pressure groups fact sheet

8/3/2019 Pressure Groups Fact Sheet

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Pressure groups fact sheet

Pluralism a theory which suggests that political power in a society does not rest simply with the electorate, norwith the governing elite, but is distributed amongst a number of groups representing widely different interests

within society

Elitism a theory which suggests that political power in a society rests with a small group who gain power

through wealth, family status or intellectual superiority A pressure group has the purpose of advancing their own interests or to promote a cause they believe in

Types of pressure groups

A pressure group is an organised interest group in which members hold similar beliefs and actively pursue to

influence government, pressure groups in the US aim to seek influence on all or some branches of government.

Pressure groups can be categorised into two broad categories:

Institutional pressure groups Membership pressure groupsSeek to represent organisations and groups

Business/trade groups such as the USchamber of Commerce which represents

thousands of different businesses across

the nation

Labour unions and agricultural groups -American Farm Bureau Federation which

represents agriculture

Professional groupsAmerican Medical

Association, American Bar Association Intergovernmental groups National

Governors Conference

Aim to represent individual Americans rather than

organisations and groups

Single issue groups NRA MADD

Ideological groups American Conservative Union,ACLU (American Civil liberties Union)

Group rights groups National Organisation forWomen, NACCP

Public interest groups Common Cause, Friends of theEarth

Think tanks important part of public interest groupsas they conduct research, write reports, write articles

for publication in leading broadsheet newspapers,

publish journals and books, organise conferences and

give evidence to congressional committees.

Functions of pressure groups

5 basic functions:

1. Representative function US citizens can have their views represented their grievances articulated. TheSenator and Representative in a persons area does not have the capability of representing everyones views

in all levels of government (state, federal and government) so pressure groups allow for all people in societyto have a group to represent them.

2. Aid political participation increase political participation between elections and allows people toparticipate in specific policy areas such as pro-guns, anti-abortion, pro-environmentalist etc

3. Enhance public education public can be educated on policy issues, effect of them being ignored orimplemented. Jeffrey Berry and Clyde Wilcox commented that:

With their advocacy efforts, publications and publicity campaigns, pressure groups can make people better

aware of both policy problems and proposed solutions

4. Agenda building attempt to influence legislators and bureaucrats to promote interests of society. This was

the case when the manufacturers and distributors of CDs, video cassettes and computer software cametogether to get government to address the problem of piracy, as a result China promised to close down

factories that were illegally duplicating American goods.

5. Programme monitoring scrutinise and hold government to account in the implementation of policies, try toensure that promises are fulfilled, policies delivered and regulated enforced. For example the Bipartisan


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Campaign Reform Act in 2002, commonly known as the McCain-Feingold Act the Campaign Finance

Institute commissioned a set of studies by scholars on the laws impact on the funding campaigns. As a result

of the monitoring, pressure groups such as the NRA and ACLU will sometimes bring cases to the state and

federal courts, asking the judicial branch of government to monitor the effects of legislation.

Example prescription drug provision, especially for senior citizens:

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) boasts more than 35 million members over theage of 50. They have a lot of political clout

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America represents more than 100 Americandrug companies, lobbying for legislation that would give the private sector, not the federal

government, the management role in administering any prescription drug provision for senior

citizens

United Seniors Assocation conservative grassroots group with some 1.5 million members and the13 million member AFL-CIO. They argue that the proposed legislation favours drug company profits

over senior citizens costs

Reasons for joining a pressure group

Material benefits

People join pressure groups because they believe something worthwhile will result from the groups

activities. When people involve themselves in pressure groups wither through donating money or activelyinvolving themselves in the pressure groups activities they ask themselves what they will benefit from this

pressure group and what will society benefit from this pressure group.

Forms of material benefits (tangible rewards members will receive from donations):

Information most pressure groups publish a magazine, for example the Sierra Club sends out a glossy magazineto its members that include articles, competitions and hiking tours. The NRA has a range of regular publications

such as the American Hunter, American Rifleman, Womens outlook or Americas First Freedom. These pressure

groups may also offer information via the internet in the form of audio and video links, articles, advertisements

and email alerts

Service benefits The US conference of City Mayors offers help to individual mayors when they are visiting

Washington DC to lobby government personnel. The AARP offers it 35 million members a range of servicebenefits that includes a mail discount pharmacy, a motor club and health insurance

