Interest Groups

Define Interest Group: It is a collection of people who share views on public matters and work to shape public policy to their benefit. The 1 st amendment best protected interest groups. It guarantees that people have the right to “assemble and petition the government”.

Interest Groups vs. Political Parties 1. Interest groups do not make nominations during elections. 2. Parties focus on winning elections. Interest groups focus in controlling public policy. This is the difference in who vs. what. 3. Interest groups concentrate more on specific issues.

Negative Views of Interest Groups 1. Interest Groups that are better financed are the most powerful. This means that it might not be about what is best for the public. The powerful will always win. 2. It is hard to figure out exactly how many people support and interest group. They might have titles that are confusing and sound like the represent a lot of people, when they do not. 3. Groups could be dominated by just a few people and not represent who they say they do. 4. Some groups use tactics like bribery.

Positive Views 1. They raise awareness of public affairs. Issues that concern many people. 2. They represent people that share common beliefs no matter where they live in the United States. 3. Provides data to the public about our government and economy. 4. Encourage political participation. 5. Keep our representatives in check by keeping as close tab on their activities. 6. They compete with each other which creates a great balance of issues in our society.

2. What makes an Interest Group? Attempts to influence the actions of our government! Most are formed on the basis of economic interests. A labor union is an organization of workers who share the same type of job or who work in the same industry. An Issue Oriented Group exist to promote a cause, there are many examples: The American Civil Liberties Union (promotes civil rights), Sierra Club (promotes conservation of wild life), National Rifle Association (fights forms of gun control). Who would you support?

How do they do it? Lobbying: the process by which interest groups attempt to influence the actions of public officials. The people who do this are called lobbyists. Lobbying Congress: They might target individual represenatives/senators. They might target certain committees. They submit statements that outline their views. They speak in front of committees to persuade them. They provide useful information. The contribute to campaigns financially.

Public Opinion They persuade the public through television ads, newspapers ads, and internet ads. They use members in their group to share views with the public. They use well recognized public figures to promote their cause. Watch out for propaganda in the media.

Elections They help people win public office. It is important for them to have officers in Congress that support their causes. They provide audiences, funds, and advertisements for the people they support.