Key Links
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.
Democratic National Committee
Republican National Committee
Libertarian Party
Reform Party
U.S. Taxpayers Party
Greens
Natural Law Party
ADVOCACY
Policy.com
The Virtual Community of Associations
National Lobbyist Directory
American League of Lobbyists
CONSULTANTS
Political Resources, Inc.
Campaigns& Elections
Yahoo
links
THINK TANKS
Cato Institute
Heritage Foundation
National Center for Policy Analysis
Urban Institute
American Enterprise Institute
Brookings Institution
FOUNDATIONS
Pew Charitable Trusts
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Markle Foundation
The Foundation Center
MEDIA
C-SPAN
National Press Club
National Association of Broadcasters
Newspaper Association of America
Media Research Center
Center for Media and Public Affairs
COMMUNITY
National Civic League
Idealist (Action Without
Borders)
America's Promise
ACADEMIC
The Annenberg Public Policy Center--University
of Pennsylvania
John F. Kennedy School of Government--Harvard University Institute
of Politics PRG
The Graduate School of Political
Management--The George Washington University
Center
for Congressional and Presidential Studies--American University
American Political Science Association
PERSPECTIVE
Political Resources on the Net
Political Site of the Day