Unit 3 Linking Mechanisms-Interest Groups, Paries, & Media Flashcards
Reasons for growth of interest groups (10)
- Tocqueville-Americans have a propensity for joining groups
- Economic developments
- Governmental policies-agencies created=creates entry point
- Diversity
- Diffusion of power in government
- Weaknesses of political parties
- Reforms of 1970-lobbying process=PACs
- Reaction of conservative and business groups to excesses of liberal activism of the 1960s and 1970s
- Interest groups beget interest groups
- Technology
Types of interest groups (7)
- Traditional
- Nontraditional protest
- Single issue
- Public interest
- Ideological
- Governmental
- PACs, 527s, Super PACs etc
Traditional interest groups (four types)
Goal: to promote economic interests of its members
- Agricultural
- Labor
- Business
- Professional
Nontraditional protest
Goal: to protect the status of its members and to convince government to take remedial action
Ex: NAACP
Single issue interest groups
Goal: to get government action on one overriding issue
Polarizing effect
Ex: Right to Life League, National Abortion Rights League, NRA
Public interest groups
Goal: to bring about good policy for society as a whole
Ideological interest groups
Goal: to convince government to implement policies that are consistent with their philosophies.
Tactics of interest groups (12)
- Use of mass media
- Boycotting
- Litigation
- Amicus Curiae briefs
- Campaign contributions
- Endorsement of candidates: sample ballots
- Targeting unfriendly candidates via issue ads
- Initiative, referendum, and recall at state and local levels
- Lobbying
- Issue “report cards”
- Mass mailings
- Political cue
Litigation
Using the judicial system: suing
Amicus Curiae
(Literally, friend of the court)
Someone who is not a party to a case and offers information that bears on the case, but has not been solicited by any of the parties to assist the court
Initiative
A process permitted in some states whereby voters may place proposed changes to state law on the ballot if sufficient signatures are obtained on petitions calling for such a vote
Referendum
A state level method of direct legislation it gives voters a chance to approve or disapprove of legislation or constitutional amendment proposed by the state legislature.
Recall
A procedure that allows voters to call a special election for a special official in an attempt to throw him or her out of office before the end of term. Recalls are permitted and only 17 states, seldom used because of the cost and disruptiveness, and are rarely successful
Political cue
Member of Congress waiting for approval of interest group for a certain law
Irrationality of joining an interest group
Single person won’t make a difference
“Free riders”
Incentives for joining an interest group (3)
- Material
- Purposive
- Solidary
Factors influencing interest group strength (6)
- Size
- Spread (concentrated or dispersed)
- Reasons why people join
- Organizational structure
- Leadership
- Resources
Political action committee
Extension of interest group that raises funds for favored candidates
Extension of an interest group
created to “open up” campaign contributions to the masses
Factors influencing who gets PAC money (8)
- Incumbents (#1 criteria)
- Winners
- Similar philosophies
- Those likely to grant access
- Those in positions of special influence
- Tightness of race where money would make a difference
- Committee seat of special importance
- More congressional campaigns than presidential
Who has the PACs? (4)
- Corporations own 50%
- Ideological organizations 25%
- Professional/trade/health associations 15%
- Labor unions 10%
Overrepresentation of upper middle classes and underrepresentation of poor
Revolving door
Employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies regulating interests eventually end up working for interest groups or business with the same policy concern.
Lobbying
Attempting to influence government. Most effective on narrow, technical issues that are not well-publicized
Functions of lobbyists (4)
- Influence government
- Provide info to government
- Testify at hearings
-
Help write legislation
“A third house of congress
1946 federal regulation of lobbying act (4)
- Defines lobbyists as those whose “principal purpose” is to influence legislation
- Registration required
- Disclosure of lobbyists employer
- Publication of disclosed info
Functions of political parties (11)
- Nominate candidates
- Raise and spend campaign funds
- Register voters
- Simplify decisions for voters
- Unify diverse interests
- Act as moderating influence on government
- Reduce diffusion of power in government
- Provide patronage. Spoils system
- Inform public through party platform
- Agents of political socialization
- Linking mechanism between people and government
Party Weaknesses (9)
- Parties lack strong rank-and-file membership
a. Anyone can join by registering
b. No duties or dues
c. Most activities occur only at elections - Tension between party regulars and issue purists/candidate loyalists
- Not responsive enough to social reform
- Parties have lost many of their traditional functions, or these functions have been weakened
- Parties are decentralized
- Candidate-centered campaigns, “vote the man, not the party” (ticket splitting)
- Public disenchantment with politics during 60s
- Candidates rely on mass media not party to get message across
- Growth of independents
Impact of parties in congress (4)
- Majority party controls all committees
- Majority party has chairmen on all committees
- Majority party controls key leadership positions
- Staffers are partisan
Impact of parties on executive branch (3)
- Nearly all appointments to White House office or partisan. Many go to people from election campaigns.
- Nearly all appointments to top positions in other parts of the executive branch are partisan
- Development of civil service system has greatly reduced party influence over the bureaucracy
Impact of parties on judicial branch
Nearly all appointments are partisan
Impact of parties on state and local governments
Most state government positions are partisan
Many local government positions are nonpartisan
Reforms of progressive era (5)
- Direct primary elections
- Nonpartisan elections at state and local levels
- Civil service expansion
- Initiative, referendum, and recall
- 17th amendment=popular election of senators
Characteristics of “new media” (7)
- More interactive
- Emphasis on entertainment
- Personalized
- Emotional
- Informal
- Opinionated
- Topical
Media Conglomerate
a company that owns large numbers of companies in various mass media such as television, radio, publishing, movies, and the Internet.
Arguments that media influences government (7)
- Personalizes candidates
- Polls
- Those who influence others after consuming media
- Set national agenda
- Advocacy journalism
- Linking mechanism b/w gov+people
- Sensationalizes the news=more profit
Arguments that media doesn’t influence government (5)
- Public pays little attention to the news
- Selective exposure
- Selective perception
- Family, schools, peers>media
- People don’t always consume media for information
Symbiotic relationship between government and the press
Journalists need politicians to inform and entertain their audiences, and politicians need journalists for media exposure
Roles of media (3)
- Gatekeeper: influence which subjects are of national importance: set national agenda
- Scorekeeper: keep track of and help make political reputations
- Watchdog: scrutinize people, places and events
Media’s greatest influences (3)
- Agenda-setting phase of the policy making process
- Primary elections>general elections
- On undecided voters
White House manipulation of media (4)
- Photo opportunities
- Spin control-news leaks and news conference
- Trial balloon
- Bad news breaking weekends holidays
Trial balloons
information sent out to the media in order to observe the reaction of an audience.
Use of electronic throne by president (3)
- President can now bypass journalists’ annoying questions and go right to the people with a speech
- Decline of press conference
- White House manipulation of tv with photo opportunities and sound bites
Fairness doctrine
An FCC rule, abolished in 1987, that required broadcasters to give time to opposing views if they broadcast one side of a controversial issue. Still voluntarily followed by many broadcasters
Interest group
Group with common interest that seeks to influence government
