Chapter 7: Interest Groups

Alexis de Tocqueville’s description of Americans

“A nation of joiners”

% of americans belonging to associations

80%

Social capital

the many ways in which our lives are improved, in many ways by social connections

Ways interest groups channel civic participation

give people a way to band together and influence government as a collective force, involve individuals more actively, assist communities by providing a forum helping people get together

Pluralist theory

That policy making is a competition among diverse interest groups that ensure the representation of individual interests

Elite Theory

that a group of wealthy educated individuals wields the most political power

view held by political scientists concerning interest groups

elites have disproportionate influences in policy making, but that power is checked by interest groups

view held by most americans concerning interest groups

they have a generally negative reputation

functions served by interest groups

can protect common good

check and balance

educate about policy issues

provide avenue of access to activism

mobilize citizens to participate in civic and political affairs

perform electoral functions

provide info and expertise to policymakers

relationship between interest groups and their PACs

interest groups strengthen incumbency advantage

demographic characteristics in interest groups

wealthy, white, upperclass-middle, and well-educated people

education levels and participation in online groups

college grads are most common

occupations and representation in professional organizations

mainly corporations and tradespeople; members have limited control over leadership

occupations and representation in labor unions

teachers and tradespeople

occupations and representation in industry-specific organizations

teachers, tradespeople, and healthcare professionals

children from working-class families and interest groups

less likely to participate in interest groups with the exception of labor unions, much like parents

college students and interest groups

more than twice as likely to join a politically motivated interest group compared to people their age who did not go to college

robert putnam’s theory of social capital

solidary incentives and social capital are related to the psychological satisfaction derived from civic participation

incentives for joining interest groups

solidary, purposive, and economic

factors related to an interest group’s political effectiveness

organizational resources and organizational environment

facets of interest group membership

large membership, unification, intensity, members with influence demographically

key factors in an interest groups’ organizational environment

leadership and opposition from other groups

umbrella organization

interest groups that represent collective groups of industries or corporations

characterize union membership in the US

declined in past decades

agricultural interest groups

has most disproportionate amount of influence

characterize and provide examples of public interest groups

broad range, outcomes shared by general public

ex: Common Cause, Sierra Club, and Public Citizens Inc.

Free rider problem

someone receiving the benefits from the interest groups efforts, without being a part of the interest group

rational choice incentive

why join an interest group when they can secure the collective good without participating (free rider issue)

Ralph Nadar

most known for involvement in consumer interest groups

characterize and provide examples of religious interest groups

most influential interest groups

ex: Moral Majority, Christian Coalition, Pax Christi USA, B’nai B’rith, the Council on American-Islamic Relations

Foreign interest and lobbying

Most likely to lobby US over trade policies

who can legally contribute to PACs

only US citizens and legal immigrants can; American employees of foreign companies do form and contribute to PACs

origin of the term lobbyist

Ulysses S. Grant coined term to people waiting to speak to him in the lobby of the Willard hotel

Interest groups spending the most money on lobbying in 2015

US Chamber of Commerce

methods used by special interest representatives in accessing policymakers

face-to-face meetings, phone calls, camping out on capitol steps, and receptions and special events

interest groups and issue networks

they hire lobbyists who were former government officials to use their connections to get their policies passed

interest groups and iron triangles

interest groups, bureaucrats, and congress relationships

Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission

gave corporations same free speech amendment (first amendment) rights as individual citizens

strategies used by interest groups for raising public awareness

using celebrities to testify

indirect strategies used by interest groups to advance their cause

use citizens as grassroots lobbyists, engage in electioneering

climate control

the practice of using public outreach to build favorable public opinion of an organization/company

electioneering

working to influence the election of candidates who support the organization’s issues

PACs and the majority of their financial contributuions

towards people most likely to win reelection; the incumbents of both parties

super PACs

raise unlimited money to support a political candidate (covertly); prohibited from donating money directly to candidate