ABSTRACT
As government has grown at all levels, interest groups have increased their activities. Increased government expenditures and expanded government regulations have made activities in both the candidate selection and the legislative process more important and the consequences of not acting far more significant. As one business lobbyist remarked, "When government can tell you how much cream to put in ice cream, you have no choice but to influence government." 1
A review of the interest group activity of the established groups clearly indicates that these groups, although varying significantly in degree, are powerful; they do, in fact, influence the decision-making process. Competition among these group~usiness, labor, agriculture, and the professional associations-is on the rise. Business has committed itself anew to influencing election outcomes, and its contributions continue to soar. Angered by the increasing clout of business and its own waning influence, labor has reassessed its strategy. Some ofthe professional groups, physicians in particular, have suffered a decline in power. Confronted with an erosion of the public's trust and the work of the public-and consumer-interest groups in exposing some questionable practices, these groups have lost their overwhelming power on Capitol Hill. They have, however, renewed their commitment to shaping public policy that governs their interests. These groups have increased their investments in the decision-making process, and they continue to dominate much of the day-to-day legislation being made in Washington.
