PRESSURE GROUPS AND IRON TRIANGLES Flashcards
Pressure groups are a vital part of what
Tight policy networks
The term “iron triangle” was coined by who
President Eisenhower
In 1961 he referred to the dangers of the “military-industrial complex”
What was eisenhower reffering too
The costly ties between the defence industry
Washington Politicians
Bureaucrats
Example of a corporate group in the iron triangle
Major pharmaceutical companies have close ties with the food and drug administration (part of federal bureaucracy) while also donating to legislators who sit on congressional committees such as the house subcommittee on agriculture
What are iron triangles seen as doing
Working against the public interest and instead favouring powerful corporate
How do interest groups gain things from fed bureau
Interest groups give them congressional support via lobbying
Bureau gives them low regulation and special favours
How do interest groups gain things from congress and vice versa
Interest groups give electoral support
Congress gives them good legislation and oversight
argument for pressure groups and a counter argument in terms of lobbying and corruption
Potential for corruption when lobbying as many are ex-politicians
Lobbyists are regulated to an extent - 2007 honest leadership and open government act
argument for pressure groups and a counter argument in terms of iron triangles
Advice from pressure groups is one-sided and can harm wider public interest
Provides legislators with useful specialist info they don’t get otherwise
argument for pressure groups and a counter argument in terms of political parties
Undermines and weakens parties
Parties are already weak, many groups simply join up with a party anyway
argument for pressure groups being too powerful
Not all groups are equal leading to elitism
Can lead to influence being brought
legislators afraid of upsetting legislators - NRA
argument for pressure groups not being too powerful
Represents a vast array of groups beliefs
example of pressure groups changing policy
NRA successfully opposed gun control from 2012 to 2016 under Obama’s administration
How much does lockheed martin spend on lobbyists per year
around 14m
Example of a pressure group influencing congress
Lockheed martin claimed that a new jet programme would create 125,000 jobs in over 46 states
This put pressure on those 46 states to support it
