Mr. Chamberlain

 Organization that seeks to influence public policy  Corporations  Unions  Professionals  Civil Rights  Women  Public Interest  Social Welfare

 Variety of social movements surrounding major social issues  Races, ethnicities, cultures and gender  Religions – 72 religions/60,000 members or more  Separation of Powers/Constitution  President, Courts, Congress (committees and sub.)  Results in many groups representing similar groups i.e. farmers – State, County and Federal Levels Teachers – BAEA, PSEA and NEA  Political Parties – weak = direct gov’t interaction  Strong = party/interest group work together

 70% created after 1960 (60’s and 70’s BOOM) 4 Causes of Interest Groups  Early 1800’s – 1890’s: Broad Economic Developments  Farming, Factories, Steel workers, Mining  Mass union membership/ Rise of Corporations  Government Policy  War creates veterans that need benefits  Gov’t allows organizations to certify members – lawyers, doctors, etc.

 Social Movements (Often young people  Anti-slavery 1830’s and 40’s  Prohibition  Anti-war and Civil Rights – 1960’s  Public Interest due to government involvement (60’s and 70’s)  Environment- Handicapped  Social Welfare- Women

 Name – Acronym (PETA)  Goals  Institutional or Membership based  Incentive – Why would people join?  Solidary  Material  Purposive  Is your idea for your interest group a social movement?

 Individuals or organizations that represent other organizations  AFL-CIO – Array of unions  The American Farm Bureau Federation  Often law firms that represent companies or specific public interest Pacific Legal Foundation – Private Property and endangered species list

 Organizations with support of individual citizens  NAACP  Sierra Club  PETA

Why Join? Solidary incentive – Pleasure Status Companionship - PTA, Rotary Club, NAACP, - Small, Local Chapters, Face – to Face - Important to local politics but raise money for national initiatives

 Money, services or things of value you get in return for joining  Sierra Club Magazine subscription  NEA Magazine Low cost insurance (auto and life)

 Opportunity to promote a cause you believe in  Citizen Groups  Single Issue – NRA, Right to life, Pro-choice  Ideological – Broader issues – Christian Coalition – School prayer, abortion, and TV  Public Interest  Major incentives: Not a physical/financial incentive  Air you breathe/Forests you walk in/Ocean you swim in  Attain more or keep your rights  Issue: Free rider  NPR - some pay but everyone benefits

 Offer material incentives that would provoke people to join the groups  Magazines  Gifts for joining

 Often issues that are controversial  Shaped by the mood of the times  Often advance causes through lawsuits  Challenge / Support existing legislation or proposed legislation

 Liberal  ACLU  NAACP  Women’s League Defense Fund  File suit on behalf of ind.  Submit Amicus Curiae  Conservative  Pacific Legal Foundation  Center for Individual Rights

 Liberal  Children’s Defense Fund  Center for Defense  Research – Books, articles, Op-Ed, Conferences and Test.  Conservative  CATO Institute  Heritage Foundation

 Difficult to get people to join interests with purposive incentives  Answer lies in social movements  Widely shared demand for change  Important – Social Movements spawn many organizations and groups that deal with many issues revolving around the movement  Staff of Interest Groups – Activists  Social Movements offer different degrees of dedication Some more liberal or conservative than others

 Environment  1890’s Sierra Club  1930’s Wilderness Society  60’s – 70’s Environmental Defense Fund  Feminist  1830’s, 1890’s, 1920’s and the 60’s  Union  Others –  Civil Rights, Immigration, Homosexual Rights

 Foundation Grants  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation  Rockefeller Family Fund  Ford Foundation  1/3 received ½ or more of their funding from these groups  Federal Grants – Not for the lobby itself  Federal Contracts – Not for the lobby itself  Companies/Individuals interested in movement  Direct Mail Teaser, Famous endorsements, Arouse emotions, etc. Evolved into telemarketing and s

 Size and Wealth used to matter  Now every group can throw money around  Campaign Finance laws – NO soft money  Generate dramatic news  Mobilize Voters  File a suit  Supply information to Congress

 Detailed, Specific and up to date  Politicians feel more comfortable when many liberal interest groups agree on an issue  If they disagree they will not support  But remember, for every specialist/expert favoring a liberal view, you have specialists, experts and polls leaning to the right