Pressure groups Flashcards
What are the types of pressure group?
- Outsider groups are smaller, less well funded and less well connected. More likely to use direct action such as marches
E.g. BLM - Insider groups are well funded, with strong ties to the government. More likely to use lower profile methods like hiring lobbyists
E.g. NRA - Cause (promotional) groups are seeking outcomes that will not benefit supporters but are morally right
E.g. PETA - Sectional (interest) groups seek to defend the interests of their members
E.g. NRA
What methods are used by pressure groups?
- Candidate endorsement and political campaigning
- Lobbying Congress, state legislatures and federal agencies
- Lobbying the SC
- Direct action.
Explain the method of candidate endorsement and political campaigning used by pressure groups.
- Pressure groups make donations via their PACs and Super PACs
E.g. EMILY’s list raised and donated over $90million for the 2016 election cycle - Candidate endorsement and political campaigning
E.g. the American Federation of Teachers publicly backed Hilary Clinton for president - Some issue ‘score cards’ at election time to their members showing candidates’ voting records
E.g. the NRA in 2016 awarded an A grade to Ted Cruz and an F grade to Tammy Baldwin
Explain the method of lobbying Congress, state legislatures and federal agencies used by pressure groups.
- Many pressure groups have offices in Washington DC ready to supply specialist policy information to legislators
E.g. the NRA convinced Congressmen to vote against Obama’s gun control measures
Explain the method of lobbying the SC used by pressure groups.
- Pressure groups present amicus curiae briefs for relevant SC cases to influence justices
E.g. in 2018 the Christian Coalition of America produced an amicus curiae brief against legalising large-scale betting - The use of amicus curiae has grown considerably in recent years
E.g. Obergefell v Hodges 2015 saw a record 148 briefs presented to the court, compared to 6 briefs in Brown v Board of Education 1954 - Groups often also lobby the senate during the nomination process for the SC
E.g. in 2018 many liberal groups, including 88 civil rights organisations, lobbied against Kavanaugh’s nomination.
Explain the method of direct action used by pressure groups.
- Mass demonstrations
E.g. Martin Luther King’s march on Washington in 1963 - Direct action can result in riots and can become associated with violence
E.g. 5 police officers were ambushed and killed at a BLM protest in Dallas in 2016 - Marches
E.g. the ‘March for Our Lives’ campaign for tighter gun control laws after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida in 2018
Which factors affect the success of pressure groups?
- Endorsement and support form celebrities and politicians
E.g. Lady Gaga supporting the #MeToo movement - Public mood
E.g. support for gun control increases after school shootings - Links to legislatures and bureaucrats
E.g. the NRA were able to convince Congressmen to vote against Obama’s gun control measures.
How do pressure groups fund elections?
- Most pressure group donations follow a predictable party patters
E.g. in 2016 the labour sector donated more than $29million to Hillary Clinton’s campaign, 86% of donations from the agribusiness sector went to Republican candidates - Being supported or targeted by a major pressure group does not guarantee success
E.g. only 3 of 12 candidates on the League of Conservation Voter’s 2016 ‘dirty dozen’ list were defeated - A PAC is a political committee that contributes for the specific purpose of election or defeating candidates
E.g. the NRA’s PAC is the Political Victory Fund, which spent over $30million in the 2016 presidential race.
What are Super PACS?
- Super PACs emerged following the SC cases challenging donation laws
E.g. Citizens United v FEC 2010 ruled that corporations were citizens and should therefore be able to donate freely due to 1st amendment freedom of speech - Most leading candidates have Super PACs supporting their campaigns
E.g. Hillary Clinton’s main Super PAC was Priorities USA Action.
Do PACs and Super PACs play too big of a role in US elections?
- Yes, the vast amount spent by PACs and Super PACs favour well-connected and ‘establishment’ candidates
E.g. Hilary Clinton’s main Super PAC Priorities USA Action raised $700million for her 2016 presidential campaign
No, superior funding does not guarantee victory
E.g. Hilary Clinton outspent Trump in 2016 but still lost
- Rich donors wield too much power and influence over elections, leading to charges of legalised bribery
E.g. Michael Bloomberg donated $150million to the Democrats in 2020
No, the right to make political donation is a political right in a democracy
E.g. freedom of speech through donation, as seen in SC cases such as Citizens Utd v FEC 2010
- ?
Are US pressure groups too powerful?
- Yes, legislators are afraid of upsetting key pressure groups
E.g. many Republicans fear being given a bad rating by the NRA
No, pressure groups represent and reflect the vast array of groups, beliefs and causes in an increasingly diverse USA
E.g. League of United Latin American Citizens
- Yes, potential corruption and undue influence as many lobbyists are former congressmen, revolving doors
E.g. House Representative Lynn Jenkins launched a lobbying firm while still serving in Congress
No, lobbyists are regulated to an extent
E.g. 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act strengthens public disclosure requirements concerning lobbying activity and funding, places more restrictions on gifts for members of Congress
Why are iron triangles seen as powerful in the US politics?
Ask Joshua????
- It is difficult to break down as each side
benefits
E.g. ?? - They show the importance and role of
some powerful pressure groups, especially
corporate interests
E.g. ?? - They involve three powerful players in
American politics: congressional committees
and lawmakers, pressure groups and the
federal bureaucracy
E.g. ??
