Interest Groups

Describe the different types of interest groups (single issue groups and public interest groups) and the goals that each type pursues.

Single-issue interest groups are exactly that: groups concerned with one issue, and one issue only. Although the single interest might overlap with broader issues or related interests, the main goal of a single-interest group is to promote legislation related to the target area. For example, the National Rifle Association (NRA) can be considered a single-interest group. Its concerns range within the rubric of gun rights, but the NRA lobbying effort remains solely concerned with Second Amendment issues. Although the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) does not use political lobbying as aggressively as does the NRA, it can also be considered a single-issue interest group. PETA is concerned primarily about the humane treatment of animals and advocates policies that prohibit animal testing and slaughterhouses, for...
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