Exam 3 Flashcards
Interest Groups
an organized group of like-minded individuals
who share common goals or objectives
who attempt to influence policymakers with respect to their shared goals
Incentives for Membership
Material Benefits
Financial gain or information
Solidary Benefits
Community and friendship
Purposive Benefits
Care about group goals
Free Rider Problem
Members and non-members benefit from group activities
Types of Interest Groups
Business – promotes trade and business organizations
Agricultural – backs farm interests
Labor – represents the working class
Public Employee – supports government employees
Environmental – advocates environmental policies
Public – upholds collective goals
Lobby Strategies
direct lobbying (considered best approach)-“inside stratedy”
Grassroots Lobbying – “Outside Strategy”
Litigation – “Legal Strategy”
Direct Lobbying Strategies
Actions taken in direct lobbying:
**Campaign assistance **
Political Action Committee (PAC)
A PAC can contribute directly to candidates’ campaigns and engage in limited political spending, but it has contribution limits from individuals and organizations.
** Super Political Action Committee (Super PAC) **
A Super PAC are unknown people who can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on independent political activities, such as negative ads or advocacy, but cannot contribute directly to candidates or coordinate with their campaigns.
**Ratings **
(interest groups will rate candidates based on how closely they align their positions to the group’s values and policy priorities)
(times when they chose not to rate)
Provide Information
(congressional hearings for example)
as accurate as they can make it, do not lie to Congress
Spend more time blocking or stopping something from achieving something
Grassroots Techniques
Here’s a refined breakdown of grassroots techniques and related lobbying strategies:
-
Using Constituents as Lobbyists
- where constituents (the people in a politician’s district) are encouraged to contact their elected officials directly to voice their opinions or concerns on specific policies. This approach leverages the influence of voters to sway lawmakers’ decisions, as officials are responsive to the concerns of their electorate.
-
Generating Public Pressure
- By mobilizing widespread public support through rallies, petitions, media campaigns, and social media, grassroots movements build pressure on policymakers to address or change policy on an issue that has clear public support.
-
Fallback Strategy of Direct Lobbying
- When grassroots lobbying is not sufficient, organizations may use direct lobbying by contacting lawmakers and policymakers directly to advocate for their causes, often involving one-on-one meetings and professional lobbyists.
-
Shotgun Approach
- This is a broad, scattershot strategy where lobbying efforts target a wide range of lawmakers or policymakers, hoping that some will support the cause, without necessarily focusing on any specific key individuals.
-
Rifle Approach
- The rifle approach is a focused strategy, where organizations target specific, influential individuals or groups who have significant sway over policy decisions. This approach was famously effective in passing legislation like Title IX, by appealing to select powerful advocates.
Litigation Techniques
Class Action Suits
Advocacy groups may use litigation to influence policy by bringing lawsuits or class action suits (when allowed by the court) to address issues they deem critical. By testing these cases in court, they seek legal rulings that support or expand rights for specific groups.
amicus curaie briefs
a document filed by a non-party to a case, offering information or arguments to assist the court in its decision.
Formation Economic Changes
Economic Changes
-Business, Agriculture, Labor
Entrepreneurship
-creates interest group under one person’s leadership
Entrepreneurship creates opportunities for individuals to form interest groups under one person’s leadership, where the leader guides the group toward advancing specific business, economic, or social goals, often influencing policy and public opinion.
Counter Organization
-opposing organizations(ex: pro choice vs pro life)
Government Policy
Government policy affects the formation and influence of interest groups by determining the legal and regulatory framework within which these groups operate, shaping the issues they advocate for and the methods they use.
Government Structure
-federal structure provides impact through mutiple level of gov. (federal, state, local) that they can lobby through.
Benefits interest groups
-pays to organize an interest group and more $= more sucess to conduct effective campaigns and fund lobbying efforts
Factors Influencing the Effectiveness of Interest Groups
Size of Membership
-Olson’s “Law of Large Groups”
bigger is not better and difficult for cohesion bc benefits get split in more ways
small/medium to be more effective; members get more benefits within the interest group; more cohesive
Intensity of Membership
feels strongly about what interest group is doing
Financial Resources
- best!!
- money is easily interchangable
Expertise of Members
understand how process works
Organization and Leadership
Regulate Interest Groups? Yes, why?
yes (should be regulated more)
PAC money creates obligations ($250 or more has to be reported)
Makes incumbents more secure (give more money to them and will return)
Allows coalitions to pool PAC money (canidate centered)
(pushes out individual contributers)
Increases influence of Big Business
Undermines political parties
Displaces individual contributors
Regulate Interest Groups? - No. why?
PAC money used to enter in other ways
Regulations violate 1st Amendment
Multiple Business PACs
Political parties already in decline
Individual contributors give the most
political culture
core values in politicla system
contrast w/ public opinion
politcial culture is more stable
public opinion changes overnight, rapid
political socialization
transmission of political values and norms from one genration to the next
political systen survival
agents of socialization
family
is most imp agent
schools
media
impt w. this generation
hyperdermic model
media is injected into people
