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The Last Word: No Homework

FrontPage : How is the practice of lobbying both good and bad for our democracy?. 17 Offbeat Holidays You Can Celebrate in October. October 1 st : National Homemade Cookies Day October 2 nd : National Name Your Car Day October 4 th : National Taco Day October 8 th : Canadian Thanksgiving

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The Last Word: No Homework

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  1. FrontPage: How is the practice of lobbying both good and bad for our democracy? 17 Offbeat Holidays You Can Celebrate in October October 1st: National Homemade Cookies Day October 2nd: National Name Your Car Day October 4th: National Taco Day October 8th: Canadian Thanksgiving Though it does not mark a specific gathering of two groups like the U.S. version, Canadian Thanksgiving offers a great excuse to gobble down a turkey dinner in the name of neighborly solidarity. October 14th: national lowercase day October 15th: Global Handwashing Day October 18th: National No Beard Day October 19th: Evaluate Your Life Day October 24th: National Bologna Day Bologna has roots in Bologna, Italy, derived from a sausage made there called mortadella. October 30th: Devil’s Night The Last Word: No Homework

  2. Affecting Public Policy: (aka)…Influencing the Decisions of Government • What are the two ways that interest groups can influence the government? • Influence the decision-makers… 2. Change the decision-makers

  3. L#@bying..(#1 - influencing the decision-makers) The Dirty Word in Politics:

  4. Influencing Officials - Lobbying • Lobbyist: Person who advocates on behalf of himself or a client (e.g., interest group) to pass a law or to make changes to a bill being considered in a federal or state legislative body, or to help shape policy in the executive branch and its regulatory departments. • Who becomes a lobbyist? • In the course of meeting with representatives and government officials, what must a lobbyist NEVER do? • What can lobbyists do to have a direct effect on the bills that placed before Congress? • Why do you think lobbying is controlled and monitored?

  5. How much is spent on lobbyists?

  6. Top spenders on lobbyists

  7. #2: Changing the Decision-makers: Influencing Elections Aside from influencing the decision-makers, many groups in society try to change the decision-makers They do this in many different ways…not just with campaign contributions.

  8. Influencing Elections: Interest Groups Although interest groups are barred from contributing to candidates, they still have “weapons” in their arsenal to try and influence who wins an election. Candidate endorsement Voter mobilization 3) Some types of issue advocacy

  9. Influencing Elections: PACs • Political Action Committee • A group whose sole purpose is to raise and spend money on candidate campaigns • Usually, but not always, affiliated/associated with an interest group • PACs exist because IGs, unions, corporations, etc. are prohibited from contributing to campaigns • Example: • AFT and the CSPE

  10. Contribution limits - FEC

  11. Influencing Elections: PACS PACs raise and spend money directly on candidate’s campaigns Don’t typically run ads or do voter mobilization

  12. PAC money – candidate – candidate ad

  13. Influencing Elections: 527 groups • A relatively new player on the scene, • A 527 is a non-profit organization formed under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code, • These groups actively influence elections and policy debates at all levels of government, but do not advocate explicitly for election or defeat of candidates. • On the federal level, 527s cannot coordinate with or contribute to a federal candidate in any way. • May not expressly advocate for the election or defeat of a specific federal candidate (“magic words”), but can run ads that “paint a picture” • include “vote for,” “elect,” “support,” “cast your ballot for,” “Smith for Congress,” “vote against,” “defeat,” and “reject.” • At the state level, the rules are different. Section 527 organizations generally can, and frequently do, give money directly to state and local candidates.

  14. Top 527s– 2011-2012

  15. 527 ad

  16. Influencing Elections: Super-PACs • The newest player on the scene, • Created in July 2010 as a result of SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election Commission. • Technically known as independent expenditure-only committees, Super PACs may raise unlimited sums of money and spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against political candidates. • They are forbidden to donate directly to candidates

  17. Top Super PACs

  18. Super PAC ad

  19. SO…what is the point? • What’s the point of all this…different groups, doing different things…trying to influence government, who it is and what it does, and spending a lot of money in the process?

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