Government is too beholden to special interests and does not listen to people like me. True or false?
Home Schooling Story Although most citizens don’t participate actively in politics, many are associated with groups that are mobilizing inactive citizens is an effective strategy of political influence IG have adopted state of the art technologies to replace traditional strategies of lobbying and electing sympathetic candidates elected officials are highly responsive to organized and aroused interests.
Definition of Interest Group an organized body of individuals who share some goals and who try to influence public policy Parties largely try to determine who occupies positions in government interest groups primarily try to affect the decisions that others make
Evolution of IG Tocqueville “Americans are forever forming associations” Four Waves of IG Formation broad based or peak organizations NAM, AMA Narrow economic groups, American Soybean Association public non profit groups US police Canine association Ideological Groups NOW
Normative ?s about IG Is this growth of interest groups a good thing? What is the appropriate role of interest groups in a democracy? Madison Causes of Factions Are Sown Into the Nature of Man Remedy is Worse Than the Disease
Pluralism Politics is a struggle between groups For every interest, there is a group Policy reflects the balance of power between groups in society Reflects the intensity of preferences as well as the direction No permanent losers
Critiques of Pluralism "The heavenly chorus of the interest group process sings with an upper-class accent." Collective Action problem Overcoming the free rider problem Solidarity benefits Material benefits Purposive benefits
Goals of Interest Groups Improve Probability that Their Interests Will Be Treated Favorably Influence Policy-Making Process
Inside Game Focus is on Governing Officials Lobbying Litigation Electoral Politics Political Action Committees (PAC’s) BRIBERY IS NOT WIDESPREAD!!!
PACs– Good or Bad PACs political action committees Solicit $$ from members of group Formal way for interest groups to get involved in politics Do PACs exercise a corrupting influence on election and policy making process
"The Outside Game" Focus is on shaping public opinion Indirect influence Publicity and Mass Appeal Mass Mailing Organize the District
Why Groups Use Different Tactics group characteristics Exxon vs. Greenpeace situational characteristics Outs vs. the Ins Convergence between outside and inside strategies MICROSOFT, The Empire Strikes Back
Interest Group Influence empirical component how powerful are they? normative component how powerful should they be?
Iron Triangles Alliance of common interest between an interest group, a congressional committee, and a bureaucratic agency Department of Defense/Pentagon- House and Senate Armed Services Committee—and Defense Contractors interest groups play the dominant role Outsiders are shut out Lowi’s interest group liberalism
Issue Networks larger and looser connection of interest groups, committees, and agencies in a particular policy area Case of Tobacco Policy More open and less stable than old triangles More closely resembles that of pluralist doctrine
Hyperpluralism Too many interest groups= Gridlock 3,400 lobbyists in 1975; 9,000 in 1990 608 PACs in 1975; 4,000+ in 1990 Example of health care reform demosclerosis
Influence of IG is conditional most influential on low profile issues In blocking actions; hard to originate When unopposed by other groups If they have plentiful resources