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Interest Groups

Interest Groups. Section 1: The Nature of Interest Groups. An Interest Group is…. …a private organization that tries to persuade public officials to respond to the shared attitudes of its members. (Magruder’s)

althea-kelly
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Interest Groups

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  1. Interest Groups

  2. Section 1: The Nature of Interest Groups

  3. An Interest Group is… …a private organization that tries to persuade public officials to respond to the shared attitudes of its members. (Magruder’s) …an organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas. (Edwards) …an organized group that tries to influence public policy (Sabato)

  4. An Interest Group is…2 David Truman was one of the first political scientists to study interest groups. In his book, The Governmental Process, Truman said: Interest group refers to any group that, on the basis of one or more shared attitudes, makes certain claims upon other groups in the society for the establishment, maintenance, or enhancement of forms of behavior that are implied by the shared attitudes http://www.unet.brandeis.edu/~woll/trumanpp_files/frame.htm

  5. AKA • Pressure Groups • Special Interests • Organized Interests • Lobbies • Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) • Political Groups • Public Interest Groups • May refer to themselves as • Committees • Clubs • Associations • Leagues • Federations

  6. The Role of interest groups • To influence public policy • Remember: Public Policy = all of the goals a government sets and the various courses of action it pursues as it attempts to realize these goals. • To provide another way for individuals to express their opinions to government officials • Interest groups play a role in democracy • Reflect our pluralist society • Our society is made up of a number of distinct cultures and groups • These cultures and groups are increasingly joining interest groups

  7. Where do interest groups live? • Anywhere they can influence/help shape public policy at any level of government • Washington, DC (“K Street”) • Capitol Hill • In all the state capitals • At “City Hall” • Courthouses • Just about anyplace you look

  8. Compared to Political Parties • Similar in that people come together in both political parties and interest groups for some political purpose. • But do NOT run candidates for office • Are not accountable to the public for their actions (because they are not elected officials) • Different in that political parties • Make nominations for office • Are focused on winning elections and controlling government • Are concerned with the whole range of public policy issues of concern to voters not just a specific issue like gun control or environmental reforms.

  9. Early Views on Interest Groups • 1787: James Madison warned about the dangers of “factions” in Federalist #10. • But he saw factions as being inevitable • We need a “balance of power” to limit the potential problems caused by factions. • Alex de Tocqueville, early 1830s, was impressed by all the organizations in the US. In Democracy in America, he said: In no country in the world has the principle of association been more successfully used, or more unsparingly applied to a multitude of different objects, than in America.

  10. Roots of Interest Groups • First national groups emerge in 1830s. • Business interests play larger role after Civil War. • Groups begin to send lobbyists to Washington. • Progressive Era gives rise to many interest groups. • Growth of labor and trade associations. TheAmerican Anti-Slavery Society founded in 1833. [Sabato, p. 572]

  11. Interest Group Theory

  12. Interest Group Theory • Groups build social capital and civic virtue. • Their main goal is to influence public policy. • A variety of theories exist about why groups form. • Pluralist theory, which is related to disturbance theory. • Transactions theory. • Neopluralist theory (i.e. population ecology theory).

  13. Jargon • Social Capital: The numerous cooperative relationships between people that help resolve collective problems. • Civic Virtue: People form small-scale groups (associations) to work for the “common good”. • Pluralist Theory: Idea that political power is shared between/distributed among a wide group of competing and diverse interest groups. • Disturbance Theory: Idea that part of what causes interest groups to form is to counter-act other already existing groups.

  14. Jargon, 2 • Transactions Theory: • Basically a criticism of pluralist theory. • Think that it doesn’t really make sense for people to form groups…the groups that do form are representative of “elites”. • Believe that public policies come from very limited exchanges between just a few people. • Neopluralist Theory: • AKA: Population Ecology Theory • Sort of a middle ground • Life of a political group depends on density and diversity of interest group populations in a specific area.

  15. Types of Interest Groups

  16. Types of Organized Interests • Public interest groups • Works for a collective good which will not selectively and materially benefit the group’s members • i.e., NARAL, NRA, ACLU, Sierra Club, ASPCA • Note: I would prefer that “issue groups” like NARAL and NRA be classified as “issue groups” but our textbook doesn’t use this nomenclature. • Economic interest groups • Promote economic interests of its members • i.e., AMA, AFL • Governmental units • Usually, but not limited to state and local governments. • Lobby for “earmarks” • [See next slide.]

