American Government:  Interest Groups Paper

1. Select one of the interest groups/organizations listed below.

• AARP – American Association of Retired People
• ACLU – American Civil Liberties Union
• AFL-CIO – American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations
• American Conservative Union
• FPA-Farm Policy Action
• AIPAC – American Israel Public Affairs Committee
• Council on American-Islamic Relations
• Family Research Council
• Handgun Control, Inc.
• GLAAD- Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
• NAN-National Action Network
• National Right to Life
• NOW – National Organization of Women
• NRA – National Rifle Association
• American Humane Society
• Public Citizen
• Sierra Club
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• VFW-Veterans of Foreign Wars

2. Perform a web search to locate the group’s main web site. Also, perform a web search for recent information about your group’s activities. You can either type up your report as an essay or you can give your information in a bullet-point list. Make sure your paper answers all the questions. Separate your responses with two spaces between answers.

1. What is the organization or group’s website?

2. What are the issues your organization or group is concerned with?

3. What actions does your group take to try to influence policy and the public agenda?

4. Assess your group: What are its strengths and weaknesses?

Back up what you say with specific examples demonstrating their effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness). Remember to find weaknesses of the group; you will likely need to research beyond the group’s main website. Every group has a weakness – your task is to find it. A response like, “I didn’t find any weaknesses” is not acceptable. Start by Googling “opposition to …” and you will find things. Some things will not be accurate or fair. Your job is to sort those out.

5. Summarize a news article from the organization or group in a paragraph.

NOTE: Be sure to include the websites where you found your information.

Submit the work as an attached Microsoft Word file. Double-space the paper and use 12 point Times New Roman as your font. Paper needs to be 150 words minimum.