Interest Groups in the Formulation of Public Policy

Interest groups are often known as advocacy groups, pressure groups, lobby groups, and special interest groups. Interest groups are “any association of individuals or organizations, usually formally organized, that, on the basis of one or more shared concerns, attempts to influence public policy in its favor” (Interest Group, 2010). Interest groups can help drive and influence the transition of private problems in to public policy issues with their ability to garner support, access resources, and provide an opportunity for a public voice.

Submit 150 – 500 word response: Due by Thursday 7/30/15 which includesa brief description of the private problem you used in last week’s Discussion. Then, describe two interest groups that might support the placement of the private problem on the legislative agenda and explain why. Finally, explain how each interest group can impact whether this problem becomes part of the legislative agenda.

Support your work with specific citations from the Learning Resources. You are allowed to draw from additional sources to support your explanation, but you must cite using APA standards. All quoted material must be identified, cited, and referenced per APA standards.