Definitions & Tactics
An association of individuals / organizations that attempt to influence public policy in their favor their interests /goals.
What is an interest group?
The problem of people not joining or participating because they can benefit from the group's activities without joining.
What is a free rider / free rider problem?
Tangible benefits that often have a monetary value, such as money, gifts, services, discounts, or tax breaks that are received as a result of membership in an organization.
What are material / economic incentives / benefits? Such as when group members are given discounts / group rates by virtue of being part of the group.
The Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund, Friends of the Earth, The Wilderness Society, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Defense Council and Earthjustice
What are environmental interest groups?
These interest groups focus on one topic - such as drunk driving, or immigration.
What are single issue interest groups?
A PAC stands for...?
What is a Political Action Committee? A tax-exempt 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation.
A theory that an upper-class elite hold most of the power & thus in effect run the government.
What is an elitist theory of government and politics?
The social rewards (sense of companionship, community, pleasure or status) that lead people to join political organizations.
What are solidarity incentives/ benefits? Such as group members benefit from networking and getting to know other group members with similar interests.
This non-partisan group represents the needs of the more than 100 million older Americans, focusing on the quality of life issues and policies affecting those over the age of 50 years old.
What is the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) - the largest interest group in the U.S. with nearly 38 million members.
When interest groups provide expert witnesses at a Congressional sub-committee meeting?
What is testifying before Congress?
Someone who represents the interest organization before government, primarily to influence legislation and policy, and is usually compensated for doing so.
What is a lobbyist? A lobbyist is required to register with the government in which they lobby, whether state or federal.
A theory that holds that open, multiple, & competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group.
What is the pluralist theory of government and politics? The billiard ball model.
Group members are provided with magazines, fliers, emails, reports and / or other materials that keep them informed.
What are informational benefits?
The NAACP, the American Equal Rights Association, Stop AAPI Hate, the Anti-Defamation League, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and Mexican American Women's National Association (MANA)
What are civil rights and voting rights organizations?
When interest groups provide financial support for candidates through these...
What are political contributions?
Contacting lawmakers, testifying before the legislature, help draft legislation, and contacting executive agencies.
What are inside lobbying / the inside game? Trying to influence government appointments or providing favors to members of government are also insider tactics.
The proliferation of too many groups getting too much of what they want, resulting in a government policy that is often contradictory and lacking in direction.
What is hyper-pluralism?
Scoring legislators based on their votes in congress, then informing their constituents of these scores.
What is an interest group or legislative rating?
The most common type of interest group, making up over half of all interest groups in the U.S.
What are business, (or economic) interest groups? Economic groups include business, agricultural, and professional groups (and labor) that focus on issues like wages, industry protections, job creation, and profit maximization. Ie. The United States Chamber of Commerce advocates for policies that help create jobs and grow the economy.
Committees that may receive unlimited contributions and have unlimited expenditures to engage in independent political activity.
What are Super PACs?
Super PACs are "independent expenditure only" political committees) that can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other PACs, and spend unlimited amounts for the purpose of financing independent political activity.
Indirect lobbying tactics, whereby the interest groups attempts to get its message out to and mobilize the public.
What is outside lobbying / game? Grassroots tactics include issuing press releases, placing stories and articles in the media, entering coalitions with other groups, online petitions, contacting interest group members, requests that that they will individually pressure lawmakers to support or oppose legislation.
Leaders, funding, patrons, members, cohesion
What are factors that make interest groups successful / influential / powerful?
An incentive or benefit that comes from serving a cause or principle.
What are purposive incentives? They lead people to join, participate, and contribute money to a group because they want to help the group achieve its goals.
The National Conference of Mayors, the National Governors Association and the National League of Cities.
What are government interest groups? One critical task performed by these groups is to help state and local governments get federal grants.
Three groups in the policymaking process that make up the "iron triangle"
Who are:
1 - Congress members
2- Interest groups (& think tanks)
3- Government regulators (bureaucrats)?
They all work together to develop and conserve their own power, and expand their political influence.