Interest Groups
I. Interest Groups and What They Do A. Interest Groups 1. An interest group is a body of people who hold similar political views and goals. a. Many interest groups tend to pursue liberal or conservative goals; however, some interest groups are non political. 2. The fundamental goal of an interest group is to influence the government s laws, policies, and programs.
I. Interest Groups and What They Do A. Interest Groups (continued) 3. Interest groups serve three important functions by: a. uniting people with common interests and help raise awareness on those issues so that they appear on the government s agenda. b. providing members with various outlets to express themselves and participate in the political process. c. supplying information to the public and members of Congress.
PETA stages protests in order to draw attention to their cause
PETA stages protests in order to draw attention to their cause
PETA stages protests in order to draw attention to their cause
PETA stages protests in order to draw attention to their cause
Six types of Interest Groups
II. Types of Interest Groups A. Agricultural Groups 1. Represent the nation s farmers and the agriculture industry. a. Examples: i.) American Farm Bureau Federation ii.) National Potato Council
II. Types of Interest Groups B. Business Groups 1. Promote fair business practices and other business interests. a. Example: i.) The Chamber of Commerce 2. Trade Associations are composed of businesses which represent certain industries. a. Examples: i.) American Gas Association ii.) Virginia Education Association (and thousands of others)
II. Types of Interest Groups C. Labor Groups 1. Known as labor unions, these groups consist of workers who are united by their occupation. 2. Labor unions provide workers with protection from their employers and address issues relating to wages, hours, work environments, etc. a. Examples: i.) Service Employees International Union (SEIU) ii.) American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL CIO)
II. Types of Interest Groups D. Cause Based Groups 1. Groups which promote a single issue or cause; rather than a segment of society. a. Examples: i.) Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) ii.) People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) iii.) National Rifle Association (NRA) iv.) Sierra Club
II. Types of Interest Groups E. Societal (Social) Groups 1. These are groups which represent religious, social, racial, ethnic or other segments of the population. a. Examples: i.) National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) ii.) National Organization for Women (NOW) iii.) American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) iv.) Christian Coalition
II. Types of Interest Groups F. Professional Groups 1. These groups represent specific professions, establish standards and licensure requirements, and educate the public about the profession. a. Examples: i.) American Medical Association (AMA) ii.) American Bar Association (ABA)
III. How Interest Groups Work A. Endorsing Candidates 1. Interest groups, along with other government officials (and even celebrities) often endorse candidates prior to an election. a. To endorse is to publically declare personal support for a particular candidate. b. Interest groups endorse candidates who support the group s goals and political ideology. The Sierra Club endorsed President Obama in the 2012 Presidential Election. The NRA endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential Election.
III. How Interest Groups Work A. Endorsing Candidates (continued) 2. Interest groups donate money through political action committees. a. Political action committees (PACs) are organizations which are created for the purposes of fundraising and contributing money to political campaigns. b. PACs allow interest groups to contribute large amounts of money to the campaigns of presidential and congressional candidates.
III. How Interest Groups Work B. Lobbying 1. This occurs when individuals or groups contact public officials in order to persuade them to support the group s interests. 2. Major interest groups employ dozens (or even hundreds) of full time, professional lobbyists. a. These lobbyists spend countless hours and resources attempting to inform and persuade lawmakers to support the group s cause.
Example: A Congressmen has made it known that he opposes House Bill HR 1371. However, a lobbyist offers the congressman an elaborate Hawaiian vacation for him and his family, an expensive watch, or other gifts on behalf of the interest group, or even an expense free night out on the town. Abruptly, during the next House session, the congressman publicizes that he has suddenly changed his mind and plans to support HR Bill 1371.
III. How Interest Groups Work B. Lobbying (continued) 3. It has long been associated with bribery and political corruption. a. Many reforms (most recently in 2007) have strived to limit the impact of lobbyists and eliminate bribery and corruption. 4. Lobbyists must now provide full financial disclosures and strict limits have been placed on gifts which may be given to public officials.
Bob and Maureen McDonnell found guilty on corruption charges..
III. How Interest Groups Work C. Informing Public Opinion 1. Interest groups provide information to the general public by designing websites, purchasing ads, and organizing demonstrations. Left: Citizens gather at the U.S. Capitol to show support for tougher gun control laws following the mass shooting in Newtown, CT. Right: Gun rights activists rally in Albany, NY against gun control laws.
III. How Interest Groups Work C. Informing Public Opinion (continued) 2. Interest groups often use grassroots activities to gain support. a. Grassroots activities occur at the local level (in neighborhoods or communities) as a method of gaining political support. b. The goal of grassroots activities is to motivate citizens to directly contact their representatives regarding the issue. c. Examples of grassroots activities include: i.) Knocking on doors ii.) Making phone calls iii.) Handing out flyers iv.) Participating in marches and protests
Other ways which PETA draws attention to their cause.. Purchasing ad space in magazines with a large male audience Recommending the Washington Redskins change their logo, rather than their name Offering a low cost animal neutering and free beer in Norfolk PETA representative films a hog truck accident on Godwin Blvd. in Suffolk
Other ways which PETA draws attention to their cause.. Criticizing Mitt Romney for affixing a dog carrier (containing his dog Seamus ) to the roof of the family s station wagon as they traveled on a 650 mile trip to Canada in 1983
III. How Interest Groups Work D. Filing Lawsuits 1. Interest groups challenge laws and policies through the court system. a. Groups often sponsor cases by using high profile lawyers in an attempt to pursue their goals through the judicial system. b. Groups may also file amicus curiae briefs. (means: friend of the court) i.) These briefs are submitted by outside groups who are not directly involved in a case, but have interest in the outcome. NAACP Involvement in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ACLU Involvement in Roe v. Wade (1973) NRA Involvement in District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)
IV. Interest Groups and the Public Good A. Benefits of Interest Groups 1. Interest groups give minority interests a voice in the political process. a. Examples: i.) The NAACP helped to advance the Civil Rights Movement. ii.) The NOW has helped to advance the interests of women.
IV. Interest Groups and the Public Good B. Criticisms of Interest Groups 1. Interest groups have been criticized for: a. taking part in corrupt lobbying practices (especially in the past). b. sometimes being viewed as irrational, too dramatic, or extreme. c. counteracting each other and cancelling each other out. PETA condemns President Obama s fly murder Paint is thrown on a character s fur coat in the Sex and the City Movie