Interest Groups Theory and Practice

• Interest Group: Organized group that tries to influence public policy

• Interest Group Theory: In a democratic society, interest groups interact naturally and properly to produce public policy.

• Concurrent Majority: system in which government policy decisions are approved by the dominant interest groups directly affected.

• Numerical Majority: system in which some interest groups, not necessarily all groups affected approve policy decisions

• Numerical majorities supported by the Constitution

• John C. Calhoun (mid 19th cent)–Originator of Concurrent majority

–Numerical: tyrannical, oppressed minority interests

–Constitution does not effectively protect group interests.

• Calhoun–Relevant groups: states whose

interests incorporated individual political concerns

–National government should not take action w/o a concurrent majority of the states.

–State nullification of federal law.

–Little faith in separation of powers doctrine.

Modern Group Theory

• Public policy decisions–A reflection of the concerns of the

major/dominant interest groups affected in different policy spheres.

–Not necessarily a numerical majority, not necessarily a concurrent majority.

James MadisonFederalist #10

• Factions and Freedom

• “If the government does not allow people to pursue their self interest, it takes away their political freedom” – agree or not??–Controlling selfish interest limits

freedom???

• Best way to control factions - James Madison: –through the proliferation of groups

–no one group could get hegemony over other groups.

• Does the “proliferation of groups” keep a balance in the system?

• Has $$ corrupted the whole theory? / failure to organize?

Interest Group• Pressure, special, advocacy, PAC• An organized body of individuals

–share some goals –try to influence public policy –Educate and mobilize people–Advance certain policy goals–benefits to its members & free riders

Formation of Interest Groups• A need arises:

– a group of unorganized people are adversely affected by change

• Success of group–Leadership quality

– membership quality

• 30% of all current interest groups formed 1960 – 1980.

• Common Cause, Public Citizen

• Devoted to interests of blacks, women, elderly, poor, consumers, environment

• Influenced by NAACP, ACLU, Civil Rights Movement

• Christian Coalition p.590

1960’s - 1980’s: Rise in Public Interest Groups

Lobbying Spending

• Open Secrets website

• http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php

1st Amendment

• Petition government constitutionally protected activity

–Guarantees the right to be heard

• Special interest can not be regulated

What Interests Represented?• Economic interests

–Wages, tariffs, jobs, insurance –Largest groups business, industry

•Better financed than labor interests

–Professional Associations; AMA• Economic and non-economic

–Ethnic Associations - NAACP•Mix between eco and non-eco interests

• Professional Associations–AMA, ABA, AAES, AFT, IRA

–Economic and non-economic interests

• Ethnic Associations–NAACP, ADC, OCA, AJC

–Economic and non-economic interests

Non-economic Groups

•Public interest groups

–work for the greater good

–Image of non-partisanship• No expectation of eco profit

• “Unsafe At Any Speed” - Ralph Nader

• AARP-nations largest & most powerful

•League of Women Voters

–Work to get citizens registered to vote

–Voter guide on issues

–Promoting democracy

•Do not receive any economic benefit

Single Issue Group

• Narrow in focus - one issue only

• Number of these groups increased over last 40 years

• Also constitutionally protected

• Often will go against a candidate’s entire platform based on the one issue NRA, NRLC, MADD

What do Interest Groups Do?1. Information

–Try to get their interest heard

–Important resource interest groups can provide

•Oil price crisis - Petroleum Institute, an interest group of oil companies

2. Lobbying

• Late 19th century groups waited “in the lobby” to speak with a Congressman

–influence congressional actions

–Testify

–Help with drafting of leg.

