Interest Groups and Campaign Finance Notes

What are interest groups?

Organization of people sharing a common interest that seek to influence public policy

What causes interest groups to form?

1.) Rise of mass production

2.) Labor Unions growth

3.) Rise in Leadership

4.) Growth of Government

What is an institutional/economic interest group?

Represent other organizations and advocate for their financialinterests ex. Home Depot =, General Motors

What is a single issue interest group?

Form around a moral issue

What is a public interest interest group?

Act on behalf of collective interests of a broad group of individuals ex. education, social welfare, civil liberties

Three incentives to Join Interest Groups?

1.) Collective Good

2.) Selective Benefits (ex. AARP)

3.) Purpose and Incentive

What is lobbying?

Influencing legislators by gathering information. Lobbyist are persuasive but factual, and are the best way to directly influence legislation, but require great money.

What is Political Cue?

Telling an official what is at stake in this vote and how the issue fits into their party’s views

What is Earmarks?

Provision in a law that provides a direct benefit to a client without review by all of Congress

Are Earmarks legal or illegal?

Legal so far

What is an example of an Earmark?

A university wanted to build a nutrition center. Their lobbyist saw that Congress had already authorized a “national” nutrition center. So, the lobbyist persuaded Congress to create the center at their client’s university.

What is Litigation and the Court?

Finding plaintiffs to bring controversial issues to court and attempting to get the courts to change the policy

What is amicus curaie?

Letters that are briefed to the SCOTUS describing the group’s position on the issues to persuade the Court’s ruling

What is Grassroot Mobilization?

Contacting citizens to get them to generate pressure directly on government officials.

What’s the disadvantage of grassroots mobilization?

That is requires the public to feel passionately about one specific topic, requiring the convincing of the legislator to take affirmative action because the public supposedly supports 1 side.

Whats the key point about Money within Capign Finance and Interest Groups?

Interest Groups can not directly give money to a candidate for office they like

What is a Leadership PAC?

Headed by a member of Congress who raises money for other candidates

What is a Super PAC?

“Indepdent Expenditure”, they have unlimited money but they can not directly contribute to a candidate

What did the Campaign Finance Reform Law of 1973?

Created PAC (poltical action committees) as a way to limit the amount of money interest groups can give to a candidate for office

What is the tactic of Civil Disobedience?

Public displays and disruptive tactics like protest, marches, sit-ins, picketing, and violence - always puts legislators in difficult position = ignoring them doesn’t work but supporting them is controversial

What is the revolving door effect?

scandals and that involve government officials having to leave their jobs to become lobbyists or work in private industry

What is the first amendment?

Freedom of Speech

What is the 1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act?

requires professional lobbyist to register in Congress and file financial reports

What is the BCRA (Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act)?

1.) 2002 policy that banned soft money contributions to national political parties from corporations or unions: donations must be from individuals or PACs

2.) Corporations, unions, non-profits are more restricted by not being able to run ads 60 days before a general election or 30 days before a primary

3.) Required the I approve this message

What are 527 Organizations?

Non-profit without regulation, permits soft money spending - allowed to spend money on politics without direct coordination with candidates

What is soft money?

Money donated to a party or interest group who can buy ads on behalf of the candidate = not subject to campaign finance laws

What is hard money?

Contributions given directly to candidates - restricted and regulated