social 12- chapter 9 Flashcards
interest group
a collection of people who share certain views on public matters and work to shape public policy to their benefit.
public policy
includes all of the goals that a government pursues in the many areas of human affairs in which it is involved.
pluralistic
made up of several groups with different ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds.
elite
a select, privileged group in a society.
public affairs
those issues and events that concern the people at large.
trade association
interest groups that segments of the business community have.
labor union
An organization of workers who share the same type of job or who work in the same industry.
public interest group
organization that works for the best interests of the overall community.
lobbying
the process by which organized interests attempt to affect the decisions and actions of public officials.
lobbyists
those people who try to persuade public officials to do those things that interests groups want them to do.
amicus curiae brief
not a party in the court case, but can present an argument.
grass root pressures
pressures from members of an interest group or from the people at large, often beginning at a very basic level- to bear on public officials.
propaganda
a technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors.
electioneering
help a group or public official get elected.
interest groups are sometimes called:
“pressure groups”, “organized interests”, and “special interests”
where can interest goups be found?
Wherever public policies are made or can be influenced. Ex: Capital Hill (DC), State Legislature (St Paul), Local Governments
three ways in which political parties and interes groups differ
- parties nominate candidates for public office, interest groups do not.
- parties are chiefly interested in winning elections and thereby controlling government. Interest groups are interested in controlling or influencing the policies in government.
- parties are concerned with the whole range of public affairs. Interest groups focus on the issues that directly affect the interests of their members.
six valuable functions of interest groups
- organized interests help to stimulate awareness of an interest in public affairs.
- represent their members on the basis of shared attitudes rather than on the basis of geography.
- organized interests often provide useful, specialized, and detailed info to government.
- interest groups are vehicles for political participation.
- add another element to the checks and balances feature of the political process
- regularly compete with one another in the public arena.
four criticisms of interest groups
- influence far out of proportion to their size or importance/contribution to the public good.
- sometimes hard to tell just who or how many people a group really represents.
- many groups do not represent the views of all of the people for who they claim to speak.
- some groups use tactics that, if they were to become widespread, would undermine the whole political system.
The largest number of interest groups have been formed on the basis of ……
economic interest
what is an issue oriented group and provide examples
Groups that promote a cause or idea. The American Civil Liberties Union, Women’s Political Caucus, National Right-to-life Committee
intrest groups direct and indirect approach differences
Direct efforts involve immediate face to face contacts with policy makers. Indirect efforts contact their members of congress with letters, phone calls, and emails.
where does lobbying occur?
Wherever public policy is made.
brown vs topeka board of education
Interest groups also influenced court decisions (NAACP)
lobbyists often provide what to congress?
useful information
lobbyists are ready to do such things as:
- make campaign contributions
- provide information
- write speeches
- draft legislation
lobbyists work hard to influence what 3 things:
- committee action
- floor debate
- final vote in a legislative body
