Special Interest Groups

1. Special Interest Groups

2. What is an Interest Group • A private organization that tries to persuade public officials to respond to the shared attitudes of its members

3. Role of Interest Groups • Sometimes called pressure groups • Exist to shape public policy

4. Political Parties and Interest Groups • Try to get candidates that agree with their ideas elected • Their focus is on that specific idea • Private organizations and not accountable to the public

5. Interest Groups: Good or Bad? • Madison called interest groups factions and thought the could be a problem, but that they were inevitable • Valuable Function of Interest Groups : • Help to stimulate interest in public affairs • Member are based on a shared interest • Bring better more thorough data to the government to justify their cause. Saves Congress time on research • Incite others to get involved and maybe vote • Keep close tabs on the government and the programs they want to propose • Compete with each other: ex. Pro life activist vs. Right to choose

6. Criticisms Of Interest Groups • Unfair advantage: Some groups have more money than others and can afford to get the word out for their cause better • Number of people who support the groups: Groups can say the “American Citizens Committee for…”. Make it sound like they are representing all American Citizens • Threat to take over: Some groups will say they will over throw the government. There numbers will grow. Not most groups. Are Special Interest Groups good or bad?

7. Groups Based on Economic Interests • Most are formed on the basis of economic interests • Business Groups: Ex. Chamber of Commerce: Voice for small business owners • Labor Groups: EX. AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations): made up of smaller groups such as Retail Clerks International Union • Agricultural Groups: Ex. The National Grange or The American Far Bureau: concerned with issues of the farm family or supporting programs to help promote agriculture, but still favor less govt. and free market economy • Professional Groups: Ex. AMA: issues of work standards for profession

8. Other Interest Groups • Promote Causes: Ex. Friends of the Earth • Promote the Welfare of Certain Groups: Ex. Veterans for Foreign Wars or AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) • Religious organizations: Ex. Christian Coalition or National Catholic Welfare Council • Public-Interest Groups: An interest group that seeks to institute certain public policies of benefit to all or most people in this country, whether or not they belong to or support that organization

9. How they Operate • Influencing Public Opinion with three goals: • Supply public with information • Hold positive image of group • To promote a particular public policy • Propaganda: A technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors. Media helped to make this so effective • Affecting Public Policy: Government leaders know that strong interest groups have large followings and this helps give them a voice in government • Lobbying: Activities by which group pressures are brought to beat on legislators and the legislative process. • Lobbyists or Legislative Counsel: try to persuade politicians to work for their cause • Lobby Regulations: To help with abuses they enacted laws. Ex. Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946; lobbyist have to register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate.

10. Activity: Propaganda Billboard • You’re group has an agenda to promote. You get to decide what your groups agenda is. • You then have to create a billboard that will grab peoples attention and persuade them to believe in your cause. • You will then present these to the class.

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12. Note Quiz: Interest Groups • What is an Interest Group? • What are Interest Groups sometimes called? • Name 3 valuable functions of and interest group • What are the 3 criticisms of Interest Groups? • What 3 goals do they use to influence public opinion?