Interest Groups Strategy & Tactics October 24, 2017

Groups participate in elections Groups with a large membership and/or influence beyond their ranks try to affect election outcomes by endorsing favored candidates and delivering a bloc vote on their behalf. Unions, the NRA, Right to Life, NARAL Pro- Choice America, and other groups endorse friends and work to defeat political opponents.

Groups grade elected officials This is from Club for Growth, a conservative group that favors low taxes and less government regulation.

Political Action Committees (PACs) Interest groups contribute to candidates they support through their political action committees (PACs), organizations created to raise and distribute money in political campaigns. People associated with the interest group such as union members and business executives contribute money to the group's PAC, which in turn gives money to candidates for office.

Incumbent advantage Interest groups tend to support incumbents. Most interest groups would rather give to a strong candidate who is only somewhat supportive of their cause than throw their money away on an almost certain loser who is completely behind the group's goals. Because incumbents win more often than challengers, especially in races for the U.S. House, most interest group money goes to them.

PAC contribution limits Federal candidates State candidates Individuals can give no more than $2,400 to an individual candidate per election and $5,000 to a PAC. PACs can give no more than $5,000 to a candidate per election. Unions and Corporations can not give directly to candidates Texas law does not limit the amount of money individuals, businesses, or PACs can contribute in election campaigns. The effort to limit the influence of interest group money in elections is collapsing because of the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010) Because of a recent Supreme Court ruling and other developments, the law limiting campaign contributions is ineffective. Individuals and groups can spend unlimited amounts of money, often anonymously, as long as they don’t coordinate with campaigns. Corporations and unions can even spend corporate and union funds on politics.

Logic of Court’s Position The Citizens United decision and other recent decision were 5-4, with the conservative bloc outvoting the liberal: Under the U.S. Constitution, corporations are the same as people. Campaign spending is the equivalent of speech. Laws limiting the amount of money corporations spend on campaigns violate their First Amendment rights.

The New Big Thing Super PACs Social Welfare Organizations These organizations can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from wealthy individuals, unions, and corporations as long as they do not directly coordinate their spending with candidates and political parties. They can use their money to pay for advertising, organizing, and get-out-the-vote efforts on behalf of favored candidates. Unlike ordinary PACs, Super PACs do not contribute money to candidates. These organizations are organized as non-profit educational social welfare organizations under 501 (c) (4) of the tax code. They can spend money on political advertising to educate voters as long as they do not explicitly say “vote for” or “vote against” a particular candidate. Because of their organizational form, they do not have to disclose their financial backers.

Lobbying Interest groups attempt to influence policymaking by lobbying, the communication of information by a representative of an interest group to a government official for the purpose of influencing a policy decision. Groups lobby both the legislative and executive branches of government, attempting to influence every stage of the policy process. Political scientists believe that groups give money to candidates they believe are going to win in hopes of gaining access, an open door that allows the group’s lobbyist to make their case for special treatment.

Lobbying is expensive, 2017 (so far) Chamber of Commerce--$58 million National Association of Realtors--$32 million Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America-- $32 million. Blue Cross, Blue Shield--$18 million

Information Is Lobbyist’s Tool Information is the key to lobbying. Successful lobbyists provide members of Congress with accurate facts and figures. Although lobbyists offer their own interpretation of data and voice arguments to support their group’s particular policy preferences, they are honest because they know that their effectiveness depends on their credibility. In fact, lobbyists are an important information source for government officials.

Approaches to Lobbying Insider Outsider Most labor unions and business groups employ what might be called an insider’s approach to achieving influence. These groups have a long-range interest in several policy areas. They give PAC contributions to gain access to officeholders for lobbyists who then work to get to know the public officials on a personal basis. They attempt to influence details of legislation. Groups whose policy goals are more narrowly focused, such as the NRA, follow an outsider's approach to influencing policy. Members of Congress either support them on their pet issues or they are against them. Groups using an outsider's strategy are more heavy-handed in dealing with public officials than are interest groups with a broader range of policy concerns.

Would the NRA approve of the image on the left? PR Campaigns Some interest groups attempt to achieve their goals by generating public support for their policy positions and focusing it on government officials. Would the NRA approve of the image on the left?

Protest Demonstrations Groups use protest demonstrations to show policymakers that a number of people have strong feelings regarded a particular policy or program, usually negative feelings. In general, protest demonstrations are a tactic used by groups unable to achieve their goals through other means. Sometimes the protest catches the attention of the general public, which brings pressure to bear on behalf of the protesting group.

Lawsuits A number of interest groups specialize in the use of litigation (i.e., lawsuits) to achieve their goals. The ACLU provides legal assistance to individuals and groups involved in controversies involving individual rights and liberties, including disputes over freedom of religion, free speech, and the death penalty. The American Center for Law and Justice and the Liberty Counsel are organizations that litigate to support conservative Christian goals, such as opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage. Gay marriage first came to Massachusetts as the result of a court ruling.

Political Violence Some groups employ unconventional methods to achieve their goals. The Animal Liberation Front, Stop Animal Exploitation Now, and some other animal rights groups take aggressive action to oppose animal research.

What You Have Learned How do groups attempt to influence election outcomes? How has the Citizens’ United Supreme Court decision affected campaign finance laws? What is the difference between PACs, Super PACs, and social welfare organizations? What is lobbying? What approaches do groups take to lobbying? What is the purpose of protest demonstrations? What groups use litigation to achieve their goals?