10

Interest Groups

Interest Groups

“Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions constantly form associations.” - Alexis de Tocqueville

Americans are more likely than citizens of other countries to participate in a civic association or community service group.

Americans are more likely than others to have worked with a group to express a political view.

10

Interest Groups

Are interest groups factions?

10

Role of Interest Groups 10.1

Role of Interest Groups

Interest group An organization of people with shared policy goals

entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals. Interest groups pursue their goals in many arenas.

Policy failure in one area means trying it in another

Different from political parties Do not run candidates Policy specialists, not generalists

10.1

Role of Interest Groups

25,000 interest groups

Technology aids lobbying

10.1

Theories of Interest Group Politics

10.2

Pluralism Pluralism

A theory of government and politics emphasizing that many groups, each pressing for its preferred policies, compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace.

Group theory of politics Groups link people and government Groups compete No one group likely to become dominant Groups play by the rules of the game Groups weak in one resource can use another

Concessions Some groups stronger than others All interests do not get equal hearing

10.2

Elitism

Elitism A theory of government and politics emphasizing that many groups, each

pressing for its preferred policies, compete and counterbalance one another in the political marketplace.

78% of Americans share this view

Interlocking directorates

Multinational corporations

Lobbying benefits the few at the expense of the many

10.2

Hyperpluralism

Elitism A theory of government and politics contending that

groups are so strong that government, seeking to please them all, is thereby weakened.

Interest group liberalism Groups out of control Government tries to appease all of them Budgets, programs, regulations expand

10.2

Hyperpluralism

Iron triangles Subgovernments are composed of interest group leaders

interested in a particular policy, the government agency in charge of administering that policy, and the members of committees and subcommittees handling that policy; they exercise a great deal of control over specific policy areas.

Contradictory and confusing policy results

10.2

What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

10.3

What Makes an Interest Group Successful?

Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups

Intensity

Financial Resources

10.3

Smaller groups have advantage Potential group - All the people who might be interest group members because

they share some common interest. Actual group - The people in the potential group who actually join. Collective good - Something of value that cannot be withheld from a potential

group member. Free-rider problem - For a group, the problem of people not joining because

they can benefit form the group’s activities without joining.

Selective benefits

Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups

10.3

Selective benefits Goods that a group can restrict to those who actually

join.

This can encourage potential members to become actual members

Surprising Ineffectiveness of Large Groups

10.3

Intensity

Psychological advantage

Helps preserve the status quo

Single-issue groups Groups that have a narrow interest, tend to dislike compromise,

and often draw membership from people new to politics.

10.3

Financial Resources

System is biased toward wealthy 2008 federal elections cost $5 billion Donations lead to access

But $$$ does not always lead to lobbying success Other side contributes, too

10.3

How Groups Try to Shape Policy

10.4

Lobbying

Lobbying According to Lester Milbrath, a “communication, by someone

other than a citizen acting on his or her own behalf, directed to a government decision maker with the hope of influencing his or her decision.” Temporary employee

Two types of lobbyists Full-time employee Temporary employee Often former legislators

10.4

Lobbying

Ways lobbyists help Provide information Help politicians with political strategy for getting

legislation through Help formulate campaign strategy and get the group’s

members behind a politician’s reelection campaign A source of ideas and innovations

10.4

FIGURE 10.1: Industries’ big spenders on lobbying, 2009-2011

10.4

Electioneering

Electioneering Direct group involvement in the electoral process, for example, by

helping to fund campaigns, getting members to work for candidates, and forming political action committees.

Aiding candidates financially

Getting out the vote

PACs $5,000 limit in primary and general election Mainly support incumbents

10.4

Litigation

Suing for enforcement Environmental regulations Civil rights groups – 1950s

Amicus curiae briefs

Class action lawsuits

10.4

Going Public

Public opinion influences policy makers

Mobilize public opinion

Public relations

10.4

Interest group ad 10.4

Types of Interest Groups 10.5

Economic Interests

Labor Unions Goal is to get better working conditions and higher

wages Declining in membership due to international

competition and better non-unionized jobs

10.5

Economic Interests

Union shop A provision found in some collective bargaining agreements

requiring all employees of a business to join the union within a short period, usually 30 days, and to remain members as a condition of employment.

Right-to-work laws A state law forbidding requirements that workers must join a

union to hold their jobs. State right-to-work laws were specifically permitted by the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947.

10.5

Wisconsin collective bargaining fight 10.5

Economic Interests

Business Dominate lobbying and PACs

Business interests not monolithic Policy differences among industries

10.5

FIGURE 10.2: How corporate PACs have shifted toward the majority party

10.5

Environmental Interests

Sprang up since 1970 More than 10,000 groups with $2.9 billion revenue

Profound policy impact Influential due to numbers, not money

10.5

Save the polar bear 10.5

Equality Interests

Fourteenth Amendment guarantees

Minorities NAACP/Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Social welfare policies

Women National Organization for Women (NOW) Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

10.5

Consumer and Other Public Interest Lobbies Public interest lobbies

According to Jeffery Berry, organizations that seek “a collective good, the achievement of which will not selectively and materially benefit the membership or activists of the organization.”

Policies in the public interest Collective goods

What is the public interest?

10.5

Understanding Interest Groups

10.6

Interest Groups and Democracy

Does pluralism prevail? Growth in number of interest groups Less clout for any one group

Interest group corruption? Business PACs Wealthy groups dominate

Gridlock?

10.6

Interest Groups and the Scope of Government

Individualistic and associational

Difficult to reduce spending

Vicious circle Groups lead to policy Policy prompts new groups to form

10.6