Influences on American Politics

Influences on American Politics move 1What atomic number 18 the two major fictional characters of pursual groups and prototypes of each? Which of these types of matter to groups tend to be more powerful? Explain your choice.Your response should be at to the lowest degree 200 words in length. You are ask to employ at least your standard as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced paraphrased and quoted material must hold in ensuant citations.Selected reactIn the United States there two main types of interest groups that actively work to influence public policy. The main differences between the two are how they are organized, funded, and what their main purposes are (Patterson, 2013). Economic groups are the most common, most funded and most influential. They are comprised of businesses, labor unions, professional organizations, and agricultural groups that seek public policy that provides fiscal benefits to their m embers. The funding of economic interest groups comes from the members that willingly contribute money in hopes of receiving political influence and/or profit that only they will benefit from. An example of an economic group would be businesses. Business groups are the most influential of any special interest group and all large businesses lobby the government. some(prenominal) smaller businesses band together to form associations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to promote their interests by seeking tax cuts, regulatory changes, and other pro-business benefits (Patterson, 2013).The second type of special interest group, citizens groups, is comprised of single issue groups that work toward a focussed goal that they believe in. They fight for causes instead of economic or material lay down and for the serious of society as a whole (Patterson, 2013). Though the number of citizens groups as increased sharply over the years, the total number still lags croup that of economic groups . One of the main reasons for this is that citizens groups harbor not nearly the similar access to funds that economic groups do. Citizens groups do not generate profits or fees from their daily activity and their only incentive for membership are ones that everyone can take service of, member or not. Because of this, many people take advantage of the benefits but do not pay for them.ReferencesPatterson, T. (2013).The American Democracy (11th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill, Inc.Question 2How has the intelligence information media evolved from the nations founding to what it is today? Discuss the various functions the news media has in American society. How well do you feel the media carries out these functions?Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced paraphrased and quoted material must fix accompanying citations.Selected AnswerThe founding fathers felt that a free instancy was crucial to the health of a successful democracy. That is why they gave us the First Amendment protecting the rights of a free and unrestrained press. Some of our founding fathers were themselves involved with the printing of journalistic newspapers. They unders in any cased the importance of hold opening the populace informed of the workings of their government.The first press and newspapers were initially closely associated with the days political parties and helped them muster public opinion (Patterson, 2013). This was partly done because without party support and/or subsidization, the newspapers would never encounter survived the apostrophize to purchase was prohibitory for the middling citizen. The drawback to this was that the newspapers themselves very partisan in the information that they imparted. Eventually, as printing methods improved and the cost decreased newspaper moved remote from such partisanship.The he ight of newspapers power came around 1890-1900 during this time, reporters and editors number one goal was to increase sales of their papers (Patterson, 2013). They did so by sensationalizing the news in articulate to drive up circulation. This period was termed yellow journalism and thankfully was relatively short-lived by the advent of a new style of reporting object lens journalism. Objective journalism emphasized fair and accurate information and accounts of events. This new approach to reporting was the method that began being taught at newly established journalistic universities and is what still governs the news reporting of todays traditional media.The newest form of media today comes in the form of radio talk shows, cable talk shows, and internet blogs. This type of media has do news more accessible than ever before and has greatly increased the choice viewers have to what they hear. The problem with these outlets, as Patterson points out in The American Democracy, howev er, is the many address information through a partisan lens. Talk radio is a growing format for political information but is lots imparted in a conservative manner, internet blogs lean primarily liberal, and the cable new networks split evenly between the two ideologies.Regardless of the manner in which the information is disseminated, the media performs four basic functions (Patterson, 2013). First, is to act as a signal, alerting and communicating information on breaking events and news developments to the public. Second, is to act as a common carrier of information from political leaders to the general public. Medias third function is as a partisan advocate to influence public response to a particular party, leader, or issue. Lastly, the press acts as a watchdog to the government to expose deceitful and corrupt officials.In my personal opinion, the news media does direct out these functions fairly well. The problem lies in ensuring that, as a citizen, you listen to and pay atte ntion to multiple news outlets in order to get the inbuilt story, not one with a particular ideological bent. As they say There are three sides to every story, his, hers and the truth.ReferencesPatterson, T. (2013).The American Democracy (11th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill, Inc.Question 3Discuss how the news audience has changed from the 1970s until now. Do you feel that Americans can still find unbiased news anywhere today? wherefore or why not?Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.Selected AnswerNews audiences have changed considerably since the 1970s. Though there is more diversity than ever, cable television and the internet now reign supreme for news information in the lives of the average American, while the daily newspapers and traditional broadcaste rs are losing audiences by the droves (Patterson, 2013) These new forms of media behave quite differently than the media of the baby-boomers and their parents.News was received in regulated segments, in the break of the day through your newspaper and then in the evening by the network news. It was all relatively similar as well, owning to the fact that they both received their stories from the same sources. The news reported was objective and fair with little political fling. People received the exact same message regardless of what their own ideology was it is at that point that people form their opinions on issues.The emergence of cables 24-hour news cycle, political talk shows, and internet blogs, where information is handed out already with partisan spin has made it harder to get just the facts, and also makes it is easy for citizens to only receive their news through the specific ideological lens of their choosing. All of this is leading to more and more polarization in polit ical society (Patterson, T. (2013).Another change that has occurred is an overall decline in consumers of media. Young adults are less likely than fourth-year ones to pay attention to any type of news and when they do, it is often from less than reputable sources like social media, a.k.a. Facebook. All of these factors combine to a current contemporaries that is considerably less informed politically than prior generations.ReferencesPatterson, T. (2013).The American Democracy (11th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill, IncQuestion 4Do you feel that special interest groups have too much power in politics today? Why or why not? Do you think we should allow these interest groups to hold open to function as they currently do? Why or why not? What do you think would happen to our nation if we did not allow interest groups to continue to operate?Your response should be at least 200 words in length. You are required to use at least your textbook as source material for your response. All sourc es used, including the textbook, must be referenced paraphrased and quoted material must have accompanying citations.Selected AnswerSpecial interest groups are an important way for people to show support or discontent for governmental policies and are an effective way for the average citizen to influence politics. They help keep their members informed of the current political issues they identify with, make sure policies are carried out effectively, help organize member activities in a more focused manner, and some even offer its members legal representation in grievances against the government, However, in regards to our current political system, I feel that many have grown too powerful. For every case of a SIG promoting the common good, there are cases highlighting the corruption that has eroded the quality of our democratic process, generally through corruption.A good example of what interest groups can achieve is the NAACP brought and won the case of Brown vs The Board of Educat ion of Topeka (NAACP, n.d.). While at the same time you have examples of SIGs buying influence such as when during the 1973 Watergate hearings it was revealed that the milk industry had donated money to President Nixons administration and to members of Congress in exchange for favorable decisions by the surgical incision of Agriculture (Torres-Spelliscy, 2013).The issue comes down to political influence vs. political power. I, along with the vast majority of Americans (Gallup, 2011), feel that lobbyist groups have gone beyond just influencing politicians and politics, and have moved into the realm of over-whelming political power.ReferencesGallup. (2011, April 11). Americans Decry Power of Lobbyists, Corporations, Banks, Feds. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http//www.gallup.com/poll/147026/americans-decry-power-lobbyists-corporations-banks-feds.aspx milk industry had donated money to President Nixons administrationNAACP Legal History. (n.d.). Retrieved March 20, 2017, from http//www .naacp.org/legal-department/naacp-legal-history/Patterson, T. (2013).The American Democracy (11th ed.). New York, NY McGraw-Hill, IncTorres-Spelliscy, C. (2013, October 21). Got Corruption? Nixons Milk Money. Brennan Center for Justice. Retrieved March 20, 2017, from https//www.brennancenter.org/blog/got-corruption-nixon%E2%80%99s-milk-money