What is an Interest Group Organization that seeks to influence
public policy– Corporations– Unions– Professionals– Civil Rights– Women– Public Interest– Social Welfare
Influence of Interest Groups Size and Wealth used to matter
– Now every group can throw money around– Super-PACs
Generate dramatic news Mobilize Voters (outsider strategy-
grassroots) File a suit Supply information to Congress
(insider strategy- lobbying)
Interest Groups - Abortion
Liberal Groups EMILY’s List (Early Money Is Like Yeast) Planned Parenthood
Conservative Groups National Abortion Rights Action League
(NARAL) National Right to Life
Interest Groups – Education
Liberal Groups American Federation of Teachers (AFT) National Education Association (NEA)
Conservative Groups Center for Education Reform Educational Excellence Network
Interest Groups – EnvironmentPro Sierra Club National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Greenpeace Environmental Defense Fund
Con National Forestry Association Alliance for America Center for the Defense of Free Enterprise
Interest Groups – Gay RightsPro Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
(GLAAD) Log Cabin Republicans Human Rights Campaign
Con American Family Association Focus on the Family Family Research Council
Interest Groups – Gun ControlPro Violence Policy Center Coalition to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) Brady Campaign
Con Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep
and Bear Arms Gun Owners of America (GOA) National Rifle Association (NRA)
Interest Groups – Health Care American Medical Association (AMA) American Public Health Association
(APHA) American Council on Science and Health
(ACSH) Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)
Interest Groups – Immigration
Liberal National Immigration Forum Urban Institute
Conservative Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) Federation for American Immigration
Reform (FAIR)
Interest Groups – Union
Pro AFL-CIO Industrial Workers of the World
Con Heritage Foundation National Right to Work US Chamber of Commerce
Interest Groups – Social Security
Pro American Association of Retired Persons
(AARP)
Con Cato Institute
Interest Groups – Civil Rights National Organization for Women (NOW) National Association for the Advancement
of Colored People (NAACP) Anti-Defamation League American Civil Liberties Union Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Joint Center for Political and Economic
Studies American Indian Movement (AIM)
Why Lobbyists Exist
1. Cleavages in American Society
2. Multiple points of access (Constitution- separation of powers)
3. Political Parties are weak
Discussion Question:Why have interest groups grown stronger as political parties have grown weaker? Could this inverse relationship be changed, with both interest groups and parties growing more powerful? Or are there incentives for these organizations to compete? Could interest groups and political parties both grow progressively weaker?
Institutional Organizations Any sector of the American economy
that needs “protection” from other groups (external and internal)
Coalition of groups who have same goal (even if they are competitors of each other)
Examples:– U.S. Chamber of Commerce– Car Lobby– Tobacco Lobby
Membership Organizations Intent to make a person’s voice louder,
so the government can hear it (generally members are “hardcore” believers of cause)
Often have “sympathetic” support from community
Examples:– NAACP– Sierra Club– PTA
Why do people join? Incentives
– Solidary (social benefit- status or companionship)
• Local groups exist to help National Organization do the “heavy lifting”
– Material (economic benefit- magazines, discounts)
• Attracts people to an organization to increase numbers and money
– Purposive (ideological benefit)• Social Movements (often helps non-members)• Environment, Civil Rights, Feminism, Unions
The Free Rider Problem Some pay but everyone benefits
Offer material incentives that would provoke people to join the groups
– Magazines– Gifts for joining
Public Interest
Often issues that are controversial
Shaped by the mood of the times
Often advance causes through lawsuits– Challenge / Support existing legislation
or proposed legislation
Expansion of Public-Interests
Difficult to get people to join interests with purposive incentives
Social Movements spawn many organizations and groups that deal with many issues revolving around the movement– Staff of Interest Groups – Activists
Social Movements Environment
– 1890’s Sierra Club– 1930’s Wilderness Society– 60’s – 70’s Environmental Defense Fund
Feminist – 1830’s, 1890’s, 1920’s and the 60’s
Union Others –
– Civil Rights, Immigration, Homosexual Rights
Interest Group Funding Foundation Grants
– Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation– Rockefeller Family Fund– Ford Foundation– 1/3 received ½ or more of their funding from these
groups Federal Grants – Not for the lobby itself Federal Contracts – Not for the lobby itself Companies/Individuals interested in movement
– Direct Mail• Teaser, Famous endorsements, Arouse emotions, etc.• Evolved into telemarketing and emails