Chapter 6 Interest Groups

Niche Theory

(Virginia Gray) and David Lowery. Explains explosive growht of interest groups niches into segments represnting narrower interests.

McConnell v. Federal Election Commission 2003

Coalition of interests challenged law court arguing about 1st amendment rights of free speech (for commercials)

What influences what sort of bill comes out of a committee?

Contributions, direct lobbying, and the various other tactics employed by interest groups. But opposing interest group activity can stop interest groups from getting what they want.

What did the research say about changes in policy?

When policy changes occur, it is often LARGE and substantial.

Which branch do lobbyist come more from? And why?

executive branch because more former executive branch employees and crucial decisions made by administrative agencies.

The benefits

Material benefits Solidary benefits Purposive benefits

How interest groups overcoming the free rider problem?

1. Get government to require membership. EX: Join to let union represent them. (UNION SHOP/CLOSED SHOP) EX.2 Lawyers join state bar to practice law and students pay fee to support student gov. 2. Peer pressure to persuade others. ex. Ostracizing people (esp in small group of ppl) 3. Utilize selective benefits - benefits provided by interest groups that are available to members only.

What are the two types of restriction on lobbying?

1. Limits on the kinds of activities in which interest groups may engage 2. Requirements that lobbyists and organizations disclose their identity and certain basic facts about their operations.

What are the two general objectives political interest groups pursue?

1. Seek new positive benefits to promote the group's interest.

Federal Election Campaign Act FEC collect and report info on campaign contributions.

A 1971 act that allowed unions and corporations to form political action committees to raise and contribute campaign funds to candidates. (limit on spending=1st amendment--buckley v Valeo.)

Public good

A benefit that is provided to everyone and cannot be withheld from those who did not participate in provision. EX: Environmental group that pushes for clean air laws

Interest group

A group organized around a set of view or preferences and who seek to influence others in order to promote or protect those preferences.

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act

A law that limits hard-money contributions during each election cycle to 2000 from individuals and 5000 from PACS. (to solve problem of giving candidate TONs of money) (McCain and Russell Feingold) Main target: Soft money

Test case

A lawsuit filed to test the constitutionality of some gov policy. Someone had to be injured by policy and parties involved only. (Brown v board of edu) Able to go to supreme court because of the NAACP the interest group

Amicus curiae brief

A legal brief filed by someone or some organization who holds an interest in a case but is not an actual party. (Friend of court and can be persuasive)

Coalition building

A means of explanding an intered groups influence that involves Working with other groups.(ind) Focus on common and overlapping interest Ex: automobile manufacture with United auto workers to delay imposition of emission standards.

Free Rider

A person who makes the strictly rational choice to enjoy the befits of public goods without incurring the costs of providing them, thus presenting a dilemma to the community as a whole. rational choice to enjoy the benefits of group activity without incurring any of the costs.

Collective Action

Action in which a group of people work together for the provision of public goods. DISADVANTAGE: Each individual contribution is small part of the total cost that non participation won't be noticed.

Are interest groups democratic?

Active minority run organization so there is no checks and balances.

Lobbying

Activity of a group or person that attempts to influence public policymaking on behalf of the individual of the group.

Purposive benefits

Benefits that interest group members derive from feeling good about contributing to a worthy cause in an effort to improve the lot of society in general, not just the individual concerns of the group's members. ex: Common Cause concerned with purposive benefits

What do think tanks do?

Blurr lines between research and advocacy. New generation i more ideological and partisan and aggressive. EX csound economy --focus on tax and regulation--draft legislative proposals ot end affirmative aciton programs.

What interest is the dominant force in both numbers and spending? Which is not?

Business interests Labor unions and citizens interests are less prominent.

Soft money

Campaign contributions given to political parties rather than directly to candidates.

Political action committees

Corporations and labor unions can't directly make campaign for candidates so they use organizations created to raise money and make political contribution on behalf of an interest group.

Direct lobbying

Direct contact by lobbyist with gov officials in effort to influence policy. Ex speaking before a committee but one on one more affective

Hard money

Direct contributions to candidates by law.

527 groups

Engage in voter mobilization and issue advocacy but cannot expressively advocate the election or defeat of federal candidate.

