GOVERNMENT INTEREST GROUPS Chapter 9. You will be able to … Describe the role of interest groups in influencing public policy Describe the role of interest.

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

INTEREST GROUPSINTEREST GROUPSChapter 9Chapter 9

You will be able to …You will be able to …

Describe the role of interest Describe the role of interest groups in influencing public groups in influencing public policypolicy

Compare and Contrast political Compare and Contrast political parties and interest groupsparties and interest groups

Describe the different types of Describe the different types of interest groupsinterest groups

Explain how interest groups workExplain how interest groups work

What is an Interest Group?What is an Interest Group?

A group of individuals with A group of individuals with common interests and seek to common interests and seek to influence the government in influence the government in some way (“Special Interests”)some way (“Special Interests”)

James Madison called them James Madison called them “factions” Did not like them, but “factions” Did not like them, but felt they were inevitable to felt they were inevitable to society.society.

How does an Interest Group begin?How does an Interest Group begin? USUALLY begins as a social USUALLY begins as a social

movementmovement Examples-abolitionists, civil Examples-abolitionists, civil

rights, women’s rights, rights, women’s rights, animal rights, etc.animal rights, etc.

Political Parties –vs- Interest Political Parties –vs- Interest GroupsGroups

||• Nominate Candidates Nominate Candidates • ElectionsElections• Controlling Govt.Controlling Govt.

• Interested in the “who” of Interested in the “who” of govt.govt.

• Accountable to the publicAccountable to the public• Focus on voters and their Focus on voters and their

candidatecandidate

• Influence policies of govt.

• Interested in the ”what” of govt.

• Private Organizations• Focus on issues and

what directly affects the interest of their members

Political Parties Interest Groups

Both are made up of people who unite for some political purpose

Types of Interest GroupsTypes of Interest Groups EconomicEconomic Ideological/Single IssueIdeological/Single Issue Public InterestPublic Interest Foreign PolicyForeign Policy Government ItselfGovernment Itself

Not all interest groups are mutually Not all interest groups are mutually exclusive-some overlap into different exclusive-some overlap into different typestypes

Economic Interest GroupsEconomic Interest Groups

Businesses - large Businesses - large corporations to individual corporations to individual ownersowners

McD’s, Coke, AT&T, Microsoft, McD’s, Coke, AT&T, Microsoft, AmazonAmazon

Trade & Other Associations-Trade & Other Associations-businesses businesses with similar interest with similar interest join together. join together.

Chambers of Commerce Chambers of Commerce

Labor - workers Labor - workers associations or unionsassociations or unions•Represent workers’ Represent workers’ interestsinterests

•Membership is low in the US Membership is low in the US compared to other compared to other industrialized countries industrialized countries

•Examples-- Fraternal Order Examples-- Fraternal Order of Police, International of Police, International Longshore, etc…Longshore, etc…

Professional Associations-Professional Associations-Professionals form of a Professionals form of a union.union.•Can be national or state or Can be national or state or

locallocal•American Bar Association, American Bar Association,

National Education Association, National Education Association, AMAAMA

IDEOLOGICAL/SINGLE ISSUEIDEOLOGICAL/SINGLE ISSUE

IdeologicalIdeological – set pattern of – set pattern of beliefs (conservative, liberal, beliefs (conservative, liberal, libertarian…)libertarian…)

ACLU, Christian Coalition, ACLU, Christian Coalition, Moral MajorityMoral Majority

Single Issue Single Issue (more specific)(more specific) Very adamant about position Very adamant about position

(right or left) and unwilling to (right or left) and unwilling to compromisecompromise

NRA, Pro-Life, Pro-ChoiceNRA, Pro-Life, Pro-Choice

PUBLIC Interest GroupsPUBLIC Interest Groups

““for the public good”for the public good”

Focus on public policies that Focus on public policies that benefit all or most Americansbenefit all or most Americans

FOREIGN POLICY Interest GroupsFOREIGN POLICY Interest Groups

To promote or oppose certain To promote or oppose certain foreign policiesforeign policies

Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, American-Israel Political Action American-Israel Political Action Committee, National Association Committee, National Association of Arab Americansof Arab Americans

GOVERNMENT Interest GroupsGOVERNMENT Interest Groups

Government employees want Government employees want to be organized and heardto be organized and heard

National Governors National Governors Association, National Association, National Education AssociationEducation Association

How do Interest Groups How do Interest Groups Work?Work?

Interest Groups have three Interest Groups have three goalsgoals

Supply the public with Supply the public with information an organization information an organization thinks the people needthinks the people need

Try to build a positive image Try to build a positive image for a groupfor a group

To promote a particular To promote a particular public policypublic policy

PropagandaPropaganda Is a technique of persuasion Is a technique of persuasion

aimed at influencing aimed at influencing individual or group behaviorindividual or group behavior

Interest Groups use Interest Groups use propaganda to create the propaganda to create the public attitude they wantpublic attitude they want

Mass media encouraged the Mass media encouraged the use of propagandause of propaganda

What do Lobbyists do?What do Lobbyists do?

Helps provide money for Helps provide money for members of Congress for their members of Congress for their next campaignnext campaign

Provide two types of information: Provide two types of information: Political (who supports what) Political (who supports what) and Substantive (impact of and Substantive (impact of proposed legislation)proposed legislation)

What are Lobbyists?What are Lobbyists? Employees of an association that Employees of an association that

try to influence policy decisions try to influence policy decisions and positions in the governmentand positions in the government

RevolvingRevolving DoorDoor-moving from a -moving from a government job to a lobbying job government job to a lobbying job (common-good contacts already (common-good contacts already made)made)

A former gov’t worker cannot A former gov’t worker cannot directly lobby their former directly lobby their former agency or officeagency or office

Revolving Doors produce Revolving Doors produce networks of people involved networks of people involved with certain issues. These with certain issues. These networks are called IRON networks are called IRON TRIANGLES.TRIANGLES.•Mutually supporting Mutually supporting

relationships among interest relationships among interest groups, congressional groups, congressional committees, and gov’t agenciescommittees, and gov’t agencies

What are PACs?What are PACs? Political Action Committee is Political Action Committee is

the political part of an the political part of an interest groupinterest group

Can legally raise money for Can legally raise money for candidates or political parties candidates or political parties from members, stockholders, from members, stockholders, or employees (of interest or employees (of interest group)group)

The Growth of PACsThe Growth of PACs

1970s number of PACs 1970s number of PACs increased increased

About 4,000 todayAbout 4,000 today

PAC LIMITSPAC LIMITS Federal Elections Campaign Act Federal Elections Campaign Act

(1971) limits PACs to $5000 per (1971) limits PACs to $5000 per election or $10,000 per election election or $10,000 per election cycle (primary and general election)cycle (primary and general election)

““Bundling” helps PACs get around Bundling” helps PACs get around the limitsthe limits

SOFT MONEY-PACs have no limits to SOFT MONEY-PACs have no limits to contributions made to a political contributions made to a political party for party-building purposesparty for party-building purposes