AP Gov Unit V - Chapter 17 Interest Groups

cue (political)

A signal, frequently provided by interest groups, that tells a politician what values are at stake in an issue and how that issue fits into his or her own set of political beliefs.

ideological interest group

An organization that attracts members by appealing to their interests on a coherent set of usually controversial principles.

interest groups

An organization that seeks to influence public policy.

lobby

A group that attempts to influence government decisions, especially legislation.

lobbyist

A person who engages in lobbying.

material incentive

Something tangible, such as money or services, which attracts people to join mass-membership organizations.

political action committee

An organization which finances candidates and may lobby. Such organizations can contribute no more than $5,000 to a federal candidate in an election.

public interest lobby

An interest group whose efforts significantly benefit nonmembers.

purposive incentive

An incentive to join a mass-membership organization based on the appeal of the group's goal(s).

ratings

An evaluation supplied by some interest groups that ranks legislators on their degree of support for a particular cause, such as unions or the environment. These can be helpful sources of information, but are often biased.

social movement

A widely shared demand for change in some aspect of the social or political order.

solidary incentive

An inducement to join a mass membership organization based on the sense of pleasure, status, or companionship derived from membership.

earmark

a provision in a law that provides a direct benefit to a client without the benefit having been reviewed on the merits by all of congress

revolving-door influence

the practice of lobbying officials with such promises as employment after their government service

iron triangles

subgovernments are composed of interest group leaders interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering that policy, and the members of congressional committees and subcommittees handling that policy; they exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas.

free rider problem

problem faced by unions and other groups when people do not join because they can benefit from the group's activities without officially joining. The bigger the group, the more serious the problem.

amicus curiae briefs

legal briefs submitted by a "friend of the court" for the purpose of raising additional points of view and presenting information not contained in the briefs of the formal parties. These briefs attempt to influence a court's decision.

527 organizations

organizations that, under an IRS code, raises and spends money to advance political causes

grassroots

backing for a public policy that arises or is created in public opinion

boycott

a form of pressure or protest -- an organized refusal to purchase a particular product or deal with a particular business.

insider strategy

an interest group activity that involves interaction with government officials to further the group's goals.

outsider strategy

a strategy employed by interest groups that uses third parties to influence government officials.

labor movement

generally, the full range of economic and political expression of working-class interests; politically, the organization of working-class interests.

latent interests

public-policy interests that are not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time.

service sector

the sector of the economy that provides services -- such as health care, banking, and education -- in contrast to the sector that produces goods.

conflict of interest

a situation in which a person in a position of responsibility or trust has competing professional or personal interests that make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially.

1st Amendment

protects civil rights which include speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition

issue advocacy

unlimited and undisclosed spending by an individual or group on communications that do not use words like "vote for" or "vote against," although much of this activity is actually about electing or defeating candidates.

issue network

relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees, and the government agencies that share a common policy concern.

public opinion

a colleciton of shared attitudes of citizens about government, politics, and the making of public policy

U.S. v Harriss

Permitted interest groups to lobby Congress; but permitted regulation of lobbying activities by Congress

Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act

The initial U.S. statute spelling out requirements on lobbyists active in Congress, passed in 1946.