Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

US And Comparative Politics > Pressure Groups > Flashcards

Pressure Groups Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
U.S. Geography flashcards
1
Q

What is amicus curiae?

A

Friends of the court who provide evidence in cases

Example: American Psychological Association argued in favour of same sex through scientific evidence in Obergerfell vs Hodges

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How can pressure groups use legal challenges?

A

Especially in the Supreme Court in issues such as civil rights

Examples: NAACP, Brown vs Topeka

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the revolving door?

A

People going from corporations to lobbying groups to federal gov
Government employees gain 1200% pay rise in lobbying firms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How much was spent on lobbying in 2019 by pressure groups?

A

Chamber of commerce: $77 mil
Facebook: $17 mil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How much does big tech spend on campaigns in 2021?

A

Facebook $20 mil
Amazon $19 mil

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is an example of a pressure group using public pressure?

A

AFL-CIO publishes congress representatives’ voting record so their constituents can vote in favour of pro-union legislators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How much was spent on lobbying in 2010?

A

$3.51 billion
Mostly from pharma companies opposed to medical reforms under Affordable Care Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What are some examples of judicial attempts at regulation?

A

Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act 2007

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How has use of amicus briefs changed over time?

A

1950s only one brief
2019-20 there were 16
Obergerfell there were 148 submitted due to high profile nature

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Which act aimed at reducing the financial influence of pressure groups?

A

Federal Election Campaign Act 1974 stopped PAC from giving >$5000

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the ratio of business:trade union PACs?

A

5:1
In 1997 labour contributed only 57% of the total contributed by business PACs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Which act ensured lobbyists were clearly identified?

A

Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995
Number of registered lobbyists jumped by 37% in a year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What was spending on lobbying worth in 1998? What what was it in 2020?

A

$1.42bn in 1998
$3.53bn in 2020

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the newly developed - though limited - access points in the UK?

A

Devolved governments
Westminster still has control over them so they are less effective than american state legislatures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is one factor which increasingly reduces the ability of legislators to scrutinise?

A

Complex and substantial laws make it difficult to know each piece of legislation fully

Eg: Wall Street Reform act had 380k word

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the average cost of a Reps seat since 1986?

A

$780,000 in 1986 to $1.6m in 2012

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How does increasing campaign costs influence pressure groups?

A

Politicians need to raise more money
Wealthy corporations and donors can use their money to gain meetings and policy influence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Why is the role of pressure groups less in the UK?

A

Parties are stronger and push the mandate
Party whips control policy so american influence of local elections factors in more

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How does diversity factor into the role of pressure groups?

A

Religious groups hold influence
13.2% black, 17% Hispanic
Economic inequality and broad range of industry means there are various pressure groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is the wealth gap in the US?

A

1% holds 40% if wealth
80% hold 7%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the American values which promote informal pressure group participation?

A

Individualism
American dream
Liberty
Pluralism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

How many lobbyists worked in government?

A

54% used to work in congress
26% worked in executive

  • lobbyists.info
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Why aren’t MPs lobbied as much as congressmen?

A

Government introduces bills
Few private member bills succeed
Executive uses whip to demote unfavourable bills

24
Q

How does the American legislative process increase lobbying points compared to the UK?

A

Standing committees are used earlier than UK public bill committee
Small standing committees are small which means lobbying can be focused

25
Q

Why might legislators seek lobbyists during the legislative process?

A

Gaining help and expertise in the bill
May be used for polling/electioneering

26
Q

Who were the biggest PAC donors in 2012?

A

Single issue groups - 68m
Labour groups - 60m

27
Q

How do lobbyists directly influence votes in congress?

A

Provide voting cues which direct congressmen according to what pressure groups seek to support

Example: NRA publicly grades how members vote according to gun rights

28
Q

How are federal agencies an access point?

A

Agency first has to propose a regulation to the public
Pressure groups can appeal regulation through judicial review

29
Q

How did banks lobby agencies reduce the impact of Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform act?

A

Only half of regulations required were written by 2014

JPM and Goldman Sachs met with agencies 356 times in 2 years

30
Q

Evidence of increasing pressure group using amicus curiae

A

Brown v Topeka had only 6 briefs in 1950s; 23% of cases had one

Moore v harper had 69 in 2022; 96% of cases had one

31
Q

How does nomination of justices increase access points?

