1. CH 9 Public Interest pp

2. Copy Individuals band together to form special interest groups.
They use their presence and resources to attempt to get the government to do or stop doing what they see fit.

3. Public policy
236 all the goals that a government pursues in human affairs
Seat belts
Speed limits
Zoning
Flood control
Old-age pensions
Military intervention
Etc.

4. Economic interests Trade association
244 Businesses, often in the same type of business.
American Trucking Association
National Restaurant Association
American Bankers Association

5. Labor union 244 Workers in the same industry or type of job AFL-CIO
Retail Clerks International Union
International Association of Machinists
Aerospace Workers
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Workers

6. Public-interest group
247 interested in issues that affect most of all of the people in the nation.
Public Citizen, Inc.
League of Women Voters

7. Single-interest group
251 PACs that concentrate their efforts on one issue
Abortion
Gun control
Health care

8. Lobbying
251 activities by which groups put pressure on members of the government. US

9. Lobbying
Jack Abramoff, lobbyist convicted of criminal practices, speaks to Colbert about his activities…..
Lobbying is legal, but what did Abramoff do to end up in prison?
Fraud and conspiracy
Why does Abramoff believe lobbying in general is bad?
They use money and perks, even write the bills for politicians to push through Congress.
What kind of lobbying tool does Abramoff cite as the most dangerous?
Campaign contributions (favors and money)

10. Grass roots
253 interest groups starting with ordinary people, on small scale, but grow as their number of supporters increases
Tea Party Movement

11. Multimedia Magnet Project:
You will profile an Interest group of your choice.
Submit a list on Monday, _______________.
Five Interest Groups you would prefer to cover.
One will be selected from your list by next Wednesday.
Try to pick at least one that no other student might request…..
The instructions for the project will be distributed next week.

12. Project Handout: Interest group project: PPT/portfolio
Give me an interest list of 5 interest groups you know of. Put them in order of importance for a project. First, most want to report on, etc.
What “community” is this group trying to effect?
What does this group offer to the community?
What participation does this group offer to individuals in it?
What groups might oppose this group?
What media methods does this group use?
What contact methods does this group use?
How successful will this group be? Explain.
Due: one week before final….. TBA: ___________________

13. Hwk Concepts, Class Work, to Know

14. EC
List and describe the three main areas in which political parties and interest groups differ
236 Interest groups (3)
236 Political parties (3)
Contribute to candidates
Influence government
Concerned with a narrow issue
Nominate candidates
Control government
All public affairs concern them

15. EC: How do interest groups stimulate interest in public affairs? (2)
236 Publicizing their policies
Drawing attention to their policies

16. EC Name some functions of interest groups (5)
236 stimulate interest in public affairs
Represent shared values of members
Provide specialized information to government
Encourage political participation
Check and balance the political process

17. EC What is the main criticism of interest groups? (3)
236 they do not represent the interests of the entire country.
They may have too much influence
They use unethical tactics

18. EC: At what point does an organization become an interest group? (2)
242 when it tries to influence the actions of government,
Promotes its own political goals and interests in government

19. EC What are the four major types of interest groups?
242
Business
Labor
Agriculture
Professional

20. EC: Give an example for each group (4)
242 business:
United States Brewer’s Association
Labor:
the AFL-CIO
Agriculture:
The National Grange
Professional:
the American Medical Association

21. EC: How does a trade union differ from a labor union? (2) 242
Represents a business segment
Workers in same/similar type of job/work in the same industry.

22. EC: For what reasons, other than economic, are interest groups created
242 to promote causes
welfare of certain groups,
religion

23. EC: How does a public interest group differ from other interest groups?
242 they focus on the roles that will benefit all Americans, not specific ones.

24. EC: For what three reasons do interest groups reach out to the public
249 supply people with what they think is necessary information
Build a positive image for the group
Promote particular public policies

25. EC: Why do some interest groups use propaganda?
249 to influence public attitudes toward their agendas

26. EC: What are some propaganda techniques? (5)
249
Name calling
Labeling
Well-known symbols (positive and negative)
Band-wagon approach
Plain-folks approach

27. EC: Why do interest groups try to influence political parties?
249 ensure that their ideas will have a chance to influence government policymaking

28. EC: How is lobbying used to influence public policy? (4)
249 disseminate information
Testifying before congressional panels
Organizing grass-roots support
Publishing ratings of politicians

29. Images:
237, question
They are all trying to raise public awareness of issues important to them

30. Images:
238, question
Individuals have a chance to participate, be involved in the political process
Bring people together who share interests

31. Images 240, question, That Congress does what the interest groups want
+ name a successful interest group you might be aware of

32. Images:
243, question,
In order to spread their influence over a variety of areas that might affect the business.

33. Images:
244, questions A.
1945, 1955 B.
High unemployment rate after WW II made workers feel they needed protection. Many joined unions.

34. Images: 250, question Interest groups influence their members
They get many votes

35. Images: 251, questions, A. Number and variety of PACs stayed stable B.
Raise campaign funds
Increase in number of PACs shows the effect of strict “hard money” regulations.
PACs are not regulated nor reported.
+ what does the cartoonist suggest about PACs?
Student response should be supported by the text.

36. Images: 253, question, It is readily available
Information can be continually and quickly updated
+ how far can the Internet reach for these groups?
Student response should be supported by the text.

37. Images:
257, question, 28 A.
Congress B.
Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address 29
Without affiliation (identification, cooperation) with special interest groups, members of Congress cannot serve the people.
why aren’t the “people” as powerful as some interest groups?
Ordinary people are not organized enough to
Have the money to make large contributions to politicians and issues.
Reach a large part of the American population

38. How could an interest group's policies not be in the best interests of other Americans?
There are few limits on what an interest group might want to see as a public policy change.
For example, one interest group might support the building of an inland ocean to protect endangered sea animals.
That plan might cause citizens to lose their homes and lands, and farmers to lose their farms.

39. How does our government's system of checks and balances affect the work of interest groups?
It allows interest groups to function at different levels of government and to work to influence one or all of the branches.
For example, if an interest group cannot effect a change locally, it can mount a national campaign.
If Congress does not respond to an interest group's needs, the group can try to influence the Courts' rulings or the executive branch's decisions in its favor.

40. How did the development of mass media relate to the expanded use of propaganda?
Without mass media, propaganda could not be effectively used to influence many people.
The fact that mass media reaches many people almost instantly allows the message to reach and affect many people in a timely way.

41. How did the development of mass media relate to the expanded use of propaganda?
Jon Stewart points out the practices of FOX NEWS’ talk shows using the recent comments made by President Obama about their attacks on him…… Stewart calling them a “spite-driven anger machine.”
What examples does Stewart point out?
FOX accusing Obama of distracting public from one issue FOX is obsessed with using to put Obama down with by dealing with other issues.
What does Obama think FOX’ real goal is?
Distract public from Obama successes.

42. What does the use of propaganda show about propagandists' attitudes and beliefs about people?
Propagandists might assume that people's viewpoints can be influenced and their behavior can be changed.
Some of the techniques used suggest that propagandists do not believe that people carefully examine the information that reaches them via the mass media.
Some propagandists seem to believe that people can be fooled by biased information.

43. Brief response: