Political interest groups have had a profound influence on important government decisions throughout United States history. James Madison believed that everyone was interested; therefore, interest groups are an assemblage of individuals sharing the same self-interest and acting together to achieve goals beyond individual reach in complex societies. These interest groups are highly organized factions that have a certain agenda that is important to them. To ensure their agenda is protected, these groups will often lobby different levels of government, have new laws or regulations instituted that will facilitate their agenda, or oppose possible laws, codes, or regulations that could harm their agenda. interests. Some citizens firmly believe that a plethora of interest groups is good for democracy; However, some believe that interest groups are slowly eroding democracy, are only interested in personal gain, and should be limited in number. In the United States there are approximately 300 million interested people governed by fewer than six hundred representatives. Because the general population vastly outnumbers elected representatives, the worldview of each interested person cannot be heard through the general democratic process; therefore, people with similar interests come together to create interest groups to make their voices and opinions heard. Because the population is so large, there are bound to be many interest groups "that are, and should be, free to compete for influence in government because the outcome of that competition leads to compromise and moderation" (Ginsberg 17) . Daniel Pinello, America's fight for same-sex marriage ... middle of paper ...... factions trying to take control without seeking election and they have succeeded. Whether there are many competing interest groups, or just a few, people will remain interested and try to make their voices heard. Interest groups simply bring interested people together to ensure that the views of that group are heard. There will always be people who bond over their interests, believe they can achieve better results together, and attempt to influence the government to achieve their interests, because it is common sense that two people, or groups, work better than one. Works Cited Ginsberg, Benjamin, Theodore J. Lowi, and Margaret Weir. We the People: An Introduction to American Politics. Seventh ed. shorter. New York: WW Norton &, 2009. Print. Pinello, Daniel R. The American Struggle for Same-Sex Marriage. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. Print.