Changes in policy that will benefit member

Purposive benefits

Want to be a part of a movement, a cause to try and make a difference in society

Feel good factor by joining Amnesty International , the aim is to draw attention to examples of torture, humanrights violations and political imprisonment in countries with authoritarian regimes and then to bring pressure of

public on such regimes to respect the right and liberties of their citizens

Solidarity benefits

Social benefit that is brought about from interacting with like minded people These groups centre their activities around local meetings that their members will attend they will form what is

called local chapters

For example if you are an avid bird watcher you may join the National Audubon Society, not so much to preservewetlands or other bird habitats, but more to join the local chapter. In Virginia for example you could join one of

the six local chapters that range geographically, in mid-September you could attend the annual Eastern Shore

birding and Wildlife festival which includes guided hikes and boat trips off the States Atlantic coastline

Methods used by pressure groups

Electioneering and endorsement

Since the 1970s there have been considerable changes to the role of pressure groups and politicalfundraising the reforms limited the amount pressure groups could give to a candidate in a federal election

which led to the setting up of political action committees (pressure groups that collect money from their

members and then give it to candidates and political parties who support them)


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But in the 2006 mid term elections were the first to be run under the McCain-Feingold law of 2002(Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002)

The 2006 mid-terms were hotly contested with the opportunity for the Democrats to regain control of bothhouses of Congress for the first time in 12 years (which they achieved)

These factors created the most expensive election to date anincrease of 25% on what had been spent in 2002 (mostly by PACs)

PACs had grown in importance since the McCain Feingold Act withPAC spending exceeding $1 billion in the 2006 mid terms and over

400 new PACs created in the first 4 years following the lawsenactment

The biggest PAC corporate donors in the 2006 election cycle werethe United Parcel service ($1.9 million) and AT&T ($1.8 million)

The biggest PAC contributor was the National Association ofRealtors who donated a total of $3 million to federal candidates and

also spent a further $4.2 million in independent expenditures on

behalf of federal candidates

The biggest labour union donor was the Laborers Union with $2.6million

However there has been little link shown between PACcontributions and the way members of Congress cast their votes

members of congress are more likely to be influences by direct

lobbying than by donations to their campaigns

Pressure groups will actively support or oppose presidential andcongressional candidates based on the candidates positions on the

policy areas of concern to them. In 2008 the National Right to Life

group endorsed Republican candidate John McCain whilst NARAL

endorsed Obama

Every 2 years the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) publishes its dirty dozen list the 12 federal andstate politicians with the worst voting record on environmental conservation. Since 1996, more than 60

percent of the Dirty Dozen have been

defeated. (image shows 2010 dirty dozen)

2008 AARP (American Association of RetiredPersons). They created a voter guide on their

website with a series of questions to the

candidates in the 435 House races and 35

Senate races. In North Carolinas 8th District,

Republican incumbent Robin Hayes was in a

close race with his Democrat challenger Larry

Kissel. Two years earlier, Hayes had defeated

Kissel by fewer than 500 votes out of over

120,000 50.2% to 49.8%. The AARP put 10

questions to these candidates, all relating to

the interest of senior citizens and Kissels all

10 of Kissels responses were identical to

AARPs position whilst Hayes position on all

10 questions were not. The Republican

incumbent lost to his Democrat challenger -

45% to 55%

Top 5 pressure groups in competitive races during 2006 midterm elections. These groups achieve their

success through micro-targeting matching consumer data material to lists of registered voters to reach

those households most likely to support your candidate.

Pressure group Senate (Won lost) House (Won lost)

Service Employees 2-0 8-4

Two key issues were addressed in the McCain-

Feingold Bill, which is formally known as the

Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002. The first

was soft money contributions, money which comes

from organizations and groups, rather than politicalcampaigns and parties. Prior to the passage of the

McCain-Feingold Bill, soft money contributions could

be used in unlimited amounts to support political

campaigns, with no government oversight.

The bill also took on issue ads, forcing campaigns and

organizations to stand behind their political

advertisements. Political ads in the United States end

with the statement paid for by Organization X, or

I'm Candidate, and I approved this message, so that

voters understand the source of the ad and the

statements it contains. This provision was designed to

curtail the rampant issues advertisements which were

used to manipulate voters into choosing specific

candidates, or into rejecting others.

