What do Interest Groups do? Unit #4 QUIZ! Put polls in basket.

Federalist #10 – James Madison What is a faction? Identify two ways of controling faction. Why will the causes of faction never be eliminated?

What Are Interest Groups? An Interest Group (special interests) is an organization of people with similar policy goals that tries to influence the political process to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups try to influence every branch and every level of government.

Types of Interest Groups Business Groups – Chamber of Commerce, National Restaurant Association Labor Groups – AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers Agricultural Groups – The Farm Bureau, The Grange Professional Groups – American Medical Association, American Bar Association, National Education Association

What Makes an Interest Group Successful? In general three factors tend to lead to interest group success: 1.Leaders – Having a prominent leader aids in the reputation of the group and enhances a group’s ability to attain its goals. 2.Patrons and Funding – Funding is critical. Without money, it is difficult to get your message out. 3.Members – A group must have members to be successful. Organizing members allows for strength in numbers and pooling of financial support.

Criticism of Interest Groups Interest Groups have been criticized for ignoring the wider interest of society producing confusion and deadlock in Congress generating so much emotion that they make reasoned discussion difficult having too much influence

Benefit of Interest Groups Interest Groups: promote interest in public affairs provide useful information serve as watchdogs represent the interest of citizens