Transcript Interest Groups and Political Action Committee

Interest Groups
Chapter 11
What is an Interest Group?
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An Interest Group is—
Interest Groups
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Political Parties
Nominating and
electing
candidates
Controlling
government
Concerned with
wide range
___________
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Interest Groups
 Don’t choose
candidates—create and
influence ___________
 Influencing and controlling
policy
 Concerned with interest of
__________
*Same in that they want
to influence public
policy and give a voice
to citizens
The Birth of Interest Groups
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Why do we have so many?
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History
 Since 1960 ---70% of Interest Groups have establish DC as
home base
 1770’s—
 1830’s-- 1860’s- 1880’s—
 1900-1920—
 1960’s—
Rise of Interest Groups
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Economic Developments
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New ________defined
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Government Policy
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________
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ex: mass production and labor unions
Creates veterans associations etc.
Social Movements
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Strong leaders….
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1960’s anti-war movements—college enrollment
Types of Interest Groups
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Institutional—
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Business groups—General Motors---AMA (American Medical Association)
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Bread and butter issues
Membership—organization representing a group of people
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social , business, professional, veteran, charitable
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Labor Groups—ex. AFLCIO
Agricultural groups—ex. American Farmers Bureau
Professional groups—ex. American Bankers Association
Citizen’s groups—ex. Public Citizen, Inc. Ralph Nader Consumer safety
group
Environmental groups—ex.Sierra Club
Religious groups
Foreign groups
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* Creates a sense of political efficacy
Why do we Join?
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Solidarity Incentives—
 Small local units
 Often facilitated by the Gov’t
 Ex—NAACP, LOWV, PTA
 Material Incentives—
 May influence policy that effect members services
 EX—Farm organizations, AARP
 Purposive Incentives—
 Benefits both members and non-members
 Influenced by the mood of Gov’t ; may prosper if gov’t is hostile to their
agenda
 Sense of passion about the goal
 .
 Minimal cost to join
 Ideological- Public—
 Civil---
Roles of Interest Groups
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Represent—
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Participation/grassroots—
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Education/propaganda—
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Agenda Building—
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Program Building—
Interest Groups Influence Public Policy
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Interest groups use a variety of methods to
influence public policy
 Lobbying
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Lobbyists are ______ by interest groups to
represent them, because they know the political
system and who has the power to change policy
There are 6,000 lobbyists registered with Congress
and they represent more than ________________
Lobbyists are usually ______ government officials.
Some are lawyers or are in public relations. They
are often called “political persuaders”.
Interest Groups Influence Public Policy
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Media Campaigns-
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Court-
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Letter Writing Campaign-
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Pac's-
Interest Groups and Public Opinion
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Lobbyist—approach legislators directly to persuade
them to vote for their position. Sometimes are called
“political persuaders”.
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Interest Groups
Lobbyist provide legislators with
information through pamphlets, reports,
and statistics (This information may be
bias. If it is not accurate, the lobbyist will
lose credibility with his contacts)
 Lobbyist and other members of interest
groups have also helped legislators draft
bills
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Interest Groups
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Interest groups support candidates who will support their policies
 Threaten to withhold campaign funds
 Other interest groups may contribute more funds to get a
candidate elected
 Contributions do not automatically guarantee that a lawmaker
will support their cause, but it does assure access to the
officials
The larger the group, the more diverse the interest of its
members. These groups can not usually adopt broad-based
policy goals
Although most large interest groups have a lot of financial
support, they only have a small staff
Lobbyist do not usually approach members that are committed to
the opposite view, but cultivate relations with those legislators
they know will support their issues
Interest Groups and Social
Movements
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Social Movement–
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The Environment
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1890’s—conservation issues, Sierra Club, 1930’s
WWF
1960’s formal legislation—Environmental Defense
Fund and Environmental Action founded
Movement spawned both extreme and moderate
sub groups
Interest Groups and Social
Movements
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Feminist
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Solidarity--Purposive –
Material—
Unions
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Many unions were formed as the result of social movements
dying out
Membership is difficult to ___________
Economic changes do not work to unions benefit—individual
bargaining
Public approval has declined
Do offer members benefits ex---National Educational
Association
Where do they get the $$
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Foundation Grants
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Federal Grants (projects)
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1/3 of their money comes from larger
_____________
Federal gov’t gives money to IG’s to support
___________________
Direct Mail
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Use of _________has expanded their ability
to easily raise individual funds