Interest Groups

Question 1

What is an interest group?

Answer 1

• an organization of people whose members share policy views on specific issues and attempt to influence public policy to their benefit
• operate at every level of govt

Question 2

ways interest groups link citizens to govt

Answer 2

1. express members’ preferences to govt policymakers
2. express govt policy info to their members
3. raise and spend money to influence policymakers

Question 3

differences between interest groups and political parties

Answer 3

1. political parties nominate candidates, contest elections, and seek to gain control over govt; whereas, interest groups seek to support public officials and influences public policies
2. pp: positions on a wide range of public issues; whereas, ig: focus on specific issues that affect their members (able to articulate specific policy positions)
3. pp: public organizations that are accountable to voters; whereas, ig: private organizations accountable to members

Question 4

explosion of interest groups

Answer 4

• officials in legislative and execute branches control distribution of billions of dollars
• many industries and corporations now have representation through interest groups in D.C.
• 6,000 in 1959 to 22,000 in 2010

Question 5

business groups

Answer 5

large corporations employ lobbyists to monitor legislative activity that may affect their business

Question 6

3 examples of business group

Answer 6

1. National Association of Manufacturers - represents 12,000 manufacturers everywhere; focuses on legislation affecting labor laws, minimum wages, corporate taxes, and trade regulations
2. Chamber of Commerce - $20 million a year, largest, lobbies for 3,000 local chambers and 3 million members
3. Business Roundtable - 150 CEOs of leading corporations with $5 trillion in revenues and 10 million employees

Question 7

labor groups

Answer 7

reached peak in 1956 when 33% of nonagricultural work force belonged to a union; now 13% belong to union

Question 8

example of labor groups

Answer 8

American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (largest at 10 million workers)

Question 9

agricultural groups

Answer 9

farmers comprise less than 2% population but play important role in shaping agricultural policies

Question 10

Examples of agricultural groups

Answer 10

1. broad-based: Farm Bureau and National Farmers Union

2. specific: National Milk Producers Federation (interest of dairy farmers)

Question 11

examples of professional associations

Answer 11

1. National Education Association - represents public school teachers, support personnel, and retired teachers (involved in debate concerning No Child Left Behind Act)
2. American Medical Association - represents medical students and physicians (involved in proposals to reform health care)
3. American Bar Association - lawyers and law students (involved in setting academic standards for law schools and in formulating ethical codes for the legal profession

Question 12

leading environmental groups

Answer 12

-Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and World Wildlife Fund

Question 13

environmental groups

Answer 13

• support wilderness protection, pollution control, and animal rights
• oppose strip mining, nuclear power plants, and offshore drilling

Question 14

leading public interest groups

Answer 14

• Common Cause

- League of Women Voters

Question 15

public interest groups

Answer 15

• promote public good

- support consumer rights, alternative sources of clean energy, and electoral reform

Question 16

examples of equality interests

Answer 16

1. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - fights racial discrimination
2. National Organization of Women - “to take act to bring women into full participation in society….”

Question 17

examples of single-issue groups

Answer 17

• focus their efforts on one issue
• National Right to Life Committee opposes abortion against Planned Parenthood
• National Rifle Association - people have right to bear arms vs. National Coalition to Bar Handguns = gun control

Question 18

fundamental goals of interest groups

Answer 18

1. gain access to policymakers
2. influence public policy
3. support sympathetic policymakers

Question 19

lobbying/lobbyists

Answer 19

• the process by which interest groups attempt to influence the decisions of policymakers
• people who do this

Question 20

lobbying Congress

Answer 20

• testify before congressional committees and provide members of Congress with info on technical issues through meeting with congressional aides
• also bring influential constituents to Washington to discuss important policy matters with their representatives

Question 21

lobbying the executive branch

Answer 21

• present a point of view to White House aides and other govt officials
• presidents create staff position to provide interest groups with access to their administration

Question 22

lobbying the courts

Answer 22

• cannot have informal meeting with a judge like Congress or executive branch
• if interest groups fail to achieve their goals in Congress, they can often take their case to court
• role in influencing who is elected to federal courts

Question 23

Example of lobbying the courts

Answer 23

• Congress thwarted NAACP’s efforts to support civil rights legislation, so they responded by supporting the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka case
• victory for interest groups who were encouraged to use litigation to achieve goals

Question 24

amicus curiae

Answer 24

“friend of the court”; consist of written arguments submitted to a court in support of one side of a case

Question 25

amicus curiae

Answer 25

“friend of the court”; consist of written arguments submitted to a court in support of one side of a case

Question 26

political action committee (PAC)

Answer 26

formed by business, labor, or other interest group sot raise money and make contributions to the campaign of political candidates whom they support

Question 27

How is the amount of money that a PAC can contribute to a candidate limited?

Answer 27

• can only contribute max of 5K

- elections such as primaries, general, and special are separate

Question 28

How many PACs?

Answer 28

4600: ½ corporations and business groups

Question 29

How do PACs support incumbent members of the HoR?

Answer 29

contribute to campaigns of House members who serve on committees or subcommittees that consider legislation affecting the interest group

Question 30

How do interest groups shape public opinion?

Answer 30

k

Question 31

How do interest groups shape public opinion?

Answer 31

• undertake expensive public relations campaigns to bring an issue to the public’s attention
• use ads to promote their image as good citizens who protect environ. and care about communities
• highly visible protest demonstrations (civil rights groups)

Question 32

factors that contribute to the success of an interest group

Answer 32

1. size
2. intensity
3. financial resources

Question 33

Why is size not always an asset?

Answer 33

• free-rider problem: people who benefit from an interest group without making any contribution
• indirectly proportional

Question 34

Why are single-interest groups more affective in terms of intensity?

Answer 34

able to mobilize members who are intensely committed to the group’s goals

Question 35

Why is money necessary to an interest group?

Answer 35

funding for: hiring lobbyists, support PACs, write amicus curiae briefs, and pay for a host

Question 36

the power elite theory

Answer 36

• small number of super rich individuals, powerful corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas
• ex) relationship between Wall Street interests and Washington policymakers

Question 37

Why do PACs encourage a close connection between money and politics?

Answer 37

Business PACs command immense funding that give them accuse and influence over policymakers

Question 38

the pluralist theory

Answer 38

• many interest groups compete for power in large number of policy areas
• policies emerge from bargaining and compromises among competing groups
• America’s three branches provide many points of access and influence
• interest groups can use size and intensity to achieve goals

Question 39

the hyperpluralist theory

Answer 39

• too many interest groups trying to influence public policy
• ex) when leaders try to appease competing interest groups, they often create policies that are confusing. Result: legislators avoid difficult decisions