INTEREST GROUPS

Interest group

• any unelected group that attempts to influence those in power

Single issue groups

• aim to influence a narrow policy area

Examples of single issue interest groups

• National Rifle Association

  • Fights for rights of gun owners (single issue under 2nd amendment)

  • Aimed to influence Supreme Court case Distrct of Colombia v Heller in 2008 which concerned storage of weapons

Professional interest groups

• represent interests of a group of workers/professionals or industry as a whole

Example of a professional interest group

• American Farm Bureau Federation

  • Represents farmers across the US

  • Campaign on issues that impact agricultural policy/farmers

  • Includes immigration reform, tax, energy, and infrastructure

Policy interest groups

• Attempt to influence whole policy areas eg environment or foreign policy

• Share ideological belief in their goals

Example of policy interest groups

• Enviroment America

  • Seek to influence government policy concerning the environment

  • Including renewable energy, global warming, clean air and water, and wildlife conservation

Resources of interest groups: money

• groups with large amounts of money are able to contribute to election campaigns, hire lobbyists and organise grassroots campaigns more effectively

• Eg NRA spent $4.2million supporting Trump in 2020 while spending $12.2 million opposing Biden

• Money may come from donors or a vast membership

• Difficult to sustain influence without money

Resources of interest groups: membership

• larger group = more influence due to short election cycle

• Groups that can mobilise many voters pose threat to members of congress up for reelection by lobbying

• Members with expertise can help shape campaigns

Resources of interest groups: access

• groups with access to or the support of politicians are more likely to be heard

• May include retired Congress members

• Political connections may be established through the “revolving door”

  • Process in which politicians move to work for corporations and vice versa

  • Eg Akin Gump Strauss professional lobbyist 74% revolving door staff

  • Has major connections with the White House and Capitol Hill

  • Includes 3 former Congress members and a former advisor to bill clinton

Tactics of interest groups: lobbying

• multi-million dollar professional industry in the US

• Contacting and persuading those in power, may be by members or professional lobbyists hired by the interest groups

• May be meeting with a congress member, or drafting legislation and aiming to win a congressional sponsor to introduce the legislation into congress

Example of legislation written by an interest group

• in 2016, representative Scott Tipton introduced a bull to allow drilling in an environmentally sensitive area

• Written by oil company SG interests, which was also one of his top donors

How is lobbying activity and spending tracked

• website OpenSecrets

• Soft money and hard money both well documented

Tactics of interest groups: report cards

• issuing annal report cards on politicians

• Members of congress ranked on how well they have supported an issue on their voting record

• No direct effect but may influence voters who place high value on specific issues

• Eg Senator Sanders was giving a D- from the NRA in 2016 while campaigning for the presidency

Tactics of interest groups: campaign finance and electioneering

• May gain influence through donations to a campaign

• Direct donations limited by campaign finance legislation (so spend less on this than on lobbying)

• May offer endorsement to candidates (electioneering - taking part in political campaign)

Examples of electioneering

• in 2018, the NRA publicly advocated against reelection of Joe Manchin due to his stance on gun control

• League of Conservtion Voters spent 14$ million campaigning against Trump in 2020 due to him being listed as the top worst environmental candidate

Tactics of interest groups: direct action and demonstrations

• Protests: high profile, simple and visually effective forms of action

• Gains media attention and demonstrates depth of support for an issue

Example of demonstrations

• women’s march in October 2020 to campaign against the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett due to her pro-life ideology

Tactics of interest groups: litigation

• may take a case to court to protect an infdividual or overturn government policy

• Requires a significant amount of funding an constitutional challenge if heard by the Supreme Court

• May also submit amicus curiae briefs

Examples of litigation

• citizens united v FEC

• Chanllenegd the FECs campaign finance laws and led to creation of super pacs

Arguments interest groups improve representation

• Promote pluralist democracy

• Effective at representing minority groups

• Add democratic value by providing more representation than the first past the post system

Arguments interest groups dont improve representation

• wealthy and well connected groups concentrate the power of a small section of society. This elitism undermines democracy by widening political inequality

• Corporations make major donations to parties or politicians during election time, making them over-represented

Arguments interest groups provide checks on government

• effective at identifying and challenging government self-interest

• Can ensure politicians carry out policies promised at election time, protecting mandate theory and enhancing representative democracy

Arguments interest groups do not provide checks on government

• Checks they do provide may undermine democracy by preventing politicians from carrying out their policy promises. Interest groups have no mandate to govern, are unelected, and often self-interested.

• Interest groups contribute little to government checks due to the constitutional system already provinding them.

Arguments interest groups enhance participation

• allow people t be actively involved in the political process through demonstrations and encouraging greater connections between voters and politicians

• Add democratic value given low level of participation in elections. Many gain political influence via influence groups rather than voting

Arguments interest groups undermine participation

• may involve violence or other lawbreaking activities to gain influence, challenging laws that gave been passed through the representative democratic process

• Violence is a threat to democracy as it may restrict the individual rights of others.

  • Eg Extinction rebellion organised disruptive protest in 2019 in whcih over 20 people were arrested in NY while blocking traffic on Wall Street

Rights protection and interest group success

• high leve of rights protection guaranteed by entrenched bill of rights and sovereign constitution. Can use this to promote freedom of expression and right to protest

• Many interest groups have their main policy goals enshrined in the constitution eg NRA (second amendment) and the NAACP (14th amendment)

Methods of influencing congress

• lobbying

• Proposing legislation

• Record cards

• Campaign donations

• Protest

Methods of influencing the president

• lobbying

• Campaign donations

• Attack/endorsement adverts

• Protest

Methods of influencing the supreme court

• bringing cases to the court

• Submitting amicus curiae briefs

• May have direct role in nomination of justices eg the ABA