Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Politics 2016 Why should we invest major amounts of money in infrastructure repair and improvements? Should the revenue for it be based off of the federal gas tax primarily and would you support an increase in it, or change it from a flat rate [18.4 cents per gallon now]to a %) like sales tax? Why do you think Congress pulled the money for the 2015 Law from the sources it did? Your reaction? ideos/page/2/#166574

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. The Role of Interest Groups Interest group –An organization of people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals –Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas. Interest groups are distinct from parties. –Political parties fight election battles; interest groups do not field candidates for office but may choose sides. –Interest groups are policy specialists; political parties are policy generalists.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Objective Define interest group, explain their rise in the American political system, and evaluate their means of influencing public policy and funding sources

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Is it more “important” and/or effective to join an interest group or a political party of your choosing? EXPLAIN

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Theories of Interest Group Politics Pluralist Theory –Politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies. Elite Theory –Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization. Hyper-pluralist Theory –Groups are so strong that government is weakened. This is an extreme, exaggerated form of pluralism.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Theories of Interest Group Politics Pluralism and Group Theory –Groups provide a key link between the people and the government. –Groups compete and no one group will become too dominant. –Groups play by the “rules of the game.” –Groups weak in one resource may use another. –Lobbying is open to all so is not a problem.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Theories of Interest Group Politics: Pluralism Elites and the Denial of Pluralism –Real power is held by the relatively few. –The largest corporations hold the most power. –Elite power is fortified by a system of interlocking directorates of these corporations and other institutions. –Other groups may win many minor policy battles, but elites prevail when it comes to big policy decisions. –Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many.

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Theories of Interest Group Politics: Elitism

Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman. Theories of Interest Group Politics: Hyperpluralism Sub-governments –Networks of groups that exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas. –Consist of interest groups, government agency, and congressional committees that handle particular policies –Also known as Iron Triangles/Issue Networks The hyper-pluralist critique –Groups have become too powerful as the government tries to appease every interest. –Many sub-governments (iron triangles) aggravate the process. –Trying to please every group results in contradictory policies.