1. Interest Groups and Lobbying

2. What is an Interest Group?
an organized group of individuals that share common goals or objectives
Work to influence policymakers in all three branches of government, and at all levels
Pluralism

3. Why People Join Interest Groups?
Free Riders
Someone who can obtain the benefits of membership without participation or even joining
Incentives
Solidary incentives --the desire to associate with others and to share a particular interest or hobby
Material incentives – motivated by economic benefits or opportunities
Purposive incentives – a motive having to do with ethical beliefs or ideological principles

4. Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interest Groups
Environmental Interest Groups
Public Interest Groups
Special Interest Groups

5. Economic Interest Groups – Formed to promote economic interests
Public Employee – represent employees of governments, including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and teachers
Interest Groups of Professionals – Advocate for professional associations, like the American Bar Association and the AMA
Business – business and trade organizations that attempt to influence government policy to their benefit
Agricultural – advocate for farm interests
enjoy disproportionate influence
Labor – groups that represent the working class interests

7. Environmental Interests – Groups that advocate for pro-environmental policies
the Sierra Club
the National Audubon Society
the Nature Conservancy

8. Public & Special Interest Groups
Public Interest Groups – groups that advocate the interests of the collective, overall community
Nader organizations -- organizations organized under the leadership of consumer activist Ralph Nader
Special Interest Groups – narrowly focused interest groups.
Examples include abortion interest groups and groups that advocate for individuals who share a racial, ethnic or age association

9. Interest Group Strategies: Direct Techniques
Lobbying – meeting officials and attempting to convince of your position on an issue; Lobbying also entails
testifying before congressional committees
testifying before executive rulemaking agencies
assisting in the drafting of legislation
entertaining legislators
providing information to legislators
assisting in nominating individuals to government posts
Ratings – scoring legislators based on their votes in congress, then making interested constituents aware of those scores
Campaign Assistance – providing workers for political campaigns
Political Action Committees –a committee that raises money and gives donation on behalf of organizations to political candidates or political parties.

10. Interest Group Strategies: Indirect Techniques
Generating Public Pressure – trying to influence the government by using public opinion on an issue
Using Constituents as Lobbyists
shotgun approach means having large numbers of constituents act in concert by writing, ing, phoning or sending postcards to a legislator
rifle approach involves having an influential constituent contact a legislator on a particular issue
Building Alliances – forming alliances with other diverse groups who share a policy goal

15. Congressional Committees
The Iron Triangle
Congressional Committees
Interest Groups
Executive agencies

16. Attempts at Regulating Lobbyists
Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946
provided for public disclosure
failed because it did not have an enforcement mechanism
United States v. Harriss (1954) confirmed the constitutionality of the Legislative Reorganization Act
Some regulations on lobbying passed in include
defining “lobbyist” as anyone who spends 20 percent of his/her time lobbying members of congress, congressional staffs, or executive branch officials
requiring lobbyists to register with the Secretary of the House or clerk of the Senate
requiring semiannual reports on the nature of lobbying activities