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Influence and Impact of Interest Groups in American Politics

Explore the nature, types, and strategies of interest groups in American politics, including their role in shaping policy through lobbying, electioneering, litigation, and public outreach efforts. Learn about key interest groups and how they influence political decisions.

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Influence and Impact of Interest Groups in American Politics

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  1. “man is by nature a political animal” - Aristotle POLITICAL INTEREST GROUPS

  2. “Americans are always forming associations…” ALEXIS DE TOQUEVILLE, DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA

  3. EVER HEARD OF ANY OF THESE?

  4. 3 CHARACTERISTICS - SHARED INTERESTS AND GOALS - ORGANIZED STRUCTURE - WANT TO INFLUENCE POLICY

  5. POLITICAL PARTIES ARE NOT INTEREST GROUPS!

  6. INTEREST GROUPS - NARROW FOCUS - POLICY FOCUS - IDEOLOGICAL POLITICAL PARTIES - BROAD FOCUS - ELECTION FOCUS - MAINSTREAM

  7. SIMILARITIES - SELF-INTERESTED - FACTIONS (REMEMBER FEDERALIST 10?) - SUPPLEMENT & USE EACH OTHER - RAISE AWARENESS, RECRUIT, $$$, &EDUCATE - FORM OF PARTICIPATION

  8. TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS

  9. ECONOMIC- BUSINESS

  10. ECONOMIC- LABOR

  11. ECONOMIC-AGRICULTURE

  12. PROFESSIONAL/TRADE GROUPS

  13. PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS

  14. SINGLE-ISSUE GROUPS

  15. IDEOLOGICAL GROUPS THE CONSERVATIVE CAUCUS

  16. CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS

  17. RELIGIOUS GROUPS

  18. GOVERNMENT GROUPS

  19. ENVIRONMENTAL

  20. COMMUNITY

  21. INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

  22. WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN? • SOLIDARY INCENTIVES • MATERIAL INCENTIVES • PURPOSIVE INCENTIVES • THE NEXT 3 SLIDES WILL EXPLAIN THESE INCENTIVES

  23. WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY? TO BE WITH OTHERS LIKE THEMSELVES

  24. WHAT DO SENIORS GET WHEN THEY JOIN AARP?

  25. WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN ANTI-ABORTION GROUPS? Operation Save America unashamedly takes up the cause of preborn children in the name of Jesus Christ. We employ only biblical principles. The Bible is our foundation; the Cross of Christ is our strategy; the repentance of the Church of Jesus Christ is our ultimate goal. As the Church changes its heart toward unborn children, God Himself will hear from heaven, forgive our sin, and bring healing to our land. We believe that Jesus Christ is the only answer to the abortion holocaust. It is upon our active repentance in the streets of our cities that the Gospel is visibly lived out. We become to the church, to our city, and to our nation living parables which rightly represent God's heart toward His helpless children. There are no cheap political solutions to the holocaust presently ravaging our nation. Like slavery before it, abortion is preeminently a Gospel issue. The Cross of Christ is the only solution.

  26. WAYS GROUPS SHAPE POLICY • LOBBYING-APPROACHING GOVT. PERSONALLY • ELECTIONEERING- $$$ & CAMPAIGN SUPPORT TO CANDIDATES

  27. WAYS GROUPS SHAPE POLICY (CONT.) • LITIGATION- IF LEGISLATION FAILS “MAKE AN END RUN TO THE COURTS” • GOING PUBLIC- APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION TO HELP THE CAUSE

  28. LOBBYING • GROUPS EMPLOY LOBBYISTS TO “BUTTONHOLE” OFFICIALS ON POLICY ISSUES • “REVOLVING DOOR CONCEPT”

  29. CONCEPT MEANING? IMPACT ON POLITICS? PRIVATE SECTOR- LOBBYIST GOVT. SECTOR- OFFICIAL

  30. VP CHENEY MADE MILLIONS BETWEEN 1993 AND 2000

  31. LOBBYING (CONT.) • GROUPS MAINTAIN OFFICES NEAR THE NATION’S CAPITAL • SOME COMMON LOBBYING ACTIVIES ARE

  32. PRIVATE MEETINGS WITH OFFICIALS

  33. INFORMATION IS #1 RESOURCE GROUPS HAVE TO OFFER

  34. SOCIAL EVENTS & AWARDS

  35. TESTIFYING BEFORE CONGRESS

  36. LOBBYING CONGRESSIONAL AIDES & STAFF

  37. DRAFTING LEGISLATION

  38. LOBBYISTS HELP A CONGRESSMAN BY… • INFORMATION • POLITICAL STRATEGY • CAMPAIGN STRATEGY • SOURCE OF IDEAS & INNOVATIONS

  39. ELECTIONEERING • GROUPS FORM PACs WHO CONTRIBUTE $$$ • 608 IN 1974- 3,835 IN 2001 • PACs GIVE HEAVILY TO • INCUMBENTS- WHY?

  40. LABOR PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates 2001-2002 (so far)

  41. Pro-Life PAC Contributions To Candidates, 2001-2002

  42. Education PAC $$$ to Candidates, 2001-2002

  43. ELECTIONEERING-ENDORSING CANDIDATES GROUP MEMBERS WILL USUALLY VOTE FOR WHO THE GROUP LEADERS SAY WHY?

  44. LITIGATION

  45. GO TO COURT IF LEGIS- • LATIVE PROCESS FAILS, • OR IS TOO SLOW • FILE LAW SUITS • FILE AMICUS CURIAE • SPONSOR “TEST” CASES

  46. WHAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS INTEREST GROUP VICTORY IN COURT? HE ARGUED THE CASE IN 1954 BEFORE THE SUP. CT.

  47. GOING PUBLIC • GROUPS WORK ON THEIR IMAGE (PR) • APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION- RUN ADS, POLL, PHONE, MAINTAIN A WEB SITE

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