Chapter 7: Interest Groups
union membership in the U.S. has:
been declining in recent years, except in the public sector.
in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, African Americans organized to refuse to use the Montgomery bus line over a period of time. what is this unconventional form of pressure called?
boycott
the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is an example of a _____ interest group:
business
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
civil rights
information benefits
communications that provide information via email, conferences, publications, periodicals, and newsletters sent automatically to members.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
corporate
interest groups have been described as examples of both the ____ and _____ theories of politics:
elite;pluralist
Tobacco Farmers of America weighs in on the issue of regulating marijuana farming by conducting a letter-writing campaign to Congress. Generally speaking, TFA is trying to protect its interest by discouraging the legalization of marijuana. which statement best represents how Congress will likely view their efforts?
the TFA should focus on its own specific policy matters- farming tobacco
public interest
the best interests of the overall community; the national good, rather than the narrow interests of a particular group.
labor movement
the economic and political expression of working-class interests
in what sector has union growth occurred in the last few decades?
the public sector
what factor is important in determining the amount of access and responsiveness from policymakers an interest group receives?
the size of the organization
what is the goal of people who become members of interest groups for material incentives?
they join to improve their economic opportunities or gain economic benefits.
the text notes that one reason the pharmaceutical lobby is one of the most powerful lobbying groups is due to which of the following?
its significant financial resources
International Ladies Garment Workers Union
labor unions
the rise of the service sector, the outsourcing of jobs to other countries, and an increased use of automation have led to a decrease in the membership of what type of organization?
labor unions
1) Identify the different types of interest groups that exist. Be able to give an example of each group (refer to Table 7-1)
Business: American Bankers Association; Labor: American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization; Professional: AARP; Environmental: National Audubon Society Other: American Civil Liberties Union.
1) Define free riders and explain how it applies to Olson's law of large groups.
Free riders are when people benefit from what the interest group stands for, but they do not have to be apart of the group themselves. Olson founded the term "collective good" which is defined as the fact that any public benefit is available to anyone regardless of if they joined the group or not.
which law set a spending threshold of $10,000 per quarter for registration as a lobbyist?
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
1) Explain why interest groups can influence elected officials by forming PACs to support or criticize their reelection (note an elected official's primary concern).
Interest groups can influence elected officials by forming a political action committee which means there would be a whole group voting for or against the elected official if they choose to listen to the group and agree to do the things the group wants done.
social movements
A movement that represents the demands of a large segment of the public for political, economic, or social change.
purposive incentive
A reason for supporting or participating in the activities of a group that is based on agreement with the goals of the group. - the appeal of the interest group's purpose and accomplishments.
Indirect Technique
A strategy employed by interest groups that uses third parties to influence government officials.
American Automobile Association
Auto
1) Identify the positive functions and criticisms of interest groups.
Interest groups have several positive functions such as people having the ability to join a group that goes towards something they care about and want to support or fight for it. A criticism that is often linked to interest groups is that the wealthier Americans were more likely to be heard since the have better resources than the minority groups.
1) Identify the different methods used by interest groups to mobilize the public to support their position on issues.
Interest groups use both direct and indirect techniques to influence legislation and government policy. Direct would include activities such as meeting privately with public officials, testifying before congressional committees, inviting legislatures to social occasions, provide information to legislatures, suggest nominations for federal appointments to the executive and judicial branches, the rating game, and build alliances. Some indirect techniques are generating public pressure, using constituents as lobbyists, and unconventional forms of pressure (boycotts).
1) In Federalist #10, identify how James Madison defined factions, the most common source of conflict among factions, and how the US Constitution prevents the violence of factions.
James Madison defined factions as "small political parties or groups united by a common interest, that will control the government." The common source of conflict with factions is that the policies made will only benefit the groups own interests. "There are two methods of curing the mischiefs of faction: the one, by removing its causes; the other, by controlling its effects. By destroying the liberty which is essential to its existence; the other, by giving to every citizen the same opinions, the same passions, and the same interests" (Federalist 10).
1) List all the activities that lobbyists use to influence legislation and government policy.
