Interest Groups
Congressional Elections
PAC's
Media as a Linkage Institution
Incentives and Reform
100

A Civil Rights Social Movements Interest Group

NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) & ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)

100

Federal Elections that take place halfway through a President’s term (every House member, 1/3 of the Senate)

MID-TERM ELECTIONS


100

Political Action Committees that raise money in support of a candidate.

PAC

100

Newspapers; the Associated Press is one of the oldest & most credible. AP established News Bureaus- offices outside of their headquarters.

Traditional Press

100

members get travel discounts and “swag”.

Material

200

An Environment Social Movement Interest Group

Sierra Club; Wilderness Society; Audubon Society

200

Gerrymandered districts have created one-party dominance

DISTRICTS & PRIMARIES

200

Organized by a current or former elected official. Collects money from the public; CANNOT fund their own campaign. 

Leadership PAC's

200

“Born on the Web” news sites like Politico and Huffington Post.  Traditional & National newspapers have also gone digital.

Internet

200

member gets philosophical satisfaction.

purposive

300

A Professional Association Institutional Group Interest Group

American Medical Association, American Bar Association

300

Voter Turn-out is much lower than in presidential election years

MID-TERM ELECTIONS

300

Not associated with an organization; collects donations from the public (often for a single-issue)

Nonconnected PACs

300

Provides “easy-to-get” news.  Can connect readers with journalists through direct conversations.  Allows outreach to organize political events (Women’s March 2017).

Social Media

300

Raising large sums of $$ from multiple donors for a candidate

Bundling

400

A Consumer Social Movement Interest Groups

Consumers Union; Consumer Federation of America

400

Most are not very competitive

DISTRICTS & PRIMARIES

400

Money collected separately through member donations (unions, corporations, trade organizations)

Connected PACs

400

Began during the Progressive Era with Muckrakers; expose corruption, abuse of power, and social ills.

Investigative Reporting

400

money goes toward member gatherings.

Solitary

500

A Institutional Group Intergovernmental lobby Interest Group

National Governor’s Association, National League of Cities, US Conference of Mayors

500

Money comes from PAC’s and support from Party Leaders & Congressional Campaign Committees.

INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE

500

Independent; can raise unlimited $$ BUT cannot contribute directly to a candidate/party. (resulted from Citizens United case). 

Super PACs

500

Newspapers like the Washington post, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times.  Radio broadcasts, and TV.  ABC, NBC, and CBS were the original “Big Three”.  24-hour news networks: CNN and Fox News.

National Political News

500

Legislators who leave office to become lobbyists; a current loophole to HLOGA efforts.

Revolving Door