US Pressure Groups Flashcards
What is an Iron Triangle?
An iron triangle consists of an executive department or agency, an interest group and a congressional committee. Together, they form an iron triangle which is mutually beneficial to all parties.
Name a significant Iron Triangle
AIPAC, Defense Department and Foreign Relations Committee
Why do Iron Triangles form?
o All rely on each other for different functions. For example, government departments rely on congressional committees to approve and fund their initiatives and staff.
o Congressional committees rely on interest groups to support and fund campaigns for re-election
o Interest groups rely on executive departments and congressional committees to help formulate policy and legislation which will benefit their cause
Why do Pressure Groups seek to influence the Senate?
o Congressional committees: Half of the congressional committee’s spending is allocated to the Senate, which means lobbying the senate could lead to affecting the decisions a committee makes which could be in favor of an interest groups cause – possibility of an iron triangle can also occur
o Ratification of treaties – Through influencing treaties pressure groups can indirectly impact the presidential agenda and have a long term impact on the USA’s international involvement. This has been most significant under environmental treaties like the Kyoto Protocol which the President never signed because the Lobbyist in the Senate would prevent this from being accepted.
o Ratification of presidential nominees – another senate power is to confirm Presidential nominees, which means pressure groups have great reason to lobby to try and affect the nomination of a presidential candidate who has an agenda which is in line with their own. Interest groups such as the NRA would lobby for a Republican candidate who has a strong stance on gun rights for example
What is the Kyoto Protocol
An environmental treaty which the President never signed due to the lobbying from environmental pressure groups within the Senate
Why are PG’s controversial
1) Revolving door - elitism: e.g. David Hoppe chief of staff to Paul Ryan was head of his firm Hoppe Strategies
2) Centralised power in technical elite - PHARMA influencing ACA
3) Corruption - AIPAC flying 55 Rep. and 26 Democ. on “educational trips”
What are the Integrity and Prevent of Corruption Act & Honest Leadership and Open Government Act?
(2007) Attempt to limit the ability of PG’s to try and buy/influence decisions - limited effectiveness due to loopholes such as “educational trips”
Why do PG’s attempt to influence SC, and what methods do they use?
1) Influence appointment process - get a judge who is likely to make favourable decisions e.g. Alliance for Justice campaigned for Kagan (left wing shared ideology)
2) Amicus Curiae briefs - submit information and opinions on cases which they have knowledge on, same can be done by legal journals - National Ed. Assoc. on Stewart V. National Ed. Assoc.
3) Test cases - brought tocourtas a means to provide a clearer definition to laws with disputed meaning and/or intent - allows pressure groups to get rulings on legislation affecting their cause - e.g. NAACP on civil rights and HRCF on DOMA
