The Relationship Between Political Parties and Interest Groups in The Government

A party leader is an individual who acts as the official representative for a political party in a country or a legislature. Depending on the country's political system, they may be referred to as the chairperson, secretary, or president. The party leader is usually responsible for managing the relationship with the public and the competition with political rivals. This role is similar to the role of a spokesperson. In many countries, the leader of a political party is required to seek election to the governing house and then serve as the party's leader in the following year. This procedure is typically carried out in states with a Westminster system. In most countries, the leader of the biggest political party not in the government is the opposition leader. This function is usually referred to as pressure or lobbying.

The first two political parties in the U.S. were the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists. As the country has become more democratic, political parties have become more influential. Political parties are formed to represent the beliefs of the people to the government. They operate by three different semi-autonomous teams: the party in government, the party in the electorate, and the party organization. The party in government is composed of individuals who belong to the party and are responsible for various activities such as proposing legislation, debating, and voting. The voters are also known as the party in the electorate. They help people understand the government and the various policies it has. They help candidates get elected by raising and spending money to help them communicate their message. There are limits to the amounts of money that can be raised and other laws that govern the participation of political parties in elections within the United States.

Political parties have served a variety of functions other than the original role as a campaign machine and can become something imperative to the candidate’s campaign. Parties help candidates by allowing citizens to identify candidates, and provide a community for them to have an opinion on what is happening to the environment around them and who those are controlling it. Political parties are organizations that combine government officials and groups of activists around the country that bring the government and people around the country laws alike. Political parties use campaigns to recruit, and provide identity to win over the voters. Candidates use campaigns to recruit leaders that can help endorse their election and add credibility to their platform. Also, meet and greets allow the candidate to identify themselves, share their knowledge on topics that could be encountered if elected, and advice on how they would go about issues that are affecting the economy.

Unlike political parties, interest groups are not bound by rules or regulations when it comes to running for office. They are a group who come together to influence government policy. This differentiates itself from political parties which act mainly to determine who will be in the office of the government. Interest groups often elect representatives who are sympathetic to their policy ideas. They do so hoping to gather people and persuade them to act on the policy. Interest groups are imperative for politics because without them the government might ignore the needs of many people. For example, a Labor Union is an interest group with many goals such as health care, workplace safety, or tax policies that affect the pay and wellbeing of themselves and their families. Interest groups can help the political party by providing them with people who will help support and widen the effect they have on voters by bringing the ideas of the citizens to them in a concise and precise manner making it easier to make changes and create a solid agenda. An interest group, though similar should not be confused with political parties alike, a group of people with the same goals for policy; while a party's key purpose is to hold office.

With evidence showing from several countries, interest groups have made attempts in shaping public opinions in arguments mattering more than their sources. Even when accounting for the trust of people in interest groups that serve a purpose as source cues, something providing credibility to an idea and levels of information about a policy. Political parties serve as a form of campaigning but also, grouping people of the same beliefs together, providing identity, and providing a representation of the people in the government. An example of a source cue would be someone taking into account a specific political actor or celebrity as highly credible may consider an endorsement by them for a specific policy if they thought highly of them. However, it would work the same if the person did not think highly of the person and did not consider an endorsement due to who was the face of the ad at the time.

Arguments are able to change both the weights connected with the beliefs and the beliefs themselves. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Paris Agreement on climate change showed interest groups can affect public opinion in some ways. Which is mainly where interest groups are as little as source cues in importance. The absence of an interest group source effect can also hold for people who have trust in it. The amount of information that citizens possess doesn’t condition the effect of interest group source cues.

Interest groups are policy expanders, while political parties are focused on getting more members of congress on their side. Interest groups use lobbying as a main way to influence the government. Lobbying is a citizen’s first amendment right to free speech and the right to petition are given rights and liberties by the constitution, protecting them when fighting for issues and appealing to our government for assistance. Simply put, lobbying is the action of influencing. Some other techniques used to influence policy are, writing policy proposal later to come out to be bills, testify before important committees of congress, dispute by filing lawsuits, and help candidates campaign.

Moreover, political parties influence political processes by nominating their own candidates to hold seats in political office. Parties often promote a certain set of visions or ideals that is backed by a mission statement with goals that form a plan to go about resolving or bringing light to these issues. After deciding on a representative they use their numbers in office to work together to create and put policies into place, further their agenda, and take control of the government and the policies that are being put into place. While interest groups work to influence the leaders of the government, political parties influence public policy by electing and sponsoring them to win and hold a position in office. Parties achieve this by coming together to agree upon the sets of values important to themselves and voters gaining support as the election passes. If they’re able to gain a large enough group of supporters they are able to raise the probability of winning the election.

All in all, the relationship between political parties and interest groups is all one struggle for power. While political parties are striving to create a team that will draw the support of many voters, interest groups ensure and pressure the government and these parties to take part in policies that further push their agenda. Political parties and interest groups are important groups societies the citizens use to relate to those in office and learn about actions in the government and have a say. Interest groups and political parties both serve a purpose in the government, as they work toward specific goals and the promotion of politicians into office.