A

President can be lobbied: GW Bush was lobbied by 70 groups for John Roberts

32
Q

How did liberal groups use public opinion against Robert Bork’s nomination?

A

Planned Parenthood full page newspaper ad
People for the American Way said Bork defended poll tax in tv ads

33
Q

Example of outsider pressure groups using public opinion

A

Mothers Against Drunk Drivers use media to gain public emotional appeal
600,000 donors and volunteers by 1985
Alcohol fatalities reduced by 40% by 2000
729 state laws about drink driving
Minimum drinking age act 1984

34
Q

Direct action example

A

Civil rights movement
1963 March on Washington gained 250,000 people

Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955

35
Q

Examples of anti abortion group using confrontational direct action

A

Operation Rescue issue wanted posters for abortion staff

bombing of abortion clinics

36
Q

Devolved state initiatives example

A

Colorado proposition 105
Vote on labelling GMO foods

37
Q

How can pressure groups remove congress people?

A

Recall elections allow removing and re-electing member
Example of colorado gun rights organisations recalling democrat

38
Q

What are three reasons a pressure group should be regulated?

A

Transparency in their intentions
Accountability
Elitism and the revolving door syndrome
Corruption in exchange of money for legislation

39
Q

What was the first law intending to regulate lobbyists?

A

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act 1946

Had to register with SoS and clerk of house of reps
Had to declare income and interests

40
Q

How did the Supreme Court reduce regulation in 1954?

A

Only applied law to those directly discussing with congressmen

Contact with staff of the member was unregulated

41
Q

Which scandal led to reform of lobbing?

A

Wedtech Scandal

Small business gained relatively massive defence contracts

Bribery and lobbying shown

42
Q

Which law was a response to the wedtech scandal?

A

Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995

Defined lobbyists as spending 20% of their time lobbying

Large firms had to give information about any client over $5,000

43
Q

Example of corruption & revolving door

A

2003
Aldridge approved $3bn on F-22 jets

3 months later got job at Lockheed Martin

44
Q

Example of revolving door regarding banking

A

Paulson worked in Goldman sachs
2006 Paulson came Secretary of the treasury
2008 oversaw TARP in bailing out banks
Gave $13bn to GS

45
Q

Legislation which reduces the impact of the revolving door

A

Ethics in government act 1978 meant executive employees had to wait a year before becoming lobbyists

Ethics Reform Act 1989 expanded to congress and staff

46
Q

Example of a professional lobbyist scandal

A

Jack Abramoff
Charged Native American groups $85mn to lobby for them
Used the money to give donations to politicians and sometimes went against the NA interests

47
Q

Response to jack Abramoff

A

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act 2007

Increased wait period to two years

Increased disclosure: lobbyists show files every 3 months and fines worth $200,000

Semi annual reports on spending in PACs and candidates

Banned free air travel and gifts to candidates

48
Q

What are AstroTurf group?

A

Lobbyists hide their intentions and act like grassroots group

Eg national smokers alliance lobbied against anti smoking laws but was created by a PR firm for Phillip Morris (tobacco firm)

49
Q

Overall, do pressure groups positively or negatively influence participation in the US?

A

Reduces tyranny of majority
Promotes pluralist society to increase participation in such a diverse context

but it may be argued pressure groups allow elitism through different resources and imbalance in opportunity

50
Q

How might participación in pressure groups not really increase participation?

A

Sometimes limited
Eg AARP has 40 million members and lobbies on issues for elderly Americans
Some may have joined due to discounted travel rather than politics

51
Q

How may direct action be undemocratic?

A

They are forcing the hand of elected representatives but are a small group

52
Q

In 2012 how much of funding came from the top 1%?

A

68% of super PACs
$828mn total

53
Q

How might pressure groups not accurately inform government?

A

One sided information if one side can’t fund their side

Issues such as astroturf groups do not accurately paint a picture of the situation to government

54
Q

How do pressure groups play a role in scrutiny?

A

Rating legislators according to their voting record
;
Politicians rely on financial support and incumbents often gain more spending if they are friendly to lobbyists
Revolving door means legislators are less likely to act in favour of people

55
Q

How do pressure groups set the debate and drive agenda?

A

Examples such as civil rights and MADD provided national conversation
;
Many are a small group who want specific change (eg gun rights minorities spending)

US And Comparative Politics (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions