Essay 19

National interest groups often target national-level policymaking institutions to achieve their policy objectives. The NAACP for example, often targets the judicial courts by means of litigation to achieve their goals. The legal defense fund for the NAACP selected the case of Linda Brown in 1945. Brown was an African American student required by law to attend a segregated school. Thee law was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court because it violated the 14th amendment's guarantee of equal protection.
The NAACP is likely to target the judiciary branch because they can make a strong case with the help of the freedom rights in the constitution against any sort of segregation or unfairness based on color. In addition, "the NAACP is frequently asked to submit Amicus Briefs in civil rights cases, regarding a number of varied legal issues. Many of these issues go directly to the heart of the NAACP's mission and work. Below is a partial list of significant Amicus Briefs the NAACP has filed over the last two years" (www.NAACP.org)


Select one of the following national interest groups.
- AARP
- AMA (Medical Association
- NAACP
- NAM (national assoc. of Manufacturers)

For the group you selected do each of the following.
- a identify one major national-level policymaking institution that this group targets.
- b describe one resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a)
- c describe another resource or characteristic of the group you have chosen and explain how it influences the choice of the target you have identified in (a).

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/repository/us-gov-released-exam-1999.pdf