PSCI 2228 Public Interest Groups
The second written assignment on the Anthony J. Nownes Book
INTEREST GROUPS IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.
The topic questions for the written assignment are:
1. Define interest group formation and survival and discuss the barriers to interest group formation and survival.
2. Explain unequal interest group representation.
3. Some lobbying strategies and tactics are more effective than others: Discuss which ones are the most effective.

Five pages.

I. Summary
Under this heading, write 2-3 paragraphs summarizing the news programs you watched for this assignment. The paragraphs should be a detailed synopsis of a period of political news. In your summary, include the name of the news programs you watched and the dates that you viewed them.

II. Integration
Under this heading, write roughly 4-6 paragraphs connecting the terms in the textbook and lecture outlines to the political news included in your summary. As a sample:

The confidential Justice Department document about the president’s use of drones, which was recently leaked to the press, relates to numerous concepts outlined in the textbook. First, there are questions of executive authority. Article I of the Constitution states that the power to declare war belongs to Congress (A-4). While the Justice Department document does not authorize the president to declare war, it gives him unchecked power to take lethal measures. One of the reasons for the Bill of Rights is to limit the power of government. In fact, preventing government from amassing too much power was on the forefront of the framers’ minds as they drafted the new constitution (47-50). Still, presidents have historically circumvented checks on the executive branch with devices such as executive orders and signing statements (53).

All information should come from either the textbook or the class lecture outlines. Do not utilize outside books or online sources to complete this assignment. Therefore, in terms of citation, including the page number(s) where you found the information in the text is sufficient. If you reference a lecture outline, cite the title of the lecture outline that you used.

III. Commentary
Under this heading, write 1-2 paragraphs expressing your personal views about the political topics you included in the summary.