AP GOVERNMENTAP GOVERNMENT

INTEREST GROUPSINTEREST GROUPSChapter 9Chapter 9

Ms WindowsMs Windows

What is an Interest Group?What is an Interest Group?

A group of individuals with A group of individuals with common interests and seek to common interests and seek to influence the government in influence the government in some way (“Special Interests”)some way (“Special Interests”)

Issue AdvocacyIssue Advocacy James Madison called them James Madison called them

“factions”“factions”

How does an Interest Group begin?How does an Interest Group begin? USUALLY an interest group USUALLY an interest group

begins as a movementbegins as a movement Examples-abolitionists, civil Examples-abolitionists, civil

rights, women’s rights, rights, women’s rights, animal rights, etc.animal rights, etc.

Movements start b/c people Movements start b/c people want their voices heard by want their voices heard by _______________ ?_______________ ?

Types of Interest GroupsTypes of Interest Groups Economic (including Prof Assoc)Economic (including Prof Assoc) IdeologicalIdeological Single IssueSingle Issue Public InterestPublic Interest Foreign PolicyForeign Policy Government ItselfGovernment Itself

Not all interest groups are mutually Not all interest groups are mutually exclusive-some overlap into different exclusive-some overlap into different typestypes

1. Economic Interest Groups1. Economic Interest Groups

BusinessesBusinesses-large corporations (one -large corporations (one person to large conglomerates) person to large conglomerates)

McD’s, Coke, AT&T, Microsoft, McD’s, Coke, AT&T, Microsoft, AmazonAmazon

Trade & Other Associations Trade & Other Associations --businesses with similar interest join businesses with similar interest join together.together.

Chambers of Commerce Chambers of Commerce

Workers associations or Labor Workers associations or Labor unionsunions• Represent workers’ interestsRepresent workers’ interests• Membership is low in the US Membership is low in the US

compared to other industrialized compared to other industrialized countries countries

• Although entire work force Although entire work force increases, membership has increases, membership has decreased in last 60 years. WHY?decreased in last 60 years. WHY?

• ALF-CIO has many unions, IBEWALF-CIO has many unions, IBEW

Open Shop Open Shop -membership in -membership in union is not required as a union is not required as a condition of employmentcondition of employment

Closed Shop Closed Shop -must join a union -must join a union to workto work

Either case, union negotiates for Either case, union negotiates for the workersthe workers

FreeFree Riders Riders -get what is -get what is negotiated for but do not join negotiated for but do not join unionunion

Right to Work States (Open Shop)Right to Work States (Open Shop)

Professional Associations-Professional Associations-Professionals form of a union.Professionals form of a union.•Can be national or stateCan be national or state•American Bar Association, American Bar Association,

National Education Association, National Education Association, AMAAMA

2. GOVERNMENT Interest 2. GOVERNMENT Interest GroupsGroups

Government employees want to Government employees want to be organized and heardbe organized and heard

National Governors Association, National Governors Association, National Conference of Mayors, National Conference of Mayors, National Education AssociationNational Education Association

Try to get federal grantsTry to get federal grants!!

3. IDEOLOGICAL IGs3. IDEOLOGICAL IGs

IdeologicalIdeological-specific political -specific political views or set of issuesviews or set of issues•MARXISTS, SOCIALISTSMARXISTS, SOCIALISTS

Civil Liberties, environment, Civil Liberties, environment, nuclear disarmamentnuclear disarmament

ACLU, Christian CoalitionACLU, Christian Coalition

Single Issue Single Issue (more specific)(more specific) Very adamant about position Very adamant about position

(right or left) and unwilling to (right or left) and unwilling to compromisecompromise

NRA (2NRA (2ndnd Amend), Abortion -- Amend), Abortion --Emily’s List (PAC) v. Right to Emily’s List (PAC) v. Right to LifeLife

4. Single Issue IGs4. Single Issue IGs

5. PUBLIC Interest Groups5. PUBLIC Interest Groups

““for the public interest”for the public interest” Common Cause Common Cause -to reform -to reform

the electoral processthe electoral process Ralph Nader-Ralph Nader-PIRGsPIRGs promote promote

environmental issues, safe environmental issues, safe energy, consumer protection, energy, consumer protection, good gov’tgood gov’t

Certain types of public interest Certain types of public interest groups are tax-exemptgroups are tax-exempt• Girl Scouts, American Heart Girl Scouts, American Heart

Association, American Cancer Association, American Cancer SocietySociety

• Benefits-donations tax-deductible, Benefits-donations tax-deductible, donors can remain anonymousdonors can remain anonymous

• Cannot support candidates or Cannot support candidates or elections but can do what?elections but can do what? Voter registration drives and Voter registration drives and issue adsissue ads

FOREIGN POLICY Interest GroupsFOREIGN POLICY Interest Groups

To promote or oppose certain To promote or oppose certain foreign policiesforeign policies

Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, American-Israel Political Action American-Israel Political Action Committee, National Association Committee, National Association of Arab Americansof Arab Americans

What would NAAA lobby for now?What would NAAA lobby for now?

CHARACTERISTICS of Interest CHARACTERISTICS of Interest GroupsGroups

1. 1. Size and Resources Size and Resources -the -the more, the better!more, the better!

Motivations to join-incentives Motivations to join-incentives (material or otherwise)(material or otherwise)

What is the membership What is the membership “spread”? Are the members “spread”? Are the members concentrated in one area or concentrated in one area or dispersed?dispersed?

2. 2. COHESIVENESSCOHESIVENESS -How is -How is the membership organized?the membership organized?

