Andrew Teas

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Chapter 7 Interest Groups

• Andrew Teas
• Government 2301
• Houston Community College

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Case Study National Rifle Association

• NRA successful interest group
• Supports legislation favoring gun ownership
• Supports candidates that favor their issues
• Presidential candidates Gore (2000) and Kerry
  (2004) supported gun control
• NRA backed Bush, who won both elections
• Some blame gun issue for Gore losses in West
  Virginia and Tennessee, Kerry loss in Ohio, which
  cost election
• Many Democrats now avoid gun control issue

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Case Study National Rifle Association

• Key Points
• NRA succeeds despite public divided on issues
• 2008 poll 49 believe gun control regulations
  should be more strict, 11 less strict, 38
  favored no change
• NRA success shows that motivated, well-organized
  interest groups can outperform larger groups that
  are less motivated or organized.

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Why people join interest groups

• Three major reasons
• Material NRA offers training, insurance, etc.
• Solidary social benefits, networking
• Purposive (expressive) satisfaction from
  supporting a cause

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Types of Interest Groups

• Interest Group an organization of people who
  join together voluntarily on the basis of some
  interest they share for the purpose of
  influencing public policy.
• What types of interest groups are there?
• ASAE (The American Society of Association
  Executives) represents members of about 10,000
  different associations.

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Types of Interest Groups

• Business Groups

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Types of Interest Groups

• Labor Unions

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Types of Interest Groups

• Professional Associations

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Types of Interest Groups

• Agriculture Groups

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Types of Interest Groups

• Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups

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Types of Interest Groups

• Religious Groups

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Types of Interest Groups

• Citizen Advocacy and Cause Groups

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Interest Group Tactics

• Electioneering
• Endorsements
• PACS
• Independent Expenditure Campaigns, 527s,
  501c4s
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vC54k0n0NsIg
• Friendly Incumbent Rule

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Friendly Incumbent Rule
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Interest Group Tactics

• Lobbying

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Interest Group Tactics - Lobbying

• What is Lobbying?
• "Congress shall make no law....abridging the
  freedom of speech....or the right of the people
  peaceably to assemble, and to petition the
  government for a redress of grievances. (First
  Amendment)
• The term "lobbyist" came into usage early in the
  19th century, although stories of its origin
  vary. One account describes "lobby-agents" as the
  petitioners in the lobby of the New York State
  Capitol waiting to address legislators. Another
  version of the story describes the lobby of the
  Willard Hotel as the meeting site for both
  legislators and favor-seekers during the early
  1800s. Either way, by 1835 the term had been
  shortened to "lobbyist" and was in wide usage in
  the U.S. Capitol, though frequently pejoratively.

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Interest Group Tactics - Lobbying

• Does Lobbying Play a Legitimate Role in
  Policymaking?
• http//marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/200
  8/02/13/lobbyists/
• Campaign Finance Reform Solution?

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Interest Group Tactics - Creating Public Pressure

• Harry and Louise ads helped defeat Clinton
  Heath Care plan
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vDt31nhleeCg

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Interest Group Tactics Protest Demonstration

• Traditional, low-tech method

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Interest Group Tactics - Litigation

• Lawsuits a popular tactic for ACLU, environmental
  groups

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Interest Group Tactic Political Violence?

• Political violence thankfully rare in the
  United States

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Strength of Interest Groups

• Factors in Interest Group Influence
• Alliances with political parties
• Alliances with members of Congress and executive
  branch officials
• Public Opinion
• Unity among groups representing the same cause
• Opposition from other groups

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Conclusion Interest Groups and Public Policy

• Interest Groups
• Educate citizens about political issues
• Communicate policy choices to government
  officials
• Hold elected officials accountable for their
  actions
• Prevent the concentration of power
• First Amendment Congress shall make no law
  abridging the right of the people peaceably to
  assemble, and to petition the government for a
  redress of grievances.

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Conclusion (continued)

• Agenda Building interest groups participate in
  the agenda that determines nations policy
  agenda, compete to place items on nations agenda
• Policy Formulation and Adoption interest groups
  dont adopt government policy, but pressure
  government to focus and adopt policies they favor
• Policy Implementation and Evaluation Interest
  groups stay active after policies are adopted and
  public attention drifts, attempt to shape policy
  evaluation to favor their positions

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