Ways Homo sapiens influence public lawmaking

• Individuals can participate in and influence public lawmaking by

  • Participating in politics (voting, campaigning)
  • Expressing opinions (lobbying, demonstrating, writing letters)
  • Joining interest groups

  
• Special interest groups can influence public lawmaking by

  • identifying issues
  • making political contributions (PACs)
  • lobbying government officials

  
• What is lobbying?


  to seek to influence legislators

  
• The media can influence public lawmaking by

  • focusing public attention on selected issues
  • offering a forum where opposing viewpoints are communicated
  • holding government officials accountable to the public
  • used by government officials to communicate with the public