Interest Groups – Organizing for Influence AP U.S. Government and Politics

Interest Groups The pluralist theory of American politics claims that society’s interests are best represented through group action. – Group influence has increased over the last few decades. – This has led to a rise in single-issue politics. Interest Group – Any organization that actively seeks to influence public policy. – Also called “factions”, “pressure groups”, and “special interest” They concentrate on policies directly affecting their interest.

The Interest-Group System U.S. political structure contributes to group action. – Federalist No. 10 – Madison warns of interest groups and counts on multiple groups competing for influence to protect interests of all Americans. Reasons for so many interest groups: – Federalism and separation of powers - groups have many entry points to influence public policy. – The First Amendment protects and encourages interest group formation. – Social Movements – many interest groups were created in response to demand for change. Women’s rights movement, civil rights movement

Why Join Interest Groups? Several incentives exist for people to join interest groups. – Many people join for friendship and because of shared interest. – Others join for material incentives. Ex. AARP offers discounts on products and services. – Some join to accomplish a specific political, economic, or social purpose.

Types of Interest Groups The largest single category of interest groups is made up of economic groups. – They are organized for economic reasons and engage in political activity to seek favorable activity from the government. – Business interest groups are the most numerous. They represent certain types of businesses or companies. Typically lobby for decrease in taxes & government regulation. – Agricultural interest groups focus on protecting and expanding farming subsidies in the U.S. – Labor interest groups promote policies that benefit workers and unions. Although less people are union members today than in the past, unions still are successful in organizing public employees.

Types of Interest Groups, cont. – Professional groups represent the interests of professionals such as lawyers, doctors, architects, and teachers. Citizens (noneconomic) groups also have major influence. – Citizens’ groups are drawn together by opportunities to promote a cause in which they believe, not by economic benefits. – Many of these are common cause groups, who seek to reform the political process to help what they believe is a worthy goal or purpose. Religious groups, ideological groups, social groups

Types of Interest Groups, cont. – Environmental interest groups have increased rapidly since the 1970s. National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense Fund – Single-issue groups focus their time and effort on one issue. They pressure government on almost every conceivable policy. Singular focus sometimes gives these groups an advantage over groups with a broader focus. – Ex. National Rifle Association, National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club

Interest Group Success Three primary factors contribute to interest group success. – Size and Resources – greater membership will allow the group to raise more money. More money allows the interest group to influence elected officials. – Leadership – Strong leadership helps an interest group negotiate with members of Congress and sell its message to the public. – Cohesiveness – Dedication and effort are very important to an interest group’s success. If a group is cohesive in their efforts, it will help them achieve their goals.

Economic Groups vs. Citizens Groups Economic groups outnumber citizens groups. – They also have considerably more influence. – Economic groups offer private (individual) goods, which are benefits that come exclusively to members of the group. ex. Unions allowing access to higher paying jobs – Citizens groups offer collective (public) goods, which are available to non-members as well as members. ex. A clean environment The abundance of collective goods creates the free- rider problem. – Individuals (free riders) can gain incentives without having to pay any of the group’s costs.

Inside Lobbying Groups seek government support through lobbying. – Lobbying – the process by which interest group members or lobbyists attempt to influence public policy through contacts with public officials. – Two main techniques – inside (direct) lobbying and outside (indirect) lobbying. Inside (direct) lobbying involves direct communication between organized interests and policymakers, based on the value of close (“inside”) contacts with policymakers.

Inside Lobbying Techniques – Private Meetings between lobbyists and policymakers where groups pitch their cause. – Testimony before congressional committees or before bureaucratic agencies on issues important to the group. – Lobbyists often assist members of Congress in drafting legislation and rules for implementation of laws. – Lobbyists often provide social perks to government officials including fancy dinners, trips, and parties. – Lobbyists provide political information including poll numbers on specific issues. – Lobbyists also assist by helping find candidates to nominate for office.

