1. Interest group Questions

2. Question
Different interest groups will choose different techniques to achieve their objectives based on their resources, characteristics and goals.
A) Describe each of the following techniques and explain why an interest group would choose each technique. (6 Points, 1 point for each general description, 1 point for showing why the strategy would be used)
Litigation
Campaign contributions
Grassroots lobbying/ mass mobilization

3. A) Litigation Definition: To contest in legal proceedings. Used when:
Lack of broad popular support, and /or influence over legislation/policy
Rights issues are involved
Success establishes firm precedent

4. A) Campaign contributions
Funds that are raised and spent in order to promote candidates, parties or policies in some sort of electoral contest.
Used when:
A group needs access to policy making.
Has a narrow or focused issue
Buy a candidates loyalty or support for cause, increase support.

5. A) Grassroots lobbying
Mass mobilization, large numbers of citizens writing into their congressmen/women about an issue.
Used when
Popular support but lacks funds
Popular support lends to strength of cause
Requires less funds
Democratic concerns (philosophical approach). Needs to go beyond influencing public opinion to include involvement/activity for first point; must include how the involvement/ activity affects decision makes for second point.

6. Question
B) Select one of the following groups and identify the primary technique it uses from the list in part a). Explain why the group you selected would employ that technique over the other two techniques.(2 Points, 1 point for association with a strategy, 1 point for linkage to other strategies)
American Medical Association (AMA)
Sierra Club
National Rifle Association (NRA)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

7. B) American Medical Association (AMA)
Campaign Contributions over litigation because more influence in law making than law disputing. Over grassroots because they don’t always have popular support.
Sierra Club (Clean energy)
Grassroots have the popular support, people like the idea of going green, OR litigation law are already in place to aid their goals, they don’t need to make new ones by influencing legislation.

8. B) National Rifle Association (NRA)
Grass roots Americans, generally, like their guns, no need for laws, the right to bear arms is in the bill of rights. OR Litigation against laws that limit ownership of guns.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Litigation OR grassroots easy to win disputes/ have popular support. Difficult to make new laws.