Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Longman PoliticalScienceInteractive Magleby & Light Government by the People Chapter 6 Interest Groups: The Politics of Influence

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman The Politics of Influence The 2004 presidential election featured ads by interest groups –Swift Boat Veterans for Truth –MoveOn –The Media Fund Known as “527s” due to their classification in the IRS tax code Able to raise/spend unlimited amounts of money as long as the expenditures were independent of the candidates/parties

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Interest Groups Past and Present: The “Mischiefs of Faction” Faction: A term the founders used to refer to political parties and special interests or interest groups –Madison believed that factions were “united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adverse to the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests of the community.” –He argued that “the causes of faction cannot be removed, and…relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects.” Pluralism: A theory of government that holds that open, multiple, and competing groups can check the asserted power by any one group

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman A Nation of Interests Interest Groups A collection of people who share some common interest or attitude and seek to influence government for specific ends. Interest groups usually work within the framework of government and employ tactics such as lobbying to achieve their goals. Movement A large body of people interested in a common issue, idea, or concern that is of continuing significance and who are willing to take action. Movements seek to change attitudes or institutions, not just politics.

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Types of Interest Groups Economic Ideological Public Interest Foreign Policy Public Sector

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Economic Interest Groups Business – Major Corporations (McDonald’s, Walmart, AT&T, etc) Trade Labor – Unions began in mid 1800s (wages, working conditions, professional standards, etc) Professional – Doctors, Lawyers, Teachers

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Union Membership in the United States Compared to Other Countries

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Labor Force and Union Membership,

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Labor Open shop: A company with a labor agreement under which union membership cannot be required as a condition of employment Closed shop: A company with a labor agreement under which union membership can be a condition of employment Free rider: An individual who does not join a group representing his or her interests, yet receives the benefit of the group’s influence

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Types of Interest Groups: Ideological or Single-Interest Groups -Christian Coalition -NRA -Civil Liberties -Club for Growth

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Public Interest Groups Unsafe at Any Speed (1965) Consumer Protection Safe Energy Ralph Nader “Green Party”

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Types of Interest Groups: Foreign Policy and Public Sector Interest Groups Foreign Policy Interest Groups Council on Foreign Relations American-Israel Political Action Committee Promote of Oppose Foreign Policy Public Sector Interest Groups National Governors Association National League of Cities National Educational Association

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Characteristics and Power of Interest Groups: Size and Resources Resources can be used to provide selective benefits, which can be used to overcome organizational barriers Material benefits Solidary benefits Purposive benefits

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Interest Groups: Cohesiveness Types of members in an organization Small number of formal members People intensely involved with the group People who are members in name only

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Interest Groups: Techniques for Exerting Influence Publicity, Mass Media, Internet (MoveOn.org) Direct Contact with Government - Lobbyist Litigation (amicus curiae briefs, Lawsuits NAACP) Campaign Contributions (PACS) Forming a Political Party (Green Party – Ralph Nader, Tea Party Cooperative Lobbying Mass Mailing

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who are the Lobbyists? Lobbyist: A person who is employed by and acts for an organized interest group or corporation to try to influence policy decisions and positions in the executive and legislative branches Revolving door: An employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Who are the Lobbyists? The Iron Triangle Interest groups Members of Congress Bureaucratic leaders and experts Issue network: Relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the government agencies that share a common concern

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Election Money Regulations Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Created in 1974 as an independent agency of the executive branch. Requires disclosure of campaign funds, places limits on contributions and campaigns and provides funds for portions of the presidential campaign process. Campaign Reform Act (1974) Limited individual contributions to candidates and campaigns. BCRA (McCain – Feingold Act) Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002) – Banned soft money contributions, prohibits corporations and labor unions from using general treasury funds for elections. (Reversed in Citizens United V. FEC (2010))

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Money and Politics PAC The political arm of an interest group that is legally entitled to raise funds on a voluntary basis from members, stockholders, or employees in order to contribute funds to favored candidates or political parties. Currently over 4,000 PACs. Soft Money Money raised in unlimited amounts by political parties for party- building purposes (“get out and vote” drives) – Banned by BCRA (2002) Hard Money Political contributions given to a party, candidate, or interest group that are limited in amount and fully disclosed

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Money and Politics Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002) –Largely banned party soft money; restored long-standing prohibition on corporations and labor unions for using general treasury funds for electoral purposes –Narrowed the definition of issue advocacy Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz)., second left, and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc) smile during a news conference following the signing of the BCRA

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Total PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates, (in Millions)

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman PACs that Gave the Most to Federal Candidates, (Millions of Dollars)

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Other Methods of Influence Mobilizing employees and members Soft money contributions –Now largely illegal –Issue ads  527s – not regulated by FEC -Created issue ads for and against candidites

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Other Methods of Influence Independent expenditures –No limits, but must be disclosed to FEC (ads that favor or go against a particular candidate) Campaigning through other groups –Issue advocacy: Unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like “vote for” or “vote against”

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman How PACs Invest Their Money EMILY’s List An effort to support liberal Democratic women candidates by infusing early money into their campaigns Stands for Early Money is Like Yeast because “it makes the dough rise” Senator Barbara Mikulski was an early beneficiary of EMILY’s List

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman How Much Do Interest Groups Influence Elections and Legislation? Tendency of PACs to give money to incumbents has meant that challengers face real difficulties in getting their campaigns funded “Too often, members’ first thought is not what is right or what they believe, but how it will affect fundraising. Who, after all, can seriously contend that a $100,000 donation does not alter the way one thinks about—and quite possibly votes on—an issue?” - Former U. S. Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY)

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Longman Continued Concerns About “Factions” Interest groups do not represent people equally Use of money to influence politicians Many attempts at reform, but unclear effect