Write 300-500 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

Interest groups play a significant role in contemporary American politics, on a wide range of public policy issues, from healthcare (Affordable Care Act, for example) to gun control (the NRA is a well-known example), and from financial services regulation to regulating food production.

For this discussion board, choose an interest group that appeals to you and then identify a public policy issue that your selected interest group is working on impacting. In addition, include the following information:

What types of activities are conducted by your interest group? Provide examples of activities undertaken by the group within the last 12 months. Activities can include lobbying, television or radio spots, media spots, rallies or other activities. Also, if available, provide links to any news articles about the organization's activities or press releases from the organization or other articles from the organization's website for your classmates' reference.

How is your chosen interest group connected to the average citizen, if at all? Provide examples of average citizens' involvement in your chosen interest group, if any. If your chosen interest group rarely or does not interact with the average citizen, please discuss how the work of your chosen interest group indirectly impacts the average citizen, if at all.

Do you believe that interest groups do, or have the ability to, promote corruption in government? Explain your position. If they do or have the potential to do so, why do you believe so? If not, what do you think prevents them from corrupting government? Support your position with specific examples.