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A2 Politics > Pressure Groups - P1 > Flashcards

Pressure Groups - P1 Flashcards

1
Q

Define a pressure group

A

An organised interest group in which members hold similar beliefs and actively pursue ways to influence government.

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2
Q

How are pressure groups usually classified?

A
  1. aims

2. status

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3
Q

Name 9 different types of pressure groups.

A
  1. Business
  2. Agriculture
  3. Unions
  4. Professional
  5. Single issue
  6. Ideological
  7. Group rights
  8. Public interest
  9. Umbrella groups
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4
Q

Give an example of a business pressure group.

A

American Business Conference

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5
Q

Give an example of a union pressure group

A

United Auto Workers (UAW)

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6
Q

Give an example of a professional pressure group

A

American Medical Association

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7
Q

Give an example of a single issue pressure group

A

Mothers Against Drink Driving (MADD)

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8
Q

What are the 5 functions of pressure groups?

A
  1. Representation
  2. Citizen participation
  3. Public education
  4. Agenda building
  5. Programme monitoring
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9
Q

Explain the function : representation

A
  • organisation of people with similar views
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10
Q

Explain the function : citizen participation

A
  • increase opportunity to participate in between elections

- different access point to increase pressure

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11
Q

Explain the function : public education

A
  • attempt to educate public opinion

- used to warn people of dangers if issues are not addressed

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12
Q

Explain the function : agenda building

A
  • influence the agendas of political parties, legislators and bureaucracies to give prominence and priority to their interests
  • uniting of different sectors of society (business groups/ religious groups/ professional organisations) to achieve a common interest
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13
Q

What are the 4 principal methods used by pressure groups?

A
  1. Electioneering and endorsement
  2. Lobbying
  3. Publicity
  4. Organising grassroots activities
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14
Q

Define lobbying

A

An attempt to exert influence on the policy making, legislative or judicial process by individuals or organised groups

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15
Q

Give an example of an umbrella pressure group

A

US Chamber of Commerce

  • 300,00 businesses as members
  • spent more than $301 million on lobbying in 2009-2010
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16
Q

Give an example of a sectional pressure group

A
  • AARP
    (american association of retired people)
  • 4 million membership
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17
Q

Give an example of a promotional pressure group

A
  • NRA

national rifle association

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18
Q

Name 4 methods pressure groups use to carry out their function.

A
  1. Electioneering and endorsement
  2. Lobbying
  3. Publicity
  4. Organising grassroots activities
19
Q

Give 3 reasons why pressure groups are politically significant in America.

A
  1. The USA is a diverse society
  2. The US political system has a large amount of access points
  3. The weakness of political parties means that citizens turn to pressure groups
20
Q

How do pressure groups carry out their function through

Electioneering and endorsement

A

P = pressure groups endorse or oppose candidates for political office based on the candidate’s position on the policy areas of concern to them
E =
- endorsement = publishing voter guides to utilise large membership = eg. AARP
- electioneering = make PACs to fund campaign = eg. United Auto Workers gave over 5 million to support candidates directly or through PACs in the 2016 election

21
Q

How do pressure groups carry out their function through

Lobbying

A 
P = lobbyists provide policy-makers with information and voting cues. These can be given in the interests of a PG. 
E = many PGs have offices on the 'K Street corridor which means they are close proximity to congressmen 
Eg = United Auto Workers spent almost 2 million on lobbying in 2016
22
Q

How do pressure groups carry out their function through

Publicity

A 
P = lobbying firms launch public relations campaigns to influence the policy-making process by rallying popular support 
E = waged in a range of mediums such as television advertisements/ journal advertising/ badges 
Eg = Americans for Prosperity (AFP) ran a ferocious series of TV ads against Obamacare
23
Q

How do pressure groups carry out their function through

Organising grass-roots activities

A 
P = demonstrate popular support for cause 
E = this includes postal blitzes/ marches + demonstration
Eg. = annual 'March for Life' in Washington DC on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade by anti-abortion pressure groups
24
Q

How do House Representatives affect legislation?

A
  • Veto the bill

- Appropriate funding if the bill has been passed in both the house and the senate

25
Q

How do Senators affect legislation?

