Interest Groups Flashcards
What is an interest group?
- 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
ways interest groups link citizens to govt
- express members’ preferences to govt policymakers
- express govt policy info to their members
- raise and spend money to influence policymakers
differences between interest groups and political parties
- 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
- 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)
- pp: public organizations that are accountable to voters; whereas, ig: private organizations accountable to members
explosion of interest groups
- 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
business groups
large corporations employ lobbyists to monitor legislative activity that may affect their business
3 examples of business group
- National Association of Manufacturers - represents 12,000 manufacturers everywhere; focuses on legislation affecting labor laws, minimum wages, corporate taxes, and trade regulations
- Chamber of Commerce - $20 million a year, largest, lobbies for 3,000 local chambers and 3 million members
- Business Roundtable - 150 CEOs of leading corporations with $5 trillion in revenues and 10 million employees
labor groups
reached peak in 1956 when 33% of nonagricultural work force belonged to a union; now 13% belong to union
example of labor groups
American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (largest at 10 million workers)
agricultural groups
farmers comprise less than 2% population but play important role in shaping agricultural policies
Examples of agricultural groups
- broad-based: Farm Bureau and National Farmers Union
2. specific: National Milk Producers Federation (interest of dairy farmers)
examples of professional associations
- National Education Association - represents public school teachers, support personnel, and retired teachers (involved in debate concerning No Child Left Behind Act)
- American Medical Association - represents medical students and physicians (involved in proposals to reform health care)
- American Bar Association - lawyers and law students (involved in setting academic standards for law schools and in formulating ethical codes for the legal profession
leading environmental groups
-Sierra Club, Audubon Society, and World Wildlife Fund
environmental groups
- support wilderness protection, pollution control, and animal rights
- oppose strip mining, nuclear power plants, and offshore drilling
leading public interest groups
- Common Cause
- League of Women Voters
public interest groups
- promote public good
- support consumer rights, alternative sources of clean energy, and electoral reform
examples of equality interests
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - fights racial discrimination
- National Organization of Women - “to take act to bring women into full participation in society….”
examples of single-issue groups
- 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
fundamental goals of interest groups
- gain access to policymakers
- influence public policy
- support sympathetic policymakers
lobbying/lobbyists
- the process by which interest groups attempt to influence the decisions of policymakers
- people who do this
lobbying Congress
- 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
lobbying the executive branch
- 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
lobbying the courts
- 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
Example of lobbying the courts
- 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
amicus curiae
“friend of the court”; consist of written arguments submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
amicus curiae
“friend of the court”; consist of written arguments submitted to a court in support of one side of a case
political action committee (PAC)
formed by business, labor, or other interest group sot raise money and make contributions to the campaign of political candidates whom they support
How is the amount of money that a PAC can contribute to a candidate limited?
- can only contribute max of 5K
- elections such as primaries, general, and special are separate
How many PACs?
4600: ½ corporations and business groups
How do PACs support incumbent members of the HoR?
contribute to campaigns of House members who serve on committees or subcommittees that consider legislation affecting the interest group
How do interest groups shape public opinion?
k
How do interest groups shape public opinion?
- 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)
factors that contribute to the success of an interest group
- size
- intensity
- financial resources
Why is size not always an asset?
- free-rider problem: people who benefit from an interest group without making any contribution
- indirectly proportional
Why are single-interest groups more affective in terms of intensity?
able to mobilize members who are intensely committed to the group’s goals
Why is money necessary to an interest group?
funding for: hiring lobbyists, support PACs, write amicus curiae briefs, and pay for a host
the power elite theory
- 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
Why do PACs encourage a close connection between money and politics?
Business PACs command immense funding that give them accuse and influence over policymakers
the pluralist theory
- 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
the hyperpluralist theory
- 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
