Interest Groups I February 9, 2016

What is an interest group? An interest group is an organization of people who join together voluntarily on the basis of some interest they share for the purpose of influencing policy. Interest groups can be narrow (rice farmers) or broad (consumers).

Interests People Share People may form or join a group because they share a profession, such as machinists or teachers. People may form or join a group because they share values, such as opposition to abortion or they want to protect the environment. People may form or join a group because they want to defend their racial/ethnic or social group from perceived discrimination.

Even College Faculty Form Groups The Texas Community College Teachers Association (TCCTA) represents the interests of college faculty. What are some of those concerns? Compensation Benefits Working conditions Pensions Student initiatives Guns on campus

Why are there so many groups? Society is complex. Government is involved in more areas of life than ever before. Modern communications, especially the Internet, make group formation easier.

Business Groups Business groups are the most numerous and most potent of the various interest groups active in Texas politics. Business interests are especially concerned with tax laws, interest rates, environmental regulations, trade policy, labor laws, government contracts, and other matters that affect the way they conduct business. The Texas Association of Business (TAB) is probably the single most powerful interest group in Texas politics.

For example... Payday lenders want to avoid government regulation. Oil companies need a ready supply of water to support fracking and good roads to truck material in and out of the drilling site. Insurance companies want to be able to raise their rates without governmental interference. Construction companies want an ample supply of skilled and semi-skilled workers at reasonable wage rates.

Key business groups in Texas Oil and gas Insurance Construction Real estate Banking Telecommunications Texas business groups want the government to create what is known as a “good business climate.”

Good business climate A good business climate is a political environment in which business prospers. In general, a good business environment includes low tax rates on business, laws that restrict labor union influence, and regulation favorable to business growth.

Forbes Ranking Forbes magazine ranks Texas 6 th in business climate, after Utah, North Dakota, North Carolina, Virginia, and Colorado. West Virginia, Maine, and Mississippi are the bottom three states. Texas ranks ▫13 th on business costs ▫11 th on labor supply ▫16 th on regulatory environment ▫1 st on economic climate ▫1 st on growth prospects ▫33 rd on quality of life

Business in Texas Business interests are more influential in Texas politics than they are in national politics because they have fewer competitors in Texas than they do at the national level or in many other states. Organized labor, consumer groups, environmental organizations, and other groups that often oppose business interests on various policy issues are relatively weak in the Lone Star State.

Business Resources & Advantages Money to contribute to political campaigns Alliances with the Texas Republican Party and many individual Democratic members of the legislature Significant presence throughout the state Money to fund advertising campaigns to support their causes. Relatively positive image among the state’s citizens, especially for small business Plenty of money to pay for sophisticated lobbying campaigns

Lobbying Lobbying is the communication of information by a representative of an interest group to a government official for the purpose of influencing a policy decision. Groups lobby both the legislative and executive branches of government, attempting to influence every stage of the policy process.

Business Disadvantages Business groups are not always united. Obama administration in Washington is not as in tune with business goals as Texas government. Small government groups who enjoy influence with many Republican legislators oppose business on certain issues.

Small Government Groups Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, Empower Texas, and Texas Freedom Works are organizations who favor much smaller government. The groups want lower taxes, less government regulation, lower government spending, and school vouchers. They oppose immigration reform.

Tim Dunn Midland oilman Tim Dunn provides nearly 100 percent of the funding for Empower Texas. In 2014, Dunn gave more than $2.5 million to Empower Texas. Much of that money was used to influence the outcomes of Republican legislative primary races.

Koch Brothers The Koch brothers, oil and gas men from Kansas, are the primary funders for the Texas Freedom Works. They are involved not just in Texas politics, but national politics and state politics throughout the nation. Their most important issues are climate change and healthcare reform.

Big Spenders The Koch brothers have promised to spend $900 million to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. To put that in perspective, it is more money than either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney raised in 2012.

Michael Quinn Sullivan Michael Quinn Sullivan is the president of Empower Texas and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility. He works for Tim Dunn. Quinn is the spokesperson for the state’s small government groups. Some observers consider him one of the most powerful people in Texas politics; others think his influence is overrated.

Legislative Scorecards Groups such as Texans for Fiscal Responsibility create legislative scorecards that they publish on their websites and distribute to supporters. Republican legislators want as high a score as possible because they know than many Republican primary voters base their voting decisions on the group scorecards. Small government groups use the threat of low scores to push the legislature in a conservative direction. Both Paxton and Branch ran for attorney general. Paxton won. Business backed Branch

Resources & Advantages of Groups Large networks of grassroots activists who vote in Republican primary elections organized by websites and Close ties to Republican legislators associated with the Tea Party Alliances with Christian conservatives and business groups on selected issues Financial backing of wealthy individuals willing to bankroll their activities

Disadvantages & Liabilities General disagreement with the business community on the role of government Specific disagreement with the business community on state funding for transportation, water development, and education Opposition from some Christian conservatives and the Catholic Church on immigration Supporters limited to aging white conservative activists

What You Have Learned What is an interest group? Why are there so many groups active in Texas politics? On what sorts of issues do business groups focus? Why are business groups influential in Texas politics? What are the goals of small government groups? What are the strengths and weaknesses of small government groups?