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Interest Groups. Interest Groups. An interest group is an organized group that tries to influence public policy . Interest groups provide an avenue for citizen participation in politics. Kinds of Interest Groups. Public Interest Groups - AARP
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Interest Groups • An interest group is an organized group that tries to influence public policy. • Interest groups provide an avenue for citizen participation in politics.
Kinds of Interest Groups • Public Interest Groups - AARP • Economic Interest Groups - U.S. Chamber of Commerce • Governmental Units - State/Local Government • Political Action Committees
What Interest Groups Do • Increase representation and participation in American politics. • Increase public awareness about important issues. • Help frame the public agenda. • Engage in lobbying and election activities.
Lobbying • Lobbying - the activities of a group or organization that seek to persuade political leaders to support the group’s position. • the term “lobbying” refers to a situation where individuals meet elected officials in the lobbies of government buildings to try to persuade them about specific issues.
Who is Lobbied? • Congress - research, money, or testimony is provided by lobbyists to Congress. • Executive Branch - President, White House staff and bureaucracy are lobbied. • Courts - through sponsorship of lawsuits or filing of amicus curiae briefs.
Effective Lobbyists • Many of the most effective lobbyists are former members of Congress.
Election Activities of Interest Groups • Candidate recruitment and endorsements. • Getting out the vote. • Rating the candidates or office holders. • Campaign contributions through PACs. • Signing pledges.
Americans for Tax Reform Pledge United States House of Representatives candidates Taxpayer Protection Pledge I, _______________, pledge to the taxpayers of the _____ district of the state of__________, and to the American people that I will: ONE, oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and TWO, oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates. _________________________________________ Signature _________________________________________ Date _________________________________________ Witness _________________________________________ Witness Pledges must be signed, dated, witnessed and returned to: AMERICANS FOR TAX REFORM 722 12th Street, WASHINGTON, DC 20005 PHONE (202) 785-0266 FAX (202) 330-5224
Interest Groups • ABC Videos Power Parties in Washington. • http://portal.mypearson.com/mypearson-login.jsp?logoutAction=render
Interest Groups • http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/283053-2 • What do interest groups represent? • Who is a lobbyist? • What is traded between lobbyists and elected officials?
Interest Groups • What do interest groups represent? • Everything. • Who is a lobbyist? • We all are.
Interest Groups • What is traded between lobbyists and elected officials? • Lobbyists provide • votes of interest group members • money for political campaigns • information • testimony at congressional hearings • draft legislation • Elected officials provide • votes supporting lobbyist’s point of view
How do Interest Groups Provide Money for Election Campaigns? • Political Action Committees (PAC) • the political arm of interest groups (and corporations). • allowed by federal laws governing campaign financing to raise funds and make campaign contributions to elected officials.
Some Interest Groups • http://www.aarp.org/ • http://www.lwv.org/Elections/index.html • http://home.nra.org/#/home • http://www.sierraclub.org/
The Dark Side of Interest Groups • http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moyersonamerica/capitol/index.html • http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec10/delay_11-25.html • In 2006 Jack Abramoff pled guilty to conspiracy, fraud, and tax evasion.
Regulating Interest Groups and Lobbyists • Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007 • Bans gifts and honoraria to members of Congress and their staffs • tougher disclosure requirements • longer time limits on moving from the federal government to the private lobbying sector.
Political Parties • Political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution. • Political parties seek to gain and exercise power through the electoral process.
Functions of the Party System • Mobilize support and build coalitions. • Encourage stability in the political system. • Provide accountability for public policy. • Run candidates for office. • Formulate policy through a national party platform.
Third Parties • Rooted in sectionalism, economic protest, single issues, and charismatic personalities. • Do best when there is little trust in other parties. • Can have success in putting issues on the agenda.
Third Parties • Libertarian Party wants to reduce the size and cost of government and eliminate laws which control people’s personal choices. • Reform Party in 1992 and 1996 wanted an amendment requiring a balanced budget. 23
Party Organization • National committees - hold conventions every 4 years to: • nominate presidential and vice-presidential candidates. • formulate a party platform. A party platform represents the official party position on various issues.
Party Organization • State committees. • County committees. • Precincts - smallest level of the party organization and comprised of the foot soldiers for the party.
Party Organization Back
Political Parties • Based on the preceding party platforms...which political party is the best fit with your political beliefs?
Party Affiliation • Party identification shapes political worldview. • Wealthy, white-collar workers, married, and evangelicals are more likely Republican. • Working class, women, minorities, singles, unions, and advanced degrees are more Democratic. • The single greatest influence on young citizens’ initial party identification is their parents.
