AP Gov Vocab 251-283 (pg 550 vocab)

Amicus Curiae

“Friend of the court”, where interest groups offer an outside, third party view on a case and why a court should side with them

Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974

Created to examine a president’s budget to ensure the president would not impound funds deemed necessary by Congress

Bundling

Raising large sums from donors for a candidate that must be reported

Citizens United v. FEC

Declared corporations and organizations have a similar right to free speech as individuals and can use funds from their treasures to endorse/denounce candidates as long as they don’t coordinate with candidates

Dark money

Money donated to PACs that don’t have to reveal their donors and that can be spent on elections as long as they don’t coordinate with any candidate

Direct lobbying

Exclusive access to legislators to influence government policy

Endorsement

Public expression of support

501(c )(3)

Organizations, like churches, receive a tax deductions for donations and can influence government but not lobby officials or donate to campaigns

501(c )(4)

Groups, like social welfare organizations, can lobby and campaign but can’t spend more than half of their expenditures on political issues

Free rider

People that benefit from an interest group championing a cause by not being a member and paying member fees

Government Accountability Office

An independent, nonpartisan arm of Congress that acts as a watchdog of congressional funds by tracking where and how money is spent

Grassroots lobbying

When an interest group tries to inform, persuade and mobilize large numbers of people

Grasstops

Targeting opinion leaders to shape opinion on the local level

Ideological group

Interest groups that form around a political ideology

Insider strategies

Quietly persuade government decision makers through exclusive access

Intergovernmental lobby

Government associated interest groups, like firefighters, that have an interest in rules that affect their jobs and funding

Issue networks

Temporary collective to support a specific issue and break up afterward

Iron triangles

Bonds between an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group

Leadership PACs

A political committee that is directly/indirectly established and financed by a candidate or individual in federal office

Lobbying

Applying pressure to influence government

Lobbyists

People who attempt to directly influence government

Material incentives

People who attempt to directly influence lawmakers

Outsider strategies

Use lawsuits, press, vote drives and other methods to influence the government

Pluralism

Multitude of views that results in consensus on some issues

Professional Associations

Organizations that represent the interests of white-collar professions like doctors

Public interest groups

Geared to improve life or government for the masses

Purposive incentives

To encourage membership, gives the joiner satisfaction in realizing their money is going to a worthy cause

Revolving door

Movement of government legislators/regulators to the private sector where they now have access to key members of government officials

Single-issue groups

Interest groups that focuses narrowly on one topic

Solidary incentives

To encourage membership, allow people of like mind to gather on occasion

Think tanks

Research institutions often with specific ideological goals

Trade associations

Organized business to gain influence for their positions

Upper-class bias

Average interest group member’s income was higher than normal and most have advanced degrees suggesting only upper-class interest groups