Meeting privately with public officials. Although they are acting on behalf of their clients, lobbyists often furnish needed information to senators and representatives (and government agency appointees). It is to the lobbyists' advantage to provide useful information so that the policymakers will rely on them in the future, testifying before congressional committees for or against proposed legislation, testifying before executive rulemaking agencies—such as the Federal Trade Commission or the Consumer Product Safety Commission—for or against proposed rules, assisting legislators or bureaucrats in drafting legislation or prospective regulations. Especially at the state level, lobbying firms have been known to write up the complete text of a bill, which is then passed by the legislature, inviting legislators to social occasions, such as cocktail parties, boating expeditions, and other events, including conferences at exotic locations, providing political information to legislators and other government officials. Sometimes, the lobbyists have better information than the party leadership about how other legislators are going to vote, suggesting nominations for federal appointments to the executive and judicial branches.
1) Define and explain the different incentives that describe why people join interest groups (solidary, material, and purposive).
People join interest groups because they want to actively influence a change and the only way to see change is if it seen and the only way something is seen is if it is big, so people who believe in the same things join and attempt to influence policymakers. When joining an interest group there usually are incentives. A solidary incentive is when people can join a group with people who have similar feelings about a topic. A material incentive is when there is an economic benefit to join a group. A purposive incentive is when someone has a strong interest in what the group represents.
latent interests
Public-policy interests that are not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time.
what group is most likely to support a Republican candidate?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce
free rider problem
The difficulty interest groups face in recruiting members when the benefits they achieve can be gained without joining the group.
1) Identify when interest group influence is best described by pluralist theory and when it is best described by the elitist theory.
The pluralist theory views politics as a struggle among various interest groups to gain benefits for their members. Elite theory presumes that most Americans are uninterested in politics and are willing to let an elite group of citizens make their political decisions.
climate control
The use of public relations techniques to create favorable public opinion toward an interest group, industry, or corporation.
1) Briefly explain how size & resources, leadership and cohesiveness makes an interest group powerful.
When an interest group is large in membership size and resources, they can easily make themselves seen by the government since they can broadcast their intentions more easily. Having a leader of an interest group also important because it makes the group more structured and strategic. Cohesiveness is another key factor in an interest group because the group stands strong when its members are passionate about their beliefs and what the interest group stands for.
a lobbyist representing the auto industry meets with a member of Congress to discuss legislation concerning vehicle emissions. this is an example of what?
a direct technique
boycott
a form of pressure or protest, an organization refusal to purchase a particular product or deal with a particular business.
which of the following interests does consumerism represent?
a public interest
material incentive
a reason or motive having to do with economic benefits or opportunities. - can be measured monetarily, such as discounts, travel packages, or insurance.
the American Pet Products Manufactures Association represents a collection of different businesses, including pet shops and manufactures of pet food, pet toys, and other pet products, in order to influence government policies in favor of there businesses. what interest group category would best describe this association?
an economic interest group
when an interest group tries to generate public pressure by running media campaigns and publishing public opinion polls to influence Congress, what is this called?
an indirect technique
Direct Technique
an interest group activity that involves personal interaction with government officials to further the group's goals.
lobbyists
an organization or individual who is employed to influence legislation and the administrative decision of government.
interest groups
an organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively attempt to influence policymakers.
collective good
any public benefit that, if available to any member of the community, cannot be denied to any other member, whether or not they participated in the effort to gain the good.
astroturf lobbying
artificially manufactured grassroots activity
Moms Demand Action
gun control
National Rifle Association
gun rights
groups like the NOW and NAACP are examples of which of the following categories of interest groups?
identity groups
solidary incentives
include benefits of interest group membership that emphasize networking opportunities, friendship, and the satisfaction of working with like-minded people toward a common goal.
what are the four direct techniques used by interest groups?
lobbying, publicizing ratings of legislative behavior, building alliances, and providing campaign assistance.
Delores has been hired by the National Association of School Nurses to discuss national accreditation standards for school nurses with elected officials. Delores is a:
lobbyist
a difficulty in limiting the effect of lobbying is:
many legislatures are proud of "pork" spending and happy to tell their constituents all about it.
direct interest group techniques include:
meeting with officials and making campaign contributions
some factors that make an interest group powerful include:
membership size, financial resources, and cohesion of its members on key issues.
under the "shot gun" approach, what does an interest group do?
mobilizes large numbers of constituents to write, phone, or send e-mails and tweets to legislators or the president.
which political theory states that interest groups seek compromise among various competing interests as the essence of political decision making?
pluralist theory
most lobbying today is undertaken by ____, who often work in Washington D.C. law firms.
professionals
