An interest group sometimes called a special interest group or a pressure group is a group of people that forms an organization. Interest groups work with the desire to benefit themselves or their causes. Their goal might also include benefiting registered group members. Though interest groups are prohibited from contributing money to fund campaigns, they can fund them indirectly through the political action committee within the interest groups. The political action committee has the authority to solicit money from their group members and give the money contributed to candidates. Interest groups are of different categories, for instance, those belonging in the Ideology group. Issues focused on this category include issues on abortion, gun control, health care, foreign policy and health care. Examples of organizations within the latter’s category include EMILY’s list, American Action Network and National Rifle Association. Those are among the powerful organizations that belong in the ideology or single-issue interest groups. This discussion will focus on the American Action Network.
Established in the year 2010, the AAN’s main goal is to lobby for center right policies. The AAN has been on record to be highest in contributions to political campaigns. The AAN is a policy maximizers and it tries to reach a certain target of seats in the congress. In the essay, the writer is going to discuss on AAN’s total campaign contribution, political party to whom the contribution is made to and what AAN have to gain and lose in their campaign contributions (Denzau & Munger, 2014).
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The Political actions committee of AAN has contributed more than $ 100 Million in Campaign Contribution to federal candidates and political parties since its inception in 2010. The latter has made many citizens nervous of the amount the interest groups solicit from the groups in question. The AAN belong to the category of interest groups that focus their issue on ideology. The latter focuses on issues like abortions gun control and center right policies. These groups have been recorded to contribute the highest campaign contributions. In the period between 2017 and 2018 total contributions this groups of organization amounted to $26 Million and all the money went to Republican Party. Presidential aspirant Donald Trumph the top recipient, recorded to having received $15 million from the AAN organization (Gilens & Page, 2014).
The AAN main goal for contribution is lobby for center right policies that are based on the principles of freedom, American exceptionalism and national security. Through their contributions, they also aim to encourage and promote citizen participation in the American democracy. The American Action Network contributes lots of money to campaigns to ensure that they secure a large number of seats in the congress who would formulate policies that will make America safe and secure. The American Action Network campaign contribution went out to the Republican Party. The Republican Party since its establishment has been focusing on issues that are aligned to the organizations goals in policies. The Republicans focus on policies that are based on American exceptionalism, limited government and national security (Center for Responsive Politics, 2017).
The American Action Network stands to gain through the campaign contribution they make. This is because the goals, mission and vision of the organization are aligned to the principles and values of the political party they are supporting. For instance, one of the goals of the AAN is to ensure national security and involve American citizens in democracy. The Republican Party who are the main beneficiaries of this funds base their policies on national security and other policies that are center right. The AAN tries to secure a large seating in the Congress, this will easily give them influence to enable AAN pass center - right policies in the Congress ( Center for Responsive Politics, 2017).
However, the much-expected gains from the campaign contribution, the AAN has little to lose if they do not reach a targeted number of seats in the Congress. This is mainly because of the organizations status, the AAN is a nonprofit organization that does not seek to gain financially by doing what it does. The AAN is also a liberal organization and a bipartisan organization, they will support and work with likeminded corporations to achieve their goals, for instance, the AAN can work with their sister organization to achieve center right policies. Their sister organization is the American Action Forum. The other reason why the AAN has little to lose is the government’s role in the country, which is the formulation of better policies that ensure national security among other things. The AAN only act as lobbyist organization and try to influence the formulation of certain bills that will either benefit them directly or benefit the citizens (Brunel, 2005).
Interest groups in recent years have pushed members to pay more contributions. This has led to embezzlement of funds and corruption on several occasions. The main goal of pushing for the right policies and doing the right thing has shifted to politicizing the process. Interest groups have been made safe havens for corrupt leaders. Given a chance to join such groups, the writer would push for genuine and transparent leadership that is focused in achieving the goals and visions of such a group.
References
Brunell, T. L. (2005). The Relationship Between Political Parties and Interest Groups: Explaining Patterns of PAC Contributions to Candidates for Congress. Political Research Quarterly , 58 (4), 681-688. doi:10.1177/106591290505800415
Center for Responsive Politics. (2017). Ideology/Single-Issue. Retrieved from https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?cycle=2018&ind=Q
Denzau, A. T., & Munger, M. C. (2014). Legislators and Interest Groups: How Unorganized Interests Get Represented. American Political Science Review , 80 (01), 89-106. doi:10.2307/1957085
Gilens, M., & Page, B. I. (2014). Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens. Perspectives on Politics , 12 (03), 564-581. doi:10.1017/s1537592714001595
