X - Interest Groups Flashcards
Interest group
Organized group that seeks to pursue policy goals & influence public policy
Interest groups vs political parties
Do not run candidates for political office
Policy specialists not policy generalists
Rise of internet & social media
made it easier for interest groups to organize & lobby policy makers
Interest groups are abe to
Provide opportunities for participation
Influence how people relate to gov’t & policy makers
Pluralists
Believe that interest groups are a positive in that they link people & gov’ts
Group theory of politics
Various groups compete
No one interest dominates
Opposing interests would balance one another
Pluralists acknowledge that
Some groups are stronger than others
Not all interests get equal attention
Elitism
Interest groups are extremely unequal in their power & influence
Elitism argues that
Very few powerful groups that benefit the wealthy few at the expense of everyone else
There are only a few groups with significant power
Hyperpluralism
many groups competing is bad for governing
Too many interest groups creates
Gridlock as gov’t has too many interests to cater to
Increased spending, programs, and reulations
Iron triange
When an interest group forms a close relationship with the federal agency that oversees policy related to their interest & congressional committees who handles those policies
Iron triangles leads to
Control of regulators by the regulated
What makes an interest group successful?
Small groups
Intensity
Wealth & financial resources
Small groups
Easier to organize and convert potential group members into actual group members
Collective good
Benefits that can’t be denied to nonmembers of a group
“Free rider” probem
Nonmembers or potential members reap the benefits
Intensity of support or opposition to an issue
increases the chance an interest group will be successful
Single-issue groups tend to
dislike compromise & are increasingly on the rise
Welath and finanical resources can help interest groups
Achieve their goals by providing access to politicians & political campaigns
Lobbyists
Used to put pressure & influence political figures
Types of lobbyists
Full-time
Temporary
Why do Congressional leaders meet with lobbyists?
Receive specialized policy knowledge
Strategize how to win over votes and get support
Lobbyists provide ideas & legislative proposals
Electioneering
Strategy of providing financial support to candidates friendly to a group cause & getting members to support them at the polls
Political Action Committees
Established by interest groups to donate to candidates
Litigation
Strategy of using courts and lawsuits to create change
Example of litigation
Civil Rights Movement
Amicus curiae briefs
Allow a group to give their opinion on how the court should rule & why
Class action lawsuit
Combining common grievances amongst people into a single lawsuit
Going public
strategy of mobilizing public opinion to influence policy makers
Types of interest groups includes
Economic
Environmental
Equality Interests
Consumer/ Public Interest
Economic
Concern over taxes, regulation, subsidies, wages, etc
Labor Unions
Closed shop- Membership is mandatory
Many states have passed “right to work laws”
Corporate groups
Well funded lobbyists & PACS
Environmental
Concern over global warming, water quality, etc.
Equality Intersts
Concern over issues of racial, gender, sexual orientation justice
Examples of equality interests
Brown v BoE(1954)
NOW battling gender discrimination & fought for ERA
Consumer/ Public Interest
Concern over issues that they believe will positively impact the collect good
Benefits & potential problems of interest groups influences
elections & policy making
Interst groups may represent
specific or general interests
Interest groups typically want
something from the gov’t
