Interest Groups The “iron triangle” (interest groups, members of Congress, and federal agencies)

Interest Groups “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.” Interest Groups An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policy makers Often spawned by social movements Lobbyists An organization or individual who attempts to influence legislation and the administrative decisions of government Hyperpluralism The ability of interest groups to mandate policy or to defeat policies needed by the nation Detriment to effective government? More than 2/3 of Americans belong to at least one group or association – many are not purely )political) interest groups Ex. PTO, BSA, ACLU, NEA Federalist #10 blah, blha, blah……blah, blha, blah……blah, blha, blah…… ……blah, blha, blah……blah, blha, blah ……

Why so many interest groups? 1st Amendment - guarantees facilitate group formation Right Assemble Petition to redress grievances Groups amplify individual opinions Many pressure points in our federal system Diversity gives rise to many views Ethnic, religious, economic, etc. Social changes, economic pressures and technological developments disturb the status quo, leading to group formation Examples: industrialization, urbanization, civil rights movement Pressure points: local, state, federal ex, leg, jud

Why join an interest group? Latent interests – public-policy interests that are not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time Many people wait for “collective good” to be addressed rather than join a group – “free rider problem” When benefits can be obtained without joining the group People generally join when they perceive that their effort will make a difference Small groups seeking benefits for a specific group are more successful in recruiting members Latent interest of young people  Social Security How many students join groups such as the US Student Association? – lobbies for increased financial aid Large groups have more free riders – women’s movement or ACLU for example

Why join an interest group? Incentives Solidary Companionship, sense of belonging, pleasure of associating Ex. National Audubon Society Material Discounts and opportunities Ex. AARP Purposive Satisfaction of taking action with a group an individual agrees with Ex. NRA National Audubon Society founded to save the snow egret from extinction – most people today join because they like and want to learn more about birds – though it has a political agenda AARP is the largest (over 40 million) – and very powerful- interest group in the US (very low dues around $20)

Fortune Power 25 2005 Rank Organization Website 1 National Rifle Association www.nra.org 2 AARP www.aarp.org 3 National Federation of Independent Business www.nfibonline.com 4 American Israel Public Affairs Committee www.alpac.org 5 Association of Trial Lawyers of America www.atla.org 6 American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) www.aflcio.org 7 Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. www.uschamber.org 8 National Beer Wholesalers Association www.nwba.org 9 National Association of Realtors www.realtor.com 10 National Association of Manufacturers www.nam.org http://quizlet.com/4157274/the-power-25-interest-groups-flash-cards/ http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_specialinterestgroups_fortune.htm (2001)

Types of Interest Groups Economic* Business Umbrella groups represent types of business or industry Ex. US Chamber of Commerce Ex. National Association of Manufacturers Ex. American Pet Products Manufacturers Ex. Better Business Bureau Agricultural Small by population but very influential Ex. American Farm Bureau Federation Ex. The Peanut Growers Group Ex. American Farmland Trust Labor About 12% of the workforce belong to a union Ex. AFL-CIO Public-Employee more public-sector members than private-sector members Ex. NEA Professional Many different groups represented Ex. American Bar Association Ex. American Medical Association Not every interest group actively lobbies Congress, but they all at least take positions on policies US Chamber of Commerce – over 200,000 member companies National Association of Manufacturers has a staff of over 60 in Washington Business interest groups generally agree on less regulation, but often disagree on other policies Ex. large corporations worry about increased regulation of corporate boards and insider arrangements while small businesses may be more troubled by increased regulation of immigration/foreign workers (large companies have professional employment practices) Farmers and employees are less than 2% of total US population, but successful in gaining influence Agricultural interests are geographically dispersed – have many places to exert pressure Active in immigration, international trade matters (apples), preserving natural resources (water and land) AFL formed in 1886 and joined CIO in 1955 – major split in 2005 led to loss of 1/3 members to Change to Win Coalition Unions 15.3 million workers in 2009 (12%) Almost all public employees have the right to strike NEA = 2.8 million members AMA = 300,000+ members through more than 2,000 state and local chapters Poor/Unorganized/non-voters are overlooked a lot – mostly represented indirectly by workers/organizations *largest category of interest groups

About 13% of workers now represented by a union (down from 35% in 1955)

Types of Interest Groups Environmental National Audubon Society Sierra Club National Wildlife Federation Environmental Defense Fund Greenpeace First Earth Day in 1970

Types of Interest Groups Public-Interest Many different “publics” in a country of 300m+ “Nader Organizations” “Nader’s Raiders” ACLU League of Women Voters Common Cause MoveOn.org 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed about GM and the Corvair Nader ran on Green Party ticket in 1996 and 2000 (2.7% or 2.9m votes/0 electoral), and 2004 and 2008 as an independent http://nader.org/ Common Cause – founded in 1970  goal is to make government more responsive to the people – over 300,000 members 1. 26th Amendment -18 year olds 2. greater voter registration in states 3. withdrawal of forces from South Vietnam 4. passing campaign finance reform MoveOn.org – founded 1998 – wanted Clinton to be censured instead of impeached and move on to more important issues  now an umbrella organiztion with over 3 million members ACLU – from WWI era to defend draft evaders, now about Bill of Rights issues League of Women Voters – 1920, non-partisan (though did support ERA)

Types of Interest Groups Other Single issue groups More focused Members more passionate Less complex goals Ex. NRA, MADD Foreign Over 300 foreign entities represented by lobbyists Ex. Coalition to Save Darfur AARP – supported Medicare, Medicaid, colas for Social Security, Medicare prescription drug coverage (part D), Affordable Healthcare Act GlaxoSmithKline – based in England, spends extensively in the US to influence Medicare legislation Saudi government hired lobbyists after 9/11 when it became clear Saudi Arabian citizens participated in attacks

Contemporary Interest Groups

What Do Interest Groups Do? Inform Lobby Campaign Activities Political Action Committees Issue Advocacy

Keys to an Effective Interest Group Size and Resources Leadership Cohesiveness

Interest Group Strategies Direct Lobbying Ratings Building alliances Campaign assistance Indirect Generating public pressure Climate control Using constituents as lobbyists Unconventional Marches, boycotts Lobbying – engaging in activities aimed at influencing public officials, especially legislators, and the policies they create.

