To Accompany Comprehensive, Alternate, and Texas Editions American Government: Roots and Reform, 10th edition Karen O’Connor and Larry J. Sabato  Pearson Education, 2009  Chapter 16 Interest Groups

Interest Group Theory  Groups build social capital and civic virtue.  Their main goal is to influence public policy.  A variety of theories exist about why groups form.  Pluralist theory, which is related to disturbance theory.  Transactions theory.  Neopluralist theory (i.e. population ecology theory).

Types of Organized Interests  Public interest groups (i.e. NARAL, NRA).  Economic interest groups (i.e. AFL-CIO, NAM).  Governmental units, who lobby for earmarks.  Political action committees (i.e. EMILY’s List).  Multi-issue versus single-issue groups.

Roots of Interest Groups  First national groups emerge in 1830s.  Business interests play larger role after Civil War.  Groups begin to send lobbyists to Washington  Progressive era leads to an explosion of groups.  Growth of labor and trade associations.

The Interest Group State  Expansion of civil rights and groups in 1960s.  Development of conservative and religious groups.  Evolution of new business groups dedicated to lobbying.  Declining power of organized labor.

Lobbying  Target Congress through research, money, or testimony.  Also target bureaucratic agencies and the president.  Lobby courts through sponsorship or amicus briefs.  Can use grassroots techniques, such as petitions.  May also resort to protests and activism.

Election Activities  Recruiting and endorsing candidates.  Organizing get out the vote efforts.  Rating candidates and office holders.Rating candidates and office holders  Establishing political action committees.

What Makes a Group Successful?  Leaders, to inspire membership.  Patrons, for funding.  Members, who are involved at varying levels.Members  Membership helps to overcome the free rider problem.  Particularly true for groups that provide collective goods.

Regulating Interest Groups  1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act regulates Congress.  Requires lobbyists to register and report payments.  New 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act.  Bans gifts, toughens disclosure, increases time limits.  Executive regulated by 1978 Ethics in Government Act.Ethics in Government Act

AV- Interest Group Ratings  Back

Table Interest Group Profiles  Back

Table Lobbying Techniques  Back

Table Interest Group Membership  Back

Table Ethics in Government Act  Back