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Influencing the Debate

Public policy is shaped by many forces. Political parties help frame and set the tone of debate. The two major parties have long dominated the American political scene; third parties face huge obstacles in their attempts to establish a foothold. Interest or advocacy groups have come to have an increasing impact since the 1960s. Traditional business and trade associations work to protect and advance their members' interests. Political consultants advise elected officials, candidates, parties, interest groups and associations on how best to present their arguments. The growing professionalization of politics in the past fifty or so years has contributed to today's costly campaigns and may be one factor alienating some voters from the political process. Think tanks of various stripes house scholars whose ideas, analyses and studies often underpin policy debates; think tanks are an important source of experts. Foundations provide grants that fund think tank studies, some fairly extensive media campaigns, and specialized news coverage. News organizations influence the agenda by what they cover and how they cover it. Most importantly, individual citizens such as yourself, taking an active role in your neighborhood or community, make our democracy work.

POLITICAL PARTIES