Chapter 8

1. From figure 8.1 in the text, select one of the interest groups and do some research on their issues and beliefs.  What did you learn?  What did you find interesting?  Do you agree/disagree with their positions on issues? Why?

The National Education Association represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty, and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become students. It is also the largest professional organization and labor union in the United States. There has been much criticism against the NEA and other teachers unions for allegedly putting the interests of teachers ahead of students and for consistently opposing changes that critics claim would help students but harm union interests. The NEA has often opposed measures such as merit pay, school vouchers, weakening of teacher tenure, certain curricular changes, the No Child Left Behind Act, and many accountability reforms. I agree with them about the issues at hand. I plan on becoming a teacher and I am using 4 years of my life to be a teacher, the least the government could do is strengthen tenure. Most jobs have securities and teachers need security too. NEA opposes weakening tenure and I do too.

2. Find an interest group with which you associate (positively).  What is the name of the group and what do you find persuasive about their position on issues?

The National Education Association (NEA) is an interest group that I associate well with. I plan on working in the school system as a teacher and this group seems to try and do their best helping out teachers as well as students. They promote the No Child Left Behind Act, increase education fund, dropout prevention, and lowering the achievement gap. It is great what they promote and are very persuasive about their issues.

3. Do interest groups have enough/too much/the right amount of power in the political system?  Most believe it's a fine-line balance between freedom of speech for the groups and keeping unfair persuasion out of government.  Where is that line and when is it crossed?

I feel that interest groups have just enough power in the political system. Interest groups provide a louder voice than one person alone can. Interest groups can keep citizens informed about he direct impact of policy on their lives, and with that information, constituents can better hold their elected officials accountable for those policies. The line of balance is crossed when interest groups go as far as when they go on a riot and destroy property to try to get government to listen or when they cause disruptions in meetings.