A

a) Refusal to ratify treaties is a method for groups with international aims
a) Confirming presidential appointments
a) Filibuster

26
Q

Give an example of senators ;

Refusing to ratify treaties is a method for PGs with international aims

A
  • AIPAC – American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbied senators for the support of the US-Israel Strategic Partnership Bill.
27
Q

Give an example of;

PGs trying to influence presidential appointments in the senate

A
    • environmental groups lobbied against Trump’s appointment of Rex Tillerson, due to concerns he would further advance interests of big oil companies because of his oil industry background
28
Q

Give an example of senators ;

A
  • E.g NRA lobbied Senators to filibuster the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act, which aimed to widen gun control in the USA.
29
Q

Which 3 access points do PGs use to try and influence the executive?

A
  1. President
  2. Federal bureaucracy - executive departments
    1. regulatory bodies
30
Q

PG + Executive

Give 2 ways in which the president can help a PG to achieve their aims.

A
  1. Presidential power = set the legislative agenda

2. Presidential power = executive orders

31
Q

PG + Executive

president + legislative agenda

A
  • If pressure groups can raise enough awareness to put the issue on the President’s legislative agenda, he can use his powers of persuasion to create legislation/ put the issue in his State of the Union address
32
Q

PG + Executive

president + executive order

A
  • Executive orders can be used to change the direction of policy
  • E.g the constant reversal and reinstatement of the ‘Mexico City Policy’, banning the federal funding for family planning clinics that give abortion advice, which most recently President Trump has reinstated.
33
Q

PG + Executive

Explain how PGs can influence the federal bureaucracy through executive departments.

A
  • Lobbyists build relationships with relevant congressional committees within departments.
  • This can lead to the development of ‘iron triangles’. (see section)
  • Civil servants often have long-term agendas as they do not have such high pressures to be re-elected, meaning they may be more open to pressure group influence.
34
Q

PG + Executive

Explain how PGs can influence the federal bureaucracy through regulatory bodies

A
  • PGs also aim to maintain strong ties with their relative regulatory commissions through lobbyists and ‘iron triangles’.
  • This can lead to ‘regulatory capture’.
  • Especially sought out by ‘producer groups’, which want protection, subsidies or price guarantees
35
Q

PG + Judiciary

Name 3 ways in which pressure groups influence the judiciary

A
  1. Litigation
  2. Amicus Curiae Briefs
  3. Nominations for vacancies
36
Q

PG + Judiciary

Give an example of PGs using litigation.

A
  • E.g. the American Foundation for Equal Rights used the courts to challenge Proposition 8, the Californian initiative banning same sex marriage.
37
Q

PG + Judiciary

Give an example of PGs using amicus curiae briefs

A
  • Arizona v. ITCA (2013)
38
Q

PG + Judiciary

Give an example on PGs trying to influence nominations for SC vacancies

A
  • E.g George W. Bush’s nomination of Harriet Miers for Supreme Court Justice. –> Conservative pressure group ‘Americans for Better Justice’ launched a nationwide campaign to oppose her nomination due to lack of records of her constitutional interpretation. Harriet Miers withdrew her application.
    • E.g Earthjustice campaigned against the Trump’s appointment of Rex Tillerson for Secretary of State due to his history in oil extraction
39
Q

PG + Judiciary

Explain how PGs exert influence through litigations.

A
  • Funding test cases to the Supreme Court is a way in which pressure groups can secure a ruling which is favourable to their interests.
40
Q

PG + Judiciary

Explain how PGs exert influence through amicus curiae.

A
  • By presenting legal briefings to a court which is undertaking judicial review, a pressure group would hope to sway the court’s decision in its favour.
  • These briefings by over 800% since the 1940s.
41
Q

PG + Judiciary

Explain how PGs exert influence through the nominations process.

A
  • President selects candidate = opportunity to lobby president/ staff and can invest money in preparing or raising awareness for the application of a specific candidate
  • Senate confirms or rejects nomination = opportunity to lobby senators
42
Q

Give 4 arguments for PG activity helping democracy.

A
  1. Information givers - educate congress/gov. departments/ courts/ electorate
  2. Policy formulators - expertise is useful
  3. A ‘sounding board’ - method to test out public opinion
  4. Enhancers of political participation - especially between elections and on specific issues
43
Q

Give 4 arguments for PG activity hindering democracy.

A
  1. Money becomes the ultimate deciding factor
  2. PG work for special interests rather than the national interest –> can lead to inequalities of power eg. tobacco or gun control
  3. Elitist and unaccountable –> their power detracts from elected congress and accountable elected officials
  4. Revolving door syndrome
44
Q

Name 5 factors influencing pressure group success.

A
  1. Effective organisation and leadership
  2. Wealth
  3. Large membership
  4. Status and effectiveness of opposition
  5. Achievability of aims

A2 Politics (8 decks)

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