POL 215 State Research Elements that Influence State Government

Interest Groups in Kansas

POL 215

Interest Groups in Kansas

We knew them as advocacy groups, a group of people that seems to check the political system from time to time to make sure it is doing the right thing. Some of their critics say advocacy groups are indeed negative aspects of every community and media sees them that way because they tend to damage what democracy means. Yet there are still many people out there who are willing to be a member of any advocacy group out there. Most of the members of these advocacy groups aims to be heard and be listened to by the government and thinks that only by joining a group can they have the chance to be heard.

These advocacy groups are created and formed around people with the same principles and ideas because it is easier to provide a unified opinion if you all believe in it. Politicians call this tactic as “lobbying”. There are different types of advocacy or interest groups like those who focuses on religious issues, those who focuses on marital problems that the government can resolve, economic issues and even political ones. It is like a union of workers only they can represent every kind not just the working type, they can be advocates of the animal rights or advocates for the rights of fetus to be born (prolife).

The mission of these groups is mostly noble, working to influence people in a positive way as they thought it is without being paid to do so is something we should not overlook here. Advocacy groups express their opinions in many ways like going on rallies or by endorsing a certain candidate who affirmed the same belief as them. There are interest groups who also does solicitation or fund raising events to gather money to spend on their advocacy fights while some put in advertisements to be heard and be known.

In every state, there is always an advocacy group and there are a lot of them just like in Kansas where at least 100 interest groups are present. The most popular in Kansas in the Kansas State Rifle Association, a part or sister group of National Rifle Association, an international advocacy group in the country. The Kansas State Rifle Association has a lot of lobbying activities and they are indeed active like the Political Action Committee that they have formed for their political agendas. The main goal of the Kansas State Rifle Association is to have the right to of every individual to own and carry a gun as a part of protecting themselves but also as a part of a game they love to play- shooting. They are using the second Amendment, right to freedom to push through with their agendas.

The advocacy group of Kansas State Rifle Association is very important with its mission of helping the state and its citizen understand the importance of having a gun and using it properly hence they make sure that politicians in the state knew they are supporting politicians who supports them. Those who agree with them would definitely get their support and those politicians who kept on putting gun laws at bay might be opposed by this interest group. Aside from political activities that the interest group might be in most of the time, they also work outside and have willing citizens join them in promoting safe gun use and how to use it when needed.

A large interest group can be powerful. It means every interest group needs to have more members. Larger member number means more votes and if they can get to support a politician who believes in their advocacy, then the chance of getting their advocacies and ideas turning into a law can be bigger like legalization of firearms in the state of Kansas.

This is true in almost all interest group scenarios. For example the Kansas State Rifle Association. Since the interest group has a large number and that they have a national interest group supporting them (National Rifle Association), it seemed that more and more politicians are coming to support them. Recently, Democrats seems to support gun rights now in the state of Kansas when in fact it is a Republican idea. Hence if the Republicans and the Democrats of the state of Kansas will support the gun rights issue, then it would definitely become a right in the state.

To make it clearer, the Right to carry law in Kansas was officially made into a law in 2010 without much effort by the citizens because both political parties found it okay and no one dared to oppose. Since the legalization of carrying arms is now Okayed by the government, then the interest group sees it as a victory for them.

So if you only one person would request for the right to carry an arm in the state of Kansas, chances are it will not be heard at all by whoever is in the position. It only shows the strength that we can get in number and how having interest group can actually help us achieve some goals. Also, having interest groups is a way of empowering the citizen and a part of showing our freedom.

References

The American Citizens Interest Groups in American Politics (2009) Retrieved from

http://www.twyman-whitney.com/americancitizen/links/lobbies.htm

Kansas State Rifle Association (n.d.) Retrieved from

http://www.ksraweb.net/ksrapac.html

Kansas Right to Carry Reform Bill Becomes Law (2010) Retrieved from NRI

http://www.nraila.org/legislation/read.aspx?id=5825