Techniques for Exerting Influence Publicity, Mass Media, and the Internet Influences votes during elections Motivates constituents to contact representatives Mass Mailing/E-Mailing Increases reach and effectiveness of interest groups Direct Contact with Government Government agencies publish proposed regulations in the Federal Register and invite responses from all interested person before rules are finalized Litigation Initiate lawsuits Amicus curiae briefs Protest Organized to raise awareness Astroturf lobbying Contributions to Campaigns Through PACs/Super Pacs or bundling – collecting individual donations and presenting together Candidate Support/Opposition endorsements New Political Parties Often just to publicize a cause Cooperative Lobbying Like-minded groups form cooperative groups Federal Register – official document, published every weekday, that lists the new and proposed regulations of executive departments and regulatory agencies Amicus curiae brief – friend of the court brief – filed by an individual or organization urging the SCOTUS to hear a case (or not to) or at the merits state to present arguments in addition to those presented by the immediate parties to a case Free-Soil Pary in mid 1840s and Prohibition Party, Green Party

Who are lobbyists? Often former public servants Lobbying? Revolving Door 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 33% of those who lost seats in Congress following 2010 election employed by lobbying firms 20% employed by lobbying clients 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act More disclosure of employment history for lobbyists Stricter limits on lobbying activities Longer cooling off period Many participate in issue networks Relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the government agencies that share a common policy concern Specialized knowledge often allows them to wield tremendous influence Demographics: 30,000 registered in Washington 1/3 women 200 black 60 Hispanic 2007 law strengthened 1995 law -also requires mandatory disclosure of earmarks in expenditure bills Lobbying? http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/dec/16/newt-gingrich/newt-gingrich-said-he-never-lobbied-freddie-mac-un/

American Legislative Exchange Council – ALEC What Do Lobbyists Do? Provide money for reelection campaigns Also provide volunteers for campaign activities Sometimes just their failure to support opposition is enough to increase reelection odds Provide information Political information Ex. Who supports/opposes legislation Substantive information Ex. Impact of proposed laws, technical assistance drafting bills, identifying persons to testify at hearings American Legislative Exchange Council – ALEC http://www.alec.org/ http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2013/12/06-american-legislative-exchange-council-jackman

Regulating Lobbyists 1946 – Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act Provided for disclosure Defined lobbyist Any person or organization that received money to be used principally to influence legislation before Congress Lobbyists had to register their clients and purpose of their efforts Disclosed quarterly Limited effectiveness Only some lobbyists registered (only full-time) Only if they were directly influencing Congress Not required to register if lobbying the executive branch, federal agencies, courts, congressional staff, etc. Lobbyists have a negative public image, but they perform useful functions for government: they provide information fro decision makers in all three ranches of government, help educate and mobilize public opinion, help prepare legislation and testify before legislative hearings, and bear a large share of the costs of comapaigns 1946- Title III of the Legislative Reorganization Act United States v. Harriss (1954) -did not violate due process, speech, press, petition – but narrowly ruled that it was only permissible for lobbyists who were influencing federal legislation directly Under the act a large group such as the NRA could register a few lobbyists – the ones principally trying to influence Congress members

Regulating Lobbyists 1995 – Lobbying Disclosure Act Redefined lobbyist Anyone who spends at least 20% of their time lobbying members of Congress or staff, or executive branch officials Must register with House or Senate within 45 days of first contact or being hired Reports (now quarterly) disclosing General nature of lobbying, specific issues and bills, estimated cost of campaign, list of branches contacted (not names) Representatives of US owned subsidiaries of foreign-owned entities must register Grassroots and tax-exempt organizations exempted Registration only applies if the organization spends more than $20,000 or the individual is paid more than $5,000 annually (punishment is fine up to $50,000) House- flat ban on gifts Senate – under $50 in value and total of $100 from single source in a year Home-state exceptions (t-shirts) Both banned travel (golf) except to “widely attended” events or if the person was a primary speaker After recording, the records are maintained by the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate. Due to severe understaffing, these two offices are unable to check for illegal activities or corrupt practices, which is the most glaring shortcoming of the legislation. During a hearing before the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senator Christopher Dodd stated that “[s]ince 2003, the Office of Public Records has referred over 2,000 cases to the Department of Justice, and nothing’s been heard from them again”.

Regulating Lobbyists 2007 – Honest Leadership and Open Government Act Tightened reporting rules Longer waiting period 2 years for Senators 1 year for Rep. Limited lobbying spouses Only trips pre-approved by Ethics Committee Loop hole in 2007 law: lobbyists could donate to a campaign, then the member could go to the dinner and have the campaign pay the tab

Recent Lobbying Scandal: 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. © 2006 Time, Inc./Getty Images. Reprinted by permission. 22

NOTE: Figures are on this page are calculations by the Center for Responsive Politics based on data from the Senate Office of Public Records. Data for the most recent year was downloaded on January 27, 2014. *The number of unique, registered lobbyists who have actively lobbied.

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. The most successful groups focus on single issue Single issue interest groups include NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Right to Life Committee, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the National Rifle Association.

Interest Groups and the Policy Process http://www.madd.org

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. 26