Transcript Chap 11 Day 2- Aim: How do Interest Groups effect American politics? Do Now- PAIR/SHARE 1) What is the cartoonists’ attitude toward Citizens.

Chap 11 Day 2- Aim: How do Interest Groups
effect American politics?
Do Now- PAIR/SHARE 1) What is the cartoonists’
attitude toward Citizens United?
2) Why would s/he feel this way?
Buckley v. Valeo, (1976)
• A case in which the Supreme Court of the
United States upheld a federal law which
set limits on campaign contributions, but
• Ruled that spending money to influence
elections is a form of constitutionally
protected free speech
• Struck down portions of the law.
• The court also ruled candidates can give
unlimited amounts of money to their own
campaigns.
Theories of Interest Group Politics Hyperpluralism
• Definition:
• Groups are so strong that government is
weakened. Extreme, exaggerated form of
pluralism.
• Subgovernments consist of a network of groups
that exercise a great deal of control over specific
policy areas.
• Interest groups have become too powerful as
the government tries to serve every interest.
Theories of Interest Group Politics Hyperpluralism
• The many subgovernments (iron triangles)
aggravate the process.
• When the government tries to please all
the groups, the policies become confusing
and contradictory.
• With more interest groups getting involved,
these subgovernments may be dissolving.
What Makes an Interest Group Successful? Effect on
Government???
What Makes an Interest Group
Successful?
• The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large
Groups
• Potential group: All the people who might be
interest group members because they share
a common interest.
• Actual group: The part of the potential group
consisting of members who actually join.
• Collective good: Something of value that
cannot be withheld from a group member
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
• Free-Rider problem: Some people don’t join
interest groups because they benefit from
the group’s activities without officially
joining.
• Examples???
• The bigger the group, the larger the freerider problem. (Olson’s law of large groups)
• Why???
• Large groups are difficult to keep organized.
• Why?
What Makes an Interest Group
Successful?
• Small groups are better organized and
more focused on the group’s goals.
• Consumer groups have a difficult time
getting significant policy gains – WHY?
• the benefits are spread over the entire
population.
• Groups that can provide selective
benefits can overcome this problem.
What Makes an Interest Group Successful?
The Benefits of Membership in the AARP
Assessment
• Create a multiple
choice question based
on previous material
• Exchange your
question/answer with
neighbor
• Share question/answer
with class
The efforts of interest
group representatives to
influence policy-makers
face-to-face are called
• A. "electioneering."
• B. "campaigning."
• C. "co-opting."
• D. "lobbying."
• E. none of the above.