Summary
Contents
This comprehensive guide is the definitive source for researchers seeking an understanding of those who have occupied the White House and on the institution of the U.S. presidency. Readers turn to Guide to the Presidency for its wealth of facts and analytical chapters that explain the structure, powers, and operations of the office and the president’s relationship with Congress and the Supreme Court. The work is divided into eight distinct subject areas covering every aspect of the U.S. presidency.
Chapter 21 The President and Interest Groups
Chapter 21 The President and Interest Groups
Modern presidents have long maintained an ambivalent relationship with the extensive interest group system that has been a fixture in Washington, D.C., for more than a century. Americans tend to form private associations to pursue their political ends. Balancing the demands of these organized interests has been a major—and difficult—part of the president's job, particularly since the days of the New Deal and World War II.
An interest group is a set of people who form an association to promote ideals or pursue material benefits. Groups may know what ends they desire, but their tactics evolve according to their relationship with other forces in society. Because interest groups usually are seeking the kind ...
