REASSESSING THE INTEREST GROUPS INFLUENCE: DEMOCRATIC RISKS AND REGULATORY RESPONSES IN US POLICY-MAKING

Abstract

The influence of interest groups in United States policy-making process is undeniable. This study critically examines that how interest groups shape public policy in the United States and evaluates the democratic risks their influence poses, alongside regulatory and institutional responses designed to mitigate those risks. This research evaluates negative impact of interest groups on US public policy from a critical perspective. The study, based on qualitative and institutional analysis, examines that how the mechanisms of campaign financing, lobbying practices, and Supreme Court decisions have altered relationship between political participation and democratic fairness. This reassessment underscores that managing the interest group influence is not about the exclusion but about calibrating engagement to uphold democratic ideals.The study does not dispute constitutional right to advocate and engage politically; it just asserts that the current system gives an unfair advantage to moneyed interests, eroding public trust and making democracy less responsive. Finally, the article offers a set of specific regulatory r eforms intended to make the US policy-making process more transparent, to curb undue influence, and to create a fairer environment for the interaction between organized interests and the public good than what exists today.