Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Campaigning

1. Interest Groups, Political Parties, and Campaigning

2. Interest Groups Pressure Groups Lobbyist Legislative Judicial Executive Constitutional Public Opinion Public Interest Informal and Formal Interest Groups

3. Business Professions Agriculture Labor Unions Ethnic Groups Other Interests Roe v. Wade (1973) Interests in Texas

4. Lobbying • Lobbying • Lobbyists • Executive and Judicial Lobbying

5. Table 4.1 – Number of Lobbyists Reporting By Interest Represented, 2002

6. Regulating Interest Groups and Lobbying • Sharpstown Bank Scandal 1973 • Lobby Regulation Reform Law of 1973 • Must register as a lobbyist • If spending exceeds $200 • If one lobbies for compensation or part of one’s job • Must file monthly expense reports during legislative sessions • Must file quarterly reports between sessions • Must report contributors of more than $500

7. Regulating Interest Groups and Lobbying • Federal Election Campaign Spending Act of 1974 • Federal Election Commission • Political Action Committees (PACs)

8. Political Parties Political Party a coalition of political economic, and moral factions that are attempting to gain control of government in order to further their interests Purposes Nominate and elect their members to office Develop issues or philosophy Mobilize voters Run government

9. Political Parties • The Democrats • Liberals • Conservatives • The Republicans

10. Political Parties • Party Competition • One-party Democratic State • Realignment • Two-party State • Republican Successes • Republican Dominance • 1994 Election • Realigning Election

11. Figure 4.1 – Levels of Interparty Competition in the States, 1989-1994 Source: John F. Bibby & Thomas M. Holbrook, “Parties and Elections,” in Politics in the American States: A Comparative Analysis, 7th ed., Herbert Jacob & Virginia Gray, eds. (Washington, DC: CQ Press, 1996), Table 3-2.

12. Figure 4.2 – How Texas Voted for President, 2000 Source: Federal Election Commission, www.fec.gov

13. Figure 4.3 – Texas Political Party Organization

14. Republican Strength Aransas county German Hill Country Edwards Plateau Permian Basin West Texas to Panhandle Democratic Strength South Texas between Houston and German Hill country and Gulf Coast East, Central and West Texas Southeastern Panhandle Political PartiesGeographic and Republican Distribution

15. Political Parties • Party Organization • Voting Precinct • County or Senatorial District • State • National

16. Temporary Party Organization Voting Precinct County or District Conventions State Conventions Permanent Party Organization Voting Precinct County Chair and Executive Committee State Political Parties

17. Liberalism Seek to change status quo Regard man as rational Problem solving process Conservatism Defend status quo Edmund Burke Political stability maintained by slow change Political Parties

18. Political Parties • Campaigning • Informal Requirements • WASP • Image • Name recognition • Money • Issues • Campaign assistance • Polls • Media