Texas Government Ch.13

Interest groups are best seen as ____.

A collection of individuals with shared interests who work for political change that they would be unlikely to achieve on their own

What advantages do former legislators have as lobbyists?

Expertise in policy matters and personal relationships with legislators

What did James Madison warn about in The Federalist Papers?

Factions that could tyrannize minorities

The Establishment

- A loosely knit coalition of white businessmen, oilmen, bankers, and lawyers who assert controls of state policymaking - Emerged in the late 1930s, in part as a response to the liberal policies of the New Deal

Interest group

A group of people with common goals who are organized to seek political or policy objectives they are unable to achieve by themselves

Multi-issue group

A group that is interested in pursuing a broad range of public policy issues around a central theme

Public interest group

A group that is primarily concerned with consumer or environmental protection, the promotion of strong ethical standards for public officials, or increased funding for health and human services programs. Grassroots, volunteer efforts are crucial to the success of these groups, since they often are poorly funded

Single-issue group

A highly ideological group that promotes a single issue or cause with only limited regard for the views or interests of other groups. Such groups often are reluctant to compromise

Iron triangles of government

A term used to describe how permanent relationships eventually evolve from the interactions among interest groups, administrative agencies, and legislative committees as they respond to the demands of various groups by enacting laws and regulations and appropriating funds to address their priorities

Iron rule of oligarchy

A theory developed by Robert Michels, a European sociologist, that all orgs inevitably are dominated by a few individuals

Indirect lobbying

Activities designed to mobilize public support for a policy position and bring pressure to bear on public officials through electoral activities, public relations campaigns, and sometimes protests or marches

What is stated by the iron rule of oligarchy?

All organizations inevitably will become dominated by a few individuals

Lobbying

An effort, usually organized an using a variety of strategies and techniques, to influence the making of laws or public policy

Which of the following interest groups is most likely to be successful?

An interest group with a large membership spread across the state

What is the one key reason the number of lobbying contracts in Texas is steadily increasing?

As the budget for the state grows, so too do the stakes. With the increase in resources, there are differing perspectives on how to most effectively deliver services, so interested parties hire lobbyists to ensure their perspectives are given an adequate voice

Which of the following is a tactic frequently used by interest groups to influence the policymaking process?

Drafting legislation

People who join an interest group for the sense of personal satisfaction one gets from advancing a worthwhile cause are likely to join which type of group?

Environmental group

Which statement about organized labor in Texas is true?

It compromises approximately 5 percent of the Texas workforce

Which of these groups are created to advance the political and economic rights of a minority group?

LULAC

Of the following, which interest group can be considered to be the least powerful in the state of Texas?

Organized labor

How do groups try to influence public opinion?

Sponsoring advertising campaigns

Mischief of factions

Term coined by James Madison to describe the complex relationships among groups and interests w/in the American political system and the institutional arrangements that potentially balance the power of groups

Which of the following pieces of evidence supports the pluralist theory of interest groups?

Texas has a proliferation of different interest groups

Which group is an example of a public interest group?

The Better Business Bureau

Direct lobbying

The communication of info and policy preferences to policymakers or their staffs

Hyperpluralism

The rapid increase in the number of interest groups that serves to disrupt and potentially deadlock the policymaking process

Pluralism

Theory holding that a diversity of groups and people are instrumental in the policymaking process and no one group should be able to dominate the decisions of govt

Elitism

Theory holding the view that political power is primarily held by a few individuals who derive power from leadership positions in large business, civic, or governmental insitutions

How are protests and marches most likely to influence government policy?

By capturing the public's attention, which then captures lawmakers' attention

How do interest groups try to educate the public?

By sponsoring research and disseminating findings through public relations campaigns

Techniques used by lobbyists to influence policymakers

- Conduct and maintain relevant research and information pertaining to policy issues - Provide reliable research results or technical information supporting a group's policy interests to decision makers, the press, and other audiences - Contact govt officials or their key staff members directly to present the org's POV on policy - Testify at hearings of committees and subcommittees - Engage with and maintain informal contacts with legislators and other policymakers at conventions, over lunch, on the gulf course, and so on - Communicate by email or newsletter w/ members of the org to inform them about organizational activities on public policy issues - Enter into coalitions w/ other orgs to support or block policy initiatives - Establish and cultivate media contacts to advance a group's policy position - Consult w/ govt officials to plan and execute legislative strategies - Help draft legislation - Work w/ a group's members, allies, or the general public in letter-writing, email, or telephone campaigns to influence policymakers' decisions - Mount grassroots lobbying efforts to encourage members and the gen public to contact public officials - Mobilize influential constituents to contact their representatives' offices - Help formulate and draft administrative regulations, rules, or guidelines - Serve on advisory commissions and boards - Inform legislators of the effects of a bill on their districts - Make campaign contributions to political candidates, campaign committees, or political action committees - Endorse and/or recruit candidates running for office - File lawsuits or amicus curiae, or otherwise engage in litigation to impact policy

Characteristics of a pluralistic society

- Groups are the primary actors in the policymaking process. They provide the individual with political resources and a link to governmental institutions - Politics is basically group interaction, in which groups come into conflict with one another over the limited resources of society, and public policy is ultimately the resolution of group conflict and differences - B/c there are so many groups, no one group can dominate the political process. Although some groups have more resources than others, a group always has the potential to influence policy. If there is no group to address a particular concern or problem, one can be organized - Although most people do not actively participate in the policymaking process, they have access to the process through the leaders of the groups to which they belong. There are numerous leadership opportunities w/in groups of individuals who want active roles - Most group leaders are committed to democratic values, and competition makes them responsive to other members and serves to check or constrain their actions

Generalizations from the elitist school of thought

- Power is held by a few individuals and is derived from their positions in large institutions. In addition to economic institutions, these include the govt, the mass media, and civic orgs - Historically, political elites constituted a homogeneous group drawn primarily from upper and upper-middle classes. They were older, well-educated, primarily white, Anglo-Saxon males - Although there is competition among elites and the institutions they represent, there is considerable consensus and cohesion among elites on primary values, interests, and the rules of the game - Elites are linked by a complex network of interlocking memberships on the governing bodies of corporations, financial institutions, foundations, and civic and cultural orgs - Policy decisions are made by a few individuals and primarily reflect the interests of the dominant institutions. The interests of the dominant elites are not necessarily opposed to those of other classes of society - The vast majority of people are passive spectators to the policymaking process. Voting has been the primary means by which the general pop. can participate in governmental decisions, but other than selecting governmental officials, elections have limited effects on policy decisions