Interest groups

Question 1

Who do interest groups seek to influence?

Answer 1

All three branches of the federal and local state government

Question 2

What are the three types of interest groups?

Answer 2

single issue interest groups
professional interest groups
policy groups

Question 3

What are single issue interest groups?

Answer 3

These groups seek to influence change over a very narrow policy area

Question 4

Give an example of a single issue interest group

Answer 4

the NRA (national rifle association) - fights for the rights of gun owners

Question 5

What are professional interest groups?

Answer 5

They represent interests of a group of workers/ professionals e.g. lawyers, doctors etc

Question 6

What are policy groups?

Answer 6

Interest groups wanting to influence an entire policy areas e.g. environment, foreign policy etc

They typically have an ideological belief in their goals

Question 7

Give an example of a policy group

Answer 7

The Sierra club is an environmental interest group which develops policy in a wide range of areas affecting the environment

Question 8

Give an example of a professional interest group

Answer 8

The American Farm Bureau federation represents farmers across America (agricultural policies)

Question 9

What are factors that can influence IG’s?

Answer 9

funds - to hire expensive lobbyists & organise grassroots campaigns more effectively

membership - a group that can mobilise may voters = threat to member of congress up for re-election, experts big donors & lawyers

access - access/support of politicians - IG’s can also use access points due to federalist system of government that provides multiple e.g. the White House to attract attention

Question 10

the NRA (single issue) was able to spend $___ million on lobbying in 201_

Answer 10

5 million
2017

Question 11

How much did the NRA contribute to electoral campaigns in 2017?

Answer 11

$700,000

Question 12

What are the functions of interest groups?

Answer 12

representation - an important link between the public & politicians, for many the most effect channel of rep

citizen participation - allows citizens to ppt in decision making and political activism

public education - groups educate and inform public opinion

Question 13

What are the tactics of interest groups?

Answer 13

lobbying
electioneering & endorsements
organising grassroots activities

Question 14

How do IG’s use lobbying to achieve their aims?

Answer 14

• Professional lobbyists e.g. previous White House staffers & congress members who provide groups with access to politicians/ info that makes a group useful to politicians
• could mean drafting legislation and trying to win a congressional sponsor to introduce the legislation into congress

Question 15

Give an example of lobbying

Answer 15

340 former congressional staff worked for pharmaceutical groups - their lobbying firms offering valuable info on legislative process & gave access to people they used to work with

Question 16

How do IG’s use electioneering and endorsements to achieve their aims?

Answer 16

• campaign funding reforms in the 1970’s limited how much any interest group can give to a candidate in a federal election (led to PAC’s & super PAC’s)
• groups can choose to support candidates based on favourable policies for them

Question 17

How do IG’s use organising grassroots activities to achieve their aims?

Answer 17

• social media or phone blitzes on congress are arranged
• marches and demonstrations can raise the profile of an interest group - often aimed at access points
• civil disobedience can also raise the profile of an interest group e.g. laying down in the street causing traffic

Question 18

Name 3 policy areas in which IG’s have been influential?

Answer 18

women’s rights
abortion rights
gun control
racial inequality

Question 19

How have IG’s been influential in the policy area abortion rights?

Answer 19

pro life & pro choice lobbies have been active for the past 40 - 50yrs they try to be influential not only in the abortion debate but also SC nominations & appointments e.g. Brett Kavanaugh who pro choice NARAL lobbied against due to sexual assault allegations

Question 20

How have IG’s been influential in the policy area gun control?

Answer 20

The NRA is one of the most powerful Interest groups and it seeks to protect the 2nd amendment -e.g the NRA endorsed around 50 democrats and was successful in having 4 of them oppose Obama’s gun control measures - has found itself on the defensive following the deaths of 17 people in a Florida high school shooting (2018)

Question 21

How have IG’s been influential in the policy area racial inequality?

Answer 21

The BLM movement reached it’s peak following the killing of George Floyd in 2020 by police officers - these protests occurred throughout the country & were mostly peaceful - accumulated a large amount of support - led to prioritisation of police reform

Question 22

identify two ways in which IG’s try to impact congress

Answer 22

• Directly lobbying members of congress, attempting to influence legislation and the way they cast their votes
• Lobbying congressional committee’s especially those related to their interests
• Organising constituents via social media, the internet etc threatening their chances of re-election
• Endorsing or opposing candidates who have vouched for policies that align with their beliefs

Question 23

identify two ways in which IG’s try to influence the exec branch

Answer 23

They seek to..
- Maintain strong ties with relevant exec departments, agencies & bureaus
- influence the drawing up and enactment of policy within their area of interest

Question 24

identify two ways in which IG’s try to influence the judiciary

Answer 24

• Take a lively interest in the nomination & confirmation of judges to the SC
• Try to influence court hearings through amicus curiae briefings read before oral arguments e.g GLAAD had more success in the case of the submission of amicus curiae briefs in Obergfell v Hodges (2015)

Question 25

What evidence is there that we need interest groups?

Answer 25

• They provide legislators and bureaucrats with useful information and act as a sounding board in policy creation
• They broaden the opportunities for participation in democracy
• Can increase levels of accountability for congress, the executive and the SC
• They enhance freedom of speech = democratic value

Question 26

What evidence is there that we don’t need interest groups?

Answer 26

• Allows/nurtures revolving door syndrome (the practice by which former congressional members take up well paid lobbying jobs in Washington using their contacts) = politicians eventually disregard constituents for financial gain / corrupt political motivations diminish democracy
• Iron triangle syndrome (perpetuates a cosy relationship between IG’s and the relevant dept or agency) = depts of govt can be corrupted by IG’s and decide policies based on financial/personal gain
• Inequality of groups e.g. funds, membership etc
• Allegations of buying influence e.g. pharmaceutical
  companies