There has been much controversy over the issue of campaign donations in past years, specifically those given by "special interest groups," as some have branded them. What is all the commotion about? Why do people make such a big deal about these "special interest groups?"
There IS no reason to. Saying that special interest groups, more pleasantly referred to as "public advocacy groups," cannot donate money to a political candidate is bascially saying a group of concerned American citizens cannot get involved with the political process to promote their views. And saying that would be going against the core of a democratic republic. Our form of government is one of the people, for the people, and by the people. What are public advocacy groups made up of? The people!
The Founding Fathers were actually a form of a public advocacy group. All a public advocacy group is, in basic terms, is a group of citizens getting together and petitioning the government for some redress of grievances. The Founding Fathers petitioned the British government to give them freedom. That was public advocacy group, and a great example of one. Now, were the Founding Fathers "bribing" or "trying to get bad influence" by trying to lobby for freedom? Not at all! They were just advocating a change in the current system.
The creators of our government realized the importance of allowing the people the right to assemble and campaign for change. This is why they instilled the freedom of association in the 1st Amendment to the United States' Constitution: "the right of the people to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances." Being able to control governmental leaders is very crucial in our form of government: government should not be a master, it should be a servant, a protector of the peoples' rights, freedoms, and interests. As George Washington said, "Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
Public advocacy groups are probably the most important way the American people get government to organize, as the Declaration of Independence says, "its powers on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness." One of the main reasons the Founding Fathers revolted was because the King of England refused to pass laws for the public's good. And to make sure this tragedy would not arise in the new government of the United States, they instilled into the supreme law of the land the right of the people to come together and promote their interests.
It is very important for concerned citizens to get involved with the political process and fight for their ideas, and to be able to do so freely and without hassle. As Edmund Burke once stated, "the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Ryan Lee Stollar is the President of the Center for American Freedom.
