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American Citizenship

American Citizenship. Chapter 9 Interest Groups. Section 1. The Nature of Interest Groups. The Role of Interest Groups. Seek to influence Public Policy They Function at every level of government We are a pluralistic society. Political Parties and Interest Groups.

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American Citizenship

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  1. American Citizenship Chapter 9 Interest Groups

  2. Section 1 • The Nature of Interest Groups

  3. The Role of Interest Groups • Seek to influence Public Policy • They Function at every level of government • We are a pluralistic society

  4. Political Parties and Interest Groups • Three major distinctions between political parties and interest groups • Making of nominations • Primary focus • Political parties are concerned about winning elections, while interest groups are issue oriented • Scope of their interests

  5. Interest Groups: Good or Bad? • Two Early Views • Madison and Tocqueville disagreed on the importance of interest groups • Valuable Functions of Interest Groups • Interest groups help stimulate interest in public affairs • those issues and events that concern the people at large • represent members on the basis of shared attitudes • provide useful, specialized and detailed information to government • vehicles for political participation • watchdog participation

  6. Interest Groups: Good or Bad? (Con’t) • Criticism • Sometimes more interested in their own agenda, as opposed to the interests of Americans • More organized and financed, the more say in government • How many people truly support the interest group? • Generally controlled by an active minority • Bribery and Threats sometimes used

  7. Section 2 • Types of Interest Groups

  8. An American Tradition • Interest groups have been in American history from the beginning, in one form or another • Come in all shapes and sizes • On any issue, however predominantly civil rights and economics • Chamber of Commerce • American Legion • PTA • MSTA • Church

  9. Group Based on Economic Interests • Business Groups • Business owners were strong proponents of the constitutional convention in 1787 • Trade Associations most common today • interest groups within the business community • Labor Groups • Labor Unions • an organization of workers who share the same type of job or who work in the same industry • Largest labor union today is the AFL-CIO

  10. Membership in Labor Unions 1 3 Chapter 9, Section 2

  11. Group Based on Economic Interests (Con’t) • Agricultural Groups • Today only 2% of the U.S. population lives on farms • American Farm Bureau one of the most prominent Agricultural interest groups • Professional Groups • Specialized on certain professions • such as the AMA, ABA, NEA

  12. Other Interest Groups • Groups that promote causes • Exist to promote a cause or an idea • Examples • ACLU, Planned Parenthood, NRA, Sierra Club, National Right-to-life Committee • Organizations that promote the welfare of certain groups • American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Affairs, AARP, NAACP, NAAA • Religious Groups • Try to influence public policy in reference to church beliefs • National Council of Churches

  13. Membership in Labor Unions 1 3 Chapter 9, Section 2

  14. Public-Interest Groups • An interest group that seeks to institute certain public policies of benefit to all or most people in this country

  15. Section 3 • Interest Groups at Work

  16. Influencing Public Opinion • Interest Groups reach out in three ways • Supply the public with “accurate” information • Build a positive image for the group • Promote a particular public policy

  17. Propaganda • A technique of persuasion aimed at influencing individual or group behaviors • Taking a conclusion, and finding information to support that conclusion • Greatly used through mass media, with simple slogans

  18. Influencing Parties and Elections • Interest Groups know and use political parties as allies to advance their particular issues • PAC’s most common use of Interest Groups in the political process • Single-interest groups • PACs that concentrate their efforts on one issue, such as abortion, gun control, or health care

  19. Lobbying • Those activities by which group pressures are brought to bear on legislators and legislative process • Nearly all types of interest groups, have lobbyist in Washington, D.C. in order to influence legislative decisions • Lobbyist at Work • They will write articles in papers, create commercials, testify before committees, etc. • Grass roots pressure is brought up as well • from the people, average voters • Lobby Regulation • Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 requires all those involved in lobbying to register

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