1. Advanced Placement® American Government and Politics
Unit III – Political Parties (8) and Interest Groups (11)
Part 2 – Interest Groups

2. What is an interest group? Where to find lobbyists…DC’s K Street.
Also called an “advocacy group”
Organization of people with shared policy goals that try to influence the political process to achieve those goals
Parties are policy generalists, while IG’s are policy specialists
Huge explosion in recent times; 90% have HQs in Washington DC
Interests primarily economic
Where to find lobbyists…DC’s K Street.

3. Interest groups: Good or Evil?
Alexis de Tocqueville
wrote Democracy in America
suggested that the ease with which Americans form organizations is a reflection of a strong democratic culture

4. Interest groups: Good or Evil?
Federalist No warned of the dangers of "factions”
Madison noted that the causes of actions were "sown in the nature of man”
trying to eliminate factions would restrict liberty
relief from factions should come from controlling their effects
This should mildly disturb you.

5. Interest groups are distinct from parties
Political parties fight election battles; interest groups do not field candidates for office but may choose sides

6. The roles of interest groups
What do interest groups do?
Representation: represent their constituents before government
Participation: facilitate and stimulate people's participation in politics
Education: educate their members, the public at large, and government officials
Agenda building: the process by which new issues are brought into the political limelight
Program monitoring: keeping track of government programs

7. The roles of interest groups
How do Interest Groups achieve their goals?
Supply credible information (most important role/tactic)
detailed/current info is political gold
most effective on narrow, technical issues
Tactics:
Lobbying (political persuasion)
Electioneering (getting people into office, keeping them there)—PACs
Litigation (look for amicus curiae briefs)
THEN: “insider strategy” most common (face-to- face meeting b/w lobbyist and official)
NOW: “outsider strategy” (“grassroots” public mobilization, thanks to modern technology; ex. MOVEON.ORG)
Target: the undecided legislator or bureaucrat (“lobby ‘em!”)

8. Theories of Interest Group Politics
Elite Theory
Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
Pluralist Theory
Politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
Hyperpluralist Theory
Groups are so strong that government is weakened
an extreme, exaggerated form of pluralism

9. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Elites and the Denial of Pluralism
Real power is held by the relatively few.
Power elite theorists believe that a small number of super rich individuals, powerful corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas
Elite power is fortified by a system of interlocking
directorates of
corporations, the wealthy
and other institutions
Other groups may win many
minor policy battles, but elites
prevail when it comes to big
policy decisions
Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many

10. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Elites and the Denial of Pluralism
Power elite theorists point to the recent financial crisis to illustrate their view of the close relationship between Wall Street interests and Washington policymakers
While ordinary Americans received small stimulus checks, Wall Street banks received enormous federal bailouts
As noted by the American Political Science Association, “Citizens with lower to moderate incomes speak with a whisper that is lost in the ears of inattentive government officials, while the advantaged roar with a clarity and consistency that policymakers readily hear and routinely follow.”

11. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Pluralism and group theory
lots of groups / highly organized / no one group wins all the time
Groups provide a key link between the people and the government
some groups stronger then others (none always dominant)
not all groups have equal time with power
lobbying is open to all and should not be regarded as a problem

12. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Pluralism and group theory
While elitists point to the concentration of power, pluralists emphasize that America’s fragmented federal system and division of power into three branches provides many points of access and influence
As a result, no one group can dominate the entire system
Pluralists point out that interest groups lacking financial resources can use their size and intensity to achieve their goals
For example, a determined interest group that lacks legislative influence can turn to the courts for a favorable decision

13. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism
pluralism out of control
interest group liberalism by Theodore Lowi
governments excessively refer to groups
government listens / acts / advances nearly all agendas
created when government appeases:
government agencies proliferate
conflicting regulations expand
programs multiply
budget skyrockets

14. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism
Evidence:
iron triangles or subgovernments
key interest group for particular policy
government agency in charge of administrating the policy
members of congress that handle the policy
relations between groups and government too cozy
hard choices rarely made
policy paralysis

15. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details)
Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism
When political leaders try to appease competing interest groups, they often create policies that are confusing and at times contradictory
As a result, legislators avoid making hard choices that are in the national interest
For example, public health groups have successfully convinced the government to launch vigorous antismoking campaign
At the same time, interest groups representing tobacco farmers have successfully lobbied the government to subsidize their crop

16. What makes an interest group successful?
Group Success (cause)
many factors suggest success
size of the group
Intensity
financial resources

17. What makes an interest group successful?
Intensity
intensity can motivate a large group (abortion)
politicians will listen to active, motivated, intense groups
single issue group
narrow, issue oriented group, dislikes compromise, single-mindedly pursues goal

18. What makes an interest group successful?
Group Failure
collective good
something of value that can not be withheld from a potential group member
clean air, higher minimum wage
free rider problem
when potential members decide not to join
free riders benefit, but do not contribute

19. What makes an interest group successful?
Law of Large Groups
created by Mancur Olson
bigger the group, bigger free rider problem
need a selective benefit to entice membership
information publications
Insurance
travel discounts

20. Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interests
Labor
Agriculture
Business
Environmental Interests
Equality Interests
Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies
MINNESOTA

21. Interest Groups and Democracy
James Madison’s solution to the problems posed by interest groups was to create a wide-open system in which groups compete
Pluralists believe that the public interest would prevail from this competition
Elite theorists point to the proliferation of business PACs as evidence of interest group corruption
Hyperpluralists maintain that group influence has led to policy gridlock

22. PACs (Political Action Committee)
set up by and representing a corporation, union, IG, political candidate that raises & spends campaign contributions on behalf of candidates or causes
Rapid growth in PACs, but probably hasn’t led to vote-buying (???); $ is available on both sides of issues
Most members of Congress vote ideology or constituency; but it IS a political issue

23. PACs (Political Action Committee)
Over 4,600 active, registered PACs
Connected PACs
established by businesses, labor unions, trade groups, or health organizations
receive and raise money from a "restricted class," generally consisting of managers and shareholders in the case of a corporation and members in the case of a union or other interest group
Non-connected PACs
ideological mission, single-issue groups, and members of Congress and other political leaders
may accept funds from any individual, business PAC or organization

24. PACs (Political Action Committee)
Super PACs
Since 2010, "independent-expenditure only committees”
can raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions and other groups, as well as wealthy individuals.
made possible by two court rulings that lifted many spending and contribution limits.
can also mount the kind of direct attacks on candidates that were not allowed in the past.
Super PACs are not allowed to coordinate directly with candidates or political parties and must disclose their donors

25. PACs (Political Action Committee)
Leadership PACs:
established by a member of Congress to support other candidates
non-connected PACs, and can accept donations from an individual, business or other PACs
cannot spend fund to directly support the campaign of its sponsor (through mail or ads)
may fund travel, administrative expenses, consultants, polling, and other non-campaign expenses
Can also contribute to the campaigns of other candidates
Between 2008 and 2009, leadership PACs raised and spent more than $47 million.

26. 527 organization
can take a stand on an issue, but cannot directly contribute to candidates
cannot explicitly endorse a candidate
can accept contributions of unlimited size
can indirectly criticize candidates by emphasizing an issue that illuminates the difference between candidates