Chapter 9: Interest Groups

Interest Groups: A Natural Phenomenon In Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville wrote “... in no country of the world has the principle of association been more successfully used or applied to a greater multitude of objectives than in America.” Alexis de Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian who studied social equality and its effect on individuals and society. (Art Resources) Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Interest Groups If de Tocqueville was amazed at how associations had flourished in the United States in 1834, he would be astounded at the number of associations today. Research indicates that two-thirds of Americans belong to at least one group or association. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Fortune’s “Power 25” The 10 Most Effective Interest Groups Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Some Other Important Interest Groups (That Didn’t Make the List) Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Why have interest groups been so successful in the United States? Social movements (the women’s movement, the civil rights movement) are often the precursors of interest groups. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Why Do Americans Join Interest Groups? Free rider problem Solidarity Incentives Material Incentives Purposive Incentives Retaining members Members tend to join the groups which benefit them if they believe their individual efforts will make a difference to the success of group. Thus, smaller groups (the Smithville PTA, the Yale Biotech Student Interest Group, ) are more likely to enroll members who will give time and funding. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Economic Interest Groups Business Interest Groups Agricultural Interest Groups Labor Interest Groups Public Employee Unions Interest Groups of Professionals The Unorganized Poor Business Interest Groups (U.S. Chamber of Commerce) Agricultural Interest Groups (American Farm Bureau Federation) Labor Interest Groups (American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) Public Employee Unions (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Interest Groups of Professionals (American Bar Association) The Unorganized Poor Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Contemporary Interest Groups SOURCE: Frank R. Baumgartner and Beth L. Leech, “Interest Niches and Policy Bandwagons: Patterns of Interest Group Involvement in National Politics,” Journal of Politics 63 (November, 2001): 1191–1213. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Other Types of Interest Groups Environmental Groups Public Interest Groups Nader Organizations Other such groups include Common Cause and the League of Women Voters Single-issue focused groups (AARP, etc.) Foreign Governments Nader co-founded the non-governmental group Public Citizen as an umbrella organization to oversee interest groups involved in environmental, health, economic and other issues. Activists known as “Nader’s Raiders” have written dozens of books detailing investigations of government corruption. © 2004 AP/Wide World Photos Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Labor Interest Groups AFL-CIO: A union of unions with 11 million workers 2005: Change to Win Coalition Fifty-six unions make up the AFL-CIO, including such diverse groups as the Airline Pilots Association, the American Radio Association and the National Association of Letter Carriers. Six unions and six million workers make up the Change to Win coalition. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Decline in Union Membership As a percentage of employed workers, union membership peaked in the early 1950s. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Union Membership Discuss some of the factors that have caused a decline in union membership in America. What will the trend be going forward? (AP Photo/The Capital Times/David Sandell) Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

What Makes an Interest Group Powerful? Size and Resources Leadership Cohesiveness Interest groups which are large in size typically have the greatest financial resources, even if dues are relatively low. Strong leaders with high profiles (think Jesse Jackson) can be very influential for relatively small groups. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Do Special Interests Control Governor Schwarzenegger? Click the icon to open the movie Video Supplied by Motion Gallery Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Questions In the modern U.S., can governors get elected without the assistance of special interest groups? Why or why not? Why are Californians so skeptical of Governor Schwarzenegger’s claims? How have interest groups affected recent government decisions in your state? Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Interest Group Strategies Direct Techniques Lobbying Publishing the voting records of members of the legislature Building alliances Campaign assistance Most lobbyists today are paid professionals, with over 12,000 registered lobbyists currently operating. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Interest Group Strategies (cont.) Indirect Techniques Generating public pressure Using constituents as lobbyists Unconventional forms of pressure (marches, rallies, and demonstrations) Indirect techniques mask the interest group’s own activities, making the efforts appear spontaneous. This type of contact is often more influential than contact from traditional lobbyists. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Regulating Lobbyists The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946) The Act was ineffective, however, as only full-time lobbyists had to register. The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act (1946) required that individuals or organizations that receive money for the purpose of influencing national legislation must register as a lobbyist or lobbying organization, and registered lobbyists must make public quarterly reports about all lobbying activity. The act was ineffective, however, as only full-time lobbyists had to register. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

