1. Interest Groups II
GOVT 2306, Module 6

2. Conservative Christian Organizations

3. Christian Conservatives
Churches and other religious institutions provide the foundation for a number of political organizations that are especially active in conservative Republican Party politics.

4. Issues Opposition to same-sex marriage and gay rights in general
Opposition to abortion
Opposition to legalized gambling
Support for private school vouchers
Favor teaching creation rather than evolution in public schools

5. Resources and Advantages
Large network of dedicated supporters organized through churches and the Internet
Dominant influence in the Republican Party organizational structure at the local and state levels
Influence among Republican legislators concerned with their legislative scorecards
Alliances with the Roman Catholic Church and small government groups on selected issues, such as abortion rights

6. Liabilities and Disadvantages
Limited influence beyond more conservative elements of the Republican Party
Opposition from business groups on most education issues
Opposition from the Roman Catholic Church on social justice issues, including healthcare, welfare, immigration, and the death penalty

7. Organized Labor

8. Labor Unions
Organized labor is an important political force in America although it is not as powerful as it once was. In 2015, only percent of workers nationwide belonged to a union compared with only 4.5 percent in Texas.

9. Union Membership by State

10. Texas Unions
Organized labor is relatively weak in Texas. State laws make it difficult for unions to organize workers and easy for business to use non-union labor. Texas has a right to work law, a statute prohibiting a union shop. In 2015, 503,000 Texas wage and salaried workers belonged to unions; another 123,000 enjoyed union representation without being union members.

11. Right to Work States

13. Unions in Texas
The Texas AFL-CIO is the largest union confederation in Texas with 235,000 private- and public- sector members. Unions are interested in job security, pay, benefits, government contracts, and government programs that affect working-class people, including minimum wage laws, healthcare, and public education.

14. Public Sector Unions
Public-sector worker unions representing police officers, firefighters, teachers, prison guards, and the like are often stronger than private sector unions because they help elect their bosses. Public-sector workers are interested in salaries, pension benefits, and policies that affect their working conditions.

15. Resources & Advantages
Sympathetic administration in Washington, DC
Sizable number of members somewhat concentrated in certain regions of the state, giving unions influence with some individual legislators
Alliance with the Democratic Party

16. Liabilities and Disadvantages
Right-to-work law makes union organizing difficult
Many workers are hostile to unions
Many legislative districts have few if any union members
Opposition of business groups
Hostility of the Texas Republican Party
Limited financial resources

17. Quiz
Which of the following types of interest groups is typically aligned with the Democratic Party?
Business groups
Organized labor
Small government groups
None of the above
The answer is B.

18. What You Have Learned
What issues are important for conservative Christian organizations?
What advantages and resources do conservative Christian organizations enjoy?
What are the liabilities and disadvantages of conservative Christian organizations?
Is organized labor stronger or weaker in the United States than it once was?
In what regions of the country is labor stronger? Where is it weaker?
What issues are important for labor in Texas?
What advantages and resources do Texas labor unions enjoy?
What are the liabilities and disadvantages of faced by labor unions in Texas?