Pressure Groups Flashcards
Business groups
Concerned with labor laws, tax laws, interest rates, environmental regulation, trade policies and government tax contracts.
Name 3 business groups
Chamber of commerce
American Business Conference
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
Professional groups
Groups organised around a particular profession such as doctors and lawyers.
Name 2 professional groups
American Medical Association
American Bar Association
Labor Unions
Groups who focus on right to work laws which inhibit union organisation.
Not as important as before - 1970s 25% labor force belonged to a union, now less than 12%
Name 3 Labor Unions
- American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organisations (AFL-CIO)
- United Auto Workers
- American Federation of Teachers
Agricultural groups
Groups who are influential on farming issues at the national level.
Name 2 Agricultural groups
American Farm Bureau
National Farmers Union
Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups
Groups who seek equality for the law, representation and support the fight against discrimination.
Name 2 racial and ethnic minority groups
- NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
- AIM (American Indian Movement)
Citizen groups
Groups who support policies that they believe will benefit the public at large.
Name 3 citizen groups
Common Cause
Sierra Club
ACLU
Advocacy groups
Groups who seek to further the cause of people who cannot represent their own interests.
Name 3 Advocacy groups
- Alzheimer’s Association
- Children’s Defense Fund
- American Cancer Society
Cause groups/single issue groups
Groups who care intensely about a single issue and seek to represent individual Americans and their causes.
What are pressure groups partially credited with?
54.8% of legislative enactments.
What are pressure groups/interest groups/advocacy groups?
Organised group in which members hold similar beliefs and actively pursue ways to influence government and public policy.
What is lobbying?
Attempting to influence government/policy makers.
How much money does the lobbying industry bring in annually?
$9 billion.
One reason why pressure groups play an important representative role
US Political parties have traditionally been very ideologically diverse and catch-all. On more contentious issues, many argue that pressure groups are more effective in representing Americans’ views.
What did Citizens United vs FEC 2010 do?
Allowed corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds on direct advocacy for or against candidates since they have a first amendment right to free speech (money).
They could register for tax-exempt status.
Super PACs
May not make contributions to candidate campaigns or parties but must spend independently. No legal limit to the funds they can raise.
Difference between super PACs and 501(c)4?
Super PACS must disclose donors whilst 501(c)4 can not.
Examples of single issue/cause groups
AARP
NRA
Ideological groups
ACLU
American Conservative Union
NRA 2012 revenue compared to Brady Campaign
NRA: $256 million
Brady Campaign: $3 million
How many members does the NRA have?
5 million
Example of NRA influence (113th congress)
During the 113th congress, the NRA lobbied heavily during the consideration of the Protect America’s Schools Act of 2013, Assault Weapons Ban of 2013.
Example of NRA influence
2013 - Spent $3.4 million on lobbying compared to the Brady Campaigns $250000
One argument that NRA’s influence is overestimated
Many politicians and Americans are fundamentally opposed to greater gun control due to 2nd amendment right.
According to this, NRA is supporting candidates who already share their views and thus process reflected public opinion.
2013 Gallup poll found that 51% of Americans opposed Assault Weapons Ban (defeated in the senate)
AARP
One of the most powerful lobbying groups in US.
- 37 million members with membership costing $16 a month.
What has the AARP been described as a classic case of?
Iron triangle
Issues with AARP
Enjoys tax exemptions as a non-profit body yet makes a lot of profit. Many argue it exploits its large membership.
Example of AARP influence during 2012 fiscal cliff.
Obama was negotiating with Republicans to avert the 2012 fiscal cliff where changes to medicare were discussed which could have reduced AARP’s revenue as their profit-making wing made money from Medicare.
AARP lobbied heavily against the changes.
AIPAC
Advocates pro-Israel policies to Congress and Executive. Lobbies for financial aid to Israel.
- bipartisan
Described by the NYT as the most powerful organisation affecting America’s relationship with Israel.
100,000 members and a $60 million budget.
Example of AIPAC success
$3 billion dollars a year in aid to Israel making the country the largest cumulative recipient of US foreign assistance since World War II
Total aid to Israel since 1949: $108 billion
Criticisms of AIPAC
Many believe that it is not representative of Jewish Americans and has enjoyed disproportionate influence due to funding and lobbying. (Only 38% of American Jews believe Israel is pursuing peace)
Democrat Jim Moran said they are so well organized and have wealthy and powerful members so they can exert power.
AFL-CIO
American Federation of Labour - Congress of Industrial Organisations.
- One of the most powerful unions with 13 million workers.
Runs a superPAC of which $6 milion was donated from AFL-CIO in 2012.
Why is AFL-CIO powerful?
Due to its size.
It lobbies for greater protection of worker’s rights.
ActBlue
Demonstrates the overlap between pressure groups and political parties.
PAC designed to raise money on the internet for Democratic candidates.
Hugely influential source of funding for Democrats.
How much has ActBlue raised for democrats?
$535 million making it the largest single source of funds in US politics.
What is the iron triangle?
Policy making relationship among congressional committees, the bureaucracy (government agencies) and interest groups.
Bureaucratic power is exercised in Congress (in committees especially). By aligning itself with selected constituencies, an agency may be able to affect policy outcomes directly in these committees.
