Interest GroupsInterest Groups in Action in Action

Activities of Interest GroupsActivities of Interest Groups

Interest groups attempt to Interest groups attempt to influence policy by supplying influence policy by supplying public officials with things public officials with things they wantthey want

Activities of Interest GroupsActivities of Interest Groups

Credible informationCredible information Public supportPublic support MoneyMoney ““Trouble”Trouble”

Credible InformationCredible Information Includes Includes policy infopolicy info to allow to allow

a legislator to take a position a legislator to take a position on an issue or technical info on an issue or technical info needed to implement a policyneeded to implement a policy

Credible InformationCredible Information Interest group is most Interest group is most

powerful when the issue is powerful when the issue is narrownarrow & & technical technical & there & there are no competing interest are no competing interest groups to supply competing groups to supply competing infoinfo

Credible InformationCredible Information Supplying info may involve Supplying info may involve

political cuespolitical cues Allows a public official to line Allows a public official to line

up on the up on the liberalliberal or or conservativeconservative side of the side of the issueissue

Public SupportPublic Support Grassroots mobilization is a Grassroots mobilization is a

tactic chosen by an increasing tactic chosen by an increasing number of interest groupsnumber of interest groups

Environmental interest groups Environmental interest groups have successfully mobilized have successfully mobilized support for & against legislators support for & against legislators with the “Dirty Dozen” campaignwith the “Dirty Dozen” campaign

MoneyMoney Interest groups can establish Interest groups can establish

PACsPACs to finance political to finance political campaignscampaigns

Lobby Congress to reduce or Lobby Congress to reduce or increase appropriations for gov. increase appropriations for gov. agencies & provide jobs for agencies & provide jobs for former gov officials (revolving former gov officials (revolving doordoor))

MoneyMoney To obtain money beyond To obtain money beyond

member dues, interest groups member dues, interest groups have turned to:have turned to:

Foundation grantsFoundation grants Federal grants & contractsFederal grants & contracts Direct mail solicitationDirect mail solicitation

““Trouble”Trouble” Tactics such as protest Tactics such as protest

marches, sit-ins, picketing, & marches, sit-ins, picketing, & violence have always been violence have always been part of politicspart of politics

Used by both left & rightUsed by both left & right

Purpose of “Trouble”Purpose of “Trouble”

DisruptDisrupt the workings of some the workings of some institutionsinstitutions to force it to to force it to negotiate with younegotiate with you

Enlist Enlist the support of the support of third third partiesparties (media) (media)

Provoke attacksProvoke attacks & arrests are & arrests are made so that martyrs are made so that martyrs are createdcreated

Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups

Many policies have been enacted Many policies have been enacted to regulate interest groupsto regulate interest groups

All must deal with the fact that All must deal with the fact that interest group activity is a form interest group activity is a form of of political speechpolitical speech protected by protected by the the First AmendmentFirst Amendment

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946Act of 1946

Register with the secretary of Register with the secretary of the Senate & clerk of the the Senate & clerk of the House of Rep.House of Rep.

File quarterly financial reportsFile quarterly financial reports

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946Act of 1946

Supreme Ct. upheld the lawSupreme Ct. upheld the law Limited its impact to groups Limited its impact to groups

whose whose “principal purpose” is “principal purpose” is to influence legislationto influence legislation

Both the law & Supreme Ct. Both the law & Supreme Ct. ruling left significant loopholes ruling left significant loopholes for interest groups to exploitfor interest groups to exploit

Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups

In 1995 Congress passed In 1995 Congress passed tighter regulatory legislationtighter regulatory legislation

New law broadened the New law broadened the definition of lobbyistdefinition of lobbyist

Interest Group Regulation: Interest Group Regulation: 1995 Law1995 Law

Require more advocates to Require more advocates to register with the House & register with the House & SenateSenate

Require lobbyists to require Require lobbyists to require more info about clientsmore info about clients

Regulating Interest Groups: 1995 Regulating Interest Groups: 1995 LawLaw

Lobbyists must now register if they Lobbyists must now register if they spend at least 20% of their time spend at least 20% of their time lobbying and/or paid $5,000 or more lobbying and/or paid $5,000 or more for lobbying in any 6 month periodfor lobbying in any 6 month period

Corps & groups must register if they Corps & groups must register if they spend more than $20,000 in any 6 spend more than $20,000 in any 6 month period on their lobbying staffmonth period on their lobbying staff

1995 Law1995 Law Lobbyists must submit Lobbyists must submit

biannual reports that list:biannual reports that list: Names of their clientsNames of their clients Income and expendituresIncome and expenditures Issues on which they workedIssues on which they worked

1995 Law1995 Law Although the law did not Although the law did not

establish a new enforcement establish a new enforcement agency, violations may be agency, violations may be referred to the Justice Dept referred to the Justice Dept for investigationfor investigation

Fines for breaking the laws Fines for breaking the laws could amount to $50,000could amount to $50,000

1995 Law1995 Law Barred those tax-exempt nonprofit Barred those tax-exempt nonprofit

groups currently receiving federal groups currently receiving federal funds from lobbyingfunds from lobbying

Most effective restraints on Most effective restraints on interest group activity may result interest group activity may result from from tax codetax code (threatens to (threatens to revoke group’s tax-exempt status revoke group’s tax-exempt status if it engages in lobbying)if it engages in lobbying)

1995 Law1995 Law Spending limits can be Spending limits can be

circumvented by bundlingcircumvented by bundling Bundling occurs when a PAC Bundling occurs when a PAC

solicits funds for a candidate & a solicits funds for a candidate & a donor writes the check for the donor writes the check for the candidatecandidate

All of these checks are delivered All of these checks are delivered as a “bundle”as a “bundle”

1995 Law1995 Law Federal campaign records reflect Federal campaign records reflect

a series of individual donations & a series of individual donations & the PAC’s role is not evidentthe PAC’s role is not evident

Bundling has become one of the Bundling has become one of the most common PAC practices & most common PAC practices & has been used with considerable has been used with considerable successsuccess

Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups

An outstanding practitioner of An outstanding practitioner of bundling is bundling is EMILY’s ListEMILY’s List

PAC that supports pro-choice, PAC that supports pro-choice, Democratic women Democratic women candidatescandidates

Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups

Even the best regulations Even the best regulations may be may be ineffectiveineffective barriers barriers against the against the power of power of interest groupsinterest groups & & PACsPACs