State Research Elements that Influence State Government

For this assignment, choose from the following options: Option 1: Interest Group News Piece Option 2: Web Encyclopedia Option 3: Legislative Aide Read the instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: State Research Elements that Influence State Government located on the student website and select one option to complete the assignment. ***I ATTACHED ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COMPLETE THIS ASSIGNMENT UNDER REFERENCE DOCUMENTS...

University of Phoenix Material

State Research Elements that Influence State Government Select and complete one of the following assignments: Option 1: Interest Group News Piece Option 2: Web Encyclopedia Option 3: Legislative Aide

Option 1: Interest Group News Piece You are a reporter and must provide a 700- to 1,050-word piece on an interest group for the Sunday paper. Use the following questions as a guide for preparing your news piece: Identify and provide a description of one interest group and its connection or relationship to each of the two principal political parties. How does each influence the state government? Summarize the information you found regarding the election process of your state and the effects of citizen participation on the process. Format your news piece consistent with APA guidelines.

Option 2: Web Encyclopedia You have been assigned the task of preparing a web encyclopedia entry for an interest group. Using the following as a guide, prepare your 700- to 1,050-word web entry:

 Identify and provide a description of one interest group and its connection or relationship to each of the two principal political parties. How does each influence the state government? Summarize the information you found regarding the election process of your state and the effects of citizen participation on the process. Format your web entry consistent with APA guidelines.

Option 3: Legislative Aide You are working as an aide for a representative in your state legislature, and he or she has asked you for a summary of information on a particular interest group. Use the following to prepare your 700- to 1,050-word summary:

Identify and provide a description of one interest group and its connection or relationship to each of the two principal political parties. How does each influence the state government? Summarize the information you found regarding the election process of your state and the effects of citizen participation on the process. Format your summary consistent with APA guidelines.

Interest groups, also known as advocacy groups and advocacies, are organizations that aim to influence state policy on various issues in a particular direction. The motives of such groups vary greatly. Their agenda may be as altruistic as promoting environmental friendly practices, or as business-like as lobbying for leeway on taxes for a particular industry (for example: aerospace) Over time, such groups have evolved to a degree that many now enjoy considerable influence over legislators, bureaucrats and the public at large. These groups generally employ lobbyists to convey their priorities to state politicians and influence them.

One such interest group is the Citizens of Tax Justice, formed in 1979. Its purview includes local, federal and state tax policies. On its website, the organization identifies its mission as giving ordinary people a greater voice in the development of tax laws. (http://www.ctj.org/about/background.php) The CTJs major areas of action are: 1. Ensuring that the wealthy members of society pay an adequate share to the states coffers, hence ensuring affordable tax imposition on middle and lower-income families 2. Minimizing the probability and occurrence of tax evasion by major corporations, by fixing loopholes in the corporate tax code 3. Ensuring taxation that helps maintain a fair balance in economic markets 4. Ensuring that revenues earned by the government are spent in funding important government services 5. Reducing federal debt The CTJs first major moment of impact came in 1984, when it influenced change in the Republican era of Ronald Reagan. The CTJ lobbied against the Republicans tax policies which offered many-a-shelter to corporations, while being particularly harsh on low and middle income families. The CTJ revealed that major corporations did not pay a penny in taxes to the United States government. (http://www.ctj.org/about/background.php) This initiated a change by the Federal government, which resulted in the paradigm shifting Tax Reforms Act of 1986. The act, signed by then Republican president, led to an increase in tax on corporations and decrease in tax on individuals (while being revenue neutral in the aggregate). (TaxFoundation.org) On the other end of the political spectrum, the CTJ is a vital source of information for liberal democrats. This relationship has also stemmed and drawn strength from the fact that CTJs research has often criticized Republican tax policies harshly. The aforementioned case that led to reform of Tax law in 1986 is not the only case. In 2001 too, the CTJ opposed Bushs tax reform heavily. The influence and reputation enjoyed by CTJ Director Bob McIntyre can be clearly gauged from the New York Times words, stating that McIntyre no doubt exerted more influence on the tax debate this year than any lobbyist in town. (NYT, 2001) As far as state elections in Arizona are concerned, these are governed by state legislatures. As with the federal government, partition of powers applies to state governments as well. Therefore, the governor and the remaining ruling body are elected through separated processes. Earlier, a fixed amount of public

financial support was provided to all Arizona candidates who wished to compete in the elections. The state became the fourth in the nation to institute a "Citizens Clean Elections Act", which created a state commission that collected money for candidates who were dependent on public financing for their campaigns. However, this policy was fiercely contested by lawyers and the Institute of Justice (Weigel, 2002) The influence of these public advocacies was demonstrated when recently the Supreme Court stopped an important cog in this financing system, thus effectively bringing the financing scheme to a halt. (New York Times, 2010)

1. http://www.ctj.org/about/background.php. - Accessed on November 13, 2011. 2. "Federal Individual Income Tax Rates History". TaxFoundation.org. 19132009. Retrieved 2009-03-06. 3. ^ "In Search of America Pages 67-69, 86;". Hyperion. 2002. 4. "PUBLIC LIVES; Little-Known Crusader Plays a Big Role in Tax Debate". NYT. 2001. 5. 6.http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/docview/818768353/133028040A38453F7C/6 ?accountid=35812