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GOVT10_SidlowHenschen_Ch06.pptx

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Chapter 6 Interest Groups

Interest Group

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Explain what an interest group is, why interest groups form, and how interest groups function in American politics

Identify the various types of interest groups

Discuss how the activities of interest groups help to shape government policymaking

Describe how interest groups are regulated by government

LEARNING OUTCOMES

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America at Odds: Are Farmers Getting a Deal That’s Too Good?

What effect might farm programs have on rural residents who are not farmers?

Soybeans are the nation’s second-largest crop, after corn

Half of all U.S. soybeans are exported, many of them to feed Chinese pigs

If China made large cuts in U.S. soybean imports due to a trade dispute, how would this affect U.S. farmers?

Tariffs

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Interest Groups

Organized group of individuals who share common objectives

Actively try to influence policymakers

Right to form interest groups is protected by the Bill of Rights

Provides citizens the right to petition the government

Lobby government officials

Sue the government

Submit requests to the government

LO 1

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Reasons Why Interest Groups Are Formed

To affect government policies or practices

To expand government's scope of activities

To defend the group’s interests from a perceived threat

More than two-thirds of all Americans belong to at least one group- not all political

Range from small local environmental groups to the National Education Association

LO 1

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Incentives to Join a Group

Purposive incentive: Satisfaction from working for a cause in which one believes

Amnesty International

Solidary incentive: Pleasure in associating with like-minded individuals

Material incentive: Practical benefits such as discounts, subscriptions, or group insurance

AAA, AARP

LO 1

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Free Rider Problem

Existence of people who benefit from public good without contributing to it

People cannot be excluded from enjoying a public good- clean air, national defense

Ways to address the issue

Social pressure can make people join or donate to a group

LO 1

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Functions of Interest Groups in American Politics

Purposes served by interest groups

Bridging the gap between citizens and government and enabling citizens to explain their views on policies

Raising public awareness and inspiring action on various issues

Providing public officials with information useful in making policy choices

Serving as a check on public officials

LO 1

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Theories of American Democracy

LO 1

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Pluralist theory

Views politics as a contest among various interest groups to gain benefits for their members

Majoritarianism

Belief that public policy is or should be set in accordance with the opinions of a majority

Elite theory

Belief that the government is controlled by one or more elite groups

Evaluating Theories of American Democracy

Pluralism and elite theory contain elements of truth

Majoritarianism is only an ideal

Policy

Strongly influenced by preferences of interest groups and of economic elites

Not influenced by average citizens when they are separated from the preferences of interest groups

LO 1

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Interest Groups versus Political Parties

LO 1

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Interest groups

Policy specialists

Political parties

Policy generalists

More tightly organized than political parties

Try to influence the outcome of elections but do not compete for public office

Not well organized as interest groups

Main sphere of influence is the electoral system

Types of Interest Groups

LO 2

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Business interest groups

Trade organizations

Agricultural interest groups

Labor and professional interest groups

Unions - Public sector unions

Professional interest groups

Public-interest and other types of groups

Consumer interest groups

Identity interest groups

Ideological interest groups

Single-issue interest groups

Government interest groups

Trade Organizations

Formed by members of a particular industry

Develop common industry standards and goals

Lobby government for regulations that specifically benefit its members

Donations to political parties reflect business leaders’ political affiliations

Often support both parties

To ensure benefits regardless of who wins

To avoid political disfavor

LO 2

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Agricultural Interest Groups

Three broad-based agricultural groups that represent American farmers are:

American Farm Bureau Federation (Farm Bureau) - Largest and the most effective

National Grange

National Farmers Union

Have been successful in winning subsidies from the federal government

LO 2

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Unions

Press for policies to improve working conditions and ensure better pay

Reasons for decline

Fall in the proportion of the nation’s workforce in blue-collar activities

Political environment

Lack of acceptance as legitimate institutions

Right-to-work laws depress unionization rates in states

LO 2

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Union Membership

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Public-Sector Unions and Professional Interest Groups

Public-sector unions

Do not have the right to strike over wages and working conditions

Hold the right to vote for their own bosses

Allow workers enjoy generous pension benefits

Professional interest groups

Concerned with the standards of their professions

Also work to influence the government

Can be divided over competing interests

LO 2

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Public-Interest and Other Types of Groups

Some interest groups have aims other than benefiting economic interests

Public-interest group: Formed for the purpose of working for the public good

American Civil Liberties Union

Common Cause

LO 2

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Public-Interest and Other Types of Groups (continued 1)

Consumer interest groups

Organized to protect consumer rights

Identity interest groups

Organized by Americans who share the same race, ethnicity, gender, or other characteristics

Ideological interest groups

Promote a shared political perspective

Example - The Tea Party movement and environmental and religious groups

LO 2

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Public-Interest and Other Types of Groups (continued 2)

Single-issue interest groups

Focus on a single issue

Government interest groups

State and local governments lobby the federal government for federal funds

Federal government has lobbied individual states

LO 2

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How Interest Groups Shape Policy

LO 3

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Direct techniques

Used to interact with government officials directly to further the group’s goals

Include lobbying and providing election support

Indirect techniques

Used to influence government officials through third parties, such as voters

Include shaping public opinion, rating systems, issue ads, 527 and 501(c)4 organizations, mobilizing constituents, going to court, amicus curiae briefs, and demonstrations

