Interest Groups
They may take the form of this
Membership organizations
This lets some people receive benefits without helping to bear the cost
Free rider problem
What are grassroots movements?
An interest group that starts from the bottom up among a small group of people at the local level
What are political action committees?
Groups that collect funds from donors and distribute them to candidates who support their issues
What does the First Amendment do?
Gives people the rights to free speech and to assemble
What tactics does outside lobbying consist of?
Issuing press releases, placing stories and articles in the media, entering coalitions with other groups, and contacting interest group members
What was Mancur Olson’s work called?
The Logic of Collective Action
What do interest groups do for the people?
Represent them and serve as a link between them and the government
This group needs an A+ rating
The NRA
How do interest groups spend money without restrictions?
Soft money
What companies does the American Beverage Association include?
Coca-Cola, ROCKSTAR, Red Bull North America, and Kraft Foods
What do group leaders do?
They offer incentives in order to gain the interest of people to be involved in their group
Name a pluralist scholar
David Truman
What was the result of the 2010 Supreme Court decision?
Unions or corporations have no limit on how much money they can donate to super PACs
With this act, contact was not allowed between members of Congress and lobbyists who were the spouses of other congress members
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
When do Members of Congress pay attention to interest groups?
When many constituents contact them about an issue or proposed bill
What kind of group would someone with purposive incentives join?
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
How do the interest group and the committee work together in the iron triangle?
They need the agency to implement the law
What did Grover Norquist ask Republican members of Congress?
To sign a “Taxpayer Protection Pledge”
How many members did Jack Abramoff pay to go to the Northern Mariana Islands?
85
This government department may help universities in funds for research
The Departments of Defense and Homeland Security
Members of the American Civil Liberties Union will sometimes defend them
Nazis and KKK
What kind of people would oppose gambling?
Right-leaning groups
When can interest groups target the executive branch of government?
Once legislation has been passed
Who researched the favorite charity of each member of Congress?
DeLay’s wife Christine