•Provide the language needed

–Performed with all 3 branches of government - usually associated with Congress

–Revolving door • Senator must wait 2 years before being able to lobby old job

• Rep 1 year

• Disclosure–Right to lobby – not unrestricted

–Government responsible to see if groups are legit

•What capacity group is acting

•Accountability

Lobbying Disclosure Act 1995

–Public access to lobby groups

–Definition of lobbyist - one who devotes at least 20% of a client’s or employers time to lobbying activities

• Requires registration– clerk of the House and

secretary of the Senate

– Report clients, issues and the agency or house they lobbied

– Estimate the amount they are paid by each client

2006 The Legislative Transparency Accountability Act

–Result of scandal involving a lobbyist Jack Abramoff

• Tax evasion, bribing public officials

• DeLay RTX, Ney ROH

–Bars lobbyists from buying gifts and meals for legislators

• Loophole: firms they work for were not barred

–Lobbyists were to file more frequent reports

–more detailed reports on their activities • post on a public domain

• Open Secrets.org

The New Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

Congressional regulations on lobbying activities :

1. Anyone who spends 20% of his or her time influencing legislation

2. Any organization spending $1000/quarter or more on influencing legislation.

3. Any individual who is paid more than $2500/quarter for work as a lobbyist

4.Closed the revolving door – Senators have to wait 2 years before being able to lobby Congress (was one)

5.Cabinet Sec also have to wait 2 years.

6. Prohibits senior staff in Congress from lobbying their former offices for 1 year.

7. Amended Senate and House ethic rules regarding lobbyist sponsored events, travel, employment negotiations,

finances.

2009 Recovery Act: Lobbying Rules – Ex order; Act of Con

• Restrictions extend to all persons, not just federally registered lobbyists

• Anyone influencing the process

• Expansion of information posted on Internet for all American’s to see

http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/

•Watchdog group - open secrets

–Allows public access to who or what is behind a lobby’s agenda

Executive Branch Lobbying•Departments set up for different interests

–Influence policy decisions at the beginning stages

–Pharmaceutical corps concern with drugs from oversees• Appeal to Fed Drug Agency FDA

–Safety issue

–Lack of control

Judiciary Branch Lobbying

•Amicus curiae: friend of the court briefs

–Legal argument filed by someone who is not part of the suit but has an interest in the outcome

• Lobbying of the courts has increased over last 30 years by interest groups–NAACP: had trouble getting

anything through Congress due to Southern influence• Court system best alternative to

pursue it’s interests using 14th Amendment

3. Elections• PAC’s ability to raise and spend $

for political purposes• Funnel $ into campaigns that

support interest group• Endorse candidates

–Flood Congress with letters, e-mails etc.–Grassroots campaigns

Unconventional Means

Protests, Civil disobedience, Dem.–Operation Rescue: surrounded

abortion clinics trying to prevent patient from entering

–Congress - law restricting how far away protesters must be and can not touch

–Civil Rights Movement

Pluralism vs Elitism

• How is power and influence distributed in a political process?

• Over last few decades, how we evaluate interest groups as forces in public affairs has changed.

Pluralist Theory

• Power is broadly (& unequally) distributed among many organized interest groups

• Should be many diverse & competing centers of power

–Marketplace for ideas

–Diverse among a variety of eco & ideological groups

• Some groups tend to dominate in one or 2 issue areas

–Should not be held by a single elite group

–Diversity is beneficial to society - little leadership overlap between groups

–Autonomy enjoyed by diff. groups within a society.

• Linkage between groups –Popularly elected political officials

–Exercise as leaders in policy areas

–No single power elite, many and diverse competing power elites

Elitist Theory

• Political power held by small & wealthy group

• Share similar values & interests

• From similar backgrounds

• Top leaders recruited from same social group

• Belief corporate & foundations directorates, old school ties etc.–Link together top leaders

–Power elite: effectively dictates goals for policy making

–Control over the societies economic resources• Personal and professional

position

–Success does not depend mass support

–Do not need to represent the interest of broader social groups

–“movers and shakers” who really run the country

–Determine basic direction of public policy.

•Not resp. for administration of gov•More homogeneous•Smaller membership•Common interests•Make claims without regard to broader interest or effects

Interest Groups vs. Political Parties

• Resp. for admin of gov.

• Heterogeneous• Large membership• Diverse interests -

coalition of interests

• Compromise - need to make broader claims due to diversity