Despite the efforts of the McCain-Feingold Bill,

political campaigns in the United States continue to be

extremely expensive, and some people feel that the

monetary contributions are not always entirely above

board. Politics is a big business, and since many

organizations and companies stand to lose a great deal

in elections, it is perhaps not surprising to see these

groups fighting for the right to contribute money and

other forms of assistance to political campaigns.
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International Union

Human Rights Campaign 5-1 12-6

People for the American Way 6-1 16-9

NARAL pro-choice 5-1 10-6

Planned parenthood 5-1 11-7

Lobbying

An attempt to exert influence on the policy-making, legislative or judicial process by individuals or organisedgroups

Pressure groups are often a source of valuable information when legislators and bureaucrats are making policydecision and the provision of accurate, detailed, up to date information is an effective method of lobbying

Pressure groups often set up offices in Washington DC, state capitals and other major cities which allows themto be near to lobby members of federal, state and local government. This area is known as K street corridor

where the offices of many lobbyists are located

Some of the most successful lobbying forms are built around former presidential aides and cabinet officerswhose visibility and experience help attract clients. This is shown by the Duberstein Group, started by Kenneth

Duberstein, a former White House Chief of staff to President Reagan, with headquarters just 5 blocks away from

the White House. John Ashcroft, George. W. Bushs former Attorney General, has opened a lobbying firm called

the Ashcroft Group

Pressure groups also provide legislators with voting cues Liberal Democrats look to groups such as the AFL-CIO,the NAACP and Americans for Democratic Action to provide reassurance that they are on the right stand on a

particular issue

Conservative Republicans find the American Conservative Union and the US Chamber of Commerce equallyhelpful

Pressure groups such as the ADA, the AFL-CIO and the ACU publish regular ratings of legislators, showing howoften and rarely they support policy positions in line with the pressure groups. This is shown by how the AFL-CIO

(The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) published its Senate Scorecard of

the first session of the 110th

congress (2007) and ranked each senator on how they had voted on the 19 key

votes (votes to increase federal minimum wage, guest worker programme for immigrants to work in the US on

seasonal work, and renewal of the States Childrens health insurance programme). At the approval end of the

scale 16 Senators (all Democrats) had 100% ratings including Tom Harkin of Iowa. There were just 3 senators (all

Republicans) with 0% ratings including Judd Gregg of New Hampshire

Publicity

Pressure groups frequently launch public relations campaigns in order to educate the public sometimes in theform of television advertising, often known as issue advertising

For example Catholics united launched a TV campaign endorsing the healthcare reform stating it did not fundabortion

The AARP mounted a television campaign against President George. W. Bushs proposal to reform Social Securityto create private retirement accounts television advertisements showed a demolition crew responding to a

complaint of a clogged kitchen drain by knocking down the house, it was to show that the president plan was an

overreaction to the more minor problems associated with the funding of social security

The AFL-CIO has also launched negative publicity campaigns aimed at Republican legislators opposed toincreases in the federal minimum wage


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When the Food and Drug Administration announced plans to ban saccharin due to possible links with cancer, theCalorie Control Council which has close links with Coca Cola ran an advertisement campaign denouncing the

proposal Public policy journals whose circulation includes all members of Congress, senior staff at the White

House and executive departments and agencies are also used for the placement of advertisements. The

Consumers United for Energy Solutions had an advert in the 30

August 2008 edition of National Journal that included a bipartisan

list of 130 members of Congress who were supporting renewable

and alternative energy programmes and stated that they were

putting progress ahead of politics Roadside hoarding, bumper stickers and badges are used to

publicity

Organising grassroots activities

Seen as one of the most effective method especially when it isaimed directly at legislators or policy makers

Organisation of a postal blitz on Congress, the white house or agovernment department

However some pressure groups know that members of Congresspay little attention to the arrival of sack loads of identical letters

or postcards so may use email and telephone blitzes Marches and demonstrations are sometimes aimed at state and

federal court houses, where other forms of lobbying are

inappropriate. Whenever the Supreme Court delivers a

judgement on a controversial issue such as abortion, school

prayers, capital punishment, gun control or minority rights,

Washington DC is filled with people from pressure groups

representing the opposing sides of the arguments

Some groups may go to extremes and resort to violence anddisorder the bombing of the federal government building in

Oklahoma City in 1995 was linked to militia groups on the

extreme right of American politics

Some of the more extreme anti-abortion groups have set fire andbombed abortion clinics, intimidating staff who work there and

women who visit them and even shooting doctors who carry out abortions

In 1999 there were violent demonstrations by anti-globalisation protestors in Seattle, Washington, during theWorld Trade Organisations ministerial conference being held in the city

Access points

Local

Because the US is so large the local communities hold a lot of responsibility

People may feel strongly about the education in an area so would approach the local school board if theyfeel strongly about the crime in the area they would go to the local police chief

State

At state level, the Governor and members of the state legislature decide where the level of taxation is setand how spending should be allocated

State politicians decide which behaviours to criminalise for example in Massachusetts they decided tolegalise gay marriage which resulted in the group known as Article 8 Alliance, a grassroots group founded to

fight marriage, wanted to remove the judges who allowed the ruling.

