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Interest Groups

Interest Groups. The group basis of presidential coalitions. Key demographic and organized groups for Dems. and Repub. Demographic groups -- Ds: women, racial minorities, young, less educated, poor, and retired. Rs: white men, church-going, wealthy, and middle aged.

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Interest Groups

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  1. Interest Groups The group basis of presidential coalitions. Key demographic and organized groups for Dems. and Repub. Demographic groups -- Ds: women, racial minorities, young, less educated, poor, and retired. Rs: white men, church-going, wealthy, and middle aged. Organized groups – Ds: labor, environment, lawyers, public employees. Rs – business generally (esp. oil, banking/ finance). Campaign contributions to current presidential candidates by sector: http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?cycle=2008

  2. Types of interest groups Material (business, labor, professions). Examples: major corporations from ATT to Proctor and Gamble; Teamsters, AFT; AMA, ABA, realtors. Some groups, such as realtors hedge their bets; most give predominantly to one party (esp. labor). Expressive (non-material) Group is formed around an idea or cause (environment, abortion, consumer protection). Open secrets list of expressive groups.

  3. 2005-06 Dem PAC contributions PAC Name Total Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers $2,706,575 American Assn for Justice $2,456,500 Laborers Union $2,278,150 United Auto Workers $2,197,850 Operating Engineers Union $2,171,735 American Federation of Teachers $2,088,448 Amer Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic Employees $2,006,685 Teamsters Union $1,897,100 National Assn of Realtors $1,827,505 Plumbers/Pipefitters Union $1,765,150

  4. 2005-06 Repub PAC contributions PAC Name Total National Assn of Home Builders $2,130,000 National Beer Wholesalers Assn $2,028,000 National Auto Dealers Assn $1,978,500 National Assn of Realtors $1,904,500 American Bankers Assn $1,749,599 AT&T Inc $1,549,433 United Parcel Service $1,511,308 American Medical Assn $1,382,850 National Restaurant Assn $1,343,296 Credit Union National Assn $1,296,605

  5. 2006 party contributions to Repubs, by sector

  6. 2006 party contributions to Dems, by sector

  7. Interest group activities Grassroots versus insider. Increase in numbers. Lobbying Congress or the bureaucracy on policy (direct meetings, testifying at hearings, prepare other witnesses), elections (direct contributions, mobilize voters, and independent expenditures), courts (amicus briefs, appointments), direct democracy (get initiatives on ballots). Executive lobbying: very little direct lobbying of the Pres or his aides. Most happens in the bureaucracy. Comment on proposed rules and regulations. Testify at executive agency hearings, serve on agency advisory boards.

  8. Assessing the role of interest groups Pluralism and its critics. Pluralists: interest groups play a valuable role in democracy. Allow for the expression of intense views. Mancur Olson – many views will not be hear because of the collective action (free rider) problem. Schattschneider – upper class bias of interest group system Second face of power – hard to assess the real impact of interest groups. Much activity happens behind the scenes. Lobbying disclosure laws help get at this.

  9. Interest groups, cont. Contentious elites (Tichenor) -- Affiliated (collaborative), unaffiliated (adversarial) and the ability of presidents to affect policy (broad or narrow). Traditional wisdom that parties and IGs are at cross-purposes. Apply President Bush to this model John DiIulio – “Special K” article. Huge influence of interest groups in writing legislation. Much of that money and influence is flowing to Dems now. Christian Right article – tremendous influence early on, struggling for influence now.

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