INTEREST GROUPS

Interest Group are: Organizations composed of individuals

who share one or more interests in common and who have formed an association for their purpose of advancing or protecting their interests

Differences between political parties and interest groups

Parties Similar views on

most issues Broad coalition of

members Affect policy by

getting people elected to office

Interest Groups Similar views on

one or a handful of issues

Narrow focus Affect policy

through access and lobbying

Types of Interest GroupsPrivate Interest groups: pursue chiefly economic

interests that benefit their members

Business groups-largest and most powerful of interest groups that represent large business corporations, chambers of commerce, small business

National Association of Manufacturers

American Petroleum Institute-represents 400 oil and gas corp.

US Chamber of Commerce: 3 million businesses, 2,800 state chambers,

Labor Groups Campaign for

workers’ issues like minimum wage, workplace safety, industry protection from overseas competition

AFL-CIO-88 unions and trade groups

United Auto Workers Union

National Education Association

Teamsters Union

Agriculture Groups Farm groups

that lobby for farm subsidies, environmental issues, genetic engineering

American Farm Bureau Association

In 2005, over $25 billion paid out

Professional Groups Groups that

represent occupations that require some special training (question: what do they lobby for?)

AMA-American Medical Association

ABA-large and well-funded group representing lawyers

Other Private Interest Groups

Elderly Foreign

governments

AARP-powerful lobby for people over 55 with a lot of clout on issues like Social Security and prescription drugs. Seniors vote in large numbers

Public interest groups: groups that lobby for benefits and interests that are not limited to its

members

Consumer Groups: Nader’s Raiders

Women’s Groups: NOW

Religious Groups Environmental

Groups: Audubon Society, Sierra Club

Single Issue Groups: groups that look at a single issue they want to

change National Rifle

Association: very rich and powerful

Abortion: Operation Rescue, Planned Parenthood

Civil Rights: NAACP, LULAC (a group rising in importance as the Hispanic population grows)

PETA

Methods Interest groups try to influence the

making of public policy by using tactics that are effective for them such as donating campaign funds, filing lawsuits, electioneering.

Lobbying provides access for interest groups and forces Congress to take action on their issue. Sometimes no action is a successful strategy because nothing changes, for the interest group.

Direct lobbying Personal Contact:

meeting with policymakers and doing what they can to persuade them to support their cause

Providing Expertise: using their specialized body of knowledge about a certain topic to aid in writing legislation

Testifying at hearings: provide information for Congressional hearings to get their message out and get free publicity (see iron triangle)

Final direct method Giving money: Interest groups endorse

candidates who support their interest and then help finance that candidate’s campaign by using PACs.

PACs give billions of dollars primarily to congressional campaigns and to incumbents.

PACs are limited by law to give $5,000 for each campaign (hard money), but there are no limits on donations to parties (soft money).

PACs can also create issue ads without specifically endorsing a particular candidate.

Fortune Magazine "Power 25 Survey for 2001"The Top 25 Interest Groups

October 2, 2002 Fortune Magazine periodically

produces a list of the most influential interest groups in Washington, D.C.  This is called the Fortune Power 25 Survey.  The top 25 interest groups on its Survey  for 2001 is listed below . You can find that WEB page at: http://www.fortune.com/lists/power25/index.html  

1.  National Rifle Association2.  American Association of Retired People (AARP)3.  National Federation of Independent Business4.  American Israel Foreign Affairs Committee 5.  Association of Trial Lawyers of America6.  AFL-CIO7.  Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America8.  National Beer Wholesalers of America9.  National Association of Realtors

10.  National Association of Manufacturers11.  National Association of Homebuilders of the United States12.  American Medical Association13.  American Hospital Association14.  National Education Association of the United States15.  American Farm Bureau Federation16. Motion Picture Association of America17.  National Association of Broadcasters18.  National Right to Life Committee19.  Health Insurance Association of America20.  National Restaurant Association21.  National Governors' Association22.  Recording Industry Association of America23.  American Bankers Association24.  Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America25.  International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Indirect Methods Mobilizing grassroots: Letter campaigns,

phone campaigns-getting members to act on their own

Molding public opinion: ads, rallies, rating political leaders; cultivating a positive image of their group in the eyes of the public

Coalition building: ex. Daylight Savings Time Coalition was made up of lobbyists representing 7/11, Kingsford charcoal, amusement parks, lawn and garden centers, meat producers, and travel companies