Transcript SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIG*S)

SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
(SIG’S)
Which of the following is the
most powerful?
•Voters
•Government Agencies
(Bureaucracy)
•Elected Officials
•Political Parties
•Special Interest Groups (SIG’s)
• (Average American is represented by interest
groups - SIG’s influence all of these)
INTEREST GROUPS
• An interest group is a group of like-minded
individuals who encourage or prevent changes
in public policy without trying to be elected.
How do Interest Groups
differ from political parties?
•Venn Diagram:
http://www.ushistory.org/gov/5c.asp
Political Party
Interest Group
Similarites
What is a Political Party?
• A group of individuals outside of government who
organize to win elections, to operate the government,
and determine public policy.
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lt-f3QQ7-A
What Political Parties Do:
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•
•
•
•
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Select Candidates:
Inform the Public:
Coordinate Policy Making:
Balance Interests within the Party:
Run Campaigns:
Raise Money:
How do Interest Groups
differ from political parties?
•Venn Diagram:
Political Party
Interest Group
Goal: Win
elections/control an office
in Gov’t (Pres,
Congress,etc)
“make”
policy
$ Campaign
funds
•Members
share common
interests/
political ideas
•Need $ to
operate
Elites
Similarites
Goal: Inform
and persuade
those in gov’t
“influence”
policy
$
P
A
C
S
Pluralists – many share
power
(or perhaps
hyperpluralists – so
many influences gov’t
can’t function)
INTEREST GROUPS
•
Interest groups exist to shape and influence
public policy.
•
Functions:
1. Stimulate interest in public policy.
2. Represent members based on interests /
attitudes (not geography – like elected
officials).
3. Provide information to the government
(Lobbyists contact politicians)
4. Act as a vehicle for political participation.
5. Act as a check and balance for politics.
6. Competitively balance each other.
(Environment vs. Business)
Amassing Public Support
Special Interest groups (SIGs):
Political parties (Elites) goal is to “make” policy vs. SIGs are
pluralists (or perhaps hyper pluralists) venting (“influence”
policy)
1. Characteristics:
a. Membership. b. Financial resources. c. Leadership.
d. Organizational structure.
2. Types:
a. Business and industry. b. Trade associations.
c. Organized labor. d. Agriculture. e. Professional.
f. Public interest. g. Government h. Cultural, religious,
ethnic.
i. Equality interest.
SIGs Strategies
1. Provide data to politicians and government agencies.
SIGS are policy specialists whereas political parties are
policy generalists.
2. Draft legislation via the Iron Triangle:
SIGs Strategies (continued)
3. Lawsuits.
4. Education. **information = #1
influence
5. Watchdogs of government.
6. Lobbyists: hired political
persuaders (14,000+ in D.C) whose
job is to promote the SIGs interests
(via pressure, votes, and $).
Lobbyists “Influence
peddlers” – Can they be
good?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2DUM6jVasw
• 3 min.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTbtKRdYbYo
• 3 min.
• Does Lobbying need reform?
Successful SIG’s
1. Have a relatively small size:
a. Potential groups (or large groups) suffer from “free-rider
status.”
b. Actual groups reap what they sow and therefore work
harder. One can make potential groups more powerful by
providing “selective benefits” (AARP). Solidary incentive =
sense of companionship when members meet.
2. Have intensity: Single issue groups - NRA, NOW, abortion.
3. Go public: influence public opinion.
4. Diversify: over 23,000 exist today, and 90% are
headquartered in Washington D.C.
Interest group participation is the culmination of political participatory actions
Investigate a successful Interest
Group:
• Go to the AARP website –www.aarp.org
• With a partner, answer the following questions:
• Type of Organization?
• Institutional or Membership
• Who are their subscribers? (not names, but in general)
• Benefits to joining?
• Issues of concern?