A Home Schooling Story

1. A Home Schooling Story

3. Definition of Interest Group • an organized body of individuals who share some goals and who try to influence public policy • Parties largely try to determine who occupies positions in government • interest groups primarily try to affect the decisions that others make

4. Normative ?s about IG • Is this growth of interest groups a good thing? • What is the appropriate role of interest groups in a democracy? • Madison • Causes of Factions Are Sown Into the Nature of Man • Remedy is Worse Than the Disease

5. Pluralism • Empirical Description of Politics • Politics is a struggle between groups • For every interest, there is a group • Policy reflects the balance of power between groups in society • Normative Description of Politics • Reflects the intensity of preferences as well as the direction • No permanent losers

6. Theory of Pluralism • Groups are basis of politics • self-interest will lead organizations to form groups for policies • “hidden hand” of self-interest will lead to good overall effects. • If one group is too powerful, counter-groups will form. • No permanent losers • Groups reflect intensity ofpreferences

7. Critiques of Pluralism • "The heavenly chorus of the interest group process sings with an upper-class accent." • Collective Action problem • Overcoming the free rider problem • Solidarity benefits • Material benefits • Purposive benefits

8. Goals of Interest Groups • Improve Probability that Their Interests Will Be Treated Favorably • Influence Policy-Making Process • Preserve Organization

9. Inside Game • Focus is on Governing Officials • Lobbying • Litigation • Electoral Politics • Political Action Committees (PAC’s)

10. "The Outside Game" • Focus is on shaping public opinion • Indirect influence • Publicity and Mass Appeal • Mass Mailing • Organize the District

11. Why Groups Use Different Tactics • group characteristics • Exxon vs. Greenpeace • situational characteristics • Outs vs. the Ins • Convergence between outside and inside strategies • General Electric

12. Interest Group Influence • empirical component • how powerful are they? • normative component • how powerful should they be?

13. Iron Triangles • Alliance of common interest between an interest group, a congressional committee, and a bureaucratic agency • Department of Defense/Pentagon- House and Senate Armed Services Committee—and Defense Contractors • interest groups play the dominant role • Outsiders are shut out

15. Issue Networks • larger and looser connection of interest groups, committees, and agencies in a particular policy area • Case of Tobacco Policy • More open and less stable than old triangles • More closely resembles that of pluralist doctrine

16. Grapes of Wrath • Internet sale of wine– wine.com • Beer Wholesalers of America • 9700 small wineries • Internet companies • Salience of issue

17. Big Sugar • Who can overcome collective action problem? • Winners & Losers

18. Hyperpolitics- Cigler & Loomis • Politicization of all communications • Permanent campaign • Microsoft- Interest group $ “shaping perceptions of problems and political agenda” Pickens Plan- http://www.pickensplan.com/index.php

19. Criteria for power • Access • Information • Numerical strength • Group unity • Money • Narrow goals • Defense • Nature of issue

20. Influence of IG is conditional • most influential • on low profile issues • In blocking actions; hard to originate • When unopposed by other groups • If they have plentiful resources