America and Arizona Government for Elementary Teachers

Presentation 17: Interest Groups and Parties

Presentation Objectives

AEPA Objectives0006 Understand various governmental systems.

0013 Understand the development of political parties in the United States.

AZ Social Studies Standard, Strand 3Concept 4: Rights, Responsibilities, and Roles of Citizenship

What are Interest Groups?

Any organization that seeks to influence public policy.

Impact of Interest Groups

Pluralist – Competition between groups insures that no one group dominates

Elitist – pluralism doesn’t work because it is the monied interests which have the loudest voice

Hyper-pluralism – groups are so numerous and powerful that it is impossible to make a coherent public policy

Why are some groups powerful?

Small groups tend be more effective Small overhead Narrow focus Large groups have free

riders

Collective Action Matrix

Benefits

Concentrated Diffuse

Costs

Concentrated

Flood Insurance

User Fees

Toll Roads

Environmental regulations

Diffuse

Affirmative Action

Tariffs

Subsidized insurance

Amtrack

Govt. Studies

Social Security

National Defense

Collective Action Matrix

Benefits

Concentrated Diffuse

Costs

Concentrated

Flood Insurance

User Fees

Toll Roads

Environmental regulations

Safety regulations

(gun control)

Diffuse

Affirmative Action

Tariffs

Subsidized insurance

Amtrack

Govt. Studies

Social Security

National Defense

Interest groups that seek specific benefits or avoid specific costs are effective because members are willing to pay organizational costs

Oppositional groups have difficulty organizing

Collective Action Matrix

This means that a vocal, motivated minority will always have more influence on public policy than a complacent majority.

Lobbying

Provide information to policy makers to persuade them to enact favorable legislation

Electioneering

Help friendly politicians stay in office and defeat unfriendly politicians

Influence Public Opinion

Bypass the policy process to affect behavior directly

Also affects politicians, if they like their jobs

Litigation

Last ditch resort to block policy

Political Parties

What are Political Parties?

Act the same as Interest groups Lobbying

Provide information to policy makers to persuade them to enact favorable legislation

Electioneering Help friendly politicians stay in office and defeat unfriendly

politicians Influence Public Opinion

Bypass the policy process to affect behavior directly Also affects politicians, if they like their jobs

Litigation Last ditch resort blocking of policy

What are Political Parties?

One additional activity Lobbying

Provide information to policy makers to persuade them to enact favorable legislation

Electioneering Help friendly politicians stay in office and defeat unfriendly

politicians Influence Public Opinion

Bypass the policy process to affect behavior directly Also affects politicians, if they like their jobs

Litigation Last ditch resort blocking of policy

Select and Support Candidates for election

What do parties do?

Why have parties?

Aggregate Preferences

Like minded folks getting together to turn their preferences into policy.

Why have parties?

Give Candidates the Ability to govern

The party acts as a government in opposition, enables winning candidates to quickly fill positions.

2008 transition team for Missouri’s new governor

Why have parties?

Provide Information to Voters

They keep track of the minutia, educate the public on the important issues

Why have parties?

Provide a way to maintain the election machine between elections

Most important function, historic origin

What don’t they Do? Are they worth the trouble?

Build Consensus Good policy often requires

compromise Compromise takes

campaign issues away from parties and candidates

The party needs to stand FOR something and Against something

Expect gridlock in congress before an election

What don’t they Do? Are they worth the trouble?Have the national interest

paramount

Parties exist to further their fortunes

May or may not coincide with the national interest

What don’t they Do? Are they worth the trouble?Provide unbiased information

Parties are election machines, not educational institutions

What don’t they Do? Are they worth the trouble?Provide unbiased information

Parties are election machines, not educational institutions

Why Two parties?

System is set up to perpetuate itself Who makes election

rules?

3rd Party Barriers

Ballot rules

Winner-take-all system

Congressional rules

Co-optation

Parties co-opt successful movements to prevent losing ground to them

Leadership Issue position

Cross-Cutting Issue

Cross-cutting cleavage creates opportunity for 3rd party to gain followers.

Cross-Cutting CleavageEntitlement Reform

Reinforcing CleavageGun Control

Dem Dem

Rep RepCon

Pro

Con

Pro

Conclusion

This Presentation

This presentation is courtesy of Brian Dille, Professor of Political Science at Mesa Community College.