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) announced this week its plan to defeat marriage equality inNew York, pledging to spend $500,000 on a new ad and lobbying campaign and $1 million to target

legislators who vote in favor of same-sex marriage their ad shows how Americans can contact their Senator

to express their views

2nd

October 2010

WASHINGTON Tens of thousands of union

members, environmentalists and peace

activists rallied at the Lincoln Memorial on

Saturday, seeking to carry on the message of

jobs and justice that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr. trumpeted at a rally at the same site 47

years ago.

More than 300 groups organized Saturdays

march to build momentum for progressive

causes like increased job-creation programs

and to mobilize liberal voters to flock to the

polls next month.

The rallys sponsors, including theN.A.A.C.P.,

the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the Sierra Club and theNational Council of La Raza, said they also

hoped to demonstrate that they, not the Tea

Party, represented the nations majority.

Organizers called the march One Nation

Working Together, saying they hoped it would

be an answer and antidote to what they called

the divisiveness of the Tea Party.

We believe that by working together we can

build abundance to lift up everyone, saidBob

King, president of the United Auto Workers.

We cant do that through divisiveness. Webelieve that we have to rebuild a social

movement in America.
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Ballot initiatives

When individuals and groups disagree with a decision made at state level they can be overruled with ballotinitiatives a question added to the ballot paper during elections

For example in 2008 the voters in California were asked whether they wanted to overturn a ruling by thestate Supreme Court that permitted gat marriage, the ballot initiative, Proposition 8, drew a lot of public

attention and had $80 million spent on it by pressure groups that were for or against it. Californian gay rights

groups indentified the Mormon church, a religious group whose members make up a majority of thepopulation in nearby Utah, as a major force in the campaign to end gay marriage so they responded to them

by setting up an internet campaign to boycott Utahs lucrative tourism business

Pressure group spending

Interest group spending increased dramatically in 2010 following a series of Supreme Court rulings on campaign finance, including thelandmarkCitizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Group Week before electionTwo weeks beforeelection

Three weeks beforeelection

2010 Total Partisanship

Democratic Congressional

Campaign Committee

$24,398,376 $15,462,539 $9,726,970 $63,244,600 100%

Democratic

National RepublicanCongressional Committee

$1,686,074 $10,246,133 $11,945,387 $44,525,486 100%Republican

Democratic Senatorial CampaignCommittee

$9,782,093 $7,595,991 $5,191,754 $39,412,938 100%Democratic

American Crossroads $8,416,112 $8,694,259 $7,278,516 $38,114,259 100%Republican

U.S. Chamber of Commerce $272,000 $10,499,006 $1,067,266 $31,774,779 93% Republican

National Republican SenatorialCommittee

$10,903,145 $6,405,441 $3,599,719 $25,830,910 100%Republican

American Action Network $2,110,750 $3,564,500 $8,616,182 $15,456,618 100%Republican

American Federation of StateCounty and Municipal Employees

$1,796,103 $2,404,736 $350,928 $11,688,922 100%Democratic

Service Employees InternationalUnion

$383,982 $1,033,159 $1,706,012 $9,478,942 100%Democratic

American Future Fund $356,285 $173,795 $461,885 $9,247,920 100%Republican
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The impact of pressure groups on issues

The total federal lobbying revenue in 2007 amounted to just short of $3 billion. This sum includes only that

income which must be disclosed under federal law. On top of that clients spend at least hundreds of millions

of dollars more on grassroots lobbying, public relations, consulting, strategic advice and many other forms of

lobbying that make up the Washington lobbying sector.

Civil rights for African-Americans

The NAACP was the force behind the 1954 Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

decision The NAACP used its money and expertise to bring cases to court for people who could not otherwise

afford it cases that the NAACP believed it could win and which benefit the interest of African-

Americans

Environmental protection

Sierra club formed in response to rapid industrialisation and westward expansion in 1892

It was followed by the Wilderness Society and the National Wildlife Federation The 1.4 million members want:

a safe and healthy community in which to live smart energy solutions to combat global warming

NAACP

Vision Statement

The vision of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure a society in which all individuals have

equal rights without discrimination based on race.

