CHAPTER 9 INTEREST GROUPS

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CHAPTER 9 INTEREST GROUPS
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The purpose of this chapter is to survey the wide
variety of interest groups or lobbies that
operate in the United States and to assess their
impact on the political system
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THEME A American Interest Groups in Comparative
Perspective
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REASONS FOR PROLIFERATION OF INTEREST GROUPS 1.
Greater number of social cleavages along income,
occupational, religious, racial and cultural
lines 2. The American constitutional system
stimulates political activity. Federalism and
separation of powers mean there are many
different centers where decisions are made.
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REASONS FOR PROLIFERATION OF INTEREST GROUPS 3.
The decline of political parties have made the
wielding of power made interest groups more
practical
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There are two kinds of interest groups -
institutional and membership. Typical of
institutional interest groups are governments,
foundations and universities. Membership groups
are supported by the activities and contributions
of individual citizens.
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Institutional interests

• Defined individuals or organizations
  representing other organizations
• Types
• Businesses example, General Motors
• Trade or governmental associations
• Concerns--bread-and-butter issues of concern to
  their clients
• Clearly defined, with homogeneous groups
• Diffuse, with diversified groups
• Other interests--governments, foundations,
  universities

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Membership interests

• Americans join some groups more frequently than
  people in other nations
• Social, business, and so on, same rate as
  elsewhere
• Unions, less likely to join
• Religious or civic groups, more likely to join
• Greater sense of efficacy and duty explains the
  tendency to join civic groups
• Most sympathizers do not join because
• Individuals not that significant
• Benefits flow to nonmembers too

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Incentives to join

• Solidary incentives--pleasure, companionship
  (League of Women Voters, AARP, NAACP, Rotary,
  etc.)
• Material incentives--money, things, services
  (farm organizations, retired persons, etc.)
• Purpose of the organization itself--public-interes
  t organizations
• Ideological interest groups' appeal is
  controversial principles
• Engage in research and bring lawsuits

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THEME B - History and Interest - Group
Formation Four factors help explain the rise of
interest groups. 1. Broad economic
developments 2. Government policy 3. Religious
and moralist movements 4. Response to Government
Actions
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Broad economic developments create new interests

• Farmers produce cash crops
• Mass production industries begin

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Government policy itself

• Created veterans' groups--wars
• Encouraged formation of Farm Bureau
• Launched Chamber of Commerce
• Favored growth of unions

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The birth of interest groups

• Periods of rapid growth
• Since 1960, 70 percent have established an office
  in Washington, D.C. (K Street)
• 1770s, independence groups
• 1830s and 1840s, religious, antislavery groups
• 1860s, craft unions
• 1880s and 1890s, business associations
• 1900s and 1910, most major lobbies of today

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Interest Groups and Social Movements Environmenta
l Movement The Feminist Movement The Union
Movement
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THEME C. - Bias in the Group Process and Kinds
of Organizations Whether an organizations
political positions will represent its members'
interests will be depend on at least four
factors. 1. The homogeneity of the Group 2.
People's motives for joining 3. The size of the
staff 4. The level of militancy and activity of
the membership
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Influence of the staff

• Staff has most influence if members joined for
  solidary or material benefits
• National Council of Churches and unions are
  examples

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WHO JOINS ORGANIZATIONS THE PROBLEM OF
BIAS Organizational Membership and Social Class
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Problem of bias

• Reasons for belief in upper-class bias
• More affluent more likely to join
• Business or professional groups more numerous
  better financed
• Why these facts do not decide the issue
• Describe inputs but not outputs
• Business groups often divided among themselves
• Important to ask what the bias is
• Many conflicts are within upper middle class

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WELDING INFLUENCE SPENDING MONEY Sources of Funds
for Interest Groups 1. Foundation Grants 2.
Federal Grants and Contracts 3. Individual
Contributors
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Funds for interest groups

• Foundation grants
• Ford Foundation and public-interest groups
• Scaife foundations and conservative groups
• Federal grants and contracts
• National Alliance for Business and summer youth
  job programs
• Jesse Jackson's PUSH
• Direct mail
• Unique to modern interest groups through use of
  computers
• Common Cause a classic example
• Techniques
• Teaser
• Emotional arousal
• Celebrity endorsement
• Personalization of letter

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THEME D - Interest Groups in Action Interest
groups provide 1. Credible information 2. Public
Support 3. Money 4. The absence of trouble 5. The
"Revolving Door"
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THEME E - Controlling Interest Groups and
Lobbyists GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS Spending by
Political - Action Committees (PAC)
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The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946 A
law which required groups and individuals seeking
to influence legislation to register with the
secretary of the Senate and the clerk of the
House of Representatives. - It merely required
direct disclosure and registration standards
(quarterly financial reports - money received
and spent for lobbying)
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1. It applied only to lobbyists' efforts to
influence Congress (not the executive department
branch) 2. It covered only efforts to influence
not efforts to provide information. 3. It did not
apply to contracts between lobbyists and
congressional staff members. 4. There more no
enforcement mechanisms. From 1946 to 1979 there
were only five prosecutions by the Justice
Department 5. No staff to enforce law 6.
Grassroots activity not restricted.
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1995 Act provided a broader definition of
lobbying 1. Requires reports twice a year,
including client names, expenditures, issues. 2.
Still exempted grassroots mobilization. 3. No
enforcement agency established, but Justice
Department may take action. 4. Tax-exempt,
nonprofit organizations cannot receive federal
grants if they lobby.
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Money and PACs

• Money is least effective way to influence
  politicians
• Campaign finance reform law of 1973 had two
  effects
• Restricted amount interest groups can give to
  candidates
• Made it legal for corporations and unions to
  create PACs
• Rapid growth in PACs has not led to vote buying.
• More money is available on all sides
• Members of Congress take money but still decide
  how to vote
• Almost any organization can create a PAC.
• More than half of all PACs sponsored by
  corporations
• Recent increase in ideological PACs one-third
  liberal, two-thirds conservative

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Money and PACs

• Ideological PACs raise more but spend less
  because of cost of raising money
• In 2000 unions and business organizations gave
  most
• Incumbents get most PAC money
• Business PACs split money between Democrats and
  Republicans
• Democrats get most PAC money
• PAC contributions small

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No evidence PAC money influences votes in Congress

• Most members vote their ideology
• When issue of little concern to voters, slight
  correlation but may be misleading
• PAC money may influence in other ways, such as
  access
• PAC money most likely to influence on client
  politics

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Self Test
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For more information about this topic, link to
the Metropolitan Community College Political
Science Web Site http//socsci.mccneb.edu/pos/pols
cmain.htm