Interest Groups

Interest Groups

• Interest Groups– An organized group of individuals sharing common objectives who actively

attempt to influence policy makers– Often spawned by social movements

• Lobbyists – An organization or individual who attempts to influence legislation and the

administrative decisions of government• Hyperpluralism

– The ability of interest groups to mandate policy or to defeat policies needed by the nation

• Detriment to effective government?

“in no country of the world has the principle of association been more successfully used or applied to a greater multitude of objectives than in America.”

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Why so many interest groups?• 1st Amendment - guarantees facilitate group formation

– Right• Assemble• Petition to redress grievances

• Groups amplify individual opinions

• Many pressure points in our federal system

• Diversity gives rise to many views– Ethnic, religious, economic, etc.

• Social changes, economic pressures and technological developments disturb the status quo, leading to group formation– Examples: industrialization, urbanization, civil rights movement

Why join an interest group?• Latent interests – public-policy interests that are

not recognized or addressed by a group at a particular time

• Many people wait for “collective good” to be addressed rather than join a group – “free rider problem”– When benefits can be obtained without joining the

group

• People generally join when they perceive that their effort will make a difference– Small groups seeking benefits for a specific group are

more successful in recruiting members

Why join an interest group?• Incentives

– Solidary• Companionship, sense of belonging, pleasure of

associating – Ex. National Audubon Society

– Material• Discounts and opportunities

– Ex. AARP

– Purposive• Satisfaction of taking action with a group an

individual agrees with– Ex. NRA

Fortune Power 25

• http://quizlet.com/4157274/the-power-25-interest-groups-flash-cards/

• http://www.congresslink.org/print_lp_specialinterestgroups_fortune.htm (2001)

Rank Organization Website

1 National Rifle Association www.nra.org

2 AARP www.aarp.org

3 National Federation of Independent Business

www.nfibonline.com

4 American Israel Public Affairs Committee www.alpac.org

5 Association of Trial Lawyers of America www.atla.org

6 American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

www.aflcio.org

7 Chamber of Commerce of the U.S.A. www.uschamber.org

8 National Beer Wholesalers Association www.nwba.org

9 National Association of Realtors www.realtor.com

10 National Association of Manufacturers www.nam.org

2005

Types of Interest Groups• Economic*

– Business• Umbrella groups represent types of business or industry

– Ex. US Chamber of Commerce– Ex. National Association of Manufacturers– Ex. American Pet Products Manufacturers– Ex. Better Business Bureau

– Agricultural• Small by population but very influential

– Ex. American Farm Bureau Federation– Ex. The Peanut Growers Group– Ex. American Farmland Trust

– Labor• About 12% of the workforce belong to a union

– Ex. AFL-CIO

– Public-Employee• more public-sector members than private-sector members

– Ex. NEA

– Professional• Many different groups represented

– Ex. American Bar Association– Ex. American Medical Association

*largest category of interest groups

Types of Interest Groups

• Environmental– National Audubon Society– Sierra Club– National Wildlife Federation– Environmental Defense Fund– Greenpeace

Types of Interest Groups

• Public-Interest– Many different “publics” in a country of 300m+

• “Nader Organizations”– “Nader’s Raiders”

• ACLU• League of Women Voters• Common Cause • MoveOn.org

Types of Interest Groups

• Other– Single issue groups

• More focused• Members more passionate• Less complex goals

– Ex. NRA, MADD

• Foreign – Over 300 foreign entities represented by

lobbyists• Ex. Coalition to Save Darfur

Contemporary Interest Groups

What Do Interest Groups Do?