Objectives

The following statement of objectives is found on the first page of the NAACP Constitution - the principal objectives of the

Association shall be:

To ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all citizens

To achieve equality of rights and eliminate race prejudice among the citizens of the United States To remove all barriers of racial discrimination through democratic processes To seek enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights To inform the public of the adverse effects of racial discrimination and to seek its elimination To educate persons as to their constitutional rights and to take all lawful action to secure the exercise thereof, and to take any other

lawful action in furtherance of these objectives, consistent with the NAACP's Articles of Incorporation and this Constitution.

National Victories

Standing with the Scott SistersCampaign: The NAACP helped lead a national campaign in support of the Scott Sisters, two Mississippi women sentenced to double-life

sentences for a 1994 crime which yielded $11. NAACP President & CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous requested a pardon for the sisters from

Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour in September 2010.

Result: After a national campaign in which the NAACP obtained more than 40,000 signatures in support of the Scott Sisters' release,

thousands of letters of encouragement from our e-mail list, several NAACP-led rallies and personal requests from President Jealous,

Governor Barbour granted the Scott Sisters their release in December 2010.

Fighting for Health Care as a Civil RightCampaign: The NAACP established an unprecedented Civil Rights Health Care War Room in Washington, DC along with the National

Urban League and Black Leadership Forum. Together we generated tens of thousands of phone calls to Congress, thousands of letters,

and more than a dozen visits from State NAACP leadership to Congressional leaders in Washington.

Result: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and Health Care & Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 will extend health

insurance coverage to 32 million Americans and will outlaw discrimination against patients with pre-existing medical conditions.


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an enduring legacy for America's wild places

Sierra Club achievementso Establishment of Yosemite and Yellowstone national parkso Enactment of the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Acto The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, designating more than 100 million

acres of parks, wildlife refuges and wilderness areas

o 2005 Club legal victory forces Bush administration to abandon plans for a logging project on

the Grand Canyons north rim. Club holds first-ever Sierra Summit a national conventionand exposition.

o 2006 Club lawsuit succeeds in protecting Giant Sequoia National Monument from Bushadministration plan to allow commercial logging.

o 2007 Club encourages Congress to pass a Renewable Energy Standard that requires utilitiesto produce 15% of their power from clean, renewable energy by 2020.

o 2008 Club continued its string of successes, stopping construction of 68 new coalfired powerplants. Club wins injunction to block wolf-killing in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.

Womens rights

The pressure group EMILYs list early money is like yeast supports female candidates early in the election

process so that they will be able to demonstrate their ability to raise money later on in the electoral cycleand win seats

NOWNOW is the largest, most comprehensive feminist advocacy group in the United States. Our purpose is to take action to bring women into full participation in

society sharing equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities with men, while living free from discrimination.

NOW's Grassroots Power

Founded in 1966 by a small but determined group of women's rights advocates, NOW has more than 500,000 contributing members and hundreds of chapters

across the U.S. NOW members are the heart, soul and muscle behind the group. They elect leaders, set policy and determine our agenda. NOW's vast and

diverse membership gives us clout in the government, media and the public eye. By speaking out and taking action, NOW activists make change happen at the

local, state and national level. Because we don't rely on foundation or corporate dollars, NOW's work for equality and justice is made possible by membership

dues, individual donations and volunteer hours.

Connecting the Dots . . .

NOW is one of the few multi-issue progressive organizations in the United States. NOW stands against all oppression, recognizing that racism, sexism and

homophobia are interrelated, and that other forms of oppression such as classism and ableism work together with these three to keep power and privilege

concentrated in the hands of a few.

Government, our judicial system, big business, mainstream media and other institutions treat many groups in our society like second-class citizens. Pitting us

against each other is an essential mechanism for maintaining the status quo. Together, we can create the change we've been dreaming of our unity is our

strength.

NOW's Top Six Priority Issues

Advancing Reproductive Freedom

Promoting Diversity & Ending RacismStopping Violence Against Women

Winning Lesbian Rights

Achieving Constitutional Equality

Ensuring Economic Justice

Now results

NOW wins money damages and jury trials for sex discrimination in Civil Rights Act of 1991. Family and Medical Leave passes in 1993. The Violence Against Women Act is signed in 1994 and mass action by NOW ensures funding. NOW organizes to bring 1.15 million marchers to DC in 2004 for women's health, reproductive rights.

