Influencing the Government

Interest Group Organizations who influence legislators by advocating for citizens who have similar ideas about an issue Lobbyists - representatives of interest groups that try to get the government to support their cause

Criticism of Lobbyists 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

Examples of Powerful Interest Groups NRA (National Rifle Association) - gun rights and limiting restrictions AARP (American Assoc. of Retired Persons) - deals with issues related to retirees and elderly MSTA (Missouri State Teachers Association) - issues related to education, educational reform, enact new education laws

Paying for Campaigns Political Action Committees - set up by interest groups that favor a particular candidate or issue Federal Election Campaign Act - law designed to control the amount of money people can donate to candidates

Ways of communication to a large number of people and influence how they think Efforts by ordinary citizens to effect all levels of government Use of Facebook, Twitter, apps and Instagram connect all levels of government to citizens Ideas and attitudes people have towards an elected official or issue Public Opinion Social Media Mass Media (4 th branch of government) Grassroots

Internet Challenging Governments Internet too open for authoritarian regimes Internet too open for authoritarian regimes These governments build firewalls to protect against outside news sources These governments build firewalls to protect against outside news sources Some governments use Internet for propaganda purposes Some governments use Internet for propaganda purposes

Changing/Enacting a Law We can influence laws besides voting in elected officials We can influence laws besides voting in elected officials States have a variety of methods for citizens to petition the government for change States have a variety of methods for citizens to petition the government for change Petitioning the government is a 1 st Amendment right!!! Petitioning the government is a 1 st Amendment right!!!

Initiative Signing of a petition by a certain number of registered voters Signing of a petition by a certain number of registered voters Can force a public vote on a proposed statute or ordinance Can force a public vote on a proposed statute or ordinance Ex) smoking bans in restaurants, moving courthouse from one city to another Ex) smoking bans in restaurants, moving courthouse from one city to another

Referendum Direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal Direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal Could result in the adoption of a new constitution or new constitutional amendment Could result in the adoption of a new constitution or new constitutional amendment

Recall Procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition Procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition Conducted against state officials (governor) and local officials (mayor) Conducted against state officials (governor) and local officials (mayor)