Transcript Interest Groups - Ankeny Schools

Interest Groups
Chapter 11
Michael Jordan plays ball.
Charles Manson kills people.
I talk.
My job requires a sort
of…moral flexibility
Interest Groups
 Organization of people with similar
policy goals who enter the political
process to try and achieve those
aims BUT don’t run their own
candidates for office
Functions of IGs
FUNDAMENTAL GOAL:
Influence Public Policy
Four functions to reach goal
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Lobbying
Electioneering
Litigation
Going Public
Lobbyists provide
unique, specialized
information
Who are Lobbyists?
Former politicians
Committee Staffers
Government Agency Leaders
Since 2005, 195 former
members of Congress have
become Lobbyists
Revolving Door
Q: What is
the most
common
job for a
gov.
employee
after they
resign?
A: Lobbyist.
Information, not arm twisting, is how
Lobbyists succeed
“Celebrity” lobbyists
are common
Total dollars spent
on lobbying
activities
by sector- 2012
(OpenSecrets.org)
SUPER PACs…
…spend more on
campaigns than the
candidates do
Electioneering
 Defined- influence elections
 Form PACs- direct $ to candidates
 Endorsements- get members to
vote for candidates
 Recruit members to volunteer for
campaigns
 Provide political information
Litigation
 Challenge policies in court
 Amicus briefs
 EXAMPLES
 Varnum v. Brein 100+ Amicus briefs
 DC v. Heller NRA funded the suit
 French Creek in NE Iowa
Going public
 Generate public pressure (SOPAWikipedia, YouTube)
 Public relations campaigns
Video clip examples
Check for understanding…
 How does this video clip illustrate
the function of IGs?
Lobbying, electioneering,
litigation, going public…
What makes Interest Groups
Powerful?
 Size
 Large Groups dominate media, donations
 Power of NRA and AARP example
 Intensity
 Money
 PACs
 Each corporation or group can set up a PAC that gives
money to political candidates (up to $5,000)
 Money goes overwhelmingly to incumbents
 527s
 Groups that can raise unlimited amounts of money and
use it for voter mobilization, issue advocacy, but NOT
for candidate advocacy or to be given to candidates
‘There ain’t no power like the
power of the people ‘cause the
power of the people don’t stop’
Grassroots
AstroTurf
An interest group can ‘fertilize’ the grass roots by sending a message to its
membership to write/email/call their congressperson, show up at a rally, etc. This
shows the government how much strength you have in your numbers.
In the post–Civil War United States, corporations grew significantly in
number, size, and influence. Analyze the impact of big business on the
economy and politics and the responses of Americans to these changes.
Examples of IGs
AARP
AFL-CIO
Sierra Club
Exxon
Blue Cross/Blue
Shield
 NAACP
 NOW
 Leadership PACs
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NBWA
Right to Life
ACLU
NAR
AMA
NEA/AFT
moveon.org
NRA
NRA hires lawyers, PR
firms, advertising
firms, organizes
conventions & gun
shows, etc. with due
money from members
NRA Political
Victory Fund
PAC
Gave over $1
million in the
2004 election
cycle
Q: What is the most
common employment
for a member of
Congress who *gasp*
loses their re-election
bid?
A: Become a lobbyist and
make many times your
government salary
Lobbyists
Either employed
by the NRA or
hired on retainer
$5K
Institutions
of
Government
Congress
President
Bureaucracy
Judiciary
Impact of PACs
 Large source of campaign money
 Committee chair
 Incumbents (85% +)
 Buying votes?
 Research says no
 Pluralists: PACs are great! They
increase participation
Incumbents win, challengers lose
PACs KNOW incumbents win
2010
SCOTUS
Decision
SUPER PACS…
…are growing in
number…
Madison’s view on
controlling factions
 Majoritarianism controls
 If it’s less than a majority, outvoted
 Pluralism controls
 Decentralized federalism
 Divide and conquer
How does this animation
relate to Federalist 10?
Interest Groups & Pluralism
 Linkage Institution – link people to their
government (like elections and parties
and the media)
 Decentralized- influence policy at local
level
Federal Government
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
POTUS
Congress
Courts
Bureau
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
nterest
Group
Interest
Group
Gov.
State
Leg
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
State
Courts
State
Bureau
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
Interest
Group
State Government x50
Interest
Group
Pluralism assumes
active citizen
participation
But…
Are we active
participants in
public affairs?
Or, do we
“bowl alone?”
Interest Groups & Elitism
Elite theorists argue:
 Sure there lots of groups…but
many of them don’t matter at all
 Real power & real access held by
big business interests
 Social class and interest group
membership
 Who runs the groups?
 Does the leadership of the NRA reflect the
beliefs of its rank-and-file membership?
Interest Groups &
Hyperpluralism
 Lowi’s interest group liberalism
AP TEST TIP:
the College
Board loves
to ask about
Iron Triangles
 Refers to government’s excessive deference
to groups and the government trying to
advance the goals of too many groups
 In an effort to please and appease every
interest, agencies proliferate, conflicting
regulations expand, programs multiply, and
budgets skyrocket
 Iron Triangles
Interest Group
Congressional
Committee
Bureaucratic
Agency