Public support for same-sex marriage has grown due to education and activism by groups like NOW.
http://www.now.org/issues/abortion/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/diverse/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/diverse/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/violence/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/lgbi/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/education/constitution/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/economic/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/economic/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/education/constitution/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/lgbi/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/violence/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/diverse/index.htmlhttp://www.now.org/issues/abortion/index.html


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Abortion rights

Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973 the pro choice have been lobbying to preserve the constitutionalright for women to have abortions and the pro life have lobbying for it to be narrowed and over turned

Recently there has been debate over the partial birth abortion ban

Gun Control

The NRA is one of the most powerful pressure groups in the US with membership of some 3 millionmembers, it seeks to hold up the 2nd amendment right to keep and bear arms

It opposes tougher gun laws put forward by every level of government

The Impact of pressure group on government

Impact on Congress

Pressure groups can make direct contact with members of Congress as well as senior members of theirstaff

Pressure groups can make contact with relevant congressional committees, especially those with rankingminority members on those committees. Standing committees have significant power to amend

legislation which they consider during the legislative process

One lobbyist commentedYou have to start at the bottom. You have to start at the sub committee level. If you wait until the bill

gets to the floor of the House or the Senate, your efforts will seldom work

Because the membership of congressional committees is relatively small (16 in the Senate and 40 in theHouse of R) and also fairly constant lobbyists find it easy to build a close working relationship with the

members of the particular policy specific committees in which they are interested. There is a two way

system lobbyists contact congress to lobby for them and members of congress contact lobbyists for

information

Committee staff are another target of pressure group activity. Staff members are more accessible thantheir bosses

A lobbyist for a large manufacturer was quoted as saying:if you have a committee staff member on your side it might be a lot better than talking to a member of

Congress

The scandal surrounding the notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoffrevealed that he spent a lot of time and money targeting key

committee staff members

Susan Hirschmann, chief of staff to majority whip Tin DeLay, had90 days of travel subsidised by pressure groups in her last 2

years on Capitol Hill before she left to become a lobbyist

Pressure groups may organise constituents to write, telephone,email or visit their member of congress to express either

support for or opposition to a certain policy. This is most likely

to occur before a high profile committee hearing, floor debate

or final passage vote

Pressure groups may publicise the voting records of House or Senate members, sometimes offering theirown rankings, and at election time they endorse supportive and oppose non supportive incumbents by

fundraising and media advertising

Impact on the executive

Pressure groups aim to maintain strong ties with relevant executive departments, agencies andregulatory commissions

Problems can occur when the regulatory bodies have a too cosy relationship with the group they aremeant to be regulating are they acting like a watch dog or a lap dog

Some pressure groups will be courted by the executive themselvesin 2005 President G. W. Bushs

political director in the White House, Karl Rove, had frequent contacts with Christian Rights groupswhich were an unsuccessful effort to reassure them that the Presidents nominee for the Supreme Court

Harriet Miers was a like minded conservative who could be trusted to act in their interests on the Court.

Rove hoped that these groups would lobby for her to be confirmed, but they lobbied against her and she

withdrew

The Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal is a

United States political scandal relating to the

work performed by political lobbyists Jack

Abramoff, Ralph E. Reed, Jr., Grover Norquist and

Michael Scanlon on Indian casino gambling

interests for an estimated $85 million in fees.

Abramoff and Scanlon grossly overbilled their

clients, secretly splitting the multimillion-dollar

profits. In one case, they secretly orchestrated

lobbying against their own clients in order to

force them to pay for lobbying services.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_political_scandals_in_the_United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbyisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_E._Reed,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Scanlonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_casinohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_casinohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Scanlonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover_Norquisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_E._Reed,_Jr.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Abramoffhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobbyisthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_federal_political_scandals_in_the_United_States


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Sometimes pressure groups hostile to the administration often find themselves contacted by the whitehouse after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, president Bush met with civil rights leaders to

reassure them of his commitment to rebuilding the city and to explain his policies to encourage faith

based groups to help in that reconstruction

Impact on the judiciary

Pressure groups take an interest in the nominations the president makes to the federal courts, especiallythe US Supreme Court

The nominations to the Supreme court because they interpret the constitution and declare acts ofcongress unconstitutional , thereby effecting interest groups aims

The American Bar association evaluates the professional qualifications of nominees which plays asignificant role in the confirmation process conducted by the Senate

In 1989 in Allegheny County v. American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU brought a case to the SupremeCourt which resulted in the banning of religious Christmas displays in publically owned shopping malls.

