CHAPTER 9

THE NATURE OF INTEREST GROUPS  An interest group is a private organization whose members share views.  It tries to promote its interests by influencing public policy  Work at the federal, State, and local levels  Exist for political purposes -- they care about what the government does on certain issues  Their role is controversial: they stimulate interest in public affairs that concern the people, they provide information to the government while keeping close tabs on it  BUT, they are often criticized for having more influence than they deserve based on the worth of their cause or the number of people they represent AND they sometimes engage in dishonest behavior

TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS  Interest groups are formed around many issues, such as public interest and economics (income-earning: business, labor, agriculture, and professionals)  There are several types of interest groups: trade association, labor union  An influential set of interest groups focuses on agriculture – may represent farmers, professionals who carry weight in American politics (physicians, lawyers, teachers)

TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS CONTINUED  Other interest groups are devoted to specific political and social causes.  they promote groups like veterans and the elderly OR political causes such as the protection of the environment  still others promote certain religious interests  public-interest groups work for the public good – they try to represent all the people in the country on particular issues (voting rights)  they usually focus on issues that affect the roles that all Americans share (citizen, consumer, drinker of water)

TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS CONTINUED 

PURPOSEEXAMPLE 1. To promote business 2. To organize labor 3. To protect agricultural interests 4. To promote professions 5. To promote social programs 6. For religious purposes 7. For the public good 1. American Bankers Assoc. 2. Fraternal Order of Police 3. National Farmers Union 4. American Medical Assoc. 5. Veterans of Foreign Wars 6. American Jewish Congress 7. League of Women Voters

INTEREST GROUPS AT WORK  Interest groups use propaganda, form political action committees, and engage lobbyists in order to influence public policy  They reach out to the public for three purposes: 1. Supply the public w/information in an effort to gain support for their causes 2. Work to build positive images for their groups 3. Promote the public policies they favor

INTEREST GROUPS AT WORK CONTINUED  To achieve their goals, interest groups often use propaganda – a technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors to create certain beliefs, which may be true, false, or misleading  Interest groups recognize the role of political parties in selecting policy-makers and thus try to influence their behavior.  some form political action committees to raise campaign funds for candidates whom they think will further their goals.

INTEREST GROUPS AT WORK CONTINUED  Single-interest groups are PACs that concentrate their efforts on one issue  They work for or against a political candidate based only on his/her stand on that one issue

INTEREST GROUPS AT WORK CONTINUED  Interest groups may engage in lobbying (bringing group pressure to bear on all aspects of the making of public policy.  Lobbyists (agents for interest groups) use many techniques in their work, including grass roots pressure, or organized pressure from the average voters  to prevent corruption, federal and State laws regulate lobbyists’ activities

SUMMARY/ENRICHMENT 1. What is an interest group? (9-1) 2. Name 2 positive contributions of interest groups? (9-1) 3. What do labor unions represent? (9-2) 4. What is the purpose of the National Farmers Union? (9- 2) 5. How do single interest groups decide whether or not support a political candidate? (9-3) 6. On what process does lobbying put pressure? (9-3)