A few stories have cropped up regarding the cohesiveness of both the environmental movement and the Episcopalian Church given conflict about two emerging issues. Both speak to the factors that influence interest group strength and the degree to which the introduction of a new issue (or an old one with a nuance) can split a group and make it less strong than it otherwise might be.
The issues are, respectively, nuclear power and homosexuality. Some in the environmental movement are rethinking their traditional opposition to nuclear power in the wake of concerns over global warming. Stewart Brand who has been a member in good standing of the environmental community for decades has been labled a heretic because of his recent support for nuclear power, which does not release carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
The U.S. Episcopalian Church's acceptance of gay bishops and civil unions for gay couples has led some of it's member organizations to leave it in favor of the Anglican Communion, a world wide organization.
The strength of interest groups is often less a matter of size than of cohesion, and cohesion is often due to control over the types of issues that the group focuses upon.
