1. INTEREST GROUPS

2. … an organization or people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals

3. AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS

4. NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION

5. PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS

7. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE

8. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN

9. 1. While political parties fight their battles in the electoral process, interest groups do not seek to get their members elected
Interest groups may support candidates for office, but American interest groups do not run their own slate of candidates
2. Interest groups are often policy specialists, whereas political parties are policy generalists
3. Unlike political parties, interest groups do not face the constraint imposed by trying to appeal to everyone

11. LOBBYING
“communication, by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental decisionmaker with the hope of influencing behavior”

12. a. they are an important source of information providing specialized expertise in a single policy area
b. they can help a member with political strategy for getting legislation through (they act as consultants)
c. they can help formulate campaign strategy and get the group’s members behind a politician’s re-election campaign
d. they are a source of ideas and innovations

13. Theories of Interest Group Politics
“Do interest groups and lobbying create problems for government?”
Three theories to answer this question:
Pluralism
Elitism
Hyperpluralism

14. 1. Pluralist Theory
a theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
a. argues that interest group activity brings representation to all
b. groups compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace
Therefore: lobbying is open to all and is positive.

15. 2. Elite Theory
a theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
A few groups (primarily the wealthy) have most of the power
Most interest groups are insignificant
Therefore: lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many.

16. 3. Hyperpluralist Theory
a theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened
a. hyperpluralism is an extreme, exaggerated, or perverted form of pluralism
b. too many groups are getting too much of what they want, resulting in government policy that is often contradictory and lacking in direction
Therefore: lobbying results in contradictory and confusing public policies.

17. Iron Triangles
A network of subgovernments, a mutually dependent, mutually advantageous relationship between interest groups interested in a particular policy, government agencies that administer that policy, and the congressional committees that handle it.
Hyperpluralists believe these relationships are ‘too cozy’ and lead to hard choices rarely being made … leading to contradiction and/or policy gridlock.

18. The “Iron Triangle”

19. What makes interest groups successful?
Size
Intensity
Financial resources

20. Smaller groups are more likely to achieve their goals than large groups. But, Why?

21. All people who might be members due to a shared interest
Potential Groups
All people who might be members due to a shared interest

22. Those in the potential group who choose to join
Actual Group
Those in the potential group who choose to join

23. The greater the percentage of the potential group in the actual group = greater effectiveness of the group
Therefore, smaller groups usually have an advantage in this regard.

24. Collective Good
Something of value that cannot be denied or withheld from either potential or actual group members
Such as clean air
In other words: Potential members benefit from positives that the actual group works to secure.

25. Therefore, the problem presents itself …
“Why should I, a potential member, become an actual member … if I’ll benefit anyways?”

27. The Free Rider Problem
The problem of not joining the actual group because benefits will be realized without joining.
“Why should I work for a group, pay dues, give time and energy, etc. when I get the advantages without doing anything?”

28. How to Overcome this Problem …
Providing attractive benefits only for actual members.
These are called Selective Benefits.
Goods that a group can restrict to those who are in the actual group

29. Also … “Issue Intensity”
Single-Issue Group: a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and single-mindedly pursues its goal

30. Financial Resources
Major criticism of the interest group system is that it is biased toward the wealthy
Top Groups, according to ‘power’:
NRA
AARP
National Federation of Independent Business
American Israel Public Affairs Committee
AFL-CIO

31. How Interest Groups Shape Policy
Lobbying
Litigation
Going Public
Electioneering
PACs

32. Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interests
Labor, Business
Environmental Interests
WWF, Nature Conservancy
Equality Interests
NOW, NAACP
Consumer/Public Interest Lobbies