Interest Groups II GOVT 2306, Module 6

Conservative Christian Organizations

Christian Conservatives Churches and other religious institutions provide the foundation for a number of political organizations that are especially active in conservative Republican Party politics.

Issues Opposition to same-sex marriage and gay rights in general Opposition to abortion Opposition to legalized gambling Support for private school vouchers Favor teaching creation rather than evolution in public schools

Resources and Advantages Large network of dedicated supporters organized through churches and the Internet Dominant influence in the Republican Party organizational structure at the local and state levels Influence among Republican legislators concerned with their legislative scorecards Alliances with the Roman Catholic Church and small government groups on selected issues, such as abortion rights

Liabilities and Disadvantages Limited influence beyond more conservative elements of the Republican Party Opposition from business groups on most education issues Opposition from the Roman Catholic Church on social justice issues, including healthcare, welfare, immigration, and the death penalty

Organized Labor

Labor Unions Organized labor is an important political force in America although it is not as powerful as it once was. In 2015, only 11. 1 percent of workers nationwide belonged to a union compared with only 4.5 percent in Texas.

Union Membership by State

Texas Unions Organized labor is relatively weak in Texas. State laws make it difficult for unions to organize workers and easy for business to use non-union labor. Texas has a right to work law, a statute prohibiting a union shop. In 2015, 503,000 Texas wage and salaried workers belonged to unions; another 123,000 enjoyed union representation without being union members.

Right to Work States

Unions in Texas The Texas AFL-CIO is the largest union confederation in Texas with 235,000 private- and public- sector members. Unions are interested in job security, pay, benefits, government contracts, and government programs that affect working-class people, including minimum wage laws, healthcare, and public education.

Public Sector Unions Public-sector worker unions representing police officers, firefighters, teachers, prison guards, and the like are often stronger than private sector unions because they help elect their bosses. Public-sector workers are interested in salaries, pension benefits, and policies that affect their working conditions.

Resources & Advantages Sympathetic administration in Washington, DC Sizable number of members somewhat concentrated in certain regions of the state, giving unions influence with some individual legislators Alliance with the Democratic Party

Liabilities and Disadvantages Right-to-work law makes union organizing difficult Many workers are hostile to unions Many legislative districts have few if any union members Opposition of business groups Hostility of the Texas Republican Party Limited financial resources

Quiz Which of the following types of interest groups is typically aligned with the Democratic Party? Business groups Organized labor Small government groups None of the above The answer is B.

What You Have Learned What issues are important for conservative Christian organizations? What advantages and resources do conservative Christian organizations enjoy? What are the liabilities and disadvantages of conservative Christian organizations? Is organized labor stronger or weaker in the United States than it once was? In what regions of the country is labor stronger? Where is it weaker? What issues are important for labor in Texas? What advantages and resources do Texas labor unions enjoy? What are the liabilities and disadvantages of faced by labor unions in Texas?