In Washington D.C. where nearly 7 thousand organizations (interest Groups, Lobbies) are located

1.MORE CLEAVAGES IN OUR SOCIETY DIFFERENT RACES DIFFERENT REGIONS DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS

2. MORE POINTS AT WHICH INTEREST GROUPS CAN GAIN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT CONGRESS PRESIDENT COURTS

3. BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL PARTIES ARE WEAK COMPARED TO THE PARTIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS GREAT BRITAIN

1960s AND 1970s were the boom years for interest groups

1.Broad economic developments Farmers produce cash crops for sale in markets that were unstable. Need more protection

2.Government policy created interest groups War means veterans who in turn demanded pensions and other benefits

3.Social circumstances require interest groups 1830s and 1840s antislavery organizations

4. More activities the government undertakes the more organized groups there will be who are interested in those activities. Example: Environment

AN ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY TWO TYPES –INSTITUTIONAL –MEMBERSHIP

INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS Not always made up of individual members (offices, corporations, law firms) Farm Bureau speaks for all farmers American Cotton Manufacturers – represent all southern textile mills (keep foreign-made textiles from competing too much with American- made textiles)

Three times as many Americans as Britons are members of groups Americans have strong sense of civic duty (does not matter what your education is) Don’t join because you seem not to make a difference (benefit even if you are not a member) EMPTYING A LAKE WITH A CUP

Incentive: something of value you cannot get without joining an interest group 1.Solidary Incentives 2.Material Incentives 3.Purposive Incentives

Solidary Incentive: get pleasure, status, or companionship from meeting together in small groups

Material Incentive: money, or things and services readily valued in monetary terms Illinois Farm Bureau –If you join you get the opportunity to buy farm supplies at a discounted price

Purposive Incentives: appeal of interest group’s stated goals to recruit members Ideological Interest Groups: attract members by appealing to their interest – Public-Interest Lobby: benefit everyone PASSIONATELY support one side of an issue (difficult on local level)

ADVANCES IT’S CAUSES BY BRINGING LAWSUITS AGAINST THEIR OPPONENTS

DO RESEARCH ON POLICY QUESTIONS FOR THEIR INTEREST GROUP MANY ARE ALIGNED WITH LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE CAUSES

Social Movement: Widely shared demand for change in some aspect of social or political order that creates an interest group Triggered by scandal –Oil spill –Sit-ins for Civil Rights

Social movements are not always liberal –Social movement to stop immigration –Keep Catholics or Masons out of public office

The Feminist Movement (NOW) Union Movement (Teamsters)

Three ways that Interest Groups raise money 1.Foundation Grants 2.Federal Grants and Contracts 3.Direct Mail

Foundation Grants –Main way liberal public- interest groups get money –Ford Foundation contributed about $21 million dollars to liberal public-interest groups

Federal Grants & Contracts –Money given to support a project that an organization has undertaken –Salvation Army given money to provide diverse social services and community projects

Direct Mail –To raise money and mobilize support –2% of names give money it is a success –Use different and create techniques to get people to read letter (pages )

1.WELL-OFF PEOPLE MORE LIKELY THAN THE POOR TO JOIN AND BE ACTIVE 2.GROUPS REPRESENTING BUSINESSES ARE MORE NUMEROUS AND BETTER FINANCED THAN ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING MINORITIES 170 organizations just concerned with oil industry

1.INFORMATION 2.MONEY AND PACs 3.The “REVOLVING DOOR” 4.TROUBLE

Legislators do not have time to become an expert on every issue; they rely on interest groups to supply them with credible information Lobbyists don’t lie because they must develop and maintain trust of legislator

Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1973 –Restricted amount of money that an interest group could give to candidate for Federal Office –Legal for corporations and labor unions to form PACs

Parties have become dependent on PAC money

People leave important federal jobs to take a more lucrative position in a private industry Candidate does something for corporation to get a job later Uses past personal contacts in Washington to get favors for private parties

PROTESTS MARCHES SIT-INS PICKETING NO LONGER LAST RESORT OF AN INTEREST GROUP GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DREAD THIS TACTIC

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 Interest group activity is protected by the First Amendment 1995 Bill that became Law that restates the obligation of lobbyists to register with the House and Senate PAGE 287

Interest groups (grassroots organizations) are tax- exempt unless they partake in extensive lobbying activities Page 287 Sierra Club