the extent of how common mass shooting and gun violence is in our nation and why it feels like the nations is numb to gun violence, president Obama in his last national, which he was addressing the gun violence tragedy at Umpqua Community College, Roseburg, Oregon, said, “The reporting is routine. My response here at this podium ends up being routine. The conversation in the aftermath of it. We've become numb to this.” If the president expressed his feeling towards the frequency of gun violence tragedy and how predictable giving a national eulogy was, then it would be safe for me to assume that gun violence is a national issue that needs to be addressed and since nothing has changed so far, it is evident that the presidents speech is not as impactful towards law makers and the
The Gun Control Debate in the United States Republicans vs. Liberals The ineffectiveness of gun control is quite evident in the United States. Gun rights have been an ongoing social battle for many years (Kopel). People will always find a way to gain access to weapons if the person wants one badly enough. The United States is fast approaching the halfway mark in favor of stricter gun laws; however, the nation still questions the effectiveness of gun control.
Gun control has been a big factor in today’s society, now days it is often to see people getting their lives taken from them due to guns. Having researched one side of the issue, that gun violence had increased over the last year. Having researched the other side of the issue, more gun owners are feeling their rights are being taken little by little. There is no question this is a complicated issue that will require a complicated answer.
Another example of an interest group is the National Rifle Association (NRA). NRA is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun rights. The NRA is the oldest continuously operating civil rights organization in the United States. NRA was founded in 1871 and has directly lobbied for and against legislation since 1975. In May 2013 membership surpassed 5 million.
The NRA-Political Victory Fund is a system that ranks politicians based on their contributions to the NRA,
The PBS program “Gunned Down: The power of the NRA” highlighted how the NRA continues it’s stranglehold on the government and gun policies. It is quite clear that gun control advocates attempt to play off the emotion of citizens whereas pro gun advocates fear the public into believing the government is attempting to steal their guns and liberties. The side of the gun control advocates can be seen through the likes of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Conversely, the pro gun effort is shown through Ringleader Wayne LaPierre who continues to save the NRA and second amendment rights. President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden were both portrayed as compassionate, caring individuals that were fighting for a life or
As a concerned citizen and college student, I recommend several policies to create a safer environment at school campuses. As there has been an increase in school shootings within the last ten years, the safety of students on campus has become a major concern. The problem of the increase in the number of school shootings has resulted in an unsafe environment for students affecting overall development. I am writing to seek your assistance on the issue of schools not having proper safety measures to prevent and respond to mass shootings, this issue must come to an end by finding an appropriate resolution. Gun control is a controversial topic that has been placed on the agenda for several years.
Terrorism, public shootings, and suicides have sparked the fuse that is gun control. Our government has persistently tried to pass laws and regulations to restrict gun ownership, but not all have succeeded. Looking at the history
Gun control has been a heated debate for several decades, recently, the discussion surrounding this matter has intensified. The argument seems to be divided into liberal and conservative views, thoughts, and values. A majority of liberals desire stricter gun laws, required mental health check-ups, and longer waiting periods when it comes to purchasing a gun. However, the general census among the Republicans is less governmental interference because they feel that there is already too much governmental control involved. The Republican Party often does not want stricter gun laws because the problem at hand is not the gun itself, but the individual wielding the gun.
Interest groups encompass different citizen groups in a society. These interest groups include representation of the grassroots level such as labor union and farmer groups, representation of business corporations, and representation of the common citizen concerned with government reform (Janda et al,
This collection of well-connected politicians and corporate boosters has successfully amplified its anti-wildlife message so that some in Congress have been fooled into thinking that sound bites represent widespread public opposition to sage grouse protections.” This quote clearly shows a bias towards the wealthy and how they aid in the influence of changing people’s