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Interest Groups

Interest Groups. By Loren Miller. Interest Groups. Politics is the process of influencing public policy decisions to protect and preserve a group, to achieve a group’s goals, and to distribute benefits to a group’s members.

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Interest Groups

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  1. Interest Groups By Loren Miller

  2. Interest Groups • Politics is the process of influencing public policy decisions to protect and preserve a group, to achieve a group’s goals, and to distribute benefits to a group’s members. • History shows that people who organize for political action tend to be more effective in achieving their goals than persons acting alone.

  3. Interest Groups • When people attempt to influence political decisions or the selection of men and women who make such decisions, they usually turn either to political parties or to interest groups. • An interest group is also known as a: • Pressure group • Special interest group • Lobby

  4. Interest Groups • An organization whose members share common views and objectives. • To promote their interests, such groups participate in activities designed to influence government officials and policy decisions. • Lobbying • Electioneering

  5. Business Groups and Trade Associations • Business groups and trade associations are the most powerful interest groups in Texas politics. • The “8-F Crowd” ran Texas government for 40 years • George Brown (Brown and Root Construction), Jesse Jones (Texas Commerce Bank), Gus Wortham (American General Life Insurance) and James Elkins (Vinson & Elkins law firm) • Business groups wield influence at all levels of state politics and on a variety of issues • Educational finance, insurance regulation, water development, immigration, transportation • Business interests pursue their goals both as individual firms and through trade associations.

  6. Business Groups and Trade Associations • A trade association is an organization representing the interests of firms and professions in the same general field. • The Texas Association of Business is a trade association for business firms ranging from giant corporations to small neighborhood business establishments. • The Texas Association of Builders is a trade association representing the interests of building contractors. • The Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association is a trade association that speaks for the concerns of major oil producers • The Insurance Council of Texas is a trade association representing insurance companies.

  7. Business Groups and Trade Associations • Business groups and trade associations are effective because they are well organized, well financed and skilled in advocating their positions. • Businesspeople usually know what they want from government and have the financial and organizational resources to pursue their goals aggressively. • Business groups also have a favorable public image (especially small business)

  8. Business Groups and Trade Associations • Business groups and trade associations generally agree on the need to maintain a good business climate. • A low tax rate on business • Laws that restrict union influence • Regulations favorable to business growth • Support education to train the skilled and well-educated workforce needed for high-technology development

  9. Business Groups and Trade Associations • For six years in a row, chief executives nationwide have rated Texas as the best state in the nation to do business while California and New York are the worst (Chief Executive Magazine). • Transportation • Tax policy • Access to capital • Technology • Innovation • Quality of living

  10. Business Groups and Trade Associations • Business interests are more influential in Texas politics than they are in national politics because there are fewer competitors in Texas. • Organized labor, consumer groups, environmental organizations and other groups that often oppose business interests are relatively weak in Texas.

  11. Business Groups Generally Oppose Environmental Regulations

  12. Professional Associations • Organizations of doctors, lawyers, realtors, and teachers are also important participators in Texas politics. • Texas Medical Association is a professional organization of physicians • Texas Trial Lawyers Association is an organization of attorney who represent plaintiffs in personal injury lawsuits • Texas Association of Realtors is an organization of real estate professionals.

  13. Professional Associations • Professional associations are influential because of the relatively high socioeconomic status of their members. • Money and political influence are closely tied • Professional associations enjoy an added advantage in that many elected officials come from the ranks of professionals (especially lawyers).

  14. Professional Associations • Professional associations concern themselves with public policies that affect their members. • Doctors and lawyers often battle each other over medical damage award caps in malpractice lawsuits • Real estate professionals are primarily concerned with policies affecting real estate transactions such as home equity lending and professional licensure. • Teacher organizations focus on teacher pay and pensions as well as the whole range of education issues.

  15. Organized Labor • Organized labor is relatively weak in Texas as state laws make it difficult for unions to organize workers and easy for businesses to use non-union labor. • Texas has a right-to-work law, a statute prohibiting a union shop which is a workplace in which every employee must belong to a union.

  16. Organized Labor • In states without right-to-work laws, the employees vote whether to create a union shop. If a majority agree, then all employees must just the union and pay union dues, • Pro right-to-work: No one should be forced to join a union and pay dues. • Anti right-to-work: It’s not fair that non-union members benefit from union representation when they do not pay union dues.

