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Interest Groups AP Government Unit 3 Chap 16

Explore the roots, development, and impact of interest groups in American politics, including their lobbying efforts and influence on public policy.

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Interest Groups AP Government Unit 3 Chap 16

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  1. Interest Groups AP Government Unit 3 Chap 16

  2. The Development of American Interest Group? • Interest groups have existed since the country’s founding. • The open nature of the American government invites organized political participation. • James Madison in Federalist #10argued that no one group should get control over other groups.

  3. What is an Interest Group? An association of people who hold common views and who work together to influence what the government does

  4. What do Interest Groups do? Try to influence public policy • Lobbyists try and persuade public officials to believe a specific view • Every branch and every level of government is affected by interest groups • Promote interest in public affairs • Provide useful information • Serve as watchdogs • Represent the interest of Citizens

  5. Interest Group have been Criticized for • Ignoring the wider interestof society • Producing confusion and deadlockin Congress • Generating so much emotionthat they make reasoned discussion difficult • Having too much influence

  6. Interest Groups: Good, Bad, or Ugly? Lately, interest groups have become synonymous with the “evil” special interest. What is “special interests”? • Over 20,000 associations hoping to promote, persuade or prevent something • Aliases: • Interest Groups • PACS • Lobbyists • In a typical day, a senator can meet with 15 lobbyists in their office, plus those that approach him/her in the halls of Congress.

  7. What do Interest Groups need? • Social capital • The large number of relationships that individuals enjoy that facilitate the resolution of community problems through collective action • Civic virtue • The tendency to form small-scale associations for the public good

  8. Interest Groups in America • America is considered pluralistic • many different groups seeking to secure its members interests • Work outside of the political system, (separate and independent from the actual government structure)

  9. The Roots and Development of American Interest Groups • National Groups Emerge (1830-89) • The beginnings of lobbying and interest groups • Anti-Slavery groups • Temperance Groups • The Grange • The Progressive Era (1890-1920) • Important groups created • Organized Labor • The American Federation of Labor (AFL)(1886) • Business and Trade Associations • The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)(1895)

  10. The Roots and Development of American Interest Groups • The Rise of the Interest Group State (1960-70) • A new sense of progressivism • ACLU, Common Cause, NAACP • Religious and Ideological Groups • Christian Coalition, Moral Majority • Business Groups, Trade and Professional Associations • Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable • Organized Labor • AFL-CIO • Teamsters

  11. Interest Groups in Politics • The closer the ties to political issues, personalities and organizations, the more effective the group • Contributions of Interest Groups • provide link to gov't • provide info • encourage participation • stabilize other groups

  12. Goal: Influence Politics • Assist in election campaigns • Influence judicial appointments • Form PACs • File amicus curiae briefs and lawsuits • Grassroots work (advertise opinion, letter writing, social protests) • A form of pressure-group activity that attempts to involve individuals who contact their representatives directly in an effort to influence policy • Persuading ordinary voters to act as the group’s advocates

  13. Lobbyists • A Lobbyist is someone whose task it is to influence legislation or policymaking • Generally works for an interest group • Lobbyists are hired by: • Businesses • Trade associations • Colleges or universities • Foreign countries • Anyone else wanting their voice heard on policy matters (Health issues, parent issues…)

  14. What Lobbyists Should Do • A lobbyist must be honest and truthfulif he or she wants to remain effective. • Access to lawmakers is critical and if a lobbyist gets a reputation of being untruthful or disingenuous legislators doors will close. • Good lobbyists will also make lawmakers aware of the downsides of a billand the arguments on the other side as well.

  15. Goal: Lobbying • An attempt to influence the shape of legislation coming out of Congress and other rule making bodies • The activities of a group or organization that seeks to influence legislation and persuade political leaders to support the group’s position

  16. Goal: Lobbying • Employs more than 80,000 in Washington DC alone • Named from days when Congress didn't live in Washington and stayed in boarding homes or hotels where lobbies were only place to catch and attempt to sway to your side • 23 ways for lobbyists and organizations to lobby on the state and national level • Most often they: testify at legislative hearings, contact government officials directly, help draft legislation

  17. Lobbying Congress • Members of Congress are targets of lobbyists • Many lobbyists are former members • Lobbyists work closely with those members who share their interests • The effectiveness of a lobbyist depends on their reputation for fair play and accurate information

  18. Reform Attempts • Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, 1946 • Lobbying Disclosure Act, 1995 • Employs a strict definition of lobbyist • Requires lobbyists to: • Register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate • Report their clients and issues and the agency or house they lobbied • Estimate the amount they are paid by each client • Makes it easier for watchdog groups to track the lobbying activity

  19. Lobbying the Executive Branch • Has expanded As the scope of federal government has expanded • Many potential access points • Lobbyists seek influence at policy formation and implementation stages. • An especially strong link exists between interest groups and regulatory agencies • Groups often monitor the implementation of the laws or policies they advocated.

  20. Economic establish standards, better working conditions Determined by the way people earn a living Business & professional, labor, agricultural NAM (National Association of Manufacturers) American Bankers Association AFL-CIO General Motors AMA (American Medical Association) ABA (American Bar Association) National Grange NEA (National Education Association) Types of Interest Groups

  21. Social Action Membership is determined by birth Gender, Race, Ethnicity NOW National Organization of Women NAACP National Association for Advancement of Colored Persons National Council of Senior Citizens Types of Interest Groups

  22. Religious support or oppose laws morally U.S. Catholic Conference 700 Club Christian Coalition Ideological Have a specific political agenda Have become the center of PAC activities Heritage Foundation Brookings Institute People for the American Way Types of Interest Groups

  23. Single Issue Focus on one policy area MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) NRA (National Rifle Association) Public Interest Environment, Voter Registration, Consumer Protection, Historic preservation League of Women Voters Sierra Club Common Cause Types of Interest Groups

  24. Problems with Interest Groups • Overrepresentation of views of privileged class

  25. Utilization of free-rider concept of representation • Benefits go to all in an industry, not just group members • Benefits that go to members only (better health care, etc.) • Reliability of funding sources and sponsorship • Could be double influence (corporations, foundations, etc.)

