CH 19 Public Opinion and INTEREST GROUPS CH 19, Lesson 4: Affecting Public Policy
PAC Fundraising and Spending
After 1974, when Congress passed new laws limiting donations to federal candidates, PACs became popular. They are a way for companies and labor unions to spend money to influence elections. While the law prevented companies and labor unions from donating directly to political candidates, the group's PAC could do so with the money the PACs raise from contributions from the company's executives or shareholders..
Who can lobby?
Anyone can lobby by contacting their elected officials, but some people are professional lobbyists - paid by representatives of interest groups. Professional lobbyists contact government officials on behalf of their interest groups that are their clients.
Who are lobbyists
By federal law lobbyists are anyone who: Is employed or retained by a client to contact government officials Makes more than one contact for the client Spends more than 20% of his or her time serving the clients
Prior to 2010, federal laws like the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (McCain-Feingold Act) placed limits on how and when corporate and labor money could be spent in federal elections. Several groups challenged the constitutionality of those reforms and in 2010, the Supreme Court decided an important case.
In Citizens United v FEC (2010) an independent PAC challenged the laws that limited corporations and unions' political spending. The SC ruled that corporations, labor unions, and interest groups can then spend money to influence elections when and how they want, as long as they are doing so independently, that usm as long as they do not coordinate their spending with specific candidates.
527 Organizations
In the 2004 election, a new kind of political influence group appeared: the 527 organizations, named for the part of the tax code that gives an exemption to certain groups. These groups can have a PAC wing, but the term is usually defined as a group that does not directly urge citizens to vote for a specific candidate. Instead they focus on advocating an issue. EX: they may advocate for tax reform rather than advocate for a specific candidate who supports tax reform. The issue may be associated with a candidate, but by avoiding any mention of a candidate, 527s escape regulation.
Interest Groups seek support
Interest groups are run publicity campaigns to win support for their policies both from members of the public and policy makers. Many techniques are available to interest groups in their efforts to influence people.
Strategies of PACs
Interest groups generally follow 2 strategies to influence public policy at the federal level. They use their money to attempt to gain access to lawmakers and to influence election outcomes directly. Interest groups can promise campaign support for legislators who favor their policies or they can threaten to withhold support. Loss of sizable contribution can affect a candidate's chance of winning. Other interest groups with comparable political strength who support opposing political strength might not back a candidate. Interest groups realize that making a campaign contribution does not guarantee that if a candidate is elected will always vote the way they wish. Such groups do however believe that contributions may increase access to the officials they help elect. Busy lawmakers may be more likely to set aside time to meet with a group with money/has given money. Consequently, PACs may give donations to lawmakers who don't always support their views. PACs also sometimes contribute to lawmakers who aren't challenged in an upcoming election, showing they want influence and access, not just helping their preferred candidate to get elected. PACs also spend money to influence election outcomes. With SuperPACs, more money than ever is being spent to support or oppose candidates as SuperPACs can spend unlimited amounts on advertising as long as they don't coordinate with or donate to a candidate's campaign. In practice, SuperPACs are often run by close associates of the candidates. The Support voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote effort. Congress members argue over the effect of SuperPACs, some argue that it is ridiculous to think humans won't act favorably to those who donate money which is unfair. Others argue that members don't vote based on how a PAC gives them money onborader, abstract, national
Lobbying
Interest groups seek to influence public policy wherever it is made - in all branches of government and at all levels. They use many strategies to achieve their goals from using advertising to create public support for their causes to suing in court or seeking a constitutional amendment. Meeting with elected officials to persuade them to make certain laws or policies is a way interest groups influence public policy. This direct contract is lobbying because if the practice of approaching senators and representatives in the lobby of a capitol building.
Interest Groups seek support via media campaigns
Interest groups use the mass media to inform the public and to create support for their views. For example, when Congress was considering immigration reform in 2013, a group started by Silicon Valley tech executives used TV advertising to support the reform bill. Environmentalists have run TV and magazine ads to dramatize pollution and the hazards it poses, like Senior citizens advertising their views when Congress considers changes in Social Security. Beyond Advertising, interest groups offer policy experts to civic and news organizations that cover their issues of concern. So for example, if a group organizing a town hall meeting or news program wants to showcase a pro/con discussion, interest group experts represent their views. Digital media has offered new opportunities for seeking support and attempting to wield influence. Almost all interest groups have websites and a presence on social media in which they spread information and try to influence policy. They post ads supporting their views to video-sharing sites such as YouTube and Twitter to raise awareness.
Lobbyists wooing Congress Members
Lobbyists may pay for lunch or give government officials something else of value. Congressional rules restrict gifts that lobbyists can give to federal lawmakers. Senators and their staff can't accept any gift (including meals & entertainment) of over $50 from a lobbyist. The Senate & House also have $100 limits on gifts from any single-source. IN 2009, Obama issued an executive order banning all political appointees in the executive branch from accepting any gifts from lobbyists. Each state makes their own rules about lobbying in that state and most provide limits on the gifts lobbyists can give.
What kind of people are lobbyists
Many are former government officials. Generally have friends in Congress and executive branch and know the intricacies of DC politics. Lobbying has proved to be an attractive second career for many members of Congress. Members cash in on their connections. In the 80's it was reported that many in Congress were cashing in on their connections, for most, public services is a mere internship for a lucrative career as a hired gun for special interests. Congress placed a limit on how soon former senators and representatives may become lobbyists: representatives must wait one year and senators two years after retirement. Lobbyists and often lawyers or PR experts become lobbyists quite often as well. Understanding the government and how it works is vital for lobbyists to be successful and effective.
