Interest Groups in the USA

Question 1

What is pluralism? What is elitism? - Interest Groups

Answer 1

Pluralism: whereby political power is distributed among the population and allows a variety of political interests to be represented.
Elitism: where political power rests with a small group only, meaning only very few people have their interests represented.

Question 2

What is electioneering? How effective is this method of influence and how may it be criticised? - Interest Groups

Answer 2

Electioneering is where groups donate money to politicians and campaigns. This method is highly influential on candidates as the provision of funds can influence policy stances. This method can be criticised for being elitist and financially corrupt, creating the excessive influence of money in US politics.

Question 3

What examples are there of groups in the US using electioneering and endorsement to advance their aims? - Interest Groups

Answer 3

The NRA uses its ‘Victory Fund’ PAC to bypass campaign finance restrictions, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence endorsed Biden and committed funds to his campaign, while the National Right to Life did the same for Trump.

Question 4

What is lobbying? How effective is this method and what criticisms are there of it? - Interest Groups

Answer 4

Lobbying is where large interest groups employ professionals to exploit access points within government to advance their aims. This is highly effective as it results in issues being taken right to the heart of government where they may be influential, however it is highly elitist.

Question 5

Describe the method of groups organising grassroots activities. How effective is this method and what are criticisms of this? - Interest Groups

Answer 5

Marches, demonstrations, mass letters and petitions are signed by constituents and voters to show support for a cause and attempt to influence a cause. This can struggle to be influential as Congress as a whole pays little attention to these activities, favouring elitist causes/

Question 6

Describe the method of pressure groups attracting publicity. How effective is this method and what criticisms are there of this? - Interest Groups

Answer 6

Pressure groups organise media campaigns to attract attention from the unlicensed and build pressure on politicians to initiate change. This can be effective if support is significantly widespread, yet if not then it is unlikely to succeed. Negative publicity can derail a campaign.

Question 7

What example is there of a campaign generating significant publicity and pressurising government? - Interest Groups

Answer 7

In 2020, the BLM movement coordinated significant support following the murder of George Floyd to pressurise government through marches, protests and media campaigns.

Question 8

Describe the process of a group using legal methods to achieve their aims? How effective is this method and how can it be criticised? - Interest Groups

Answer 8

Pressure groups can lead legal action against governments to enforce change. This method can be effective but depends on the attitude of a Court and in society to really initiate any change for a pressure group.

Question 9

What instances are there of legal action being used by pressure groups to create change? - Interest Groups

Answer 9

In 1954, the NAACP organised the Brown v Board ruling to desegregate education, while there was also a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s banning of transgender healthcare protections.

Question 10

What are the functions of interest groups in terms of representation and participation? - Interest Groups

Answer 10

Representation: provide an important link between constituents and representatives/government as a result of increased communication of views.
Participation: provide opportunity to participate in politics, more frequent participation available to areas which interest individuals.

Question 11

What are the functions of pressure groups in terms of agenda building and programme monitoring? - Interest Groups

Answer 11

Agenda building: influencing an agenda by contacting parties, representatives, legislators and bureaucrats. Brings together different views in society.
Programme monitoring: scrutinising proposals and holding government to account in their implementation of policy. Will produce reports on policy impacts.

Question 12

What example is there of an interest group conducting programme monitoring? - Interest Groups

Answer 12

The ACLU asked for a legal challenge against the Trump administration’s travel ban on 7 Muslim countries.

Question 13

What examples are there of pro-life activists participating in agenda-building? - Interest Groups

Answer 13

‘Heartbeat bills’ which would restrict abortion availability were lobbied for by Americans United for Life and Faith 2 Action.

Question 14

Between 2010-18, how many abortion bills were directly copied from those produced by interest groups? - Interest Groups

Answer 14

Between 2010-18, 400 abortion bills were copied from those produced by pro-life groups.

Question 15

What instance is there of a pressure group acting to preserve citizens’ political participation and political rights? - Interest Groups

Answer 15

CitizensUnited.org led to the ending of restrictions on soft money donations made by organisations, with this ruling effectively credited with creating Super PACs in line with the First Amendment and its right to free speech.

Question 16

In 2022, how much money was spent on attempts to lobby the federal government? - Interest Groups

Answer 16

In 2022 $3.7bn was spent on attempts to lobby the federal government.

Question 17

What instance is there of successful lobbying over environmental issues during the Trump presidency? - Interest Groups

Answer 17

Under Donald Trump, regulations surrounding the environment were reduced following an attempt to lobby the federal government by fossil fuel companies. This occurred through an Executive Order to end carbon emission restrictions.

Question 18

Why do pressure groups aim to influence the Executive? How do they do this? - Interest Groups

Answer 18

Reassure groups aim to influence the Executive as the exploiting of relationships here can directly alter policy to the advantage of a certain group. This can occur through meetings with Executive Agencies, contact with officials, etc.

Question 19

Why do pressure groups lobby legislators (2)? How do they do this? - Interest Groups

Answer 19

Pressure groups lobby legislators to persuade them to support legislative positions that favour their specific policy objectives, as well as persuade committees to pass legislation favourable to that group. Lobby legislators via constituents through sending mass letters supporting stances, produce information to lobby legislators.