The same pressure group borough another case in 1997 Reno v. ACLU which resulted in the Court

declaring that the 1996 Communication Decency Act which was unconstitutional, thereby overturning

Congress attempt to ban pornography on the internet

In 2005 the ACLU brought the McCreary v. ACLU case to the court which ruled that the display of the 10commandments in a Kentucky courthouse was unconstitutional

In 2007 Parents involved in Community schools brought PICS v. Seattle School District in which the courtdeclared it unconstitutional to assign students to public schools solely for the purpose of achieving racial

balance

In 2008 the NRA played a role in the landmark case of District of Columbia v. Heller where the SupremeCourt declared the Washington DCs ban on handguns to be unconstitutional

Impact on state government

Because of federalism many important governmental and political decisions are taken not in WashingtonDC but in the capital of the 50 states pressure groups often lobby at state level

Different states have a different economy:o California high tech industries of Silicon Valleyo Virginia Tobaccoo Florida Sugaro Alaska oilo West Virginia coal

Access points

Pressure groups have success because of so many access points (local, state and federal) in all branchesof government (legislature, executive and judiciary)

Access is encouraged by the US political system encouraging high levels of democratic participation

Elections enable access points state governors, state legislators, city mayors and judges

Congressional committees provide access points for pressure groups to provide information, appear aswitnesses, make written submissions, amend legislation, and scrutinise the actions of the executive

branch

Regulation of pressure groups

Because of the 1st amendment it is difficult to regulate anything that concerns freedom of speech andexpression as it states that

Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the right of the

people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances

It was not until the passage of the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act in 1946 that regulations wereimplemented lobbyists were required to register with the clerk of the House of Representatives and

the secretary of the senate if they raised money used to aid the passage or defeat of legislation by

congress. These went ignored and 30 years later the Lobby Disclosure Bill failed to make it on to the

statue book because of powerful lobbying from pressure groups


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Major reforms to regulation came about after the Watergate affair the campaign finance reformlegislation there was public response to the scandal of Abscam attempts of influential Arab interests

to bride leading members of Congress

In the 19902 congress made more pressure groups register, and banned lobbyists from giving gifts tomembers of Congress (including wining and dining) and honoraria (paying for writing or speaking fees)

When the Democrats took control of both houses in January 2007 for the first time in 12 years theypushed through the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act 2007:

The National Journal (Good times, bad times 22 March 2008), Peter Stone and Bara Vaida commentedthat as a result of the 2007 lobbying reform:

Gone are the days when lobbyists could buy meals and gifts for lawmakers and their staffers and could

finance entertainment, corporate jets and junkets. Lobbyists and their firms must now file 3 times the

number of reports with Congress than in years past. Even more ominous, the new law exposes lobbyists

and their employees to potential prison time and hefty prison fines if they fail to follow the regulations As a result there was a sudden exit from Capitol Hill before the act was implemented 18 senior staffers

left Capitol Hill in the last 6 weeks on 2007 (4 Senators Trent Lott of Mississippi, Orrin Hatch of Utah,

Debbie Stabenow of Michigan and Maria Cantwell of Washington lost their chiefs of staff to Washington

lobbying firms during the period)

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

Closing the revolving door

Prohibits senators from gaining undue lobbying access by increasing the cooling off period forsenators from 1 to 2 years before they can lobby Congress

Prohibits cabinet officers or other very senior executive branch personnel from lobbying thedepartment or agency in which they worked for 2 years after they leave their position

Prohibits senior Senate staff and Senate officers from lobbying contacts with the entire Senate for 1year, instead of just their former employing office

Prohibits senior House Staff from lobbying their former office or committee for 1 year after they

leave House employment

Prohibiting gifts by lobbyists

Prohibits lobbyists from providing gifts or travel to members of Congress with knowledge that thegift or travel is in violation of House or Senate rules

Prohibits senators or their staff from accepting gifts from registered lobbyists Requires entertainment and sports tickets offered by registered lobbyists to be valued t market rates

Full public disclosure of lobbying activity

Lobbyist disclosure filings have to be filed quarterly rather than half yearly as before Increases civil penalty for knowing or wilful violations of the Lobby Disclosure Act from $50,000 to

$200,000 and imposes a criminal penalty of up to 5 years for knowing and corrupt failure to comply

with the Act Requires the Government Accountability Office to audit annually lobbyist compliance with disclosure

rules

Congressional pension liability

Denies congressional retirement benefits to members of congress who are convicted of bribery,perjury, conspiracy or other related crimes in the course of carrying out their official duties asmembers of Congress

