Transcript Chapter 9:

Chapter 11:
Interest Groups
Proliferation and growth
A.
B.
C.
D.
Tocqueville described Americans as
having a propensity for joining groups
Economic development: farm problems
 Granges
Gov. policies; agencies create entry
points: New Deal and Great Society
programs made it important to "protect"
ones stake in agency activities
Diversity of population: many social,
racial, economic and geographic
cleavages
Proliferation and growth
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
Diffusion of power in government (federal,
state, local): many places to influence agencies
Weakness of political parties: interest groups
fill power vacuum
Federal Elections Campaign Act: lobbying
process is big winner (esp. PACs)
Reaction of Conservative and Business groups
to what they saw as the excesses of liberal
activism of the 1960s and '70s
Interest groups beget interest groups: when
one is formed, another may be formed to
counter it
Technology: computerized mailing lists for
funds + new use of communication
The birth of interest groups
I.
Periods of rapid growth
Since 1960, 70 percent established their D.C. office
A. 1770s-independence groups
B. 1830s, 1840s- religious, antislavery groups
C. 1860s- trade unions, grange, fraternal
organizations
D. 1880s, 1890s -business associations
E. 1900-1920 -business and professional
associations, charitable organizations
F. 1960s- environmental, consumer, politicalreform organizations
Kinds of Organizations
I.
Institutional interests: individuals or
organizations that represent other
organizations
A.
B.
II.
American Cotton Manufacturers Institute: represents
southern textile
US Chamber of Commerce: represents thousands of
different businesses
Membership Interests
A.
B.
NAACP
NRA
Incentives to join
I.
Solidary incentives- social benefits of joining (League of
Women Voters (LWV), NAACP, Rotary, Parent-Teacher
Association, American Legion)
Material incentives- money, things, services (farm
organizations, AARP)
Purposive incentives- goal/purpose of the organization
itself
II.
III.
A.
Though group also benefits nonmembers, join because:
1.
2.
3.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Passionate about goal
Strong sense of civic duty
Cost of joining minimal
Ideological interest groups-appeal of controversial principles
Public interest lobby-purpose principally benefits nonmembers
Engage in research and bring lawsuits, with liberal or
conservative orientation
Publicity important because purpose groups are influenced by
mood of the time
Interest Groups and Social
Movements
A.
Social Movement Definition: a widely
shared demand for change in some
aspect of social or political order
Funds for Interest Groups
I.
to raise more money than they get in dues,
groups have turned to three important sources:
A.
Foundation Grants: Foundations, such as the Ford
Foundation, fund various interest groups, thus aiding
both parties in accomplishing common goals
Federal Grants and Contracts: government does not
fund groups to help them to then lobby government.
Instead government helps fund programs spearheaded
by the interest group. Boom in the 1960s, but slowed in
the 1980s (“de-fund the left”).
Direct Mail
B.
C.
1.
2.
Individuals are solicited if they meet certain criteria (i.e.
drive a truck, subscribe to fishing magazine= Sierra Club)
Computers have made this an excellent way to get $$
The Problem of Bias?
A.
Claim: Interest groups only serve the white
collar workers who can afford to give
money and who have the time to join and
participate.
Tactics and Activities of interest
groups
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
Use of mass media
Boycotting, e.g.. NOW's boycott of states that didn't
ratify the ERA, NAACP threat to boycott South Carolina
(Confederate flag) and Arizona (MLK holiday)
Litigation
Use of amicus curiae briefs
Campaign contributions
Endorsement of candidates
"Targeting" of unfriendly candidates
Issuing "report cards" to rate candidates
Initiative, referendum, and recalls at state level
Lobbying
Mass mailings
Lobbying
I.
Attempting to influence government.
Interest groups lobbying is generally
most effective on narrow, technical
issues that are not well-published.
A.
Function of lobbyists
1.
2.
3.
4.
Influence government
Provide information
Testify at hearings
Help write legislation-act as a third house of
Congress
The case FOR lobbyists.
1. Provide information
2. provide a means of participation for people
3. provide means of representation on the basis of interest
rather than geography
a.
b.
“linking mechanism” between people and government
“third house of Congress.”
4. 1st Amendment protection
5. $$ spent is out in the open
6. Federalist #10: "remedy” is worst than the disease-Potential loss of liberty is worse than the abuses of
lobbyists.
The case AGAINST lobbyists
1. Rich and powerful are overrepresented
2. By safeguarding liberty, equality is sacrificed
3. Single issue lobbies, especially, contribute to
political polarization
opensecrets.org
Money and PACs
A.
Explosive growth of PACs
1.
2.
3.
1974 only 600 existed, now nearly 5000
reason: Campaign finance reform
Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1974
attempted to limit big spenders/soft money and paved
the way for PACs
a.
b.
individual contribution per candidate $1000 and $25000
to all candidates in any given year
$1000 per PAC, BUT no limit on number of PACs
4.
can contribute 5 X what the individual contributed
with no yearly limit to all candidates
5.
NO limit to "independent expenditures" that a
PAC could make…
Super PACs– a nickname for independent
expenditures with no limits
6.
Money and PACs
A. Growth
1. 1972 PAC contributed $8.5 million to congressional
races/ By 2000, over $250 million.
2. also a higher % of campaigns funds In 1978 63
congressmen received more than 50% of their
campaign funds from PACs/ 1986 the number
receiving 50% was up to 194
Money and PACs
A. Strategies
1. Campaign contributions-factors influencing who gets
PAC money
a. Winners/Incumbents In 1998, PACs gave $171 million to
congressional incumbents, and only $22 million to
challengers
b. Those who share similar philosophy
c. Those in positions of special influence: party leaders,
committee chairs
d. PAC money makes up a higher % of congressional
campaign $ than presidential $ (think access)
2. Voter education projects-mailings, fliers, commercials
3. Independent expenditures and "soft money"
4. "Bundling"
Money and PACs
A. Who has PACs?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Corporations-50% of all PACs
Ideological organization-25%
Professional/trade/health associations-15%
Labor unions-10%
Overrepresentation of upper/middle upper class
Money and PACs
A. Dangers of PACs
1. Ethical concerns: does a PAC get what they
"pay" for?
2. Special access of PACs that the public lacks
3. Drives up cost of campaigning
4. Further incumbency advantage
Money and PACs
A. In defense of PACs
1. many of the same as lobbyists including 1st
Amendment rights
2. Contributions are often nonpartisan (although most
unions support Democrats and many business PACs
support Republicans)
3. No conclusive evidence that PACs change votes
4. PACs provide political education and diversify
funding-- with over 4200 PACs many interests are
represented