1.What is the purpose of interest groups?. Economic interest groups Corporations Business associations (a.k.a. industry groups) Labor unions Professional.

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Interest GroupsWhat is the purpose of interest groups?

Interest Group CategoriesEconomic interest groupsCorporationsBusiness associations (a.k.a. industry groups)Labor unionsProfessional organizations

Equal opportunity interest groupsPublic interest or single-issue groups

Interest Group CategoriesAssociated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a trade association representing the interests of construction companies.

2a.What category ofinterest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesPublic Citizen is a consumer advocacy group that works to protect Americans from corporate abuses, such as unsafe products and rampant commercialism.

2b.What category ofinterest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesThe Human Rights Campaign works to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

2c.What category ofinterest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesEarth Justice works to preserve wildlife and wilderness, ensure a toxic-free environment, and promote clean energy over fossil fuels to combat global warming.

2d.What category of interest group isthis?

Interest Group CategoriesThe American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) represents 300 life insurance companies.

2e.What category of interest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesThe National Council of La Raza the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans.

2f.What category of interest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesThe United Farm Workers of America (UFW) represents agricultural laborers who work for wages.

2g.What category of interest group is this?

Interest Group Categories

The American Medical Association (AMA) is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States.

2h.What category ofinterest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesThe American Civil Liberties Union advocates on behalf of Americans civil liberties, such as free speech, voting rights, and freedom of religion.

2i.What category of interest group is this?

Interest Group CategoriesThe American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) represents accountants who work in business and industry, public practice, government, education, and other fields.

2j.What category of interest group is this?

Interest Group Activities# 1 Campaign finance

Interest Group Activities#2 Direct lobbyingGifts, travelLobbying

Interest Group Activities#3 Indirect lobbyingIssue advocacy (TV and radio ads, print advertisements, etc.)Grassroots mobilization (petitions, letters to elected officials, etc.)Legislative scorecards

Interest Group Activities#4 Litigation

Interest Group ActivitiesThe CEO of The Boeing Company bundles together campaign contributions from several dozen executives at the company for a member of the House of Representatives.

3.What category of interest group activity isthis?

Interest Group ActivitiesA bill that would raise the gasoline excise tax is being considered by the Senate Ways and Means Committee. Airlines for America, an industry group representing major airline companies, hires a team of lobbyists to pressure committee members to vote to reject the bill.

4.What category of interest group activity is this?

Interest Group Activities5.What category of interest group spends the most on direct lobbying?

Interest Group ActivitiesMost economic interest group PACs tend to contribute relatively evenly to Republican and Democratic lawmakers.

6.What kind of candidate do economic interest group PACs tend to favor? Why do you think that is?

Interest Group Activities7.Name one kind of economic interest group that tends to contribute campaign funds to candidates in the Democratic party. Why do you believe they do this?

Interest Group Activities8.Name one kind of single-issue group that tends to contribute campaign funds to candidates in the Democratic party.

Interest Group Activities9.Name one kind of single-issue group that tends to contribute campaign funds to candidates in the Republican party. Why do you believe they do this?

10.Many congresspersons and congressional staff members are employed as lobbyists when they leave Congress. What do you call this phenomenon?

11.Why are many political observers critical of this trend?Interest Group Activities

Interest Group Activities12.What is one way that interest groups try to influence a U.S. Supreme Court decision?

Interest Group Activities13.Identify one major restriction on direct lobbying enacted in the last twenty years.

14.Identify three features of the U.S. Constitution that protect interest group activity.Interest Group Activities