Politics - US Pressure groups

Electoral finance definition?

Money used to fund election campaigns

Who do pressure groups tend to support?

Candidates who share their aims

An example of a candidate holding a different opinion to the majority of the party so receiving a donation from a pressure group that would tend to support the opposition?

In 2018 Dan Lipinski (democrat) received support from pro-life group the Susan B Anothony List (SBA list)

What is seen to be one of the most powerful pressure groups in US politics?

The NRA due to strangers of funding election campaigns

In 1992 what proportion of the NRA’s congressional campaign spending went to democrats?

37%

In 2016 how much of the NRA’s congressional campaign funding did republican candidates receive?

98%

In 2012 how much did the NRA spend successfully opposing republican senator Richard Luger who got an F rating?

$169,000

What are insider pressure groups?

Pressure groups closer to the gov with more influence and spending on lobbying

Example of an insider pressure group?

National rifle association (NRA)

What are outsider pressure groups?

Pressure groups which exercise influence through public pressure

Example of an outsider pressure group exercising influence through public pressure?

Climate direct action ‘value turner’ protests 2016 which had an impact of 15% US oil import valves were turned on

Promotional definition?

Promote a particular cause to benefit society e.g greenpeace

Interest/sectional definition?

Campaign for members interests e.g NAACP

What type of structure do pressure groups have?

A traditional hierarchy structure

When did pressure groups start?

In the 19th century

What causes did pressure groups have influence in?

Women’s rights and civil rights

What pressure group were named the ‘most powerful lobbyist in Trump’s Washington’?

Ballard Partners

How have Ballard Partners helped Trump?

Lobbied Florida gov for him and raised millions for his 2016 campaign

Once Trump became president how much did Ballard Partners gain?

100 clients and $28 million in less than 2 years

What type of companies use Ballard Partners?

Top companies e.g Amazon

Where besides the US do Ballard Partners have firms?

In Nigeria and Turkey

Who created the #MeToo movement and when?

Tarana Burke in 2006

In 2018 how much did league of conservation votes spend on campaigning which led to the democrats winning the house of reps?

$85 million

Who does Emily’s list aim to get into congress?

Pro choice democrat women

What does Emily’s list stand for?

Early money is like yeast

When was Emily’s list set up?

In 1985

What group endorsed Clinton in 2016 and 2018 and spent $37 million in 2018 election on female members of congress?

Emily’s list

What are scorecards?

How candidates score on key policy areas

What are the league of conservation ‘dirty dozen’?

Politicians with the worst environmental records

What have Greenpeace US used direct action for?

To prevent nuclear testing on the high seas

What pressure group issued climate score cards for the 2020 presidential election?

Greenpeace USA

Who is the executive direct of greenpeace USA?

Ebony Twilley Martin

Why was the NRA’s donations to blue dog democrat Henry Cuellar seen as controversial leading to the blue dog PAC returning a donation from the NRA?

As not all blue dog democrats support gun rights

In 2016 how much did the NRA spend on election campaigning?

$52.5 million

How much did the NRA spend promoting Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign?

$30 million

Why was the NRA disappointed with Trump’s administration in 2019?

As they introduced a national ban on bump stocks (devices that can be attached to semi-automatic rifles to make them fire much faster)

Why did the NRA’s donations spend less in 2020 than in 2016?

As they faced legal challenges due to alleged financial impropriety meaning meant of its funds were with court cases

Who do pressure groups focus their resources on?

Key figures in Washington such as presidential candidates, high-profile party members or important committee chairs

In 2020 how much was spent on house races v senate races?

House - $702 million Senate - $1,547 million

In 2016 what was 96% of the NRA’s budget spent on?

6 senate races and the presidential campaign

Who do most pressure groups, co-corporations and wealthy individuals tend to finance?

Washington insiders who will maintain the status quo to benfit their organisation

Why did Hillary Clinton raise more than rival Trump?

Due to her pro-business nature and generally supportive of the status quo

How do incumbents have an advantage in elections?

Already have a relationship with constituents, find it easier to attract campaign donations

What proportion of congress members are usually returned?

90%

Iron triangle definition?

The relationship between an interest group, congress and the executive branch

What is the iron triangle theory?

That they are bound together in a close network of mutual advantages and benefit from each others support

How can interest groups influence congress?

By making donations to congress members employment in certain congressional districts

How can congress influence interest groups?

As it may pass legislation that affects them and it carries out oversight of activites via congressional committees

How do executive departments have power over interest groups?

As they create regulations they must follow

How can the executive influence congress?

By setting the policy agenda and determining how the federal bureaucracy will implement congresses laws

What are the 2 most cited examples of iron triangles?

Defense and drug companies

Who warned that the ‘military-industrial complex’ was growing too powerful and may lead to defence and foreign policies that weren’t in the public interest?

President Dwight Eisenhower in 1961

Why have governments been unable to reduce the military budget?

As it’s been a political imperative to maintain the US’s position as the most powerful global military power

What is the largest US defense company which spends around $14 million a year on professional lobbyists?

Lockheed Martin

How did Lockheed Martin put pressure on congress members to build the US’s most expensive weapons system, the F35 fighter jet?