Question 20

What instance is there of pressure groups attempting to lobby legislators over the Trans-Pacific Partnership? How many groups participated? - Interest Groups

Answer 20

1500 pressure groups participated in a mass letter signing exercise of constituents designed to oppose the US’s participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Question 21

What % of successful House candidates had a greater level of funds than their opponents in 2012? - Interest Groups

Answer 21

In 2012, 95% of successful House candidates had a greater level of funds than their opponents.

Question 22

What instance is there of a religiously-minded group representing their case at a standing committee? - Interest Groups

Answer 22

The Director of the Christian Legal Society’s religious freedom arm appeared at a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee on religious liberty in the US.

Question 23

Why do interest groups aim to lobby the judiciary? How do they do this? - Interest Groups

Answer 23

Interest groups lobby the judiciary to initiate legal change to alter public policy where it has not been possible to create legislative change in a gridlocked congress. They do this by supporting the nominations of particular justices, bringing legal cases and submitting amicus curiae briefs to the courts.

Question 24

What are 2 significant examples of legal cases able to alter public policy through the judiciary? - Interest Groups

Answer 24

1954’s Brown v Board desegregated education following legal pressure by the NAACP, while Citizens United v FEC created Super PACs to preserve unregulated political spending that was not directed towards campaigns.

Question 25

How much money was raised to lobby senators to support the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the SC? Why was this? - Interest Groups

Answer 25

$10m was raised by pro-Kavanaugh groups to lobby senators to support his nomination, with this occurring as conservatively-minded groups wished to influence the ideological balance of the Supreme Court.

Question 26

What instance is there of the NRA successfully bringing legal cases through the judiciary? - Interest Groups

Answer 26

2008’s District of Columbia v Heller declared Washington DC’s ban on handguns to be unconstitutional in line with the 2nd Amendment, with the NRA’s action through this hence helping to preserve gun rights in line with their agenda.

Question 27

What is the revolving door syndrome? What are criticisms of this? - Interest Groups

Answer 27

The revolving door syndrome is the process by which individuals will move between the sectors of corporate lobbying, government and the legislature. This sees people able to exploit their knowledge of government and Congress within certain sectors to amass financial gain working as a lobbyist and creates closed circles of political action.

Question 28

What are iron triangles? - Interest Groups

Answer 28

Iron triangles are strong relationships between pressure groups, congressional committees and government departments related to a certain policy area which attempt to achieve mutually beneficial policy outcomes.

Question 29

What criticisms are there of iron triangles? - Interest Groups

Answer 29

Iron triangles arguably close off policy making and decision taking from the electorate, with government largely operating within closed structures in the government, legislature and corporate lobbying sectors. It results in policy making not taking voters into consideration.

Question 30

What is the role of the interest group EMILY’s List? What do they aim to achieve? - Interest Groups

Answer 30

EMILY’s List aim to support female candidates early in an electoral process to encourage more women to be representatives in Congress.

Question 31

What is the aim of the League of Conservation Voters? - Interest Groups

Answer 31

The League of Conservation Voters aims to focus on policies that protect the environment, seeking to enhance regulation to conserve this.

Question 32

What is the League of Conservation Voters’ ‘Dirty Dozen’ campaign? How many of their dozen were defeated in 2012? - Interest Groups

Answer 32

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ campaign targets 12 politicians who have poor voting records and stances on the environment, and in doing so aims to defeat them at election. In 2012, 11 of these 12 were defeated.

Question 33

What is the current membership size of the NRA? How much does it spend on its operations annually? - Interest Groups

Answer 33

The NRA currently has 3.7 million members, spending $250m on operations every year.

Question 34

How many members does the American Federation of Labor have? How many times did its President meet Obama in his first 6 months in office? - Interest Groups

Answer 34

The American Federation of Labor has 12 million members. Its president met Obama 6 times during his first 6 months in office.

Question 35

What arguments exist in favour of interest groups? - Interest Groups

Answer 35

Interest groups provide legislators and bureaucrats with information about policy, increase opportunity for participation, increase accountability of government, aggregate views of members and concerned organisations, enhance freedom of speech, increase representation BETWEEN ELECTIONS.

Question 36

How do pressure groups create a conflict between the public interest and special interests? - Interest Groups

Answer 36

Pressure groups often campaign on very narrow interests that are not shared by the population in their entirety, instead they are held by limited groups. The fact that these views can permeate to the heart of government ahead of more widely held opinions of the electorate indicate that minority views are taking precedence.

Question 37

What are American examples of sectional groups? - Interest Groups

Answer 37

US Chamber of Commerce, the American Bar Association, the American Federation of Labor, the National Governors Association.

Question 38

What are American examples of promotional groups? - Interest Groups

Answer 38

The NRA, the League of Conservation Voters, EMILY’s List, the Occupy Movement, the American Civil Liberties Union.

Question 39

What are amicus curiae briefs? How can they hope to influence the judiciary? - Interest Groups

Answer 39

Amicus curiae briefs are reports submitted to a court before a case formally begins in which expert parties can submit their opinions prior to oral arguments being given.

Question 40

What instances are there of amicus curiae briefs being used in the US? - Interest Groups

Answer 40

Amicus curiae briefs were used heavily on the Gratz v Bollinger and Grutter v Bollinger affirmative action cases, brought by those who supported the university’s admission policy. 33 briefs were also used on McDonald v City of Chicago (2010), which continued to uphold gun rights.