  26. Business Role in Interest Groups • Most large corporations • Have their own governmental affairs department • Employ D.C.-based lobbyists to keep them apprised of legislation • Have given substantial soft money in the past • Still use PACS & 527s which means they still contribute a great deal of money

  27. FOR: legislation that confers significant benefits on relatively small (but organized and active) groups and imposes small costs on the public at large Ex. Farm Subsidies AGAINST: legislation that imposes costs on small (but organized and active) groups and deprives the public at large of relatively small benefits Ex. Benefits cuts for military Legislators tend to vote:

  28. Why People Join Interest Groups • SolidarityIncentives • For the social contacts • League of Women Voters, NAACP, PTSA, American Legion • Material Incentives • For economic reasons • AARP, Farmers Groups, Labor Unions • Purposive Incentives • For moral causes / crusades • Right to-Life, Pro-Choice, Greenpeace

  29. Who Joins Interest Groups? • Upper class interest groups- Big Business • More affluent join and are active • White collar workers • Professional groups • Working class interest groups- Big Labor • Labor unions have been very powerful in past • The AFL-CIO broke up in 2004, cutting big labor’s power

  30. Among those over 50, AARP members are more likely to vote than nonmembers. Facts About the AARP

  31. Economic Interest Groups • Most interest groups are based oneconomics • Businesses(create favorable environment for business to prosper) • Agriculture(work for price supports from gov’t, but also limit gov’t influence) • Labor(Call public attention to the legitimate needs of working people. Accomplishments …eight-hour work day …child labor laws …minimum wage laws ...workplace health & safety laws) • Professional(protect and advance their professional field -- to do this, they...publish journals…give awards for excellence ...communicate their opinions to gov’t officials)

  32. Other Types of Interest Group? • Cause-based • (National Wildlife Federation, League of Women Voters, National Rifle Association, MADD, Emily’s List) • Concerned with the welfare of people • (AARP – senior citizens, NAACP – African Americans) • Religious Organizations • (Christian Coalition, American Jewish Congress)

  33. Direct Techniques: Lobby at Capitol Hill Have private meetings Meet at social occasions Testify at hearings Drafting legislation Providing political info Supply nomination suggestions Indirect Techniques: Generating Public Pressure Use public pressure on “hot button” issues Use constituents to call lawmakers Build alliances with other groups Interest Group Techniques

  34. What Makes an Interest Group Successful? • Leaders– having a prominent leader aids in the reputation of the group and enhances a group's ability to attain its goals. • Patrons and Funding– funding is critical. Without money, it is hard to get your message out. • Members– a group must have members to be successful. Organizing members allows for strength in numbers and pooling of financial support.

  35. Where Does the $$$ Come From? • Member dues • Federal grants • Direct mail appeals for cash • Internet sites • Dinners and fundraisers • PAC’s !!!!

  36. Goal: Form Political Action Committees (PACs) • Organizations, formally independent of candidates themselves • channel money from interest groups to political candidates sympathetic to their groups' policy preferences • Electioneering experts who aid candidates financially with member support • Blossomed as a result of FECA of 1974 • Buckley v. Valeo created the “PAC man” • Most money goes to incumbents

  37. Political Action Committees • A popular term for a political committee organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. • Most PACS represent business, labor or ideological interests. • PACSare the so-called “political arms” of interest groups • PACS are used to elect or defeat government officials and promote legislation • The “revolving door” • PACS hire former members of Congress to lobby their old friends, committees, etc… • This is legal but …Is this Ethical???

  38. The Birth of PACS • In 1944, the Congress of Industrial Organizations, (CIO)wanted to help President Franklin Roosevelt get re-elected. • Standing in their way was the Smith Connally Act of 1943, which made it illegal for labor unions to contribute funds to federal candidates. • The CIO then urged individual union membersto voluntarily contribute money directly to the Roosevelt campaign. • It worked very well and PACs, or political action committees were born.

  39. Political Action Committees(PAC’s) • A PAC must register six months in advance, have at least fifty contributors, and give to at least five candidates. • Corporations, unions, or other associations may establish PAC’s. • There are over 4,000 PACs registered with the Federal Election Commission. • PAC’s gave over • $217 million to congressional candidates in 1996 • $373 million in 2010!!!

  40. Money from PACS • PACs may receive up to $5,000from any one individual, PAC or party committee per calendar year. • PACs can give$5,000to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). • They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC. • PACS support candidates with campaign money • ½ sponsored by corporations; 1/10 by unions • 1/3 liberal and 2/3 conservative (2001) • Incumbents get the most PAC money!!

  41. Money Limits • Individuals can give up to $2600 to a candidate but PACS can give $5,000 to a candidate • Federal money will match presidential campaign money but…. • Parties need at least 5% of vote in previous year for presidential candidate to receive funds • If that doesn’t happen you need PAC’s!!! http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/379369/march-30-2011/colbert-pac---trevor-potter

  42. Important PAC’s • The Laborers International Union of North America • The National Association of Realtors • The National Rifle Association(NRA) • Microsoft Corp • Exxon Mobil • EMILY’s List-Early money is like yeast – makes the Dough rise (Democratic women) • Human Rights Campaign

  43. http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/index.asp

  44. 2014 Top PAC Contributions

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