The Reforms of 1995 In 1995, Congress overhauled the lobbying legislation. The new legislation included the following provisions: A lobbyist is a person who spends 20 percent of the time or more lobbying Congress, their staffs or the executive branch. Lobbyists who earn $5,000 or more must register within 45 days of making contact with a member of Congress. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

The Reforms of 1995 (cont.) Detailed reports must disclose the nature of the lobbying business twice a year. Subsidiaries of foreign companies based in the United States, must register as lobbyists. Tax-exempt organizations and religious organizations are exempt from these requirements. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Recent Lobbying Scandals: Jack Abramoff Abramoff is a former lobbyist serving time for fraud and the corruption of public officials. He was convicted of defrauding Native American tribes of tens of millions of dollars related to gaming interests. The corruption investigation also involved White House officials, members of Congress, aides and other lobbyists. Recent Lobbying Scandals: Jack Abramoff © 2006 Time, Inc./Getty Images. Reprinted by permission. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Interest Groups and Representative Democracy Interest Groups: Elitist or Pluralist? The existence of interest groups would appear to be an argument in favor of pluralism. However, interest groups are often led by upper-class individuals, which argues for elite theory. Interest Group Influence Even the most powerful groups do not always succeed in their demands. Some of the most successful groups choose to focus on a single, targeted issue. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Interest Groups and the Policy Process Interest groups, in spite of all their flaws, do supplement formal channels of representation and allow for the expression of public opinion in an organized way. But, even organized, active groups do not always represent all they claim to represent (for example the AMA). Courtesy of Handgun Control, Inc. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Questions for Critical Thinking How have labor interest groups traditionally sought to influence policy? Should foreign interest groups be banned, given that the interests of U.S. citizens frequently are intertwined with foreign interests (as employees, for example)? What kind of incentive would motivate you to participate in an interest group? What are the incentives for the people that you know who are active in interest groups? How do the actions of environmental groups affect you and your community? Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Web Links The Center for Public Integrity Opensecrets.org-Money in Politics Data Common Cause—Holding Power Accountable Federal Election Commission Public Citizen http://www.publicintegrity.org The Center for Public Integrity A nonprofit center dedicated to government accountability, ethics, and campaign finance reform. The center’s research includes investigative reports, newsletters, and databases. http://www.opensecrets.org/home/index.asp The Center for Responsive Politics A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that tracks money in politics and its effects on public policy and elections. Contains extensive data about lobbyists, soft money contributions, PACs, presidential and congressional races, and political donors. http://www.commoncause.org Common Cause A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that promotes government accountability. Provides a database of soft money contributions through the 2002 congressional elections to the Republican and Democratic Parties by donor name, donor location, or industry, as well as news about a wide range of government agencies and topics. After 2002, Congress banned soft money contributions. http://www.fec.gov Federal Election Commission The branch of the federal government that oversees federal elections. Provides a citizens’ guide to elections, including current rules for upcoming campaigns, how to support a candidate, and FEC publications. http://www.publiccitizen.org Public Citizen Founded by Ralph Nader in 1971, Public Citizen calls itself “the consumer’s eyes and ears in Washington.” Its searchable database includes information about auto safety, congressional voting, and First Amendment issues, as well as the organization’s publications. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning

Web Links AFL-CIO—America’s Union Movement Moveon.org: Democracy in Action Christian Coalition of America Third Wave Foundation AARP http://www.aflcio.org/ The home page of the largest union in America, the AFL-CIO, contains official union documents and press releases, news on issues important to the labor movement, a link to information on high corporate executive salaries in the United States, and links to other labor-related groups. www.moveon.org MoveOn.org is an organization that promotes a liberal agenda. It was deeply involved in the Democratic presidential campaign in 2004. www.cc.org The Christian Coalition is a conservative grassroots political organization for people of faith interested in promoting issues associated with the Christian right. www.thirdwavefoundation.org The Third Wave Foundation is the only national activist philanthropic organization for young women. The organization supports and involves young women in a broad range of movements, including campaigning for a living wage, environmental protection, and reproductive rights. www.aarp.org AARP maintains an excellent website. It allows you to learn about AARP’s position and congressional testimony on issues affecting the elderly and to review the myriad of benefits offered by the organization, along with much more. Copyright 2010 Cengage Learning