Direct Techniques to Shape Government Policies

Lobbying: Attempts by organizations or individuals to influence:

Passage, defeat, or contents of legislation

Administrative decisions of government

Lobbyist: Individual who handles an interest group’s lobbying efforts

LO 3

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Slide header

Lobbying

Slide content

Attempts by organizations or individuals to influence:

Passage, defeat, or contents of legislation

Administrative decisions of government

Lobbyist: Individual who handles an interest group’s lobbying efforts

Directed at the legislative branch of government or at administrative agencies

6.5 Direct Lobbying Techniques

LO 3

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Table

Providing Election Support

Direct involvement of interest groups in the election process

Provide campaign support for legislators who favor their policies

Encourage their own members to try to win posts in party organizations

Urge their members to vote for candidates who support the views of the group

LO 3

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Providing Election Support: Political Action Committees (PACs)

PACs- established by an interest group to raise funds and make campaign contributions on the establishing organization’s behalf

Supreme Court ruling

PACs could accept unlimited contributions for the purpose of making independent expenditures

Led to the creation of super PACs

LO 3

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Providing Election Support: Political Action Committees (PACs)

Super PACs - Allowed to accept unlimited contributions for making independent expenditures DailyShow Super Pacs Colbert

Independent expenditure: Involves activities that are independent from those of a political party

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Indirect Techniques of Shaping Government Policies

Shape public opinion using public relations techniques

Rating system: Groups evaluate (rate) the performance of legislators

Rating is based on how often the legislators vote with the group’s position on particular issues

Issue ad - Television or radio ad taking a position on a particular issue

LO 3

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527 and 501(c)4 Organizations

527s

Set up in response to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002

Groups engage in voter registration and make large expenditures on issue ads

501(c)4 groups

Could spend some funds on direct campaign contributions as long as major spending was on issue advocacy

Can conceal the identity of contributors

LO 3

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Mobilizing Constituents

Grassroots organizing

Urging group members to contact government officials to show their support for or opposition to certain policies

Astroturf lobbying

Campaigns that masquerade as grassroots mobilizations

Lobbyists make anonymous postings online that appear to be from concerned citizens

LO 3

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Other Indirect Techniques of Shaping Government Policies

Interest group litigation

Made possible by civil rights groups

Amicus curiae briefs

State a group’s legal argument in support of its desired outcome in a case

Interest groups cite statistics and research supporting their position on a certain issue

Demonstrations

LO 3

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Today’s Lobbying Establishment

Lobbying has become a profession

Interest groups have become a permanent feature of the American government

Interest groups are often criticized

Questionable activities

Belief that benefits obtained by groups are not in the general public interest

Aided by enthusiasm gap between supporters and opponents of any given subsidy

LO 4

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Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)

Entities that receive money to influence legislation must register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate

Every registered lobbyist must make quarterly report on his or her activities

Anyone violating this act can be:

Fined up to $10,000

Imprisoned for up to five years

LO 4

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Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act: Drawbacks

Application was restricted to those who sought to influence federal legislation directly

Act failed to cover:

Lobbying that was directed at agencies in the executive branch

Lobbyists who testified before congressional committees

Information in the quarterly reports filed by lobbyists was not known to the public

LO 4

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Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995)

Strict definitions determined who must register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate as a lobbyist

Lobbyists must report their clients, the issues on which they lobbied, and the contacted agency

Tax-exempt organizations and organizations that engaged in grassroots lobbying were exempt from the provisions

LO 4

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Later Reform Efforts

Bundled campaign contributions and lavish expenditures have to be reported

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, 2007

Increased lobbying disclosure requirements

Placed restrictions on receipts of gifts and travel by Congress members paid for by lobbyists

Required the disclosure of lawmakers’ requests for earmarks in legislation

LO 4

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Military Defense and Private Contractor Lobbying Groups Click picture to play video

Rand Paul discusses limits on lobbying groups

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INSTRUCTOR: To find the video, search “limit defense contractors' lobbying” under Clips on C-SPAN’s website (www.c-span.org). You can also visit the page directly at http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4577525/vetsask-paul-limit-defense-contractors-lobbying

Questions

What are the ethical implications of private companies lobbying the government and receiving special protections from government?

Anybody who gets money from government in the form of a contract should be limited in what they can do to lobby to get more of our money

Do you agree? Why or why not?

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Questions (continued)

Do lobbying groups have too much influence over the government?

Share your thoughts with the class and discuss

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KEY TERMS

Interest group

Purposive incentive

Solidary incentive

Material incentive

Free rider problem

Pluralist theory

Majoritarianism

Elite theory

Trade organization

Right-to-work laws

Public-interest group

Direct technique

Lobbying

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KEY TERMS

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KEY TERMS (continued)

Lobbyist

Political action committee (PAC)

Independent expenditure

Indirect technique

Rating system

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KEY TERMS (continued)

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SUMMARY

Interest groups are organized groups of people sharing common objectives

Broad types - Business, labor, professional, and public interest groups

Attempt to influence policymakers

Regulations:

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)

Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995)

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (2007)

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SUMMARY

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