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CH 9: Interest Groups

CH 9: Interest Groups. Ms. Bittman’s AP American Government. The Role of Interest Groups. Influence. IGs take many forms. Ordinary people trying to influence Congress. Individuals have tried to alter government since the Boston Tea Party

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CH 9: Interest Groups

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  1. CH 9: Interest Groups Ms. Bittman’s AP American Government

  2. The Role of Interest Groups

  3. Influence • IGs take many forms. • Ordinary people trying to influence Congress. • Individuals have tried to alter government since the Boston Tea Party • Pluralist theory: structure of gov in US invites participation. Group conflict-> compromise • Many points of access • Court system • Filing lawsuits or filing amicus curiae briefs (friends of the court” • Separation of powers and checks and balance • IGs may become so powerful that the needs of ordinary citizens can be ignored.

  4. Benefits of IGs

  5. Why do some join and others do not? • Mancur Olson: it is not rational for individuals to join most groups. • Collective good- any public benefit that, if available, cannot be denied to any other member, regardless of whether they worked to gain it. • Its only worth it to the individual if their contribution makes a difference. • Benefits • Diverse population spread around country can have a voice.

  6. incentives • Solidary Incentives • Companionship, sense of belonging, pleasure of association with others. • Material Incentives • Direct material incentives- provides discounts, insurance plans, organized travel opportunities. • Indirect material incentives- protects the material interest of their members from policymaking that is harmful to their industry or business. • Purposive incentives- reason or motive having to do with ethical beliefs or ideological principles, taking action for the sake of their beliefs.

  7. IGs and Social Movements

  8. Social Movements • Often spawned by mass movements • Demands of large segments of population for change. • May be voice of weaker or oppressed groups that do not have the means or standing to organize IGs • Social movements ->IGs

  9. Types of Interest Groups

  10. Economic IGs • Trade and business organizations • The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce • The Business Roundtable • Farmers 2% of pop, but very influential. • Geographically dispersed, many representatives and Senators to speak for them. Agricultural IGs

  11. Labor IGs • Unions date back to 1886, weakened in recent years. • AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations) • Teamsters • Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (formally United Automobile Workers) • United Mine Workers

  12. Public Employee IGs • Unionization of public employees rising. • National Education Association (NEA)- v. powerful. • American Bar Association (ABA)- advantage, large # of members in Congress share their profession. • Association of General Contractors of America • Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers • Screen Actors Guild • American Medical Association (AMA) IGs of Professionals

  13. Environmental Groups • Membership peak in the 1970s • National Audubon Society • National Wildlife Federation • Nature Conservancy • Greenpeace Society • Earth First

  14. Public IGs • Nader Organizations- consumer activist Ralph Nader. Unsafe at any Speed published 1965 • Other Public Igs • National Right-to-Word Legal Defense Foundation • League of Women Voters- founded in 1920 to educate public on political matters. • American Civil Liberties Union- founded during WWI protects Bill of Rights issues.

  15. Special Igs • Focus on just 1 issue, members tend to care intensely about their cause • Right to Life • National Abortion Rights Action League • National Rifle Association • AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) • Hudson Valley PAC (pro-Israel group) • Right to Work Committee (anti-union group)

  16. Foreign Government • Have both private and governmental IGs • Large research and lobbying staffs maintained by governments of the US trading partners • Japan, South Korea, Canada, and the European Union (EU) countries • Hire former representatives or Senators to promote positions.

  17. IGs Strategies

  18. Direct Techniques • IGs must have access to government officials. • IG provides officials with info and assistance, official gives the group opportunity to express its view. • Direct Techniques- approach the official to press their case • Lobbying Techniques: private meetings, give information, testifying before Congressional Committees or Executive departments for or against rules, drafting legislation, inviting politicians to social events, supplying nominations for federal appointments.

  19. Direct Techniques continued… • Ratings Game • They have ratings for politicians • President Obama IG Ratings • Senator Rubio IG Ratings • Campaign Assistance: want legislators to get re-elected. • Endorsements are important- publicity.

  20. Direct Techniques Continued… • PACs (Political Action Committees) and Political Campaigns • 1974 Federal Election Campaign Act • Cans set up PACs to raise money • Must give to 5 candidates • Citizen’s United v. FEC • Stephen Colbert

  21. Indirect Techniques • Uses the general public or individuals to influence government. • Generating Public Pressure • Ads in national magazines, mass mailing, TV, demonstrations. • Tries to convince politicians that the support is there. • Climate control- public relations efforts that try and improve public image of industry or group. • Using constituents as lobbyists • Only good when TONS of people respond, but very effective when they do. • Building Alliances • Groups working together to share expenses and multiply influence.

  22. Regulating Lobbyists

  23. Regulating Lobbyists • Title III of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act) • Defined lobbyist as anyone receiving money to be used to influence legislation • Supposed to register clients. • US v. Harriss 1954 ruled it unconstitutional • Narrowed the law to apply it to lobbyists who influenced federal legislation directly • Few lobbyists registered -> only those that approached the legislator had to register not those that were employed to work on the laws.

  24. Regulating Lobbyists Continued… • Reforms of 1995 • Redefined as anyone who spends 20% of time lobbying members of Cong, their staffs, or the executive branch. • Must register with the clerk of the House and Sec of Senate within 45 days. • Semiannual reports: general nature of work, issues and bill numbers, cost, list of the officials contacted. • Exempt grassroots and tax exempt organizations (religious)

  25. IGs and Representative Democracy

  26. IGs and Democracy • Middle class or upper class bias • Can afford the membership fees • Well educated • Participate in political process • The most powerful IG are business, trade or professional • The results of lobbying do not always favor the interest of the groups. • Focus on specific issues 

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