The contact between the two groups is not always straight forward, and is often fought officially, through judicial practices, and unofficially, through dubious backstage arrangements and activities. However, there is also a legal manner through which interest groups have been given the right to influence political decisions and the laws voted upon. Lobbying is one such activity.
Although lobbyists are the subject of heated debate, as many citizens consider them to be just "wheeler-dealers continually wining and dining public officials in order to secure political favors at the expense of the general public" (Volkomer 282), their main function is to supply "information about their specialized interests to a few select public officials, communicating with members and others who are concerned with their problem" (283). However their role is rather interpretable. On the one hand, they represent the interests of a certain segment of the population, such as farmers, or railway workers. Through constant collaboration with law makers in the Congress, they could help improve the quality of legislation concerning them. On the other hand however, in most cases concerning especially lobby firms stationed in Washington, most of them represent the interest of high profile multi-billion dollars companies which rarely share the same interests with the commoners. So, when regulations are passed in order to accommodate private interests, they most often harm public one. From this perspective, lobbying is indeed harmful for the democracy.
Nonetheless, the influences of the lobby activity are seen even in the early stages of the electoral process, through the Political Action Committees, that have as main task to pool campaign contributions from group members and donate these funds to candidates for political office. The problem of campaign finance is a major concern because nowadays, there are more and more interest groups organizing PACs: it is an opportunity to choose to support a candidate favorable...
Thus, through legal devices, the lobbying firm representing IBM shareholders can influence and contribute to the candidacy of a senator or governor favorable to their cause. "Labor unions provide a sizeable portion of campaign funds for many Democratic candidates...the business sector is also an important source of campaign funds in all states" (Jewell and Olson 187-188)
Lobby activities, no matter their techniques (electing, propaganda) have a major say in changing the electoral nature of one state, after a long tradition of either democratic or republican rule. Their financial support through institutions such as PACs is determinant for taking the control over the eventual winner's administration and subsequently deciding in the policymaking process.
All in all, the centralization of the electorate's will inside a two colored area is becoming a flaw in the American democracy because nowadays, more and more minority groups are not represented in the Congress and thus are either excluded or they are forced to join the rule of the majority. Moreover, interest groups are developing their grasp on the legislative body of the Congress through different maneuvers and financing. But in exercising their influence, they are ignoring the interests of those opposing their actions and thus, another part of the social spectrum is left with the only solution of abiding the rule of a minority. Even if the American democracy is indeed one of the greatest achievements of modern times, it still needs mechanisms to help it perform in the interest of the entire democratic spectrum.
Bibliography
Janda, Kenneth, Jeffrey Berry, and Jerry Goldman. The challenge of democracy: government in America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
Jewell Malcolm E, and David M. Olson. American state political parties and elections. Homewoo: The Dorsey Press, 1982.
Volkomer, Walter E.. American government. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts,1972.
