Essay 10

While interest groups and political parties each play a significant role in the United States political system, they differ in their fundamental goals.
The fundamental goal of interest groups in the political process is to influence policy. An interest group shares a set of beliefs that they wish to be heard and acted upon by the government and its people. They seek to do so by a variety of methods that target either the public or the policymakers (i.e. the government). One popular method used by interest groups is grassroots lobbying, which the process of influencing the public in order to influence legislation in the decision-making process. This process often involves mass mobilization, in which committed members of the group will often make phone calls, write letters, contact policymakers, and demonstrate. Another process includes campaign contributions, where interest groups seek favor with a particular party candidate by donating money.
The fundamental goal of political parties in the political process is to elect people to office, with no particular set of beliefs being promoted. By electing the corresponding candidate they hope the candidate will later make decisions that correspond to their values.
Though interest groups and political parties differ in their fundamental goals, they can actually benefit one and other if their goals and interests coincide. Interest groups support the goal of political parties in the political process by monetary contributions, for example. By giving a direct contribution to a political campaign in order to gain their support or seek favor, interest groups not only help themselves by promoting their interests, but help the political party financially to get their leader elected. Another way the two can benefit each other is if an interest group makes an indirect contribution, such as creating a television ad that promotes their interest and associates it with a particular political party or their candidate. In both scenarios, interest groups gain access to government and political parties benefit from their actions.