Advanced Placement ® American Government and Politics

1. Advanced Placement® American Government and Politics Unit III – Political Parties (8) and Interest Groups (11) Part 2 – Interest Groups

2. What is an interest group? • Also called an “advocacy group” • Organization of people with shared policy goals that try to influence the political process to achieve those goals • Parties are policy generalists, while IG’s are policy specialists • Huge explosion in recent times; 90% have HQs in Washington DC • Interests primarily economic Where to find lobbyists…DC’s KStreet.

3. Interest groups: Good or Evil? • Alexis de Tocqueville • wrote Democracy in America • suggested that the ease with which Americans form organizations is a reflection of a strong democratic culture

4. Interest groups: Good or Evil? • Federalist No. 10 warned of the dangers of "factions” • Madison noted that the causes of actions were "sown in the nature of man” • trying to eliminate factions would restrict liberty • relief from factions should come from controlling their effects This should mildly disturb you.

5. Interest groups are distinct from parties • Political parties fight election battles; interest groups do not field candidates for office but may choose sides

6. The roles of interest groups • What do interest groups do? • Representation: represent their constituents before government • Participation: facilitate and stimulate people's participation in politics • Education: educate their members, the public at large, and government officials • Agenda building: the process by which new issues are brought into the political limelight • Program monitoring: keeping track of government programs

7. The roles of interest groups • How do Interest Groups achieve their goals? • Supply credible information (most important role/tactic) • detailed/current info is political gold • most effective on narrow, technical issues • Tactics: • Lobbying (political persuasion) • Electioneering (getting people into office, keeping them there)—PACs • Litigation (look for amicus curiae briefs) • THEN: “insider strategy” most common (face-to- face meeting b/w lobbyist and official) • NOW: “outsider strategy” (“grassroots” public mobilization, thanks to modern technology; ex. MOVEON.ORG) • Target: the undecided legislator or bureaucrat (“lobby ‘em!”)

8. Theories of Interest Group Politics • Elite Theory • Societies are divided along class lines and an upper-class elite rules, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization • Pluralist Theory • Politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies • HyperpluralistTheory • Groups are so strong that government is weakened • an extreme, exaggerated form of pluralism

9. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Elites and the Denial of Pluralism • Real power is held by the relatively few. • Power elite theorists believe that a small number of super rich individuals, powerful corporate interest groups, and large financial institutions dominate key policy areas • Elite power is fortified by a system of interlocking • directorates of • corporations, the wealthy • and other institutions • Other groups may win many • minor policy battles, but elites • prevail when it comes to big • policy decisions • Lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many

10. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Elites and the Denial of Pluralism • Power elite theorists point to the recent financial crisis to illustrate their view of the close relationship between Wall Street interests and Washington policymakers • While ordinary Americans received small stimulus checks, Wall Street banks received enormous federal bailouts • As noted by the American Political Science Association, “Citizens with lower to moderate incomes speak with a whisper that is lost in the ears of inattentive government officials, while the advantaged roar with a clarity and consistency that policymakers readily hear and routinely follow.”

11. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Pluralism and group theory • lots of groups / highly organized / no one group wins all the time • Groups provide a key link between the people and the government • some groups stronger then others (none always dominant) • not all groups have equal time with power • lobbying is open to all and should not be regarded as a problem

12. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Pluralism and group theory • While elitists point to the concentration of power, pluralists emphasize that America’s fragmented federal system and division of power into three branches provides many points of access and influence • As a result, no one group can dominate the entire system • Pluralists point out that interest groups lacking financial resources can use their size and intensity to achieve their goals • For example, a determined interest group that lacks legislative influence can turn to the courts for a favorable decision

13. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism • pluralism out of control • interest group liberalism by Theodore Lowi • governments excessively refer to groups • government listens / acts / advances nearly all agendas • created when government appeases: • government agencies proliferate • conflicting regulations expand • programs multiply • budget skyrockets

14. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism • Evidence: • iron triangles or subgovernments • key interest group for particular policy • government agency in charge of administrating the policy • members of congress that handle the policy • relations between groups and government too cozy • hard choices rarely made • policy paralysis

15. Theories of Interest Group Politics (Details) • Hyperpluralism and interest group liberalism • When political leaders try to appease competing interest groups, they often create policies that are confusing and at times contradictory • As a result, legislators avoid making hard choices that are in the national interest • For example, public health groups have successfully convinced the government to launch vigorous antismoking campaign • At the same time, interest groups representing tobacco farmers have successfully lobbied the government to subsidize their crop

16. What makes an interest group successful? • Group Success (cause) • many factors suggest success • size of the group • Intensity • financial resources

17. What makes an interest group successful? • Intensity • intensity can motivate a large group (abortion) • politicians will listen to active, motivated, intense groups • single issue group • narrow, issue oriented group, dislikes compromise, single-mindedly pursues goal

18. What makes an interest group successful? • Group Failure • collective good • something of value that can not be withheld from a potential group member • clean air, higher minimum wage • free rider problem • when potential members decide not to join • free riders benefit, but do not contribute

19. What makes an interest group successful? • Law of Large Groups • created by Mancur Olson • bigger the group, bigger free rider problem • need a selective benefit to entice membership • information publications • Insurance • travel discounts

20. Types of Interest Groups • Economic Interests • Labor • Agriculture • Business • Environmental Interests • Equality Interests • Consumer and Public Interest Lobbies MINNESOTA

21. Interest Groups and Democracy • James Madison’s solution to the problems posed by interest groups was to create a wide-open system in which groups compete • Pluralistsbelieve that the public interest would prevail from this competition • Elite theorists point to the proliferation of business PACs as evidence of interest group corruption • Hyperpluralists maintain that group influence has led to policy gridlock

22. PACs (Political Action Committee) • set up by and representing a corporation, union, IG, political candidate that raises & spends campaign contributions on behalf of candidates or causes • Rapid growth in PACs, but probably hasn’t led to vote-buying (???); $ is available on both sides of issues • Most members of Congress vote ideology or constituency; but it IS a political issue

23. PACs (Political Action Committee) • Over 4,600 active, registered PACs • Connected PACs • established by businesses, labor unions, trade groups, or health organizations • receive and raise money from a "restricted class," generally consisting of managers and shareholders in the case of a corporation and members in the case of a union or other interest group • Non-connected PACs • ideological mission, single-issue groups, and members of Congress and other political leaders • may accept funds from any individual, business PAC or organization

24. PACs (Political Action Committee) • Super PACs • Since 2010, "independent-expenditure only committees” • can raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions and other groups, as well as wealthy individuals. • made possible by two court rulings that lifted many spending and contribution limits. • can also mount the kind of direct attacks on candidates that were not allowed in the past. • Super PACs are not allowed to coordinate directly with candidates or political parties and must disclose their donors

25. PACs (Political Action Committee) • Leadership PACs: • established by a member of Congress to support other candidates • non-connected PACs, and can accept donations from an individual, business or other PACs • cannot spend fund to directly support the campaign of its sponsor (through mail or ads) • may fund travel, administrative expenses, consultants, polling, and other non-campaign expenses • Can also contribute to the campaigns of other candidates • Between 2008 and 2009, leadership PACs raised and spent more than $47 million.

26. 527 organization • can take a stand on an issue, but cannot directly contribute to candidates • cannot explicitly endorse a candidate • can accept contributions of unlimited size • can indirectly criticize candidates by emphasizing an issue that illuminates the difference between candidates