Legislature Executive Judiciary Separation of Powers The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
November 22, 2011. Three Branches of Government in the United States Executive Legislative Judiciary...
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Transcript of November 22, 2011. Three Branches of Government in the United States Executive Legislative Judiciary...
November 22, 2011
Three Branches of Government in the United States
ExecutiveLegislativeJudiciary
Basic idea in the Constitution:The separation of powers
Films about PresidentsAbraham Lincoln (1930)Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)Wilson (1944)Sunrise at Campobello (1960)JFK (1991)Truman (1995)Nixon (1995)W (2008)
Fictional PresidentsBeing There (1979) – Chauncey GardnerIndependence Day (1996) – Thomas WhitmoreDave (1993) – Bill MitchellThe American President (1995) – Andrew
ShepherdMurder at 1600 (1997) – Jack NeilAir Force One (1997) – James MarshallWag the Dog (1997) – unnamedPrimary Colors (1998) – Jack Stanton
Films about CongressMr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)Advise and Consent (1962)Tail Gunner Joe (1997)Legally Blonde 2 (2003)
Films about the Supreme CourtFirst Monday in October (1981)The Pelican Brief (1993)Amistad (1997)The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)
Films about Law and LawyersInherit the Wind (1960)To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)A Few Good Men (1992)The Firm (1993)The Pelican Brief (1993)A Time to Kill (1996)Runaway Jury (2003)The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
Interest groupsInterest groups are part of civil society and try to
influence public policyThey achieve influence primarily through the
collection and transmission of strategic information to the three branches of government (sometimes called lobbying)
They may directly provide campaign funds to presidents and legislators who want to get elected to re-elected
They may decide to take disputes over executive decision or legislation to the judiciary
Examples of Large Interest GroupsNational Rifle Association (NRA)American Association of Retired Persons
(AARP)American Federation of Labor – Congress of In
dustrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)U.S. Chamber of CommerceAmerican Medical Association (AMA)American Bar Association (ABA)Sierra Club
Anti-NRA Propaganda
Types of Interest GroupsRadical vs. Status QuoSingle-issue vs. Multiple-issueCategories:
Producer associationsConsumer groupsEnvironmental groupsCivil liberties and human rights groups
Peak associations: e.g. U.S. Chamber of Commerce, AFL-CIO
Interest group strategiesGroups can modify or protect the status quo
directly, by prevailing at the ballot boxindirectly, by pressuring other actors to modify or
preserve a certain policy for themTo be influential, pressure groups must have access to the key players involved in the decision-making process
Access depends on whether policy makers will listen to this particular group
Interest groups that represent large constituencies will tend to have better access than others
Interest group tacticsNearly all groups testify at hearings, lobby
government officials, make informal contacts with legislators, present research or technical information, send letters to members to inform them about their activities, enter into coalitions with other groups
Some interest groups publicize candidate-voting records, conduct direct mail fundraising efforts, buy issue advocacy advertisements in the print or electronic media, contribute time and staff to election campaigns, endorse candidates, and participate in protests and demonstrations
Interest group success
How do we measure interest group success?Passed legislationCampaign contributionsPublic opinion (the more favorable the better)Media visibility
Social MovementsA social movement is large group of people
focused on carrying out, resisting, or undoing large-scale social changes
Examples:Civil rightsAnti-warEnvironmentalPro-Life
Social movements may include coalitions of organized interests and interest groups
Is the Tea Party a Social Movement?
Grass Roots vs. Astro Turf OrganizationsFunding of the Tea Party by the
Koch Brothers and Tom DeLayRole of Politicians like Sarah Palin, Dick
Armey, Karl Rove, and othersRelationship between the Tea Party
“movement” and the Republican Party
Trailer for new film on the Tea Party