Letter Writing or Email Campaigns
Many interest groups urge their members to call, fax, or send emails to government officials to demonstrate broad support for or against a policy. NRA can deliver hundreds of thousands of letters, emails, and phone calls from its members. The opposing group, Stop Handgun Violence can also motivate letter writers to contact policy makers. These campaigns make officials aware of an issue, but don't always produce results. Officials may have already made up their minds on an issue. Others take into account the views of groups on both sides of the issue. Congressional staff report that when legislators are undecided on an issue, emails, and letters from individual citizens are more persuasive than form letters or emails sent by members of interest groups.
Lobbyists and Congress
Members of Congress rely on information presented by lobbyists. Legislators realize though that lobbyists are representing a particular interest. A lobbyist who intentionally misrepresents the facts runs the risk of losing a legislator's trust and permanently losing access to him or her. Besides personally contacting legislators and other officials, lobbyists provide information in congressional testimony. Usually when Congress is considering a bill, various interest groups are invited to testify because of their expertise and lobbyists may testify. For example, a representative of the oil industry might be invited to testify before a committee considering a law to tax oil profits
Providing Useful Information
One of the most important ways that lobbyists make their cases is by providing government officials and their staff with facts and data about the policy that interest groups want enacted. When they do this, lobbyists will often try to meet face to face with members of Congress and other government officials (at the Capitol in a member's office over lunch or golf). The information lobbyists provide legislators comes in many forms - pamphlets, reports, and statistical and trend data.
SuperPACs and Citizens United
Other court rulings in 2010 said that PACs could be formed with an unlimited amount of contributions from US citizens, corporations, unions, or interest groups. These new entities, which receive unlimited donations and can spend unlimited sums as long as they do not coordinate with candidates became known as SuperPACs. Unlike traditional PACs (which can't accept unlimited donations), SuperPAcs can't donate directly to a candidate's campaign. Anyone can donate to SuperPacs. Some are financed by very wealthy Americans making large donations of $1M or more; others raise large amounts of money through smaller individual donations. Current laws require PACs and SuperPACs to disclose their lists of donors, but several provisions in the law allow PACs to maintain some secrecy about their donors.
Who are lobbyists at federal level
Professional lobbyists must register with the government so that their professional activities can be monitored. The goal is to prevent illegal influence on members of Congress and the executive branch. Under current law, registered lobbyists must file semiannual reports with the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate. These reports must reveal the issues or laws being lobbied, the government branches and agencies being contacted, and an estimate of the money the client paid the lobbyist. These rules are part of the 1995 Lobbying Disclosure Act which was intended to close loopholes in an older law that allowed most lobbyists to avoid registering with Congress. From the late 1990s to 2007, lobbying in Washington grew quickly, but the number of active lobbyists has dropped since then slightly. Recently, over 12,000 people were active as lobbyists. Money spent on lobbying activities - including lobbyists' salaries, political donations, and more grew dramatically, from $800M in 1996 to $3.31B in 2012.
Affiliated PACs
Some PACs are tied to corporations, labor unions, trade groups, or health organizations - these are called ________________. Independent PACs organize around a cause, but aren't connected to a company, union, or trade group.
Rise of PACs
Some interest groups also have a large percentage of funds used in candidates' election campaigns. Most of these funds come from political action committees, organizations that are specifically designed to collect money and provide financial support for a political candidate.
PAC Limits
The Federal Election Commission controls PAC activities with regard to federal elections. By law, a PAC is any group that spends more than $1,000 to influence a federal election and all PACs must register with the federal government. PACs that work to influence federal elections can receive donations of up to $5,000 from individuals, interest groups, or companies. PACs can give $5,000 directly to each candidate per election. States have their own rules about what constitutes a PAC and how much money they can raise and donate directly to a campaign.
Limitations - pros and cons of large vs small interest groups
The public tends to believe that interest groups are well financed and carry a great deal of weight with Congress. Several factors limit the effectiveness of interest groups. Different interest groups compete for power and influence, keeping any single group from controlling lawmakers and other public officials. Generally the larger the group, the more diverse interests of its members are. This diversity has meant that nationally organized interest groups may be unable to adopt broad policy goals. As a result, smaller interest groups or single-based issue interest groups - those who unite people who have narrower goals - have been most effective in shaping policy. While large interest groups have membership that provides an impressive financial base, most interest groups struggle to pay small staff. Lately, the greatest concern about the power of interest groups has been their financial contributions to political campaigns.
PAC Spending
There is no limit to how much PACs can spend indirectly - that is independently of a candidate's campaign. Federal law established guidelines when spending is independent and when it is coordinated with a campaign. In 1996 the Supreme Court ruled in CO Republican Committee vs FEC that national, state, and local committee spending in support of federal candidates is a form of free speech and can't be limited.
Drafting
lobbyists and interest groups sometimes help write bills. Many well organized interest groups have research staff who help members of Congress draft proposed laws. Studies have shown that interest groups and their lobbyists often draft parts of or entire bills for legislation. Lobbyists submit comments on proposed federal regulations and rules to the executive branch agencies implementing the relevant law.
Grassroots lobbying
refers to political advocacy efforts carried out by the general public and members of interest groups, sometimes under the guidance of professional lobbyists.
Lobbyists work to
work to influence legislators at all levels of government - federal, state, and local. Sometimes the most effective way to reach lawmakers is through their staff, so lobbyists cultivate good relationships with the people who work for elected officials. Lobbyists also seek to influence government officials in the executive branch, like the president, governors, and employees at the state and federal agencies and regulatory bodies. Lobbying is one of the most commonly used and effective techniques used by interest groups to bring about laws and policies they seek.