  17. Organized Labor • Nationally, labor unions are strongest in the large industrial states of the Northeast and Midwest. • New York – 25% of the workers were union (2010) • Michigan – 17% of the workers were union (2010) • Texas – 5.4% of the workers were union (2010) • Labor unions in Texas are too small and too poorly organized to compete against business groups.

  18. Agricultural Groups • Agricultural interests have long been powerful in Texas politics. • In the 19th century the most influential political voices in the state were those of major landowners. • Even after Texas became an urban state, rural areas retained power. • Urbanization has weakened rural interests in Texas, but farm groups retain influence.

  19. Agricultural Groups • The Texas Farm Bureau represents the interests of farmers, ranchers and people living in rural areas. • As urban areas sprawl into farmland, farmers are hurt by rising property taxes. • Farm groups lobbied successfully to have farmland taxed on the value as farmland, not on the value as the site of a future subdivision. • Agricultural interests have won tax breaks on the purchase of farm machinery, seed grain, and fertilizer.

  20. Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups • Racial and ethnic minority groups enjoy some political influence in Texas. • Minority groups are interested in the enforcement of laws protecting the voting rights of minority citizens, the election and appointment of minority Texans to state and local offices, college admission policies, services for low-income residents of the state, inner-city development and economic development (particularly in South Texas).

  21. Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups • The two best known minority rights organizations in the state are the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). • In recent legislative sessions they have pushed for hate-crime legislation, the elimination of racial profiling, and additional funding for public education and healthcare programs.

  22. Racial & Ethnic Minority Groups • Racial and ethnic minority groups are becoming more influential in Texas politics. • Nonetheless, they are not as powerful as the more established interest groups in the state. • Racial and ethnic minority groups are sometimes divided among themselves and are almost always short of funds. • Many minority residents are not registered to vote and others stay home on election day. • Many minority voters do not necessarily follow the political lead of groups like LULAC and the NAACP.

  23. Religious Groups • Churches and other religious institutions provide the foundation for a number of political organizations. • Roman Catholic and Protestant churches in poor and minority areas have helped organize political groups to support healthcare, and education. • Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) • Interfaith Alliance in the Rio Grande Valley • Metropolitan Organization (TMO) in Houston • They favor the expansion of SCHIP coverage (providing healthcare to low-income families), increased funding for public education and protecting the rights of immigrant workers.

  24. Religious Groups • The most active and probably most influential religiously oriented political groups are associated with the religious right, who are individuals who hold conservative social views because of their religious beliefs. • Focus on the Family • Eagle Forum • American Family Association • They oppose abortion, pornography, stem-cell research, gay marriage, and the teaching of evolution in the public schools. • They favor abstinence-based sex education, prayer in schools, and home schooling.

  25. Religious Groups • Conservative Christian groups are an important part of the base of the Texas Republican Party. • Legislative successes include: • Constitutional amendment to outlaw gay marriage • Adopt a measure to require couples to attend premarital counseling or pay higher marriage license fees. • Defeated efforts to expand legalized gambling • Requiring women who want an abortion to undergo a sonogram.

  26. Citizen Groups • Citizen groups are organizations created to support government policies that they believe will benefit the public at-large. • Texans for Public Justice and Common Cause are organizations that work for campaign finance reform, ethics regulations for public officials, and other good-government causes. • Texas Public Interest Research Group and Texas Watch are consumer rights organizations.

  27. Advocacy Groups • Advocacy groups are organizations created to seek benefits on behalf of persons who are unable to represent their own interests. • The Children’s Defense Fund is an organization that attempts to promote the welfare of children. • The Texas AIDS Network represents the interests of people with HIV/AIDS.

  28. Cause Groups • Cause groups are organizations whose members care intensely about a single issue or group of related issues. • The Texas Right to Life Committee opposes abortion while the NARAL Pro-Choice Texas favors abortion rights. • The National Rifle Association (NRA), National Organization for Women (NOW) and AARP are all “cause groups.”

  29. Citizen, Advocacy & Cause Groups • These groups vary in political influence depending on their organizational strength, the power of the opposition and the popularity of their cause. • MADD has been able to overcome the opposition of the liquor industry and lawyers of DWI defendants. • The Sierra Club has not been able to overcome the opposition of the oil and gas industry and electric utilities.