E.g Congress helps Interest group with legislation and oversight. Congress helps Bureaucracy with funding and political support. In return, Interest group provides electoral support to congress and congressional support to the bureaucracy through lobbying. Bureaucracy will help congress with policy choices and execution and give interest groups low regulation and special favors.
Why are iron triangles called “sub governments”
They are a stable alliance known for its durability, impregnability and its power to determine policy.
Why are iron triangles bad
Result in the passing of very narrow pork barrel policies that benefit a small segment of the population.
The interests of the pressure group are met whilst the needs of the general population are passed over. This is considered to be undemocratic as general welfare of citizens is sacrificed for specific interests.
Example of good iron triaArmngle
AARP’s relationship with House Committee on Aging and the Social Security Administration.
What is lobbying
Paid activity in which special interests hire professional advocates to argue for specific legislation in decision making bodies such as Congress.
Example of iron triangle
Boeing Scandal 2004 - US Air Force spent $23.5 on 100 aircraft refueling tankers from Boeing. Darleen Druyun who oversaw the purchase steered the contracts to Boeing (boosted the price as a parting gift to Boeing) and then left in 2002 to work for Boeing. She lobbied senator Ted Stevens
Military industrial complex in general - DofDefence, armed forces committee and weapon’s manufacturers. 2010 $726 billion Defense Authorisation Bill
Techniques of lobbyists
Well-connected lobbyists work in Washington for years, highly skilled advocates and have cultivated close connections with Congressmen and other officials.
Name one important technique of lobbyists
Assist congressmen with campaign finance by arranging fundraisers, assembling PACs or seeking donations from other clients.
Jack Abramoff example
Lobbyist who worked with Congressmen Bob Ney to put cryptic clauses in unrelated bills to reduce restrictions on Native American casinos.
Indicted in 2005 for tax evasion, fraud and conspiracy.
Spent more than $1 million a year on tickets to sport games and concerts for lawmakers stating that he “owned” 100 congressional positions by offering staffers high paid future jobs.
He “bought” congressmen with gifts and money in return for influence.
What is the revolving door?
The revolving door refers to the movement of personnel between roles as legislators and regulators and the industries affected by legislation and regulation.
Often congressmen or other officials move from a role in politics to a role in lobbying for private firms.
Example of revolving door
- Large number of goldman sachs employees in government. Former treasury secretary Paulson was a former CEO.
- Obama raised most of his money in 2008 from Goldman Sachs. CEO Blankfein visited white house 10 times. - 5400 former congressional staffers became lobbyists and 400 lawmakers. Dick Gephardt became a lobbyist after leaving congress and set up his own lobbying firm.
Evidence of revolving door (and its increase)
2012: at least 44% of active lobbyists reported prior government experience (up from 18% in 1998)
Matthew Tully, top aide to Congressman David Schweikert who had been working on changing the law that governs how most home mortgages are issued. Recruited by a company that would benefit from such measures and then began contacting his former boss’s office as a lobbyist.
5 basic functions of a pressure group
- Representative
- Citizen participation
- Public education
- Agenda-building (influencing the policy agenda)
- Programme-monitoring (scrutinise and hold government to account)
Pressure group methods
- Electioneering and endorsement
- Lobbying
- Publicity
- Grassroots activities
Lobbying methods
- Access - Some people have an easier time getting access (celebrities like Bono, Michael J Fox and Angelina Jolie)
- Profitable profession (revolving door). Lobbyists who used to be officials have more power. E.g Bob Dole used to be Senator but then became lobbyists.
- Persuasion and information. Many officials have no time to research so they rely on information from interest groups.
- Material incentives - Jack Abramoff spent millions on sports games and concerts, golf courses etc.
- Economic leverage -Rich groups can use this as a weapon to get what they want.
- Disruption - staged protests etc
- Litigation - suing groups they oppose. E.g NAACP against segregation. NFIB vs Sebelius on Obamacare.
- Public information/campaigning - try to influence public opinion. During 2012 fiscal cliff, groups such as National Education Association spent over $300,000 on advertising to persuade the public that tax rises were correct solution.
Revolving door evidence 2
70 people associated with Hilary Clinton who entered lobbying after working with her or joined her team from the lobbying industry.
Example of super PAC for presidential candidate
Ted Cruz’s “Stand for Principal” aiming to establish $50 million
Political significance of pressure groups
- USA is a diverse and heterogeneous society
- American political system has many access points due to its doctrine of “shared powers”
- Weakness of political parties - decentralized and undisciplined parties (party decline)
How can pressure groups influence the judiciary?
Amicus Curiae briefings. They present their views to the court in writing before oral arguments are heard.
This has been used to great effect in civil rights, abortion rights and 1st amendment rights.
E.g NAACP and Brown v Board of Topeka 1954
NRA in DC v Heller 2008 which declared banning handguns to be unconstitutional.
How can pressure groups affect the judiciary itself?
Pressure groups have been active in supporting or opposing nomination of judges to the Supreme Court.
Active in the hearings of Robert Bork (1987), Clarence Thomas (1991), John Roberts (2005) and Alito (2006).
What is regulatory capture?
A form of political corruption where regulatory bodies created to act in the public interest instead advances the concerns of interest groups that dominate the industry they are regulating. They have too cosy a relationship with a group they’re supposed to be regulating.
