in washington d.c. where nearly 7 thousand organizations (interest groups, lobbies) are located
TRANSCRIPT
• In Washington D.C. where nearly 7 thousand organizations (interest Groups, Lobbies) are located
1. MORE CLEAVAGES IN OUR SOCIETY
• DIFFERENT RACES
• DIFFERENT REGIONS
• DIFFERENT INCOME LEVELS
2. MORE POINTS AT WHICH INTEREST GROUPS CAN GAIN ACCESS TO GOVERNMENT
• CONGRESS• PRESIDENT• COURTS
3. BECAUSE OUR POLITICAL PARTIES ARE WEAK COMPARED TO THE PARTIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES SUCH AS GREAT BRITAIN
• 1960s AND 1970s were the boom years for interest groups
1. Broad economic developments
• Farmers produce cash crops for sale in markets that were unstable. Need more protection
2. Government policy created interest groups
• War means veterans who in turn demanded pensions and other benefits
3. Social circumstances require interest groups
• 1830s and 1840s antislavery organizations
4. More activities the government undertakes the more organized groups there will be who are interested in those activities. Example: Environment
• AN ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY
• TWO TYPES– INSTITUTIONAL– MEMBERSHIP
• INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
• Not always made up of individual members (offices, corporations, law firms) Farm Bureau speaks for all farmers
• American Cotton Manufacturers – represent all southern textile mills (keep foreign-made textiles from competing too much with American-made textiles)
• Three times as many Americans as Britons are members of groups
• Americans have strong sense of civic duty (does not matter what your education is)
• Don’t join because you seem not to make a difference (benefit even if you are not a member)
• EMPTYING A LAKE WITH A CUP
• Incentive: something of value you cannot get without joining an interest group
1. Solidary Incentives
2. Material Incentives
3. Purposive Incentives
• Solidary Incentive: get pleasure, status, or companionship from meeting together in small groups
• Material Incentive: money, or things and services readily valued in monetary terms
• Illinois Farm Bureau
– If you join you get the opportunity to buy farm supplies at a discounted price
• Purposive Incentives: appeal of interest group’s stated goals to recruit members
• Ideological Interest Groups: attract members by appealing to their interest –
• Public-Interest Lobby: benefit everyone
• PASSIONATELY support one side of an issue (difficult on local level)
• ADVANCES IT’S CAUSES BY BRINGING LAWSUITS AGAINST THEIR OPPONENTS
• DO RESEARCH ON POLICY QUESTIONS FOR THEIR INTEREST GROUP
• MANY ARE ALIGNED WITH LIBERAL OR CONSERVATIVE CAUSES
• Social Movement: Widely shared demand for change in some aspect of social or political order that creates an interest group
• Triggered by scandal– Oil spill– Sit-ins for Civil Rights
• Social movements are not always liberal
– Social movement to stop immigration
– Keep Catholics or Masons out of public office
• The Feminist Movement (NOW)
• Union Movement (Teamsters)
• Three ways that Interest Groups raise money1. Foundation
Grants
2. Federal Grants and Contracts
3. Direct Mail
• Foundation Grants
– Main way liberal public-interest groups get money
– Ford Foundation contributed about $21 million dollars to liberal public-interest groups
• Federal Grants & Contracts
– Money given to support a project that an organization has undertaken
– Salvation Army given money to provide diverse social services and community projects
• Direct Mail– To raise money and
mobilize support– 2% of names give
money it is a success– Use different and create
techniques to get people to read letter (pages 277-278)
1. WELL-OFF PEOPLE MORE LIKELY THAN THE POOR TO JOIN AND BE ACTIVE
2. GROUPS REPRESENTING BUSINESSES ARE MORE NUMEROUS AND BETTER FINANCED THAN ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING MINORITIES
• 170 organizations just concerned with oil industry
1. INFORMATION
2. MONEY AND PACs
3. The “REVOLVING DOOR”
4. TROUBLE
• Legislators do not have time to become an expert on every issue; they rely on interest groups to supply them with credible information
• Lobbyists don’t lie because they must develop and maintain trust of legislator
• Campaign Finance Reform Act of 1973– Restricted amount of
money that an interest group could give to candidate for Federal Office
– Legal for corporations and labor unions to form PACs
• Parties have become dependent on PAC money
• People leave important federal jobs to take a more lucrative position in a private industry
• Candidate does something for corporation to get a job later
• Uses past personal contacts in Washington to get favors for private parties
• PROTESTS• MARCHES• SIT-INS• PICKETING• NO LONGER LAST
RESORT OF AN INTEREST GROUP
• GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DREAD THIS TACTIC
• The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946
• Interest group activity is protected by the First Amendment
• 1995 Bill that became Law that restates the obligation of lobbyists to register with the House and Senate
• PAGE 287
• Interest groups (grassroots organizations) are tax-exempt unless they partake in extensive lobbying activities
• Page 287
• Sierra Club
