Interst Groups (AP Gov)

Are you interested in the group or is the group interested in you?

Alexis de Tocquieville's description of Americans?

"nation of joiners"

% of Americans belonging to associations

80

Social capital?

How our lives are improved by social connections

Ways interest groups channel civic participation?

Alternative participation to 2-party system; collective action

Pluralist theory

Policy making is a competition among diverse interest groups that represent individual interests.

Elite theory

A group of wealthy, educated individuals wields most political power

View held by political scientists concerning interest groups

Interest groups are essential

View held by most Americans regarding IGs

Negative

Functions served by IGs

• Educate about policy issues

• Provides path of activism, protecting common good

Relationship between IGs and their PACs?

Strengthens incumbency advantage

Demographic characteristics in interest groups

Upper middle class, wealthy whites, the educated

Education levels and participation in online groups

Education is best predictor of internet group membership

Occupations and representation in professional organizations?

Higher education/income // doctors and lawyers

Occupations and representation in labor unions

Teachers and tradespeople

Occupations and representation in industry-specific organizations?

Executives in business and industry

Children from working-class families and interest groups?

Less likely to have been socialized to participate

College students and interest groups?

Twice as likely to join political IGs than non-college peers

Robert Putnam’s theory of social capital

Derive psychological satisfaction from civil participation—being a part of a collective

Incentives for joining IGs

• Solidarity based on companionship

• Purpose

• Economic incentive

Factors related to an IG’s political effectiveness?

• Resources

• Demographics

• Cohesion

• Intensity

• Size

Facets of interest group membership?

Form PACs which are separate entities

Key factors in an interest group’s organizational environment?

Leadership, opposition

Umbrella organization?

Interest groups that represent collective groups of industries or corporations

Characterize union membership in US?

Declined recently

Agricultural interest groups?

• Some advocate general issues, some are product-specific

• American Farm Bureau Federation is largest

Characterize and provide examples of public interest groups?

• Public Citizens Inc, Common Cause, Sierra Club

• Connection with broad range of issues, want collective goods

Free rider problem

Someone not part of a group deriving benefit from those groups actions

Rational choice incentive

It’s not rational to participate in collective action when non-participation still achieves collective good

Ralph Nader

Advocated for consumer rights - founded Public Citizen

Characterize and provide examples of religious interest groups

• Traditionally not involved in politics for fear of losing tax exempt status

• Christian Coalition

Foreign interest and lobbying?

Cannot contribute to campaigns, but can influence through American based corporations

Who can legally contribute to PACs?

US citizens and legal immigrants

Origin of the term lobbyist?

Pres. Grant walked through hotel lobby and saw people preparing to speak with Congress

Interest group spending the most money on lobbying in 2015?

American Medical Association

Methods used by special interest reps in accessing policymakers?

• Face to face meetings

• Receptions

• Special events hosted by IGs

• Telephones

• Camping on capital steps

IGs and issue networks?

Web of connections among those concerned about policy and those who create/administer policy

IGs and iron triangles?

Interactions of mutual interest among bureaucracy and congress

Citizens United v Federal Election Commission

Decision that outlined right to free speech from corporations—treats them as individuals

Strategies used by interest groups for raising public awareness?

Public outreach

Indirect strats used by IGs to advance their cause?

• Electioneering

• Endorsements and ratings

• Protest

• Grassroots lobbying

Climate control

Using public outreach to build favorable public opinion

Electioneering

When interest groups engage in indirect strats for candidates they support

PACs and the majority of their financial contributions?

Incumbent candidates of both parties

Super PACs

First became important in 2012 election