Even ignoring the common good: Why do interest groups so often impede the long-term progress of their own goals?
Why, when X is simple, strong, and sufficient to advance the group purpose, will a group instead focus on advancing some complicated and contentious Y?
Many groups, (including some I support), appear genuinely unable to do any long-term strategic thinking at all, or powerless to control their internal social forces.
If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.
Notes for future OT posters:
1. Please add the 'open_thread' tag.
2. Check if there is an active Open Thread before posting a new one. (Immediately before; refresh the list-of-threads page before posting.)
3. Open Threads should be posted in Discussion, and not Main.
4. Open Threads should start on Monday, and end on Sunday.