1. Interest Groups and the Political Process Post-Citizens United
“Show Me the Money”
Interest Groups and the Political Process
Post-Citizens United

2. What are Interest Groups?
Organizations of people sharing a common interest or goal that seek to influence government policy and elections

3. The Role of Interest Groups in the Political Process
Inform public about issues and candidates
Grassroots organizing
Recruit and endorse candidates
Form Political Action Committees (PACs)
Contribute money to campaigns
Sponsor “Issue Ads”

4. Hard Money:
Campaign contributions regulated and limited by the federal government that are given directly to a candidate

5. Soft Money:
Previously unlimited and unregulated campaign contributions to federal candidates and the national parties
Supposedly for generic “party building” activities (ex: get-out-the-vote drives, bumper stickers, yard signs, and “issue ads”)

6. Political Action Committee (PAC):
Officially registered fund-raising organization that represents interest groups in the political process.

7. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 a.k.a. McCain-Feingold Bill
Prohibited corporations and unions from funding "electioneering communications” within 30 days before a primary or 60 days before a general election
i.e. can’t broadcast ads mentioning a candidate

8. Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 a.k.a. McCain-Feingold Bill
Ban on national parties and officeholders raising and spending “soft money”
“Stand by your ad” provision

9. 527 Groups
Tax-exempt organizations created to raise money for political activities
Not subject to FEC disclosure rules.
Advocacy groups try to influence federal elections through voter mobilization efforts and so-called issue ads that tout or criticize a candidate’s record.

10. 501(c) Groups
Nonprofit, tax-exempt interest groups that can engage in varying levels of political activity
Not subject to FEC disclosure rules.

11. Interest Groups

12. Interest Group Theory
Elitist
Pluralist
Hyper-Pluralist

13. What is an Interest Group?
There are many aliases an interest group has. (Pressure Groups, Lobby Groups, Special Interest Groups, Advocacy Groups…)
There are a number of definitions for interest groups in your book
Functions- To influence public policy
They are not- Political Parties…they do not run candidates. They try to influence political parties.

14. Lobbying
A strategy by which organized interests seek to influence passage of legislation by exerting direct pressure on members of the legislature

15. Types of Interest Groups
Public Interest Groups
Seek a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization

16. Economic Interest Economic Interest Groups (Lots of Money)
A group whose primary purpose is to promote the financial interests of its members

17. How are Interest Groups Effective?
Size
Intensity
Money

18. Mobilizing Public Opinion
Grassroots Mobilization (Lobbying)
A campaign in which a group mobilizes its membership to contact governmental officials in support of the groups position
What groups do you think would specialize in Grassroots Mobilization

19. Protests and Demonstrations
Many Groups will go public with parades or protests because they lack the resources, the contacts, or the experience to use other political stategies
Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Is the most significant and successful case of a protest or demonstration
Groups are still protesting and demonstrating today

20. How will they Lobby Campaign Contributions Advertising
PACs
Advertising
Super PACs
Wining and Dining
Jack Abramoff

21. Quiz on Interest groups
What is the only goal of an interest group?
What is the only function of an interest group?(how they accomplish their goal)
Describe one way the AARP (40 million members) would lobby a congressman
Describe one way the American Medical Association would lobby a congressman

22. Lobbying the Courts Litigation (suing) Sponsor a Court Case
NAACP and Brown v. Board of Education
Amicus Curiae
Friend of the Court Briefs
Non Litigant Documents submitted to the court to influence their opinion
THOSE ARE THE ONLY WAYS TO LOBBY THE COURTS
Wining and Dining judges is illegal….YOU WILL GO TO JAIL!!!!

23. Interest Group Number One Goal How do they influence Politics
Influence Politics/ public policy
How do they influence Politics
Inform government officials and the public
How do they inform the government officials and the public?
Through everything we just talked about…The main ways…
Contribute Money, Talk Directly to Government Officials, Litigation (sponsor a court case or Amicus briefs) Mobilize the Public, Contribute to the Electoral Process

24. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Participation and Access Expertise Bias
Linkage Institution
Expertise
More so than Congressmen and Bureaucrats.
Interest Groups write legislation
Cons
Bias
Elitist Theory
Revolving Door
revolving door that shuffles former federal employees into jobs as lobbyists, consultants and strategists just as the door pulls former hired guns into government careers.

25. Lobbying Congress
Lobbying in the government occurs the most in Congress
Why?
Most Common Ways to Lobby in Congress
Donate Money to Candidates (money)
Litigation
Endorse a Candidate (people)
Talk Directly to a Government Official (money)
Alert State Legislators of a bill’s effects on their districts (People)
Testify at a Legislative Hearing
Mount a grassroots movement (People)