Interest Groups 10 -...

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10Interest Groups


Warm-Up Activity

1.Define the term “Interest Group”.

2.Which theory of US democracy (from Unit 1) states

that interest groups are the leading power in our

government and believe that to be positive?

3.Which theory of US democracy (from Unit 1) states

that interest groups are the leading power in our

government and believe that to be negative?

10.1


10.1

Describe the role of interest groups in American politics.10.1


Role of Interest Groups

Interest groups pursue policy goals

Different from political parties Do not run candidates

Policy specialists, not generalists

25,000 interest groups

Technology aids lobbying

10.1


a. 5,000

b. 25,000

c. 100,000

d. 50,000

10.110.1 How many interest groups are there in the United States?


10.2

Compare and contrast the theories of pluralism, elitism, and hyperpluralism.

10.2


Theories of Interest Group

Politics

Pluralism

Elitism

Hyperpluralism

10.2


Pluralism

Group theory of politics Groups provide a key link between people and

government.

Groups compete.

No one group is likely to become too dominant.

Groups usually play by the rules of the game.

Groups weak in one resource can use another.

Concessions Some groups stronger than others

All interests do not get equal hearing

10.2


Elitism

Real power held by a few

75% of Americans share this view

Interlocking directorates

Multinational corporations

Lobbying benefits the few at the expense

of the many

10.2


Hyperpluralism

Interest group liberalism Groups out of control

Government tries to appease all of them

Budgets, programs, regulations expand

Iron triangles

Contradictory and confusing policy results

10.2


a. Elitism

b. Hyperpluralism

c. Pluralism

d. None of the above

10.210.2 Which theory of interest group politics views interest groups positively?


10.3

Analyze the factors that make some interest groups more successful than others in the political arena.

10.3


What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large

Groups

Intensity

Financial Resources

10.3


Smaller groups have advantage Potential group

Actual group

Collective good

Free-rider problem

Selective benefits

The Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups

10.3


Intensity

Psychological advantage

Single-issue groups On the rise

Dislike compromise

Abortion

10.3


Financial Resources

System is biased toward wealthy 2008 federal elections cost $5 billion

Donations lead to access

But $$$ does not always lead to lobbying

success Other side contributes, too

10.3


a. Other side can also make contributions

b. Campaign contributions are too restricted to

make a significant difference

c. Most groups cannot afford to buy politicians

d. Most politicians refuse to accept interest group

contributions

10.310.3 Why does money not always lead to lobbying success?


10.4

Assess the four basic strategies that interest groups use to try to shape policy.

10.4


How Groups Try to Shape Policy

Lobbying

Electioneering

Litigation

Going Public

10.4


Lobbying

Two types of lobbyists Full-time employee

Temporary employee

Often former legislators

Why do Congressmen listen to

lobbyists? Lobbyists provide specialized expertise

Lobbyists help with political & campaign strategy

Lobbyists provide ideas

10.4


FIGURE 10.1 Industries' big spenders on lobbying, 2009-2013

10.4


NRA10.4

Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images


Electioneering

Aiding candidates financially

Getting out the vote

PACs $5,000 limit in primary and general election

Mainly support incumbents

Should PACs be eliminated?

10.4


Litigation

Suing for enforcement Environmental regulations

Civil rights groups–1950s

Amicus curiae briefs

Class action lawsuits

10.4


Going Public

Public opinion influences policy makers

Mobilize public opinion

Public relations

10.4


Interest group ad10.4

Jeffrey Markowitz/Sygma/Corbis


a. Lobbying

b. Litigation

c. Electioneering

d. Going public

10.410.4 On what tactic do interest groups rely to influence policy when Congress is unsympathetic?


Practice FRQJames Madison's argument in Federalist No. 10 is often cited

as one of the best examples of pluralism in American political

thought. In it, Madison argues that American democracy would

best be protected by a system of pluralism. Although he never

explicitly spoke of either, both interest groups and political

parties play a role in the maintenance of American democracy

and public policy in the United States.

• Explain the theory of pluralism and evaluate the importance

of interest groups under that theory.

• Compare and contrast the role and function of interest

groups with the role and function of political parties in

American politics and governance.


Truman Reading Analysis

- Grab a Woll Reader from the shelf

- Read the article entitled “The Governmental

Process” on page 232 by David Truman

- Complete the Truman Reading Analysis worksheet

- Turn in at the end of class if finished, if not turn in

tomorrow.


10.5

Identify the various types of interest groups and their policy concerns.10.5


Types of Interest Groups

Economic interests

Environmental interests

Equality interests

Consumer and other public interest

lobbies

10.5


Economic Interests

Labor Unions

Closed shop versus "right-to-work"

10.5


Wisconsin collective bargaining fight 10.5

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images News/Getty Images


Economic Interests

Business Dominate lobbying and PACs

Business interests not monolithic Policy differences among industries

10.5


FIGURE 10.2 How corporate PACs have

shifted toward the majority party

10.5


Environmental Interests

Sprang up since 1970 More than 10,000 groups with $2.9 billion revenue

Profound policy impact Influential due to numbers, not money

10.5


Save the polar bear10.5

Paul J. Richards/Staff/AFP/Getty Images


Equality Interests

Fourteenth Amendment guarantees

Minorities NAACP/Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Social welfare policies

Women National Organization for Women (NOW)

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

10.5


Consumer and Other Public

Interest Lobbies

Policies in the public interest Collective goods

What is the public interest?

10.5


a. Economic groups

b. Environmental groups

c. Consumer groups

d. Women's rights groups

10.510.5 Which interest groups are the best funded?


10.6

Evaluate how well Madison's ideas for controlling the influence of interest groups have worked in practice.

10.6


Understanding Interest Groups

Interest Groups and Democracy

Interest Groups and the Scope of

Government

10.6


Interest Groups and

Democracy

Does pluralism prevail? Growth in number of interest groups

Less clout for any one group

Interest group corruption? Business PACs

Wealthy groups dominate

Gridlock?

10.6


Interest Groups and the Scope

of Government

Individualistic and associational

Difficult to reduce spending

Vicious circle Groups lead to policy

Policy prompts new groups to form

10.6


a. They do not see a problem with large

numbers of groups

b. They think too many groups competing

will lead to policy gridlock

c. They believe that a few groups will

triumph over all the others


10.610.6 What do hyperpluralists see as a problem with the proliferation of interest groups?


a. They do not see a problem with large

numbers of groups

b. They think too many groups

competing will lead to policy gridlock

c. They believe that a few groups will

triumph over all the others


10.610.6 What do hyperpluralists see as a problem with the proliferation of interest groups?

Interest Groups 10 -...

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