1. Chapter 9
Interest Groups

2. The Nature of Interest Groups
Private organizations
Try to persuade public officials to respond to their members
Unlike political parties
Do not nominate candidates, focus on winning elections
Stimulate people to be involved in public affairs and to participate in politics
Problem
Influence disproportionate to size and occasionally use unethical tactics

3. Role of Interest Groups
1st Amendment
“The right of the people to peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances”
Allows for creation of interest groups
Gun control?
Prayer in public school?
Increase in minimum wage?
Abortion?
Same sex rights?

4. Political Parties and Interest Groups
Both consist of people who unite for a purpose…
Overlap
Important Differences:
Nominations
Political parties pick
Interest groups influence
Primary Focus
Political parties who, noun
Interest groups what, issue
Scope
Range of public affairs

5. Interest Groups…Good or Bad
James Madison
Thought factions were bad
Undo influence of the few over the many
How stop?
Eliminate factions, eliminate freedom
Balance, many factions
Necessary evil

6. Positive Attributes Stimulate interest in public affairs
Why is this interest important?
Represent based on shared ideas not geography
Teachers
Farmers
Provide the government with info
Employment, price levels,
Vehicles for political participation
One mom vs MADD
Checks and Balances
Keep tabs on public agencies
Compete
Limit power of each other
Clean air act
Auto industry vs environmental

7. Negative Attributes Influence:
Their level of power and influence usually dependent on how they’re organized and financed not always by their size.
Representation:
Who and how many?
The world will never know
Views:
Not all ways represent views of all their members
Normally driven by a small active few
Tactics:
Bribery, threats, violence
abortion

8. Shapes and Sizes Membership Foundation Welfare Multiple
Thousands, millions, hand full
Foundation
Economic interest
Business
labor
Ideas
Same sex rights
Welfare
Protections of certain groups
Veterans, seniors, homeless
Multiple
Can belong to many groups

9. Groups Based on Economic Interests: How people make their money-Part One
Business:
NAM: National Association of Manufacturers
Big business
Chamber of Commerce
Smaller businesses
Business Roundtable
150 chief executive officers
Trade Associations
American trucking association, American Restaurant Association

10. Groups Based on Economic Interests: How people make their money-Part Two
Labor:
Examples
AFL: American Federation of Labor
FOP: Fraternal Order of Police
Chapters in each state
Not always see eye to eye with National chapter

11. Groups Based on Economic Interests: How people make their money-Part Three
Agriculture:
Examples
National Grange
Oldest, Most conservative
Focus on welfare of families
North east and Mid Atlantic States
American Farm Bureau
Largest, Most powerful
Midwest
opposing gov’t regulation
“Let us do our job”
National Farmers Union
Strength from smaller less fortunate farmers
Dirty Farmers
Upper Mid West and West

12. Groups based on Economic Interests: How people make their money-Part Four
Certain professions:
Require extensive training and specialization
Medicine, law, teaching
Examples
AMA: American Medical Association
Doctors
ABA: American Bar Association
Lawyers
NEA: National Education Association
Teachers
True impact
Why would these organizations have influence upon public policies disproportionate to their size?

13. Groups Based on Economic Interests: How people make their Money-Part Five
Promote Specific Causes
Welfare of Certain Groups:
American Legion: vets (police action)
Veterans of Foreign Wars: Vets
NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Religious Organizations:
NCC: National Council of Churches
Protestants
ADL: Anti-Defamation League
Jews
Public Interest Groups:
Unlike other groups focus on benefiting all Americans
Public Good, health