Parties, Interest Groups, and Public Policy

Political parties and interest groups: How do they influence our political decisions?

8.1 Introduction

In October 2012, the United States prepared for the approaching presidential election. As the race for president heated up, political ads appeared on television screens across the country. Many of these ads featured the leading candidates of the two major parties, Republican Mitt Romney and Democrat Barack Obama.

One ad shows a young, middle-class couple. The somber woman holds her child closely while her husband has his arm around her.“My name is Wayne,” the man begins,“and I’m an unemployed coal miner.” As his wife rocks the sleeping child, he explains that Obama’s policies have severely affected the working class.“President Obama just needs to stand with hardworking American families.

In another ad, a young couple also appears on the screen with their children. Like the above ad, the man identifies himself as a recent lay-off.“I got laid off because Mitt Romney and his friends in Congress want to eliminate tax credits for the wind industry,” he explains.“I think Mitt Romney is not in touch with the little guy.

Most people watching these advertisements probably assumed that they came from the political parties that sponsored the candidates or from the candidates themselves. Only those paying close attention to the credits knew otherwise.

In fact, a conservative interest group called Americans for Prosperity funded the pro-Romney ad. The Obama ad was paid for by the liberal interest group the League of Conservation Voters. Although neither ad specifically asked viewers to vote for a particular candidate, the sponsors of these commercials clearly hoped to influence the 2012 election.

Increasingly, interest groups have joined political parties as key players in the American political process. Both types of organizations are actively engaged in politics, providing information to officials and the public and seeking to affect the outcome of elections. This chapter examines parties and interest groups and considers their influence on our political system today.


Next Section: 8.2 (Political Parties in the United States)