Is Government Dominated by Big Business

Essay by Anonymous UserUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, April 1997

download word file, 4 pages 3.7

Downloaded 75 times

Good expalnation of the political lobby of Washington. Great Paper

Is Government Dominated by Business

Special interest groups have dominated government since the advent of America's

political system. Special interest groups or lobbies are collections of individuals who

join together to pursue common interests and to influence the decisions on public

policies. Many people view special interest groups as an integral part of the political

process, legitimized by the first amendment of the Constitution. In that way, special

interest groups are good. The point that disgusts many people is that more often then not

money overpowers the right decision; that is why Big Business is a problem. The richer

the companies and organizations, the better chance they have to persuade the government

officials.

In the United States alone there are thousands of special interest groups working

for their own cause. Some of the causes they are working for are: business, banking,

labor, environment, women, seniors, the economy, and farming just to name a few.

Some groups or businesses which partake in lobbying are: N.O.W., Green Peace, AFL-

CIO, Teamsters, Sierra Club, N.R.A., Tobacco industry and the ACLU. These groups

often work at the national, state, and local levels attempting to influence government

policy. Many groups have permanent offices in Washington DC. The primary goals of

these groups are the passing, blocking, or amending legislation to achieve a favorable

ruling for their own benefit. In Washington the groups primary targets are the House and

Senate sub-committees which are the key places where legislation is considered. The

groups often speak in front of Committee hearings to put their views on the record.

One of the most well known special interest group is the National Rifle

Association. This group has done tireless work in Washington trying to stop Gun Control

bills from passing...