Final answer:
Super PACs, business groups, and special interest groups have considerable influence in politics because they can spend large amounts of money to affect elections and governmental policy, especially following the Citizens United ruling. Interest groups support candidates to gain access to policymakers, and the amount of resources they have heavily influences their sway.
Step-by-step explanation:
Super PACs, business groups, and special interest groups are seen as powerful factions within the political landscape because they have the ability to spend vast amounts of money to influence election outcomes and governmental policy. Following the 2010 Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, there are now no limits to the amount of money unions or corporations can donate to super PACs. While super PACs cannot contribute directly to individual candidates, they can spend unlimited funds on behalf of political campaigns, making them particularly influential.
Interest groups support candidates sympathetic to their views, aiming to gain access to lawmakers once they are in office. Lawmakers, being policy generalists, often rely on interest groups and lobbyists to provide them with information on policy details and constituent perceptions. This dynamic suggests that the groups with the most resources at their disposal have significant advantages in getting their voices heard.
The political environment also plays a crucial role in determining influence. For example, the relationships special interests develop with political parties can greatly impact their legislative influence. Political action committees (PACs) serve as the official fundraising arms of interest groups, but are limited in contribution amounts, unlike super PACs. These financial dynamics contribute to a situation in which well-funded groups can wield more political power than those with a larger membership base but fewer economic resources.