Prohibited use of private aircraft

Requires candidates, other than those running for a seat in the House, pay a fair market value of air

fares when using non commercial jets to travel Prohibits candidates for the House from using non-commercial aircraft


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Barack Obama refused campaign donations from registered lobbyists stating:Washington has become a place where good ideas go to die because lobbyists crush them with their

money and influence

Arguments for pressure groups

Provide legislators and bureaucrats with information and act as a sounding board

Bring order to the policy debate providing a means for both sides of view to air their views

Broaden opportunities for participation in democracy

Increase levels of accountability for Congress and the executive branch

Increase participation between elections, as well as offering opportunities for minorities that would havebeen lost with the big political parties

US politics provide ample opportunity for pressure groups decentralisation on power, autonomy ofcommittees, lack of strict party discipline when it comes to voting and the number of access points

Arguments against pressure groups

The revolving-door syndrome

The practise by which former members of Congress or the executive branch take up well paid jobs withWashington based lobbying firms and then use their expertise and contacts to the lobby the institution

of which they were once a members

Federal law forbids former public officials from taking up a job as a lobbyist within a year of leavingpublic office, but after the year has elapsed the revolving door from public official to professional

lobbyist is quite heavy

Critics argue that this is abuse of public service people exploit their knowledge and contacts

A study by Public Citizen, a non-partisan watchdog group, found that from 1998 to 2004, 283 retiredlawmakers became lobbyists representing 43% of all retiring members of congress

In November 2007, Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi suddenly announced he was leaving Capitol Hill toset up a new lobbying firm with former Senator John Breux

In the same month former House Speaker Dennis Hastert announced he was leaving Congress to join theWashington office of lobbyists Dickstein Shapiro who was also joined by retiring Albert Wynn after he

had lost the primary

The iron-triangle syndrome

Term used to describe the strongrelationship between pressure

groups, the relevant congressional

committees and the relevant

government department or agency

in an attempt to guarantee the

policy outcomes to the benefit of all

three parties involved

Example: veterans iron triangle.Includes the pressure groups such

as the Vietnam Veterans of

America, the Disabled American

Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign

Wars and the American Legion.

Within Congress there is the

Veterans Affairs committees of the

house and senate and the

Department of Veterans Affairs

The iron triangle and revolving doorsyndrome are seen by critics to be

against a pluralist society a pluralist society is one in which political resources such as money, expertise

and access to both government and the mass media are spread widely and are in the hands of many


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diverse individuals and groups. Many see pressure groups as fostering an elitist view of politics power

is in the hands of the few

Inequality of groups

Critics of pressure groups argue that some pressure groups have more opportunity than others givingsome groups more power and influence

Some would argue that the resources of big business interest groups are greater than those on

environmental interest groups so they can exert greater influence The debate over health issues and tobacco smoking can be seen as unfair because the tobacco industry

spent $67.4 million on lobbying in 1998

Special interest v. The public interest

It is argued that small pressure groups will put their interests ahead of the society as a whole

Groups that represent minorities such as the NAACP, the American Jewish Congress, the IndianAmerican Centre for Public Awareness, the Organisation of Chinese Americans are argued to splinter

societies

It is argued these groups create stereotypes for members in society the criticism heaped on SCnominee Clarence Thomas in 1991 was that he was a conservative black who did not fir the group-think

of liberal politics espoused by the NAACP and other black pressure groups

Buying political influence

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the year 1999 had $1.45 billion spent on lobbyingactivities; and the lobbying business is growing at a staggering 7.3% a year

In the 2002 midterm elections PACs donated a total of just short of $215 million to House candidatesand just over $60 million to Senate candidates

In her account of the 104th Congress, Elizabeth Drew claims that lobbyists acting on behalf of businesscorporations wrote legislation for members of Congress, she quotes in Washington Post that a lobbyist

for the energy and pharmaceutical industries wrote the first draft of a Bill

The New York Times repowered a story that a bill to weaken the Clean Water Act was written by ataskforce of lobbyists representing groups such as the Chemical Manufacturers Association and the

International Paper

Using direct action

A form of pressure group activity that most often favours the use of non violent or violent physicalprotest over the more traditional forms of lobbying such as emailing and petitions

Some pressure groups use inappropriate direct action anti-abortion groups, environmental groups,anti-capitalist groups and groups of the extreme right pursuing anti-government agenda

pressure groups fact sheet

Documents