Texas Government: Interest Groups

QUESTION

1. Identify one interest group actively lobbying Texas government regarding a topic that you care about (some groups are mentioned in the Interest Groups chapter of the textbook, others may be mentioned in news stories about a topic in which you are interested). Explain whether the group operates mainly at the international, national or state level. Remember to use an interest group as defined by the book and lecture – not a social movement, political party or category of people or groups.
2. Describe the interest group’s main goals and objectives, especially regarding your chosen topic. You may use the group’s official website as a primary source. Remember to cite it properly.
3. Make an evidence-based argument either in support of or opposition to the interest group’s objectives regarding your chosen topic. Note that “objectives” are not their overall goals, but the specific actions they intend to take to achieve their goals. State your position clearly. Use and cite at least one solid academic source to defend your position (do not use information from the interest group itself as a source of evidence – evidence must come from outside the group). I am not looking for an explanation of your opinion or beliefs about the objectives, but an evidence-based argument that engages with statistics, research studies, case studies, expert analysis or the like from cited, solid academic sources.
4. Respond to another student’s post. Choose a student who responded to a different topic/option or chose a different interest group than you did. You may agree or disagree with their position but your response should be more than just opinion – use and cite solid academic sources to deepen and extend the discussion.

ANSWER

Interest Groups

The National Rifles Association (NRA) strives to protect the rights accorded to citizens by the Second Amendment, i.e., the right to purchase, possess, and exhibit firearms. It operate at the national level. It has five main goals: to protect Second Amendment Rights to train security agencies, private citizens, and militia on safe firearm use and handling, to promote shooting sports at the local, national, and international levels, and encourage hunters’ safety and hunting as a sport. Through its lobbying arm, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA), NRA has successfully campaigned for constitutional carry legislation to promote Second Amendment rights.

I support NRA’s constitutional carry initiatives due to the lack of empirical evidence linking the legislation with increased crime rates. Gun control advocates oppose the constitutional carry legislation claiming that it increases violent crimes. However, Hamill et al.’s (2019) study found no statistically significant relationship between constitutional carry legislation and violent crimes over the past 30 years. Another study by Donohue (2003) analyzed both evidence for and against constitutional carry and concluded that more evidence supports the idea that the legislation decreases, rather than increases, crime (p.326). According to Donohue (2003), most empirical data against constitutional carry primarily disputes the legislation’s ability to reduce crimes, but none have demonstrated that it increases crimes.

Mass shootings, particularly school violence, are understandably frustrating and a cause for concern. However, data trends have demonstrated that constitutional carry legislation does not affect these violent crimes and, most importantly, does not increase them. Blaming one legislation for the mass shootings despite empirical evidence indicating otherwise is irrational. Until the actual cause for violent crimes has been identified and ascertained, we must allow other law-abiding citizens to enjoy their constitutional rights, including the right to possess and use firearms.

References

Donohue, J. J. (2003). The impact of concealed-carry laws. Evaluating gun policy, 287-324. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.527.82&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Hamill, M. E., Hernandez, M. C., Bailey, K. R., Zielinski, M. D., Matos, M. A., & Schiller, H. J. (2019). State level firearm concealed-carry legislation and rates of homicide and other violent crime. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, 228(1), 1-8.

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