  17. The Big 7 IntergovernmentalAssociations • National Governors Association (1908) • Council of State Governments (1933) • National Conference of State Legislatures (1948) • National League of Cities (1924) • National Association of Counties (1935) • United States Conference of Mayors (1933) • International City/County Managers Association (1914) Source: Sabato, p. 144

  18. Types of Organized Interests, 2 • Political action committees • Considered the “political arm” of various interest groups • Legally allowed to raise money from contributors to contribute to candidates and/or political parties • Technically do not have members—only have contributors • http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/pacronyms/pacronyms.shtml • Multi-issue versus single-issue groups • Groups like the Sierra Club, Common Cause, and AARP deal with more than one issue (although these issues may have a common theme/thread/focus) • Most interest groups tend to be multi-issue groups • Single-issue groups focus on one issue or one aspect of a larger issue • Can lead to more extreme views and unwillingness to compromise.

  19. Based on Economic Interests • Business Groups: • Chamber of Commerce • 1912 • Thousands of smaller businesses • National Association of Manufacturers • 1895 • Over 14,000 firms represented • Business Roundtable • Established 1972 • Chief Executive Officers • Trade Associations

  20. Based on Economic Interests, 2 • Labor Groups • Unions: organization of workers who share the same type of jobs or who work in the same industry • AFL • CIO • Teamsters • Usually speaks as “one voice” for workers

  21. Based on Economic Interests, 3 • Agricultural Groups • The Grange - 1867 • American Farm Bureau Federation • National Farmers Union • Commodity-specific groups • National Association of Wheat Growers • National Cattlemen’s Beef Association • National Dairy Association • National Cotton Council

  22. Based on Economic Interests, 4 • Professional Groups • Require extensive and specialized training like medicine, law, and teaching. • American Society of Civil Engineers, American Library Association, American Political Science Association • Usually not as well-organized, well-financed, or effective as most other business, labor, and farm groups. • Notable Exceptions: • American Bar Association • American Medical Association • National Education Association

  23. “Other” Interest groups • Promote causes • American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause, League of Women Voters, National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, NRA, Handgun Control Inc., MADD • Promote Welfare of Certain Groups • Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, AARP, NAACP, National Association of Arab Americans • Religious Organizations • National Catholic Welfare Council, National Council of Churches, B’Nai B’rith’s Anti-Defamation League, Christian Coalition

  24. Rise of the Interest Group State • In 1960s and 1970s, grew out of the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements. • Believed if people joined together, they could make a difference in society • Common Cause – a public watch dog • Public Citizen – headed by Ralph Nader • Success of these groups raised concerns among conservatives that public policy was being influenced too much by these “liberal” groups • The Moral Majority • Christian Coalition • Students for Academic Freedom

  25. To Lobby or Not to Lobby? • Lobbying: • How interest groups try to influence the policy-making process. • How groups make their positions/interests known and understood by people with the authority to make public policy decisions. • Target Congress through research, money, or testimony. • Also target bureaucratic agencies and the president. • Lobby courts through sponsorship or amicus briefs. • Can use grassroots techniques, such as petitions. • May also resort to protests and activism.

  26. Testify at hearings Contact govt officials directly Present research results or technical information Help draft legislation Alert congressmen to impact of legislation on their districts Contact the group’s membership Try to influence political appointments Publicly endorse candidates for office Advertisements in the media Encourage letter-writing campaigns Publicize officials’ voting records Volunteer in political campaigns Help draft policy implementation regs Talk with the press Protests & demonstrations Some Examples of Lobbying

  27. Source: American Government: Roots and Reform, 2009, Pearson

  28. Good or Bad? • You be the judge! • Consider the functions performed by interest groups versus the various problems associated with them.

  29. Teapot Dome Scandal-1920s American Government: Roots and Reform 2009 (Pearson)

  30. Functions • Stimulate interest in public affairs—raise awareness of specific issues • Represent members based on shared attitudes not on regional geography—can be a uniting factor • Often provide useful, specialized, and detailed information to government. They also get information from the government and share it with their members. • A way for people to participate politically

  31. Functions,2 • Provide an “unofficial” element to checks and balances—serve as watch dogs of the government • Regularly compete in the public arena with other interest groups • Remember a governmental dilemma: balancing the requests/needs of competing interests.

  32. Criticisms • Their special interest may really NOT be in the overall best interests of the country • Influence, based on financial assets or P.R., may be disproportionate to their size or importance. • How many people does the group really represent? • May reflect the views of only a sub-set of their overall membership. • Use of “dirty tricks” like biased issue ads in political campaigns.

  33. Ethics in Government Act1978 Source: American Government: Roots and Reform, 2009, Pearson

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