Logrolling

Exchange of support on issues between individuals or groups In order to gain mutual advantage. Result in uncommon interest

Mancur Olson

Fundamental problem: It is not ratinoal to join an interest group if the benefit it produces is a public good.

Unlike other groups, political actions involve what?

Government

Single issue groups

Groups that take positions and are active on only one specific issue (abortion, guns, environment)

Lobbyist

Individuals whose job it is to contact and attempt to influence governmental officials on behalf of others.

Exchange Theory

Interest groups form as a result of a deal--an exchange--between a group entrepreneur and an unorganized interest that may be underrepresented or not represented.

Leadership and expertise

Knowledge and expertise of a group.

What is the AARP

Largest and powerful nterest groups in the nation. Protect pensions, fight age discrimination, provide health care coverage.

Rational

Making choices that maximize benefits and minimize costs.

Money

Not just how much ppl have but what to do with them. Spending on unpopular campaign brings negative affect. (NRA, nazi) First has to raise money and require much work

Why do interest groups form?

Pluralist theory, by-product theory, exchange theory, and niche theory.

Super PAC

Political committee that can raise U limited sums of money from corporations unions associations and wealthy individuals to independently support or oppose political candidates. Unlike traditional PACs Super PACs may not contribute directly to or coordinate with political candidates campaign.

The sources of interest group power can be divided into two braod categories which are?

Political resources (Membership, money, leadership, and expertise) and tactics.

What is the primary objective of interest group lobbying?

Provide policymakers with information they can use in decision making.

Why does not purposive benefits are essentially public goods?

Purposive benefits are essentially public goods.

Solidary benefits

Satisfaction gained from membership in interest groups such as friendship and sense of belonging to a group or meeting people with similar interests. Farmers join farm org to socialize with others in agriculture work

What is the first basic requirement of an interest group?

Shared interest

501 groups

Social welfare group that engage in certai types of political activities including advocating for/against candidates but political activity can't become primary purpose. Keep donors and names of members secret. (Super PAC allowed the candidates to run for long)

Group Entrepreneur

Someone who invests resources to create and build an organization that offers various types of benefits to entice others to join the group. similar to byproduct bc benefit only available to memberrs that outweigh costs of membership.

What are the 3 newly formed pack?

Super PACs, 527 groups, and 501(c) groups.

Material Benefits

Tangible rewards gained from membership in an interest group. Joining the AARP bring opportunity for discounts on life insurance.

What are the two legal ways interest groups influence judicial Policy making?

Test cases and filing amicus cruiae briefs.

Pluralist Explanation

The idea that interest groups form in reaction to problems created by particular social or economic events. (David Truman) --common goal EX: Changes affect interests; Natinoal Association of Manufacturers formed bc of conerns in business community (economic depression)/Anti Abortion

What is the most appealing coalition? How?

The public/shaping public attitude bc people lobby them selfs Group membership.-- experts and trusted figures (Charles Heston and physicians) MASS MEDIA Winning office

Membership

The size of membership is important such as AARP, represents millions of senior citizens who votes. Not just numbers but geographic distribution-- such as teachers distributed throughout the nation can bring pressure to government. The status of member is also important -- american medical association represent physicians and scientists who are respected.

By product theory

The theory that most ppl won't engage in collective action with the sole aim of producing public goods. Groups build membership by offering selective benefits only to group. (Mancur Olson) (selective benefits) interest group exist bc overcame the free rider problem by attracting members using other means.

What is the relationship between financial contribution and decision making?

There is no correlation, but it does help groups get foot in the door.

What do the critics say about single issue groups?

Undermine democratic process by polarizing the issues and making compromise more difficult.

The people that give stimulants and skills for political participation is called?

Unintentional Mobilization.

Interest group that provide all three benefit is?

United Automobile Workers union provides material benefits to its members in the form of higher wages obtained.

Indirect lobbying

Use of Internet by lobbyist to speak to gov officials with intent to influence policy. Meet senators constituents that can affect their careers Flood of call to congress bc they keep track of mails calls etc Inform voters about legislators positions & votes.

Citizens United v. Fedral Election Commission

supreme court ruled that corporations and labor unions have 1st amendment right to spend unlimited amounts of money from their general treasuries to advocate the election or defeat of political candidates. only indeoendent group can't be limited. (speechnow.org v. FEC 2010)