Interest Groups

Interest Groups An organized membership that pursues policy goals that stem from members’ shared interest.

Lobbying = big business K Street 20,000 Washington Lobbyists More than $1billion annually

“Inside lobbying”-- Iron Triangles Small, informal, stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek to develop policies beneficial to a particular interest. i.e., Department of Agriculture (bureaucrats) -> legislators -> and farm groups (i.e., Association of Wheat Growers of America)

“Inside lobbying” --Issue Networks Temporary “iron triangles” Same players coming together for a particular issue then disbanding

“Outside Lobbying”—grassroots lobbying Goal=gathering popular support for specific policy

“Outside lobbying”—electoral action “talking to politicians is fine...but with a little money, they hear you better” PACs =Political Action Committees

Madisonian Dilemma We have a system of checks and balances to ensure that the majority does not trample the minority Do we have a system in place to keep the minority from blocking action by the majority.

Are interest groups simply a necessary evil of a democracy?

-Fox Business News -Colbert Super PAC