1. Interest Groups, Lobbyists, and PACS

2. Interest Groups Definition: A group with one or more common interests that seeks to influence government

3. Pluralist Theory Pluralism: The growth of interest groups prevents the concentration of excessive power in the hands of a few, and thus enhances democracy DO YOU AGREE???????

4. Interest Groups: Reason for their Growth Specific reasons for growth: –Weakness of political parties –Interest groups spark the rise of other interest groups to counter them –Technology

5. Types of Interest Groups Traditional (promote economic interests of its members) –Agriculture (Am. Farm Bureau Federation - nation’s largest) –Labor (AFL- CIO; Teamsters; Union membership on the decline)- on the decline –Business (Chamber of Commerce) –Professional (AMA)

6. Types of Interest Groups Nontraditional protest (protest the status of its members and attempt to convince the government to take remedial action) –NAACP –NOW

7. Types of Interest Groups Single Issue (get the govt. to take action on one overriding issue) –Right to Life League –National Abortion Rights League –NRA –MADD

8. Types of Interest Groups Public Interest (bring about good policy for society as a whole) –Nader Groups –League of Women’s Voters –Consumer’s Union –Sierra Club Strong representation in D.C. since 70s. Led by elites

9. Types of Interest Groups Ideological (convince govt. to implement policies that are consistent with their philosophies- based upon a coherent set of principles) –Christian Coalition –ACLU –“Think tanks”

10. Tactics of Interest Groups Use the mass media Boycott Litigation Campaign Contributions Endorse or target candidates Report Card ratings of candidates - influence behavior Initiative, Referendum, Recall Mass Mailings Lobbying

11. Attempt to influence government (most effective on narrow, technical issues that are not well publicized) Function of Lobbyists –Influence govt. –Provide information to the govt. –Provide political cues on issues –Testify at hearings –Help write legislation

12. Lobbying- good or bad? Pros –Provide useful info to govt. –Means of participation –Representation based upon interest rather than geography –1st amendment protection Cons –Rich and powerful interests over- represented –Contribute to polarization –National interests sacrificed for narrow interests

13. Interest Group Bias? Why is there apparently an upper-class bias? Are the upper-class a unified, cohesive voice in politics? Who are the combatants in most political conflicts?

14. Political Action Committees Growth of Political Action Committees (PACs) –PAC- group that raises funds for favored candidates –Currently 41,000 PACs Growth of PAC contributions to Congressional candidates –1990: $180,000,000 –2000: $320,000, 000 –2014: $360,000,000 Growth of total PAC funds raised: –1990: $350,000,000 –2000: $670,000,000 –2014: $1,700,000,000

15. Citizens United v. FEC Why did contributions to PACs jump so dramatically in advance of the 2014 elections? The Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United: –Independent political expenditures are a free speech right –Congress cannot abridge that right via campaign finance regulation –Including for corporations (they’re people too, my friend)

16. Political Action Committees PAC strategies –Campaign Cash (factors influencing who gets PAC money): Incumbents (party affiliation is of little importance) Winners Similar philosophy Likely to grant access Position of special influence Closeness of race Committee assignment of importance to PAC PAC $ makes up higher % of congressional campaign funds than presidential campaign funds

17. Political Action Committees Who has PACs? –Corporations 50% of all PACs –Ideological Organizations 25%- rapidly increasing –Professional/trade/ health associations 15% –Labor Unions 10% –Overrepresentation of upper/upper middle classes and under representation of poor.