Download Interest Groups Chapter 9 Mr. LeHew US Government

INTEREST GROUPS
Chapter 9
Mr. LeHew
US Government
INTEREST GROUPS
aka
Pressure Groups, Special
Interest Groups
Private organizations that try to
persuade public officials to
respond to the attitudes of their
members
One of the most effective means
Americans have to get the
government to respond to their
wants/needs
PARTIES VS. INTEREST GROUPS
 Parties



nominate interest groups do not
Parties interested in winning elections
while interest groups interested in
shaping policy.
Parties interested in a variety of
concerns while interest groups are more
narrowly focused
Interest groups not accountable to the
public at large
FUNCTIONS
1.
Increase interest in and discussion
of public affairs by developing and
pushing public policy
2.
Represent members who share the
same ideas/beliefs
3.
Provide government with
specialized information used to
formulate policy
FUNCTIONS
4.
Means by which citizens can pool
resources and act collectively
5.
Another check on the
government--keep close tabs on
what the government is doing
6.
Interest groups compete with
each other, placing limits on the
lengths each can go
CRITICISMS
Too
much influence
Hard
to tell who/how many are
represented
Don’t
always represent the
people they say they do
Use
unethical practices
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
 Business



groups
National Association of Manufacturers
(1895)
Chamber of Commerce of the US (1912)
Promote business interests
 Labor
Groups
 AFL-CIO (American Federation of
Labor/Congress of Industrial
Organizations)
 Organization of workers who want
policies to benefit workers
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
Agricultural
groups
 American Farm Bureau (1919)
 Want policies to benefit farmers
and agribusiness
Professional
groups
 AMA, ABA, NEA
 Occupations that require
specialized training
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
 Groups
that promote causes/ideas
 ACLU (1920)--fights to protect civil
rights
 League of Women Voters
 Groups
that promote the welfare of
other groups
 American Legion, Veterans of
Foreign Wars, NAACP
 Work to advance interest of these
groups
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS
 Church
related groups
 National Council of Churches
(Protestant Group)
 Groups
working for the public good
 aka Public Interest Groups
 Common Cause--represents
Americans as consumers
 League of Women Voters
INFLUENCING PUBLIC OPINION
Interest
groups provide public
with information
Interest
groups build a positive
image for a group
Interest
groups promote a
specific public policy
LOBBYING
All
the means by which pressure
is brought to bear on legislators
and the legislative process
Lobbyist
-- people who try to
persuade officials to do the
things the interest group wants
them to do
LOBBYING

Many Include
 Meeting with representative
 Use of grass roots pressure
 Providing information to Congress
 Testifying before Congress
 Drafting bills
 Providing election support
 Publishing ratings/rankings on
members of Congress
LOBBYING
4.
Federal Regulation of
Lobbying Act 1946 all lobbyists
must register with the Clerk of
the House and Secretary of the
Senate
Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995
 Must identify their employer,
report salary/expenses, and
file quarterly reports
PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
 Defined
as technique of persuasion
aimed at influencing individuals or
groups
 Name
Calling
 Liberal, Communist
 Card
Stacking
 Present all of the good and none
of the bad
PROPAGANDA TECHNIQUES
Testimonials
 Use
prominent person to endorse
Bandwagon
 Everyone
Plain
else is doing it
folks
 Just like you