Small # of leaders who have Small # of leaders who have formal positions (full or part-formal positions (full or part-time); ORtime); OR

People involved in the group People involved in the group do all the leg work; ORdo all the leg work; OR

People are members in name People are members in name only (no participation)only (no participation)

How is the organization How is the organization structured?structured?•Strong, formal organizationStrong, formal organization•Local groups that join together Local groups that join together

to form national groupto form national group

3. 3. Leadership Leadership -Strong or Weak?-Strong or Weak?

4. 4. TechniquesTechniques -Methods they use to -Methods they use to influence people and governmentinfluence people and government

Publicity/Mass Media AppealPublicity/Mass Media Appeal Mass MailingMass Mailing Influence Rule MakingInfluence Rule Making Litigation--USING THE COURT SYSTEM!Litigation--USING THE COURT SYSTEM! Election ActivitiesElection Activities Forming Political PartiesForming Political Parties LobbyingLobbying Cooperative Lobbying (power in #s)Cooperative Lobbying (power in #s)

TYPES OF INCENTIVESTYPES OF INCENTIVES Solidary incentives Solidary incentives – sense – sense

of pleasure, status, or of pleasure, status, or companionship (PTA, NAACP)companionship (PTA, NAACP)

Material incentives Material incentives – money, – money, services, things valued in services, things valued in monetary terms (AARP)monetary terms (AARP)

Purposive incentives Purposive incentives – the – the appeal of the group’s goals appeal of the group’s goals (ideological, public-interest)(ideological, public-interest)

What are LobbyistsWhat are Lobbyists?? Employees of an association that Employees of an association that

try to influence policy decisions try to influence policy decisions and positions in the governmentand positions in the government

Revolving Door Revolving Door - moving from a - moving from a government job to a lobbying job government job to a lobbying job (common-good contacts already (common-good contacts already made)made)

A former gov’t worker cannot A former gov’t worker cannot directly lobby their former agency directly lobby their former agency or officeor office

What do Lobbyists do?What do Lobbyists do?

Helps provide money for Helps provide money for members of Congress for their members of Congress for their next campaignnext campaign

Provide two types of information: Provide two types of information: Political (who supports what) Political (who supports what) and Substantive (impact of and Substantive (impact of proposed legislation)proposed legislation)

Revolving Doors produce Revolving Doors produce networks of people involved networks of people involved with certain issues. These with certain issues. These networks are called networks are called IRON IRON TRIANGLES or issue TRIANGLES or issue networks.networks.•Mutually supporting relationships Mutually supporting relationships

among interest groups, among interest groups, congressional committees, and congressional committees, and gov’t agenciesgov’t agencies

Iron Triangle or Issue NetworkIron Triangle or Issue Network

CorporationsOr gov’tcontractors

Congressional Committee

Gov’talAgency

What are What are PACsPACs??

Political Action Committee is the Political Action Committee is the political part of an interest grouppolitical part of an interest group

Can legally raise money for candidates Can legally raise money for candidates or political parties from members, or political parties from members, stockholders, or employees (of interest stockholders, or employees (of interest group)group)

in number when the in number when the Campaign Campaign Reform Act 1974Reform Act 1974 limited individual limited individual contributions (over 4000 today)contributions (over 4000 today)

Individual candidates set up PACS – Individual candidates set up PACS – Sarah PalinSarah Palin

How PACs Invest their MoneyHow PACs Invest their Money

PACs invest in influential PACs invest in influential candidates (the Speaker, candidates (the Speaker, committee chairs)committee chairs)

PACs also give to important PACs also give to important minority members because minority members because they never know when the they never know when the balance switches in the balance switches in the House and SenateHouse and Senate

PAC LIMITSPAC LIMITS Federal Elections Campaign Act Federal Elections Campaign Act

(1971) limits PACs to $5000 per (1971) limits PACs to $5000 per election or $10,000 per election election or $10,000 per election cycle (primary and general election)cycle (primary and general election)

OFT MONEY OFT MONEY -PACs have no limits to -PACs have no limits to contributions made to a political contributions made to a political party for party-building purposesparty for party-building purposes

Effectiveness of PACsEffectiveness of PACs Individuals can only contribute Individuals can only contribute

$2400 while a PAC can give $2400 while a PAC can give $5000$5000

““BundlingBundling” helps PACs get ” helps PACs get around the limitsaround the limits

Help campaigns through phone Help campaigns through phone calls, mailings, and televisioncalls, mailings, and television

Issue Advocacy-promote or Issue Advocacy-promote or oppose a particular issue in the oppose a particular issue in the campaigncampaign

527 Groups527 Groups

Tax-exempt organizations Tax-exempt organizations created to influence electionscreated to influence elections

Not subjected to the same Not subjected to the same restrictions as PACsrestrictions as PACs•Texans for Truth, America Texans for Truth, America

Coming TogetherComing Together

FEC and Interest GroupsFEC and Interest Groups Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

2002 (McCain-Feingold Act)2002 (McCain-Feingold Act)• Purpose to control $ that comes Purpose to control $ that comes

into federal campaigns and provide into federal campaigns and provide transparency for the $ collectedtransparency for the $ collected

McConnell v. FEC (2003)McConnell v. FEC (2003) – 527 – 527 groups exempt especially for groups exempt especially for non-partisan issues, no non-partisan issues, no regulation of internet ads regulation of internet ads

Honest Leadership & Open Honest Leadership & Open Govt Act (2007)Govt Act (2007)

FEC developed regulations to FEC developed regulations to limit the workings of lobbyistslimit the workings of lobbyists• lobbyists would bundle $ lobbyists would bundle $

for a candidate for a candidate •PACs now need to disclose PACs now need to disclose

lobbyists who bundle fundslobbyists who bundle funds