• Inform

• Lobby

• Campaign Activities– Political Action Committees– Issue Advocacy

Keys to an Effective Interest Group

• Size and Resources

• Leadership

• Cohesiveness

Interest Group Strategies

• Direct– Lobbying– Ratings– Building alliances– Campaign assistance

• Indirect– Generating public pressure– Climate control– Using constituents as lobbyists– Unconventional

• Marches, boycotts

Techniques for Exerting Influence• Publicity, Mass Media, and the Internet

– Influences votes during elections– Motivates constituents to contact representatives

• Mass Mailing/E-Mailing– Increases reach and effectiveness of interest groups

• Direct Contact with Government– Government agencies publish proposed regulations in the Federal Register and invite

responses from all interested person before rules are finalized• Litigation

– Initiate lawsuits– Amicus curiae briefs

• Protest– Organized to raise awareness– Astroturf lobbying

• Contributions to Campaigns– Through PACs/Super Pacs or bundling – collecting individual donations and presenting

together• Candidate Support/Opposition

– endorsements• New Political Parties

– Often just to publicize a cause• Cooperative Lobbying

– Like-minded groups form cooperative groups

Who are lobbyists?

• Often former public servants– Revolving Door

• Employment cycle in which individuals who work for government agencies that regulate interests eventually end up working for interest groups or businesses with the same policy concern

– 33% of those who lost seats in Congress following 2010 election employed by lobbying firms– 20% employed by lobbying clients

– 2007 Honest Leadership and Open Government Act• More disclosure of employment history for lobbyists• Stricter limits on lobbying activities• Longer cooling off period

– Many participate in issue networks• Relationships among interest groups, congressional committees and subcommittees,

and the government agencies that share a common policy concern– Specialized knowledge often allows them to wield tremendous influence

– Demographics: 30,000 registered in Washington• 1/3 women• 200 black• 60 Hispanic

Lobbying?

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/dec/16/newt-gingrich/newt-gingrich-said-he-never-lobbied-freddie-mac-un/

What Do Lobbyists Do?• Provide money for reelection campaigns

– Also provide volunteers for campaign activities• Sometimes just their failure to support opposition is enough

to increase reelection odds

• Provide information– Political information

• Ex. Who supports/opposes legislation

– Substantive information• Ex. Impact of proposed laws, technical assistance drafting

bills, identifying persons to testify at hearings

American Legislative Exchange Council – ALEC

http://www.alec.org/

http://www.brookings.edu/research/articles/2013/12/06-american-legislative-exchange-council-

jackman

Regulating Lobbyists

• 1946 – Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act– Provided for disclosure– Defined lobbyist

• Any person or organization that received money to be used principally to influence legislation before Congress

– Lobbyists had to register their clients and purpose of their efforts

• Disclosed quarterly– Limited effectiveness

• Only some lobbyists registered (only full-time)– Only if they were directly influencing Congress

• Not required to register if lobbying the executive branch, federal agencies, courts, congressional staff, etc.

Regulating Lobbyists• 1995 – Lobbying Disclosure Act

– Redefined lobbyist • Anyone who spends at least 20% of their time lobbying

members of Congress or staff, or executive branch officials

– Must register with House or Senate within 45 days of first contact or being hired

– Reports (now quarterly) disclosing • General nature of lobbying, specific issues and bills,

estimated cost of campaign, list of branches contacted (not names)

– Representatives of US owned subsidiaries of foreign-owned entities must register

– Grassroots and tax-exempt organizations exempted

• 2007 – Honest Leadership and Open Government Act– Tightened reporting rules– Longer waiting period

• 2 years for Senators• 1 year for Rep.

– Limited lobbying spouses– Only trips pre-approved by Ethics Committee

Regulating Lobbyists

Recent Lobbying Scandal:

Jack Abramoff

© 2006 Time, Inc./Getty Images. Reprinted by permission.

Interest Groups and Representative Democracy

• Interest Groups: Elitist or Pluralist? – The existence of interest groups would appear to be

an argument in favor of pluralism. However, interest groups are often led by upper-class individuals, which argues for elite theory.

• Interest Group Influence– Even the most powerful groups do not always

succeed in their demands.– The most successful groups focus on single issue

Interest Groups and the Policy Process

http://www.madd.org

Web Links

• The Center for Public Integrity

• Opensecrets.org-Money in Politics Data

• Common Cause—Holding Power Accountable

• Federal Election Commission

• Public Citizen