1. What you need to know about….
Interest Groups!!!

2. What are they?
Group of people who share a point of view and unite to promote their viewpoints.
BIASED!! (What does that mean?)
Unite by pooling money, time, and skills together
You may belong to more than 1!

3. Types of Interest Groups
Economic
Promotes free enterprise economy (people run the economy)
Example: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Promotes a specific type of business
Example: Tobacco Institute
Promotes economic interest of workers
Example: ALF-CIO
Public
Work to benefit all society
Example: League of Women Voters and Common Cause
Other
Promotes ethnic, age, or gender groups
Works for special causes
Example: AARP, NAACP, NOW, and Sierra Club

4. What do they want to accomplish?
Want to influence public policy through…
Elections
Support through $$$ to candidates by PAC
Courts
Sue if they feel laws are not being enforced
Argue constitutionality of laws
Lawmakers
Use lobbyist to influence
Make sure laws are carried out.

5. Lobbyist Techniques Used: Person who represents an interest group
Expert on topic of interest group
Paid or Volunteer
Techniques Used:
Propaganda through TV, Radio, Internet, etc.
What is propaganda?

6. Regulations on Interest Groups
Lobbyist must register with Congress and disclose how much $$ they make, who they work for, how they are spending money
If you are federal employee and want to become a lobbyist, you must sit out for a period of time before you can become a lobbyist.