Inside Lobbying Techniques, cont. – Many interest groups give ratings to members of Congress on a scale of citing how often that person supports the group’s cause. – Interest groups will build alliances with other groups that share similar goals. Allows them to pool resources and potential members. – Interest groups will provide campaign assistance to politicians who are supportive of the group. They can provide volunteers and financial support.

Lobbying in the Three Branches Lobbyists can obtain legislative help through Congress to achieve its goals. – Members of Congress also benefit from ties to lobbyists. Lobbyists will also target members of the presidential and vice-presidential staffs. – More of their focus in aimed at top officials of government agencies. Judicial rulings have made interest groups realize that they can influence policy through the courts. – As interest groups resort to legal action they often face one other in court.

Interest Groups in the Policy Process Iron triangles and issue networks, in which many groups are involved, make inside lobbying easier to understand. An iron triangle consists of a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek to develop policies beneficial to a particular interest. – Together, these groups will determine many of the policies affecting their interests. – Groups embedded in iron triangles have an inside track to well positioned legislators and bureaucrats. Because they have something to offer in return, the relationship becomes “clad in iron.” Groups provide lobbying support for agency programs and campaign contributions to members on Congress.

Issue Networks An issue network is an informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists (“the network”) who come together temporarily around a policy or problem (“the issue”). – Today, issue networks are more frequent than iron triangles. – Unlike iron triangles, issue networks are built around specialized interests and knowledge. Participants come from a variety or areas including interest groups, gov’t agencies, members of Congress and also include lawyers, consultants, academics, ect. – Unlike iron triangles, once the issue is dissolved the network will disband.

Outside (Indirect) Lobbying Based on the use of public pressure to influence officials. – Interest groups use public relations to create public sympathy or support for a position by making that position look favorable. Also known as “climate control” – Lobbying designed to persuade officials that a group’s policy position has strong constituent support is known as grassroots lobbying. – Interest groups will enlist their constituents as lobbyists to contact policy makers on their behalf. – Sometimes they resort to unconventional pressure through strikes, protests, and boycotts. Civil Rights’ Movement Sometimes these can turn violent and create backlash against the group.

Political Action Committees A group’s election contributions are funneled through its political action committee (PAC). – A PAC is the organization through which an interest group raises and distributed funds for election purposes. By law, the funds must be raised through voluntary contributions. – A PAC can back as many candidates as it wants, but it is limited on how much money it can give to a single candidate. About 60% are associated with businesses. They give about 8x as much to incumbents.

Political Action Committees, cont. PAC influence has been hotly debated. – Critics claim that PACs give interest groups too much influence on Congress. – Supporters claim they have a right to be heard and express themselves with money. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) allows corporations and spend unlimited amounts on campaigns, as long at the money isn't coordinated directly with candidates and parties – led to the creation of SuperPACs. PACs give interest groups a level of access to lawmakers that citizens lack. – Congress is unlikely to outlaw PACs because they are unwilling to eliminate a source of campaign funds.

Regulating Lobbyists Lobbyists and interest group activity are subject to federal regulation. – Lobbyists (those who spend 20% of their time lobbying Congress) must register with both House and Senate. – They must file quarterly reports detailing their spending. – The House has adopted a ban on gifts, while the Senate adopted a $50 limit on gifts. – Both houses outlawed all-expense paid trips.

The Group System – Indispensible but Biased Pluralist theory holds that organizes groups are a source of sound governance. – Pluralists argue that the promotion of special interest often benefits society as a whole. – Interest groups can address issues that parties neglect. There are flaws in pluralism. – Interest group liberalism – the tendency of officials to support demands of self-interested groups. – Groups get what they want, even if their priorities don’t match those of society as a whole. – Interest group membership is skewed toward the upper class, leading to the wealthy having more influence on government.

A Madisonian Dilemma – Madison’s solution to the problem of factions has become part of the new problem. Checks and balances were designed to prevent a majority group from dominating politics. Instead, we have many smaller factions gaining the support of well-placed policymakers.