Interest Groups in American Politics

1
Interest Groups in American Politics

• An organized group of people with shared goals
  and a desire to influence government action
• Some groups have explicitly political origins
  while others have nonpolitical origins

2
Interest Groups are different from Parties

• Parties focus much more on elections
• Parties have broader interests to represent
• Party membership is not as formal
• Parties perform important psychological functions

3
Why Do People join Groups?

• Shared Interests?
• Pluralist view
• Selective Benefits?
• Assumes Rational behavior
• Benefits may be tangible or intangible
• Combination of Both
• Selective, tangible benefits
• Material or informational
• Solidary benefits (selective)
• Purposive Benefits

4
Interest Groups Perform Many important Societal
Functions

• Aggregate and represent interests
• Opportunity for political participation
• SES bias
• Help formulate public policy
• Agenda setting
• Candidate Recruitment
• Evaluate programs

5
Access

• Successful groups are those that gain access to
  the policy making process.
• Actual involvement of interest groups in the
  decision-making process within government.
• Influence within government rather than influence
  on government.
• Access can be developed over time via other
  activities that allow groups to develop close
  relationships with government officials.

6
How do Groups Influence Legislators?

• Going Public
• Direct and Grassroots Lobbying
• Who are the lobbyists?
• Supplying Information

7
How Do Groups Influence the Bureaucracy?

• Supplying Information
• Influence executive appointments

8
How do Groups Influence the Courts?

• Sponsor litigation
• Amicus Curiae briefs
• Influence Judicial Selection

9
Groups Can Also Influence Election Outcomes

• Political Action Committee (PAC)
• An organization that raises and distributes
  campaign funds for elective office
• Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (FECA)
• The number of PACs has increased dramatically
  since the 1970s
• Spending Loopholes
• Soft Money (now restricted under McCain/Feingold)
• Independent Expenditures
• Contribution Strategies

10
Determinants of Group Effectiveness

• Opposition
• Nature of goal (positive or negative)
• Membership
• Potential for coalitions