1. Political Parties, PACs, Lobbying, and Interest Groups

2. Political Parties

3. What are Political Parties?
Organizations of people with similar ideas that are formed to win elections.

5. What are PACs (Political Action Committees)?
Political Action Committees, commonly called "PACs," are organizations dedicated to raising and spending money to either elect or defeat political candidates.

6. Political Action Committees
Most PACs are directly connected to specific corporations, labor groups, or recognized political parties.

7. Political Action Committees
PACs solicit contributions from employees or members and make contributions in the PACs name to candidates or political parties.

8. Political Action Committees
Non-connected or ideological PACs raise and spend money to elect candidates -- from any political party -- who support their ideals or agendas

9. Political Action Committees
Under federal election laws, PACs can legally contribute only $5,000 to a candidate committee per election (primary, general or special). They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any other PAC.

10. Top Ten PACs in Contributions to Federal Candidates
2014
1. National Association of Realtors Mixed 3.4 million
National Beer Wholesalers Ass’n Mixed 3.1 million
Honeywell International Rep million
Operating Engineers Union Dem million
Nat’l Auto Dealers Association Rep million
Lockheed Martin Mixed 2.5 million
American Bankers Association Rep million
Credit Union National Association Mixed 2.4 million
AT&T Rep million
Northrup Grumman Rep million

11. Super PACs
Super PACs came into existence in 2010 when federal court decisions found that limitations on both corporate and individual contributions is an unconstitutional violation of the 1st Amendment.
-- a PAC that is allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from corporations, unions, individuals and associations
-- the most important difference between a PAC and a Super PAC is in who can contribute and in how much they can give
-- candidates can accept up to 5K per election from a PAC; they cannot accept money from corporations, unions and associations
-- for Super PACs there is no limit on who contributes or how much they can contribute but they cannot work in conjunction with the candidate they are supporting
Clinton Super PAC ad

13. The Top Super PAC Spenders in 2012
(Millions)
Republican
Democrat

14. Who are Lobbyists?
Someone who tries to persuade legislators to vote for bills that the lobbyists favor

15. Lobbyists
A lobbyist is one who is professionally employed to lobby on behalf of clients or who advises clients on how to lobby on their own behalf.

16. Top Spenders on Lobbying Activities, 2013
1. U.S. Chamber of Commerce million
National Association of Realtors million
Blue Cross/Blue Shield million
Northrop Grumman million
National Cable & Telecommunications Ass’n million
American Hospital Association million
Comcast Corp million
American Medical Association million
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America million

17. What Are Interest Groups?
An interest group (special interests) is an organization of people with similar policy goals that try to influence the political process to try to achieve those goals.
Interest groups try to influence every branch and every level of government.

18. The Roots and Development of American Interest Groups
Washington warned against factions tearing the country apart.
Madison wrote in Federalist 10 that they were bound to develop.

19. What Do Interest Groups Do?
The most common and effective interest group technique is lobbying or seeking to influence and persuade others to support a group's position.

20. Perception of Interest Groups
Is the government run by a few big interests looking out for
themselves or is it run for the benefit of the people?

24. The More Things Change
The More They Stay the Same.