Interest Groups, Lobbying & Money

1. Interest Groups, Lobbying & Money Intro Interest Groups: Definition Types Public & Private NRA, AARP Tactics Direct Lobbying Indirect Lobbying Civil Disobedience $$$: Limits & Loopholes Key Terms Interest Groups Telephone Tree Mailings PAC MoveOn.org EMILY’s LIST McCain/Feingold 527 Accounts Citizens United Negative Spending

2. Definition Interest Group A group that tries to get the government to pass laws to help their cause.

3. Types of Interest Groups Public Interest Groups: Lobby for causes to try to benefit all of society.

4. Types of Interest Groups Public Interest Groups Environmental Groups • PETA • Sierra Club Religious Organizations • Christian Coalition • Operation Rescue (Single Issue) Other • National Rifle Association (Single Issue)

5. Types of Interest Groups Private Interest Groups: Lobby for causes to try to benefit members of their organization (MEMBERS ONLY).

6. Types of Interest Groups Private Interest Groups • Professional Organizations • American Medical Association • American Bar Association • National Education Association • Other Organizations • “Older Americans” • AARP • Businesses • Foreign Governments

7. Tactics of Interest Groups Direct Lobbying Lobbyists speak directly with elected officials or members of their staff.

8. Indirect Lobbying Groups mobilize average Americans to shape public opinion & place pressure on politicians Telephone Tree Mailings Civil Disobedience $$$$ Tactics of Interest Groups AARP

9. Tactics of Interest Groups Civil Disobedience Violation of what is perceived to be an immoral law and accepting the punishment for violating those laws. Why?-- to bring about publicity & hopefully change.

10. Bus Boycott(Montgomery, AL, 1955-56) Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

11. Money & Lobbying PAC = Political Action Committee A private group (corporation, labor union, interest group, etc.) that raises and spends money for use in elections.

12. PACs Raising a lot of MoneyJanuary 1, 2007- December 31, 2008 • MoveOn.org • Supports Liberal Democrats • EMILY’s LIST • Goal: Elect pro- choice women (primarily Democrats) to public office • NRAPolitical Victory Fund Source: fec.gov press release 6/4/09

13. EMILY’S LISThttp://www.emilyslist.org/ • Early • Money • Is • Like • Yeast EMILY’S List Frontpage: 3/17/09

14. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/168449/may-13-2008/better-know-a-lobby---gun-controlhttp://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/168449/may-13-2008/better-know-a-lobby---gun-control

15. Federal Elections Commissionhttp://www.fec.gov/

16. McCain/Feingold(2002 Reforms) Russell Feingold D-WI John McCain R-AZ

17. McCain/Feingold-Contribution Limits • Individuals may directly contribute up to: • $2,000 to a candidate • $5,000 to a single PAC • PACs may directly contribute up to: • $5,000 to a candidate

18. Contributions & 2008 Election(Hard Money: contributions to political parties & to individual House & Senate Candidates) • Democrats raised: $780.5 million • Republicans raised: +$640.8 million $1,421,3 ($1.42 billion) For the 1992 election they combined to raise: $514 million The money was raised between 1/07-12/08 Source: fec.gov disclosure map http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/mapHSApp.do

19. “527 Accounts” No limits on contributions to 527 Account organizations But only “independent” advertisements are allowed Citizens United Decision Supreme Court decision allowed corporations to spend money on “independent” advertisements Loopholes In The System Opponents of Supreme Court decision gather outside the Court building

20. NPR Story (10/14/2010) • http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=130569589&m=130572270

21. The Impact Negative Spending Spending money to attack the credibility or political stances of an opponent

22. 2008 Election (Anti-McCain) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2reDdPPCQ0

23. 2008 Election (Anti-Obama) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHXYsw_ZDXg

24. 1964 Election (Lyndon Johnson)“Daisy Ad”

25. Interest Groups, Lobbying & Money Intro Interest Groups: Definition Types Public & Private NRA, AARP Tactics Direct Lobbying Indirect Lobbying Civil Disobedience $$$: Limits & Loopholes Key Terms Interest Groups Telephone Tree Mailings PAC MoveOn.org EMILY’s LIST McCain/Feingold 527 Accounts Citizens United Negative Spending