Pressure Groups - P1 Flashcards
Define a pressure group
An organised interest group in which members hold similar beliefs and actively pursue ways to influence government.
How are pressure groups usually classified?
- aims
2. status
Name 9 different types of pressure groups.
- Business
- Agriculture
- Unions
- Professional
- Single issue
- Ideological
- Group rights
- Public interest
- Umbrella groups
Give an example of a business pressure group.
American Business Conference
Give an example of a union pressure group
United Auto Workers (UAW)
Give an example of a professional pressure group
American Medical Association
Give an example of a single issue pressure group
Mothers Against Drink Driving (MADD)
What are the 5 functions of pressure groups?
- Representation
- Citizen participation
- Public education
- Agenda building
- Programme monitoring
Explain the function : representation
- organisation of people with similar views
Explain the function : citizen participation
- increase opportunity to participate in between elections
- different access point to increase pressure
Explain the function : public education
- attempt to educate public opinion
- used to warn people of dangers if issues are not addressed
Explain the function : agenda building
- 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
What are the 4 principal methods used by pressure groups?
- Electioneering and endorsement
- Lobbying
- Publicity
- Organising grassroots activities
Define lobbying
An attempt to exert influence on the policy making, legislative or judicial process by individuals or organised groups
Give an example of an umbrella pressure group
US Chamber of Commerce
- 300,00 businesses as members
- spent more than $301 million on lobbying in 2009-2010
Give an example of a sectional pressure group
- AARP
(american association of retired people) - 4 million membership
Give an example of a promotional pressure group
- NRA
national rifle association
Name 4 methods pressure groups use to carry out their function.
- Electioneering and endorsement
- Lobbying
- Publicity
- Organising grassroots activities
Give 3 reasons why pressure groups are politically significant in America.
- The USA is a diverse society
- The US political system has a large amount of access points
- The weakness of political parties means that citizens turn to pressure groups
How do pressure groups carry out their function through
Electioneering and endorsement
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
How do pressure groups carry out their function through
Lobbying
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
How do pressure groups carry out their function through
Publicity
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
How do pressure groups carry out their function through
Organising grass-roots activities
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
How do House Representatives affect legislation?
- Veto the bill
- Appropriate funding if the bill has been passed in both the house and the senate
How do Senators affect legislation?
a) Refusal to ratify treaties is a method for groups with international aims
a) Confirming presidential appointments
a) Filibuster
Give an example of senators ;
Refusing to ratify treaties is a method for PGs with international aims
- AIPAC – American Israel Public Affairs Committee lobbied senators for the support of the US-Israel Strategic Partnership Bill.
Give an example of;
PGs trying to influence presidential appointments in the senate
- 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
Give an example of senators ;
- E.g NRA lobbied Senators to filibuster the Safe Communities, Safe Schools Act, which aimed to widen gun control in the USA.
Which 3 access points do PGs use to try and influence the executive?
- President
- Federal bureaucracy - executive departments
- regulatory bodies
PG + Executive
Give 2 ways in which the president can help a PG to achieve their aims.
- Presidential power = set the legislative agenda
2. Presidential power = executive orders
PG + Executive
president + legislative agenda
- 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
PG + Executive
president + executive order
- 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.
PG + Executive
Explain how PGs can influence the federal bureaucracy through executive departments.
- 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.
PG + Executive
Explain how PGs can influence the federal bureaucracy through regulatory bodies
- 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
PG + Judiciary
Name 3 ways in which pressure groups influence the judiciary
- Litigation
- Amicus Curiae Briefs
- Nominations for vacancies
PG + Judiciary
Give an example of PGs using litigation.
- E.g. the American Foundation for Equal Rights used the courts to challenge Proposition 8, the Californian initiative banning same sex marriage.
PG + Judiciary
Give an example of PGs using amicus curiae briefs
- Arizona v. ITCA (2013)
PG + Judiciary
Give an example on PGs trying to influence nominations for SC vacancies
- 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
PG + Judiciary
Explain how PGs exert influence through litigations.
- Funding test cases to the Supreme Court is a way in which pressure groups can secure a ruling which is favourable to their interests.
PG + Judiciary
Explain how PGs exert influence through amicus curiae.
- 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.
PG + Judiciary
Explain how PGs exert influence through the nominations process.
- 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
Give 4 arguments for PG activity helping democracy.
- Information givers - educate congress/gov. departments/ courts/ electorate
- Policy formulators - expertise is useful
- A ‘sounding board’ - method to test out public opinion
- Enhancers of political participation - especially between elections and on specific issues
Give 4 arguments for PG activity hindering democracy.
- Money becomes the ultimate deciding factor
- PG work for special interests rather than the national interest –> can lead to inequalities of power eg. tobacco or gun control
- Elitist and unaccountable –> their power detracts from elected congress and accountable elected officials
- Revolving door syndrome
Name 5 factors influencing pressure group success.
- Effective organisation and leadership
- Wealth
- Large membership
- Status and effectiveness of opposition
- Achievability of aims
