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Interest groups are organizations of individuals united by a common political cause, using various tactics like fundraising, lobbying, public awareness campaigns, and litigation to advance their agendas. By organizing, individuals can amplify their political power and influence, shaping policy decisions that affect them. Politicians often seek endorsements from these groups for votes and campaign support. Interest groups engage in activities such as advertising, organizing protests, creating Political Action Committees (PACs), hiring lobbyists, grassroots mobilization, and publishing ratings of legislators based on their friendliness towards specific causes.
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What are Interest Groups? • Interest Groups – organizations of people with a common political cause that they advance through fundraising, lobbying, raising public awareness, and litigation • Lobbying – meeting with legislators and government officials to persuade them to support interest group causes • Litigation – filing lawsuits in courts to get decisions favorable to group causes
Why do we have Interest Groups? • Individuals can exert more political power and influence when organized as a group • Creates a connection between the government and the people who will be affected by policy changes • Politicians want to be endorsed by groups that can help them win votes and campaign donations
Activities of Interest Groups • Advertise to promote their causes • Organize protests • Political Action Committees (PACs) – raise money to donate to political candidates who are “on their side” of an issue • Hire lobbyists to work with a legislature • “Grass roots” mobilization – get constituents to call their congressman and demand action on an issue • Publish ratings of legislators to show how friendly or unfriendly they are to group causes