Chapter 7 Interest Groups. What Are Interest Groups? An organized group that tries to influence public policy David Truman One of first to study interest.

Chapter 7

Interest Groups

What Are Interest Groups? An organized group that tries to

influence public policy David Truman

One of first to study interest groups Posed Disturbance Theory

Theory that interest groups form in part to counteract the efforts of other groups.

What Are Interest Groups? Robert Salisbury

Expanded Truman’s theory Groups form when resources are

inadequate or scarce Stressed the role that leaders play:

entrepreneurs

Why Interest Groups are Common

Many kinds of cleavages in the country mean that there are many different interests

Why Interest Groups are Common

The Constitution provides many access points to government

Political parties are weak so interests work directly on government

Kinds of Organized Interests Generally, interest

groups is a term used to describe the numerous organized groups that try to influence government policy.

Public Interest Groups Economic Interest

Groups Governmental Units Political Action

Committees Multi-Issue versus

Single Issue Groups

Profiles of Selected Interest Groups

The Roots & Development of American Interest Groups

National groups emerge (1830-1889) Communication networks enabled

nationalization of groups First were single-issue groups deeply rooted in

the Christian religious revivalism Temperance, Peace, Education, and Slavery

Other groups emerged after the Civil War Lobbyists

Interest group representative who seeks to influence legislation that will benefit his or her organization through political persuasion.

NRA membership

The Roots & Development of American Interest Groups The Progressive Era (1890-1920)

Grew out of concern for impact of rapid industrialization, influx of immigration, monopolistic business practices, crime, poverty, poor working conditions

Organized Labor AFL Clayton Act: allowed unions to organize free from

prosecution and guaranteed their right to strike Business Groups and Trade Associations

Trade Associations: a group that represents a specific industry

National Electric Light Association

Labor Union Membership

The Rise of the Interest Group State 1960s and 1970s saw

a reappearance of the Progressive spirit. Civil Rights Women’s Rights Elderly Poor Consumers Environment

Common Cause and Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen

Conservative Backlash: Religious and Ideological Groups Jerry Falwell and the

Moral Majority Pat Robertson, the

700 Club and the Christian Coalition

National Rifle Association

Business Groups, Corporations, and Associations Rise in business advocacy groups More political than Chamber of Commerce

Example: The Business Roundtable Created in 1972 Urges member to engage in direct lobbying to influence

the course of public policy Most large corporations have

Own governmental affairs department Employ D.C.-based lobbyists to keep them apprised

of legislation Gave substantial soft money in the past Still use PACS, 527s, and thus contribute a great deal

of money

Organized Labor

Began to emerge as powerful player early in the 20th century Could turn out members Focus not only on labor issues, but also

other issues of concern to its members

More recently labor has lost some clout Membership down

What Do Interest Groups Do? Lobbying

The activities of a group or organization that seeks to influence legislation and persuade political leaders to support the group’s position

23 ways for lobbyists and organizations to lobby on the state and national level Most often they: testify at legislative

hearings, contact government officials directly, help draft legislation

Groups and Lobbyists

Lobbying Congress Members of Congress = targets

of lobbyists Many lobbyists former members

Former Senators Bob Dole (R-KS) and George Mitchell (D-ME) earn well over a million dollars a year as Washington lobbyists.

Lobbying Congress Today lobbyists try to develop

close relationships with members to gain access to the process of policy making. Information is critical.

Lobbyists also work most closely with representatives who are their friends.

“Revolving Door”

The “Revolving Door”

Federal government workers leave to take more lucrative positions in private industry (lobbying, consulting, executive positions)

This may give private interests a way to improperly influence government decisions

Attempts to Reform Congressional Lobbying

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, 1946 Lobbying Disclosure Act, 1995

Employs a strict definition of lobbyist Requires lobbyists to:

Register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate

Report their clients and issues and the agency or house they lobbied

Estimate the amount they are paid by each client

Makes it easier for watchdog groups to track the lobbying activity

The Ethics in Government Act

Lobbying the Executive Branch

As the scope of federal government has expanded, so has lobbying of the executive branch Many potential access points Lobbyist seek influence at formation and

implementation stages. An especially strong link exists between

interest groups and regulatory agencies.

Lobbying the Courts

Can take two forms Direct sponsorship Filing amicus curiae briefs

Brief that informs the court of the group’s policy preferences, generally in guise of legal arguments

Interest groups also attempt to influence who is nominated and placed on the bench.

Grassroots Lobbying

A form of pressure-group activity that attempts to involve individuals who contact their representatives directly in an effort to influence policy

Persuading ordinary voters to act as the group’s advocates

Astroturf Lobbying

Efforts - usually led by interest groups (or Corporations) with deep financial pockets - to create synthetic grass-roots movements by aggressively encouraging voters to contact their elected officials about specific issues.

Protest Activities

Some groups resort to more forceful, legal as well as illegal measures to attract attention to their cause. Sometimes violent, illegal protest

(Boston Tea Party, Shay’s Rebellion) Civil Rights Movement

Marches with permits legal

Election Activities

Candidate recruitment and endorsements

Getting out the vote Rating the candidates or office

holders Political action committees

Incentives to Join

Solidary incentives—pleasure, companionship

Material incentives—money, things, services

Purposive incentives—goal/purpose of the organization itself 2 types –Ideological and Public Interest

What Makes An Interest Group Successful?

Leaders Patrons and Funding

Person who finances a group or individual activity

Members Free riders: potential members fail to

join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing to it.

Potential Versus Actual Interest Group Members

Interest Groups as Factions

Madison (Federalist 10) – his description of factions defines the interest groups found today

Madison’s broad language “The latent causes of faction are sown in the nature of man..” predicted the potential for multiple factions on many topics

Definition: People who share common goals, interact with each other, and organize to affect the public agenda.

Interest Groups as linkage institutions

Strategies to influence the public agenda

* Information & education of public,

Congress, White House, etc.* Mass media appeal* Mass mailings* Electioneering activities:

campaigning, issue ads, etc.* Political Action Committees (PACs)

Interest Groups’ Influence

Positive: Advantage for democracy because it allows individual citizens to influence government in ways that are beyond their ballot – links them to the public agenda

Negative: The poorer citizens & those in minorities are poorly represented / there is too much money involved in the process (elitist) / and there is too much opportunity for influence of the public agenda to be purchased