Comparing Pressure Groups Flashcards
Examples of similar interest groups in the UK and the USA:
-the US Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of British industry
-the AFL-CIO and the TUC
Similar promotional groups in the US:
-American Civil Liberties and Liberty (UK)
In which country do pressure groups have more access points?
-US: Federal system creates more access points
-more frequent elections
-more direct democracy (more ballot initiatives, in the US, referendums happen less frequently in the UK)
Why do pressure groups in the US have greater influence in elections than UK pressure groups?
-US pressure groups can spend an unlimited amount on election campaigns
What is the maximum amount of money a pressure groups can spend on a general election in the UK?
£319,000
How much money did Super PACs spend on the 2020 election?
$1.8 billion
How much did pressure groups in the UK spend on the 2017 election?
£2.5 million
How many professional lobbyists are there in the US?
11,000
How many registered lobbying firms and individuals are there in the UK?
140
What was the UK lobbying industry worth in the UK in 2017?
£2 billion
What was the US lobbying industry worth in the US in 2019?
$3.47 billion
What rules have been put in place to slow the revolving door of lobbying in the UK and the US?
-in the UK ministers can’t lobby for 2yrs after leaving government
-Trump in 2017 placed a 5yr ban on former gov officials lobbying government
Why can pressure groups in the US have a greater impact on legal challenges than in the UK?
-judicial review in the UK is limited to government (not as an act of parliament)
-US Pressure groups can submit Amicus Curia briefs to the courts (effective way to change legislation)
Example of Pressure Groups influencing the judicial process in the UK:
-Public Law Project v Lord Chancellor (2016)
-successfully challenged a government imposition of a residence test for legal aid
How much is the average cost of winning a House Seat?
-$1.5 million
-legislatures have a strong incentive to keep financial backers happy
What type of pressure groups has close links to political parties in the US?
-promotion groups e.g Gun Rights
-UK promotional groups are often charities and can’t endorse a party
What percentage of donations to the Labour Party for the 2019 election came from Trade Unions?
93%
Why is it easier to lobby in the US?
-weaker party discipline
-more access points
Which Pressure Group supported Brett Kavanaugh in 2018?
The US Chamber of Commerce
What is the Brandy Campaign?
-supports gun control legislation
-convinced congress to pass the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act 1994
Why is the US unable to achieve substantial gun control?
-gun rights protected in the 2nd Amendment
-SCOTUS defined it as an individual right in District of Columbia v Heller (2008)
What is the Snowdrop Campaign?
-founded in 1996 after a massacre in a primary school in Scotland
-petitioned for the band of handguns (signed by 700,000)
-John Majors government responded by introducing a ban on handguns
Argument that US pressure groups have more influence:
-more access point and regular elections
-separation of powers
-weak party discipline
-unlimited spending on electoral campaigns
-Iron triangles
-pressure groups can use legal challenges to achieve ruling
-Amicus Curiea Briefs
Argument that UK pressure groups have more influence:
-lack of entrenched constitutional rights means that pressure groups can convince government to make sweeping changes to the law
-tight electoral finance laws means poorly funded groups are at less of a disadvantage
-professional lobbying industry is growing
-the revolving door exists in the UK (cash for access scandal)
