US pressure groups

Iron triangle

A close link between a pressure group, a congressional committee and a government agency that shapes policy in one area.

Iron triangle example

Defence companies, the congressional armed services committees and the Pentagon work together to protect defence spending.

Lobbying (First Amendment, right to petition)

Directly persuading members of Congress or officials to support a policy.

Access points

The places groups can target, such as Congress, the courts and the executive.

Insider group

A group with regular access to decision makers.

Outsider group

A group without regular access that uses protest and public pressure.

Political action committee

A group that raises money from members to give to candidates within legal limits.

Super political action committee

A group that can spend unlimited amounts on elections as long as it does not give money directly to candidates.

Amicus curiae brief

A written argument a group sends to the court to influence a case it is not part of.

Litigation

Taking a case to court to force a change in the law.

Voter mobilisation

Getting members to register and vote for the candidates a group supports.

Revolving door

Politicians and officials moving into jobs with pressure groups, and the other way round, which gives groups inside contacts.

Federalism

Power is shared between federal and state government, so groups have many places to campaign.

Separation of powers

Power is split between Congress, the president and the courts, so a blocked group can try another branch.

Pluralism (strengthens democracy)

Power is spread across many competing groups, so more interests are represented.

Insider status (weakens democracy)

Regular access gives some groups far more influence than others.

Funding (weakens democracy)

Wealthy groups can outspend others in elections, giving richer interests more power.

Insider example (Second Amendment)

National Rifle Association: They helped block gun control after the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012 and work closely with Congress and Trump.

Funding example (First Amendment)

Citizens United v Federal Election Commission 2010: Supreme Court ruling that allowed unlimited independent spending by groups in elections.

Court example (Fourteenth Amendment)

Brown v Board of Education 1954: Influenced largely by the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, it ended racial segregation in schools.

Outsider example (First Amendment)

Black Lives Matter: Their protests after George Floyd’s death in 2020 pushed policing and racism up the political agenda.