Political Science

What did you learn about Interest Groups in this course that you did not know previously
During the course, three key things came out about interest groups.  To begin with, interest groups greatly influence policies formulation by keeping policy makers critical and focused.  From a pluralistic point of view, Caramani (2008) explains that pro-choice movement managed to inculcate the ideology of giving women greater autonomy on their fertility in relation to terminating or continuing with pregnancy.  Secondly, the critical role of the lobby groups towards democracy was further brought out.  Many interest groups strongly work against neo-corporatism theory to create a greater outline for peoples choice and ultimate democracy.  As Janda, Berry and Goldman (2006) found out, interest groups pressure and lobby at different levels of the society.  At the grassroots, they educate the public on the need for democracy it associated advantages and overall development.  At higher levels, they provide greater focus through analysis of leaders and their manifestos.  Thirdly, though interest groups are such critical elements in the society, their regulation is very critical to avoid negative actions that could act against their very noble tasks.  According to Caramani (2008), the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 created greater emphasis on the need for openness in the operations of interest groups. Though it was easier to agree with the interest groups on the need for their self regulation, the course effectively brought out the danger of compromising democratic ideals.  It is from this consideration that interest groups should be carefully coordinated and controlled to achieve their objectives.

Based upon our readings about Medias roles in Elections, what do you see as being an issue that will be important in the development of our country in the future Explain why you feel this way.
As Dye and Zeigler (2008) argue, medias roles have remained at the heart of promoting democracy during elections.  In bid to maintain this critical role, the following three issues will remain critical in the countrys future development.  To begin with, the ability of the US citizens outside the country to vote may be limited by availability of technology.  Due to poor availability of technology in different global regions, it might be hard for Americans working in such regions to exercise their democratic voting rights.  Following the fast rising numbers of Americans working outside the United States, Box-Steffensmeier and Schier (2009) explain that lack of an effective mechanism for their participation may compromise the ability to select the correct leaders.  Besides, the commercial element of the media will remain a major issue in administering their expected impartial roles of facilitating democratic ideals. 

Due to the great trust that Americans have on the media in making their decisions on the leaders they choose, the commercial orientation remains a key obstacle in selecting the correct leaders.  Dye and Zeigler (2008) add that greater coverage and emphasis on a given candidate may lead to election of leaders who lack the necessary developmental interests.  Finally, the fast and vast advancement of information technology creates an easy way to spread hate messages, encourage stereotypes and portray an opponent negatively.  This could lead to negative perception by the public about a given candidate and contribute to making of wrong choices.  Media should therefore be closely monitored during election periods to reduce such malpractices.