1. Warm Up – Just (a)
Interest groups seek to influence political processes in ways that benefit their members. In doing so, however, they may not act in the overall public interest.
(a) Describe two techniques interest groups use to influence elections.
(b) Explain how interest groups use each of the following to influence government decision making.
Issue networks (also known as iron triangles)
Amicus curiae briefs
(c) Explain how each of the following serves to limit interest group influence.
The media
Pluralism

2. Interest Groups Labor Unions Open Shop
Union membership is not required
Closed Shop
Union membership may be required

3. Lobbying What is lobbying?
Why do lobbyists have a negative public image?
What do lobbyists even do?
What is the revolving door in lobbying?
What is the key element to lobbying?

4. Lobbyists in the Gov. What job have lobbyists taken on in Congress?
Describe the way that lobbyists lobby?
What do you think happened to the lobbyists who pushed Vioxx through the FDA?
How do you lobby to the Courts?
Lobbyists are sometimes seen as the “Third House” of Congress
-vioxx increased heart attacks and strokes

5. Lobbyists Provide money and information
Why might a lobbyist find it difficult to get their policy pushed through?

6. Lobbying limits 1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
Lobbyists have to register with the government and disclose salaries, expenses

7. Former government employees often become lobbyists
Why?

8. Influence Peddling
Using personal friendships and inside information to get political advantage
Congressmen must wait 1 year before lobbying
Executive officials have to wait 5 years

9. The Iron Triangle What is the iron triangle?
How does the iron triangle work?
Example – Defense contractors, U.S. Army, Defense subcommittee
What is an issue network?
How are they different from iron triangles?

11. Grassroots lobbying What is grassroots lobbying?
What is grassroots lobbying trying to do?
How can this be effective?

12. Political Action Committees
PACs are the political arm of interest groups that can raise money for candidates or political parties
Increased substantially in the last 45 years
How are PACs useful?
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971
Restricts PAC spending to $5,000 per election
How do they get around this?

13. PACs What kind of funding does not need to be disclosed?
Banned in 2002
Bundling
PACs collect contributions and bundle them together in a donation
Who do PACs give more money to: incumbents or challengers?
Why?

15. 527 Groups Named after the section of the tax code that allows them
A tax-exempt organization that promotes a political agenda
Cannot advocate for or against a specific candidate

16. The problem with Campaign Finance Regulation
It is a lot of work to regulate where $6.6 billion dollars is coming from and where its going
22 people are in the FEC

17. 2004 #2
Choose one of the following techniques and explain why an interest group would choose that technique.
Litigation
Campaign contributions
Grassroots lobbying
Select one of the following groups and identify the primary techniques it uses from the list in part (a). Explain why the group you selected would employ that technique over the other two techniques.
American Medical Association, Sierra Club, National Rifle Association, or NAACP