Since 1945, says Grossman, the AFL-CIO, the NAACP, the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the ACLU have had more influence over policy than any other interest groups.
New research supports what many Americans already believe – lawmakers are influenced more by special interest groups than their constituents.
Matt Grossmann, author of the new book, “Artists of the Possible: Governing Networks and American Policy Change Since 1945,” looks at the movers and shakers behind 790 significant domestic policy changes since the 1940s.
Grossman, an assistant professor of political science at Michigan State University, found that the public plays a surprisingly limited role in legislative outcomes. In fact, he did not find any domestic policy issue area where the public opinion was the leading force in policy results.
Instead, interest and advocacy groups played a more powerful role in all issue areas.
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