  30. Lobby Contracts by Interests Represented in Texas 2011 Interest Group Value of Contracts # of Contracts Energy/Nat’l Resources $64,125,000 1,357 Health $53,230,000 1,239 Misc. Business $40,785,000 1,024 Communications $22,950,000 399 Finance $18,390,000 479 Lawyers $17,200,000 366 Insurance $14,100,000 360 Transportation $13,105,000 360 Construction $12,675,000 305 Real Estate $10,355,000 321 Agriculture $ 6,900,000 195 Labor $ 6,265,000 130

  31. Lobbying • The term “lobbying” comes from the place where petitioners used to collar legislators. • You “hung out” waiting for a legislator to appear • Lobbyists are political persuaders who represent organized groups. • Many lobbyists are former legislators (is this a potential problem?) Role of Lobbyists

  32. Number of Legislators Who Turned to Lobbying 2010

  33. Lobbying • Texas legislators can turn around and lobby their former colleagues the day after he or she leaves office. • While legislators are required to report lobby contributions (there are no limits to political contributions in Texas), contributions to legislator’s families (hiring a spouse, etc.) are not required to be reported.

  34. Lobbying • There are two basic types of lobbyists: • A regular paid employee of a corporation, union or association • People who are available for hire on a temporary basis • In recent years, Texas has ranked second to California in money spent on lobbying the state government • There are more than 1,800 registered lobbyists in Texas.

  35. Lobby Spending in Texas AT&T Communications 10.6m Energy Future Holdings Corp Energy/Natural Resources 2.6m American Electric Power Energy/Natural Resources 2.0m Center Point Energy Energy/Natural Resources 1.8m McGinnis Lochridge & Kilgore Lawyers 1.7m Global Gaming Gambling 1.6m Texas Ass’n for Home Care Health 1.5m Oncor Electric Delivery Co. Energy/Natural Resources 1.5m Texas Medical Association Health 1.4m Texas Ass’n of Realtors Real Estate 1.4m TXU Energy Energy/Natural Resources 1.3m Texas Cable Ass’n Communications 1.3m Luminant Holding Co. Energy/Natural Resources 1.2m 2011

  36. Lobbying • In addition to trying to influence legislators: • They are important sources of information • They can help politicians with political strategy for getting legislation through (or blocking it) • They can help formulate campaign strategy and get the group’s members behind politicians election campaign • They are a source of ideas and innovation

  37. Lobbying • The regulation of lobbying activity in Texas is minimal at best. • A person seeking to influence policy must register as a lobbyist • A lobbyist must disclose (within a range) their compensation • A lobbyist may not make any contribution from 30 days prior to the start of the legislative session to 20 days after its conclusion.

  38. Electioneering • Aiding candidates financially and getting group members out to support them. • A means for groups to participate is provided by Political Action Committees. • No major interest group seeking to exert influence on the political process can pass up the opportunity to funnel money honestly and openly into the campaign coffers of its supporters.

  39. Electioneering • The Texas Ethics Commission defines a PAC as “a group of persons that has a principal purpose of accepting political contributions or making political contributions.” • Texas statutes prohibit direct political contributions by corporations and labor unions to individual candidates. • These and other groups may form PACs composed of their employees or members.

  40. Electioneering • Texas imposes no limit on what PACs or individuals can raise or contribute to candidates running for statewide offices or the legislature, except in judicial races. • Bo Pilgrim • Robert Riggs Reports Bo Pilgrim Gives $10K Checks to Texas lawmakers 1989 - YouTube

  41. PAC Spending By Sector (%) 2011

  42. Do Lobbyists Make Money? • Carol McGarah* 4.3m 77 • Rusty Kelley ** 4.0m 76 • Andrea McWilliams *** 3.7m 48 • Dean McWilliams *** 3.7m 48 • Mignon McGarry**** 3.1m 36 • Stan Schluter***** 2.7m 22 • “Reggie” Bashur****** 2.1m 25 • *Former Committee Director for the Senate Natural Resources Committee • **Former Chief of Staff of the Speaker of the House • ***Former Chief of Staff for a State Representative • ****Former Chief of Staff of the Dean of the Texas Senate • *****Ex-Chair House Calendar Committee • *****Ex-governor’s aid 2011

  43. Electioneering • In addition to their role in financing campaigns, interest groups participate in numerous other ways: • Recruiting interest group members to run for office. • Issuing official group endorsements. • Providing volunteer labor to participate in campaign work. • Sending delegates to state and national party conventions to influence the party platforms.

  44. Interest Group Endorsements Governor 2010 Governor Perry was endorsed by: Texas Association of Manufacturers Texas Right to Life Texas Association of Realtors National Rifle Association Bill White was endorsed by: Texas State Teachers Association Texas League of Conservation Voters AFL-CIO Dallas Morning News

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