Pressure groups Flashcards
Pressure groups aims
To influence policy makers and voters
Difference between pressure groups and parties
- Parties seek to for elected office whereas pressure groups seek to influence those in elected office
What do pluralists believer about oppositions about PG’s
That disagreement is healthy for democracy as it allows people & govt to hear both sides of argument, and reach best decisions after after public debate and consideration
How are pressure groups in the US protected
Through the 1st amendment
A type pressure groups
Outsider - less funded, smaller and less well connected
Use direct action such as marchers, sit ins and even violence to gain publcity
A type of pressure group
Insider - well funded, strong ties to political establishment often links with both main parties eg:NRA & AMA
More likely to use lower profile methods to achieve their aims such as hiring professional lobbyists
What are pressure groups divided into
Cause (promotional)
Sectional(interest)
What are interest groups
Could be argued more selfish, more likely to have insider status
What are promotional groups
More likely to have outsider status, members are drivers by altruism, not self interest
Pressure group methods
- Electoral campaigning - donations, voting scorecards
- Lobbying Congress
- Lobbying Supreme Court
- Direct Action
- Boycotts
Factors affecting PG’s success
- Resources, money & side of membership
- Strength of opposition
- Political status
- Aims
- Ability to organise
- Endorsments & support from politicians
Election funding
- NRA - spent 52 mil on electoral campaigns in 2016
- PACs - spend ‘hard’ on electing/defeating candidates . Can only give up to $5,000 to candidate. Directly donated to candidates.
- Super PACs - can raise and spend unlimited amounts on election campaigns raise ‘soft’ money. Independent moment so can’t be regulated.
- The iron triangle - military industrial complex - 14mill annually
Do PACs play too big a role in US elections - YES
- They have right to unlimited spending through super PACs
- PACs allows PG’s bypass restrictions
What is the term for the relationship between interest groups, the executive and congress
- the iron triangle
