1. What Makes Interest Groups Successful?
15.4
What Makes Interest Groups Successful?
Leaders
Funding and Patrons
Members
As we've said, all interest groups want to influence public policy, though they may go about it differently. But what makes them successful in their goals? Interest groups succeed when they win legislation or court cases, or when they get the person they want elected or defeat the person they don't like. In this section we will look at several elements that seem to contribute towards or detract from an interest group's success.

2. Leaders 15.4 The fate of interest groups may rest with their leaders.
William Lloyd Garrison
Frances Willard
Marian Wright Edelman
Pat Robertson
It's not hard to understand that the success of a group depends on the talents and skills of its leader. Leaders lend personality and direction to a group, especially as it is starting out. In history, several key groups have had very charismatic leaders, from William Lloyd Garrison's efforts with the American Anti-Slavery Society, to Frances Willard and the Women's Christian Temperance Union. Marian Wright Edelman's leadership of the Children's Defense Fund was crucial to its success, as were Pat Robertson's actions on behalf of the Christian Coalition.

3. 15.4 Who are interest group leaders? Charley Gallay/ Getty Images
As president of the Children's Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman continues to fight against child poverty and for better health care. Since the group's establishment in 1973, Edelman has been an active, public face for the cause she represents.
Charley Gallay/ Getty Images

4. Funding and Patrons 15.4 Revenue to cover costs Membership dues
Direct-mail solicitations
Special events
Patrons
Influencing public policy is not cheap. To help cover costs, interest groups must rely on a variety of ways to raise money, from membership dues to direct-mail solicitations. As you've probably read about in the news, they may also rely on special events to raise money and on the generous donations of wealthy patrons.

5. Members 15.4 Levels of membership Variety of benefits Leadership
Working members
Dues-paying members
"Free-riders"
Variety of benefits
AAA roadside assistance
AARP discounts for individuals over age 50
As you can imagine, not all members of interest groups participate equally. At the top are the leaders, who plan and direct the activities of the organization. Next are the workers of the organization. They attend meetings, pay dues and chair committees to make sure things get done. Finally there is the last level of membership, the rank-and- file members who may pay dues but do little more.
So-called "free-riders" may benefit from a group's activities without joining at all. The bigger the group, the greater the chances of free-riders. To encourage people to formally join an organization, some groups will offer additional, tangible benefits only to members. For example, AAA offers roadside assistance to members, while AARP offers discounts.

6. How Do Interest Groups Convince Potential Members to Become Dues-Paying Members?
15.4
AARP has been particularly successful at motivating its pool of potential members to join, in large part because it offers a variety of material benefits. Here, AARP members in Michigan hold a rally advocating the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, just across the bridge shown in the background.
Jim West/Alamy

7. 15.4 Material benefits are offered by groups in order to:
Combat the free-rider problem
Encourage people to join
Encourage activity within the group
All of the above
Let's see what you have learned about interest group membership.

8. 15.4 Material benefits are offered by groups in order to:
Combat the free-rider problem
Encourage people to join
Encourage activity within the group
All of the above
Interest groups may offer material benefits in order to combat the free-rider problem, encourage people to join and encourage people to become more active in the organization.

9. Toward Reform: Regulating Interest Groups and Lobbyists
15.5
Toward Reform: Regulating Interest Groups and Lobbyists
Regulating Congressional Lobbyists
Regulating Executive Branch Lobbyists
Regulating Judicial Branch Lobbyists
Given the force and influence of lobbyists, it's a little hard to grasp the fact that it took 150 years for us to begin regulating their activities. While the courts remain largely free of lobbying regulations, lobbying in Congress and the executive branch is regulated. In this final section, we will examine some of these regulatory efforts.

10. Regulating Congressional Lobbyists
15.5
Regulating Congressional Lobbyists
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946)
Required registration of lobbyists
Lobbying Disclosure Act (1995)
Stricter definition of lobbying
Tougher registration requirements
Report clients and issues
Estimate amount paid by clients
It took a while, but in 1946 Congress began regulating the activities of the people who are paid to lobby. In 1946 Congress passed the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, which required some registration of lobbyists.
By 1995, however, public opinion polls showed that Americans believed the votes of members of Congress were for sale. In response, Congress passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act in This one was tougher: there was a stricter definition of lobbying and stricter registration requirements. Lobbyists had to report their clients and issues and estimate how much they were getting paid.
But that didn't stop all the abuses of the system. After lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to corruption charges in 2006, Congress passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of This act banned gifts and public speaking fees and put longer waiting periods in place before a person could move from a job with the federal government to a lobbying position in the private sector.

11. Regulating Congressional Lobbyists
15.5
Regulating Congressional Lobbyists
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
Bans on gifts
Longer waiting periods
It took a while, but in 1946 Congress began regulating the activities of the people who are paid to lobby. In 1946 Congress passed the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, which required some registration of lobbyists.
By 1995, however, public opinion polls showed that Americans believed the votes of members of Congress were for sale. In response, Congress passed the Lobbying Disclosure Act in This one was tougher: there was a stricter definition of lobbying and stricter registration requirements. Lobbyists had to report their clients and issues and estimate how much they were getting paid.
But that didn't stop all the abuses of the system. After lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to corruption charges in 2006, Congress passed the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of This act banned gifts and public speaking fees and put longer waiting periods in place before a person could move from a job with the federal government to a lobbying position in the private sector.

12. Regulating Executive Branch Lobbyists
15.5
Regulating Executive Branch Lobbyists
Lobbying Disclosure Act
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
1978 Ethics in Government Act
It's no surprise that formal lobbying of the executive branch is largely covered by the Lobbying Disclosure Act, the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act and the Ethics in Government Act. This last act was passed following the Watergate scandal of the Nixon administration, and it barred anyone from an executive branch agency from representing a client in front of their former employer for two years.

13. Regulating Judicial Branch Lobbyists
15.5
Regulating Judicial Branch Lobbyists
Few formal regulations
Amicus curiae is chief tool
As for the judicial branch, its lobbying activities have few formal regulations. Parties must ask permission to file amicus curiae briefs, but this is usually granted. Some people have called for restrictions on so-called "legal education" seminars, which judges attend at fancy resort hotels and which are paid for by lobbyists. So far, however, these regulations have not passed.

14. 15.5
15.5 Which of these lobbying regulations banned gifts and public speaking fees?
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
Lobbying Disclosure Act
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
None of the above
Please answer one final multiple-choice question for the chapter on lobbying reform efforts.

15. 15.5
15.5 Which of these lobbying regulations banned gifts and public speaking fees?
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
Lobbying Disclosure Act
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act
None of the above
As we discussed, this Act also made it a little bit harder to move directly from a job—elected or appointed—with the federal government to a lobbying position in the private sector.

16. 15
Discussion Questions
Why and how did interest groups develop in the United States? What role do they play in the political system? Why have attempts been made to rein in their political power?

17. 15 Further Review Listen to the Chapter
Study and Review the Flashcards
Study and Review the Practice Tests