Argued it would create 125,000 jobs over 46 states

In 2018 elections how much did defence companies spend in donations?

$30 million

Example of a congress member who is the chair of Seapower and procurement of funding for the construction of 2 submarines a year in his district?

Joe Courtney

In 2019 how many congress members of their spouses owned a total of $2.3-$$5.8 million in shares in defence companies?

51

What senator owned up to $100,000 of stock in Lockheed Martin so was pleased when his subcommittee awarded a $1.85 billion contract to the company in 2020?

Roy Blunt

Who described Lockheed Martin as “too big to fail” as it was essential to many weapons and positive for the gov to continue to support it with large contracts?

Adademic William Hartung

What is the revolving door syndrome?

When personnel often move from 1 of the 3 institutions on the triangle to another

Who was Trumps defence secretary in 2019 and previously Boeing’s senior vice president?

Patrick Shanahan

Who oversaw defence spending which directly benefited Boeing e.g contracts worth $13.7 billion in Sept 2018?

Patrick Shananhan

Who do pharmaceutical companies focus this attention on?

Key congressional committees e.g house energy subcommittee on health

Who was the chair of the house energy subcommittee on health and received hundreds of thousands in donations from pharmaceutical companies in 2020 elections?

Anna Eshoo

Who worked for the FDA in 2005-07 then in 2017 Trump appointed him head of the FDA?

Scott Gottlieb

Who joined the board of directors for Pfizer in 2019?

Scott Gottlieb

What are the grassroots of a pressure group?

It’s membership and who pay fees to provide revenue and campaign

How can the grassroots campaign?

Through contacting members of congress to show their cause has mass support

What can grassroots members do to gain momentum on their issue and new members?

Organise petitions and fundraising and share the groups material on social media

What is an example of pressure groups encouraging their members to take part in marches and demonstrations?

In 2022 the ACLU organised protests outside state legislatures protesting anti-abortion legislation

Why do pressure groups use direct action?

To put public pressure on the executive to force concessions

How did the civil rights movement use Ghandi’s idea of non-violent protests?

Organised African American “sit ins” in segregated areas and bus boycotts

What was organised by the leaders of 6 prominent civil rights groups like the southern Christian leadership conference?

The March on Washington for jobs and freedom + Martin King Jr speech

In 1967 what pressure group organised for 800 veterans to throw their medals in front of the capitol?

Vietnam Veterans against War

What generates publicity and media attention but can alienate policy makers and the public when violence is used?

Direct action

After the murder of George Floyd how many cities across the US had demonstrations?

140

After the murder if George Floyd in what city were 700 buildings damaged during a riot?

At Paul Minnesota

What pressure group deliberately targets gov sites in bombings to destroy “US imperialism”?

Weatherman a faction of students for a democratic society

How did the use of violence discredit Weatherman a faction of students for a democratic society?

It made it easier for the executive to maintain its policy as they were easier to discredit

What did the American civil liberties union (ACLU) do during the “Palmer raids”?

Publicised the governments unlawful actions and secured the release of activists

What is the goal of the American civil liberties union (ACLU)?

“To defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to all people in this country by the constitution and laws of the US”

How many court cases does the American civil liberties union (ACLU) take each year?

About 6,000

Who did the American civil liberties union (ACLU) defend after his arrest for draft evasion in 1967?

Muhammad Ali

What did the American civil liberties union (ACLU) argue about Muhammad Ali?

He was a conscientious objector whose religious belief prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam war

How did the American civil liberties union (ACLU) controversially protect freedom of speech?

Defended Neo-nazi groups to march and display the swastika symbol

Why did the American civil liberties union file a lawsuit against Trump?

Again his executive order to end birth right citizenship

What is ‘hard money’?

To donations to a particular candidate

What is ‘soft money’?

Money given to a political party or action committee that may be used for ‘party-building’ activities which may promote the party a candidate represents

What is ‘independent expenditures’?

Money spent on campaigning for or against a particular candidate without involvement by a candidate or political party

Which type of money is limited by the federal election commission?

‘Hard money’

What 2 types of organisations do pressure groups use to manage their electoral spending?

Political action committees (PACs) and super PACs

What do political action committees do?

Raise money for the direct purpose of electing or defeating candidates in election. They can be used by pressure groups to raise money for campaigning

What is each individual, PAC or party committee allowed to donate to a PAC each year?

$5,000

What was the highest amount a PAC contributed to political candidates?

National association of realtors donated $3,781,000 to democrats

What is the top PAC contributors to political candidates (democrats)?

Blue cross, American crystal sugar and the national association of realtors

What a super PACs?

A special type of PAC that only deal with independent expenditures

Which case transformed campaign finance where the court ruled that the 1st amendment right of free speech applied to corporations, unions and pressure groups?

Citizens United V Federal Election Commission (2010)

How did the Citizens United V Federal election commission allow pressure groups to spend an unlimited amount on political campaiging?

In US law spending money on political campaigns is seen as free speech so p.g’s could spend unlimited amounts as long it was classed as independent expenditure

In the 2020 election how much did Super PACs spend?

$1.8 billion