1. Chapter 16 Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 American Government 2006 Edition (to accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, Texas, and Essentials Editions) O’Connor and Sabato Interest Groups

2. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Reported Acts Designed to Influence Policy Makers

3. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 What Are Interest Groups?  An organized group that tries to influence public policy  David Truman One of first to study interest groups Posed Disturbance Theory  Theory that interest groups form in party to counteract the efforts of other groups.

4. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 What Are Interest Groups?  Robert Salisbury Expanded Truman’s theory Groups form when resources are inadequate or scarce Stressed the role that leaders play: entrepreneurs

5. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Kinds of Organized Interests  Generally, interest groups is a term used to describe the numerous organized groups that try to influence government policy.  Public Interest Groups  Economic Interest Groups  Governmental Units  Political Action Committees  Multi-Issue versus Single Issue Groups

6. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Profiles of Selected Interest Groups

7. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 The Roots & Development of American Interest Groups  National groups emerge (1830-1889) Communication networks enabled nationalization of groups First were single-issue groups deeply rooted in the Christian religious revivalism  Temperance, Peace, Education, and Slavery Other groups emerged after the Civil War Lobbyists  Interest group representative who seeks to influence legislation that will benefit his or her organization through political persuasion.

8. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 NRA membership

9. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 The Roots & Development of American Interest Groups  The Progressive Era (1890-1920) Grew out of concern for impact of rapid industrialization, influx of immigration, monopolistic business practices, crime, poverty, poor working conditions Organized Labor  AFL  Clayton Act: allowed unions to organize free from prosecution and guaranteed their right to strike Business Groups and Trade Associations  Trade Associations: a group that represents a specific industry  National Electric Light Association

10. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Labor Union Membership

11. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 The Rise of the Interest Group State  1960s and 1970s saw a reappearance of the Progressive spirit. Civil Rights Women’s Rights Elderly Poor Consumers Environment  Common Cause and Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen  Conservative Backlash: Religious and Ideological Groups Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority Pat Robertson, the 700 Club and the Christian Coalition National Rifle Association

12. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Business Groups, Corporations, and Associations  Rise in business advocacy groups  More political that Chamber of Commerce Example: The Business Roundtable  Created in 1972  Urges member to engage in direct lobbying to influence the course of public policy  Most large corporations have Own governmental affairs department Employ D.C.-based lobbyists to keep them apprised of legislation Gave substantial soft money in the past Still use PACS, 527s, and thus contribute a great deal of money

13. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Organized Labor  Began to emerge as powerful player early in the 20 th century Could turn out members Focus not only on labor issues, but also other issues of concern to its members  More recently labor has lost some clout Membership down

14. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 What Do Interest Groups Do?  Lobbying The activities of a group or organization that seeks to influence legislation and persuade political leaders to support the group’s position 23 ways for lobbyists and organizations to lobby on the state and national level  Most often they: testify at legislative hearings, contact government officials directly, help draft legislation

15. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Groups and Lobbyists

16. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Lobbying Congress  Members of Congress targets of lobbyists  Many lobbyists former members Former Senators Bob Dole (R-KS) and Robert Mitchell (D-ME) earn well over a million dollars a year as Washington lobbyists.

17. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Lobbying Congress  Today lobbyists try to develop close relationships with members to gain access to the process of policy making. Information is critical.  Lobbyists also work most closely with representatives who are their friends.

18. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Attempts to Reform Congressional Lobbying  Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act, 1946  Lobbying Disclosure Act, 1995 Employs a strict definition of lobbyist Requires lobbyists to:  Register with the clerk of the House and the secretary of the Senate  Report their clients and issues and the agency or house they lobbied  Estimate the amount they are paid by each client Makes it easier for watchdog groups to track the lobbying activity

19. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 The Ethics in Government Act

20. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Lobbying the Executive Branch  As the scope of federal government has expanded, so has lobbying of the executive branch Many potential access points Lobbyist seek influence at formation and implementation stages. An especially strong link exists between interest groups and regulatory agencies.

21. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Lobbying the Courts  Can take two forms Direct sponsorship Filing amicus curiae briefs  Brief that informs the court of the group’s policy preferences, generally in guise of legal arguments  Interest groups also attempt to influence who is nominated and placed on the bench.

22. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Grassroots Lobbying  A form of pressure-group activity that attempts to involve individuals who contact their representatives directly in an effort to influence policy  Persuading ordinary voters to act as the group’s advocates

23. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Protest Activities  Some groups resort to more forceful, legal as well as illegal measures to attract attention to their cause. Sometimes violent, illegal protest (Boston Tea Party, Shay’s Rebellion) Civil Rights Movement  Marches with permits legal

24. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Election Activities  Candidate recruitment and endorsements  Getting out the vote  Rating the candidates or office holders  Political action committees

25. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 What Makes An Interest Group Successful?  Leaders  Patrons and Funding Person who finances a group or individual activity  Members Free riders: potential members fail to join a group because they can get the benefit, or collective good, sought by the group without contributing to it.

26. Pearson Education, Inc. © 2006 Potential Versus Actual Interest Group Members