Unit 2 Interest Groups Flashcards
What are Interest Groups?
Organizations that attempt to influence public policy outcomes. They are arise in response to change and seek to make changes in U.S.
Can serve as a voice for underrepresented minority groups.
What are the three Interest Group tactics?
Electioneering (To Elections and Voters)
Legislation (To Congress - funding and pushing legislation)
Litigation (To Judicial Branch - influence creation of precedent by counts)
What is the Electioneering tactic?
Educate on key issues and mobilize candidates. Use Grassroots lobbying to get people to participate in important movements and polls.
What are PACs?
Political Action Committees (PAC) are organizations within interest groups raising and spending money. They benefit candidates during elections via ads, fundraisers, etc.
What is Grassroots Lobbying?
Mobilize members to pressure repesentatives to pass legislation by contacting them directly via protests, emailing, etc. It’s used by less funded groups who lack access to policymakers.
What is the Legislation Interest group tactic?
Lobby Congress by persuading political leaders to support groups position, educating office holders, and drafting legislation. Incorporates the Iron triangle and Issue Network.
What is the Iron Triangle?
Mutually beneficial, long lasting, stable relationship between Bureaucracy, Congress, and interest groups with the goal of influencing how policies are made an implemented.
What is the Issue Network?
Web of Influence between more groups (Committee staffers, academics, tink tanks, members of media, etc.)
What is the Litigation tactic?
Influence how laws in their policy area will be interpreted in the future by representing clients or filing an Amicus Curiae Brief to describe their position on an issue in an attempt to persuade Court to agree with them.
How does inequality among interest groups look?
Well funded groups tend to have more power. Type of interest group can also affect influence over election and policies.
What is the Free Rider problem?
People who benefit from actions of interest groups without joing/paying fees. Pose challenge to groups working for collective good.
What is Hyperpluralism?
Government attempts to representment needs of too many different groups. Inevitably end up favoring one group over another which develops elitism.
What is an Amicus Curiae Brief?
Amicus Curiae Brief is legal document describing an interest group’s position on an issue in an attempt to persuade Court to agree with them.
