US Pressure Groups Flashcards
How is the existence of pressure groups a key part of the US constitution?
The first amendment gives people the ‘freedom to assemble’, - constitutionally protecting the rights of pressure groups
Why do pluralists argue that having many competing pressure groups is good?
It allows government and people to hear both sides of the debate and come to their own conclusions
Why are believers of elitism critical of pressure groups?
Wealthy pressure groups have much more influence than poorer groups
What percentage of Americans support increased gun control?
60%
Examples of insider groups
- American Medical Association
- US Chamber of Commerce
- NRA (depending on which party is in power)
Example of an outsider group
Climate Direct Action
Example of direct action
Climate Direct Action turned off the valves on 15% of crude oil imports in 2016
Examples of promotional groups
- Greenpeace
- ACLU
Examples of interest groups
- NAACP
- Christian Coalition of America
Why have social movements become more common in the 21st century?
The invention of social media
Tactics used by pressure groups
- Electoral campaigning
- Using the courts
- Lobbying
- Direct action
What are access points?
Places where pressure groups can aim to wield influence
Why does the US have many access points for pressure groups?
Federal nature means there are many different places which influence the law (e.g. federal government, state governments, courts)
How much did the League of Conservation Voters (environmentalist group) spend in 2018 on electoral campaigning?
$85m
Largely successful as the House was won back for the Democrats as 60 candidates they endorsed were elected
Aim of EMILY’s List
To get pro-choice Democratic women elected
How much did EMILY’s list spend endorsing Kamala Harris?
$5.5m
Example of a pressure group who scorecard candidates
NRA gives A to F ratings to candidates based on their gun records
How does the 1st amendment protect the right to lobby?
Guarantees the right to ‘petition the government for a redress of grievances’
Why do many pressure groups have offices in Washington DC?
To have close access to government representatives
Example of a company who regularly meets with politicians
Banks JP Morgan/Goldman Sachs had over 350 meetings between 2010-12 with federal agencies
Agencies were writing new banking restrictions as a response to the financial crisis
What street is famous for lobbying firms?
K-Street in Washington DC
How much was spent on federal lobbying in 2019?
$3.47bn
Why do medical companies lobby the government?
Aim to stop the government putting price controls on pharmaceutical products
What is revolving door syndrome?
Lobbying firms often want to hire people who have formerly worked in the federal government to take advantage of their connections
Example of a former lobbyist being hired by the government
Eugene Scalia, who had previously lobbied for companies such as Facebook, was hired as secretary of labor in 2019
How has the US government tried to limit lobbying?
Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995
Restricted ‘gifts’ from lobbyists to members of Congress
Which pressure group lobbies the most?
US Chamber of Commerce
Promotes business rights
Spent $77m in 2019
Successes and failures of the US Chamber of Commerce
Success: Convinced Congress to pass US/Mexico/Canada trade agreement
Failure: Could not persuade the Trump administration to lift tariffs on China and EU
Which pressure group funded Brown v Topeka?
NAACP
What pressure group has regularly used legal challenges to improve abortion rights?
Planned Parenthood
Which pressure group challenged Trump’s ban on allowing transgender people in the military in the 2017?
ACLU
Supreme Court upheld the law
What are amicus curiae briefs?
Legal briefs given by pressure groups in Supreme Court cases which pressure groups hope will influence the judges
How many amicus curiae briefs were submitted in Obergefell v Hodges?
149
Why can amicus curiae briefs be elitist?
Only pressure groups with funds for lawyers can afford to submit them
Methods of grassroots campaigning
- Contacting members of Congress
- Petitions
- Advertising
What was the 1963 March on Washington?
250,000 people attended a march outside Congress to campaign for civil rights
How many members does the NRA have?
5 million
Which moderate Republican did the NRA successfully campaign against in 2012?
Richard Lugar - received an F rating
Cost: $169,000
How much did the NRA spend campaigning on behalf of Trump in 2020?
$16m
Why do pressure groups tend to favour Senate campaigns over House campaigns?
- Senators serve 6 year terms to this secures them long-term influence
- The smaller number of Senators mean they individually carry more influence
What percentage of the NRA budget in 2016 was spent on Senate races?
96%
What is an iron triangle?
The relationship between the executive branch, Congress and pressure groups
What is the military-industrial complex?
That defence firms such as Lockheed Martin successfully lobby the government to keep the defence budget high
How much do Lockheed Martin spend a year lobbying?
$14m
Which members of Congress do defence firms normally target?
Those who sit on the defence committee (e.g. Joe Courtney)
Which members of Congress do pharmaceutical firms normally target?
Those who sit on the health committee (e.g. Anna Eshoo)
Example of revolving door syndrome related to health
Trump appointed Scott Gottlieb as head of the FDA in 2017. When he stepped down, he went to work for Pfizer.
What is hard money?
Direct donations to a political candidate
What is soft money?
Given to a political party or PAC but not targeted towards a specific candidate
Why is soft money more powerful than hard money?
There are no limits on soft money contributions
What are independent expenditures?
When money is spent campaigning to elect a candidate, however, this is completely independent of the candidate themselves
What are political action committees (PACs)?
Groups which make direct, hard money, contributions to candidates
What is the cap for PAC donations?
$5,000 per year
What are SuperPACs?
Groups which campaign using soft money/independent expenditures
Citizens United v FEC (2010)
Court ruled that the first amendment right to free speech applies to corporations and pressure groups, allowing them to make unlimited political donations
How much did SuperPACs spend in the 2020 election?
$1.8bn
Are SuperPACs too influential? - YES
- Means that rich groups have huge influence and can support candidates which support their goals
- Members of Congress cannot fairly criticise big businesses in fear of losing their funding
- Reduced the importance of political parties
Which wealthy individual contributed over $100m to conservative SuperPACs in 2020?
Sheldon Adelson
Are SuperPACs too influential? - NO
- Free speech gives the freedom to political donation in a pluralist society
- Large donations do not guarantee victory (Clinton received $129m more than Trump)
- Candidates can have strong grassroots support instead of large SuperPAC donations (Sanders)
How do US pressure groups have more access points than UK pressure groups?
While the UK has devolved regions, the US has both state and federal governments as well as more direct democracy
What is the maximum amount UK pressure groups can spend on an election?
£319,000
In the US this is unlimited through the use of SuperPACs
In which country are political advertisements banned on TV?
UK
What are some structural differences between UK and US pressure groups?
- More access points in the US
- Unlimited election spending in the US
- SCOTUS is very powerful so pressure groups target the courts more in the US
What are some rational similarities/differences between UK and US pressure groups?
- UK MPs are more likely to be loyal to their party than to a pressure group
- Both Labour and the Democrats are funded by trade unions and therefore support greater workers rights
- Direct action is used in both countries with international movements such as BLM
What are some cultural similarities/differences between UK and US pressure groups?
- Both see themselves as pluralist democracies
- Both countries have been criticised for elitism
- Direct action has caused major changes in both countries histories (Civil Rights Movement, Suffragettes)
