Textbook Notes- chapter 9 PDF

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Textbook notes for Chapter 9 in the American Politics Today Textbook....

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Chapter 9 Interest Groups What are Interest Groups? Interest groups- and organization of people who share common political interests and aim to influence public policy by electioneering and lobbying Lobbying- efforts to influence public policy through contact with public officials on behalf of an interest group Organizational Structures ■ Centralized groups- interest groups that have headquarters, usually in Washington D.C., as well as members and field offices throughout the country. In general, these groups’ lobbying decisions are made at the headquarters by the groups leaders ■ OR, ■ Confederation- interest groups made up of several independent, local organizations that provide much of their funding and hold most of the power ■ Mass associations- interest groups that have a large number of dues-paying individuals as members ■ OR, ■ Peak associations- interest groups whose members are business or other organizations Membership: benefits and incentives ■ Free riding- relying on others to contribute to a collective effort while failing to participate on one’s own behalf, yet still benefiting from the group's success ■ Selective incentives- benefits that can motivate participation in a group effort because they are only available to those who participate. They fall into three categories: ● Benefits from participation, coercion, and material goods ● Benefits from participation: Fall into two categories: Solidary benefits: satisfaction derived from the experience of working with like-minded people, even if the group’s efforts do not achieve the desired impact Purposive benefits: satisfaction derived from the experience of working toward a desired policy goal, even if the goal is not achieved

● Coercion- a method of eliminating nonparticipation or free riding by potential group members by requiring participation (such as labor unions) ● Material benefits- benefits that are provided to individuals for joining a group that are distinct from the collective benefits provided by the group Resources ■ Interest groups use three key resources: people (the members), money, and expertise Staff ■ Interest group staff falls into two categories: ● Experts on the groups main policy areas ● People with useful government connections and knowledge of procedures ■ Revolving door- the movement of individuals from government positions to jobs with interest groups or lobbying firms and vice versa The Business of lobbying ■ Lobbying firms must file quarterly reports identifying their clients, how much they paid, and the issues they lobbied on ■ Interest groups and corporations must file reports that list staff members who spent more than 20% of their time lobbying and total expenditures to lobbying firms Interest Group Strategies Inside strategies ■ The tactics employed within Washington D.C. by interest groups seeking to achieve their policy goals ■ Direct lobbying- attempts by interest group staff to influence policy by speaking with elected officials or bureaucrats ● Usually meet with like minded legislators and share information, and help draft legislation ● Also meet with legislators who disagree or “fence-sitters” who neither support or oppose in attempts to sway them ■ Drafting legislation and regulations ● Often deliver drafted legislation to legislators and bureaucrats ● Congress has less internal capacity to write legislation because of cuts in committee staff ● Seek out legislators who already support their cause ■ Research

● Members of Congress are more likely to accept a group's proposal if they think the group’s staff has done solid research to back the claims ■ Hearings ● Interest group staff often testify before congressional committees Do do to try and inform members of the issue that matters to the group ■ Litigation ● Strategy that involves taking the government to court ● Argue that some government action is not consistent with the Constitution or they’ve misinterpreted an existing law ● Also file amicus curiae briefs in cases ■ Working Together ● Congress is more likely to respond when many groups with large or diverse membership are all asking for the same thing Outside Strategies ■ The tactics employed outside Washington D.C. by interest groups ■ Grassroots lobbying- a lobbying strategy that relies on participation by group members, such as protest or letter-writing campaign ● Elected officials do not like to act against a large group of citizens ● Astroturf lobbying- any lobbying method initiated by an interest group that is designed to look like the spontaneous, independent participation of many individuals ■ Mobilizing Public Opinion ● Trying to change the way people think about an issue in hopes elected officials will notice the change and respond ● Groups will try to engage people through social media, websites, and press releases ■ Electioneering ● Involve themselves in elections by making contributions to candidates, urging people to help in a campaign, endorsing candidates, funding campaign ads, or mobilizing a candidates supporters ● 501(c)(3)- classification of most private organizations and associations Donations to the group are tax deductible Must not advocate for or against political candidates Lobbying must not constitute more than 20% of the group’s total expenditures

● Groups that want to engage in lobbying or electioneering can operate as PACs or 527 organizations ■ Cultivating Media Contracts ● Media coverage helps a group publicize without spending money ● Media outlets will publish information if they feel a group’s story will catch the attention of the reasons or address their concerns How Much Power Do Interest Groups Have? What determines when interest groups succeed? ■ Change vs Preventing Change ● In general groups have an easier time preventing a change that trying to implement one ■ Amount of Public Attention ● More likely to succeed when their request attracts little public attention Legislators have to worry less about the political consequences ■ Level of Conflict ● Interest group influence is much less apparent on highly conflictual issues ● Legislators have a keen sense of the political costs of accommodating a group’s demands ● Stalemate is the most likely result of highly conflictual issues...