Interest Groups and Public OpinionChapter 18

Defining Interest Groups:Defining Interest Groups:FactionsFactions

• James Madison:•“factions” – groups united to promote

special interests•adverse to the rights of other citizens

and the community• Believed the Constitution would

protect society from factions

Defining Interest Groups: Defining Interest Groups: Political PartiesPolitical Parties

•Nominate candidates for office and try to win elections

•Broad based organizations•Consider issues facing all

Americans•“catch all”

Defining Interest GroupsDefining Interest Groups1. Share common goals and organize

to influence government2. Specific problems or issues3. Unite like-minded people from all

over the country 4. Purpose: Communicate “wants” to

government leaders – influence public policy

Defining Interest GroupsDefining Interest Groups5. Strength in numbers• Government will respond

better to large groups than individuals

• Organization

Why Join? Why Join?

• Economic interests• Individual beliefs, values, or attitudes

(political)•Non-political (social)

•Upper income levels•Who is looking out for the rest of us?

Who Joins? Who Joins?

Types of Interest GroupsTypes of Interest Groups• Business and Labor

• (AFL-CIO, National Association of Manufacturers, United Mine Workers)

• Agricultural Groups• (NFU – National Farmers’ Union)

• Others• Professional (ABA), Environmental (Sierra

Club, Greenpeace), Public Interest (Common Cause), Government

How does an IG work?How does an IG work?•Generating Public Pressure – trying to

influence the government by using public opinion on an issue

•Using Constituents as Lobbyists •Media Campaign• Building Alliances – forming alliances

with groups who share a policy goal

How does an IG work?How does an IG work?LimitationsLimitations

•Different groups have different, sometimes conflicting goals

• Larger IGs have more diverse interests

• Smaller IGs have more narrow goals

Interest Groups: The Interest Groups: The PositivePositive

• Individual citizens can influence government beyond just voting

• Increase the interest and participation of voters

• Gives minority groups access to all branches of the government

• Continued expansion of interest groups is expected

Interest Groups: The Interest Groups: The NegativeNegative

• Power of interest groups greater than ever before

• Raise and spend large sums of money to support candidates and parties

• This support buys access and the internet is a great tool for rallying the troops

Major Special Interest Major Special Interest GroupsGroups

• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People http://www.naacp.org

• American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization http://www.aflcio.org

• American Medical Association

http://www.ama-assn.org/• National Education Association

http://www.nea.org/

Affecting Public PolicyAffecting Public PolicyLobbyistsLobbyists

•What is lobbying?•Direct contact with lawmakers or

government leaders•What is a lobbyist?•Representative of an interest group•Direct influence by an IG

Who is a Lobbyist?Who is a Lobbyist?• Paid by the interest group• Must register with Congress• Must file reports to disclose

activities• Must estimate salary from the group

they represent• Many lobbyists are former

government officials• http://www.opensecrets.org/lobbyists/

overview.asp?txtindextype=is

What Does a Lobbyist What Does a Lobbyist Do?Do?• Meets with Congressmen and women

• Provide reports, statistics, and info.• Gifts to Senators (under $50), no gifts to

Representatives• Testify before congressional committees• Help members of Congress draft bills

Political Action Political Action CommitteesCommittees• PAC- organization that collects money

and provide financial support for a candidate

• Corporations and labor unions cannot directly contribute to candidates, so they set up PACs

Laws to Govern PACsLaws to Govern PACs• PACs must register with the

government•Must raise money from at least 50

contributors•Must give to at least 5 candidateshttp://www.opensecrets.org/527s/types.asp

Laws to Govern PACsLaws to Govern PACs• Can give $5,000 directly to a

candidate• Can spend unlimited amount on the

campaign, as long as it does not work directly with candidate

Buckley v. ValeoBuckley v. Valeo• 1976 Supreme Court decision• FEC cannot limit the number of PACs

set up by divisions of a corporation or union

•National, state, and local spending on a candidate was free speech, could not be limited

Types of PACsTypes of PACs• Affiliated: tied to corporation, trade

group, etc. (about 70% of PACs)• Nonconnected: groups interested in a

cause and are not connected with an interest group (about 25% of PACs)• Usually raise more than affiliated PACs by

direct mail

Contributions to PACsContributions to PACsGraphs on page 510Graphs on page 510

• What has the general trend been in Total PAC spending since 1978?

• By about how many dollars did PAC spending increased between 1996-1998?

• By how much did the number of PACs declined between 1996 and 1998?

• Which type of PAC spent the most $ in 1999?

DAY 2

What is Public Opinion?What is Public Opinion?•Attitudes and ideas that significant

numbers Americans hold about government and politics

• 3 factors:•Diversity•Communication•Significant Numbers

Where does it Come Where does it Come From?From?• Political Socialization

1. Family and Home

2. School

3. Peer groups

4. Personal characteristics

5. Mass Media

6. Other (govt. leaders, IGs, churches)

7. Political Efficacy

Political CulturePolitical Culture• Set of basic values and beliefs most

citizens share•Ex) freedom, liberty

• Public Opinion fits within our Political Culture•Ex) Government regulations

Political IdeologyPolitical Ideology•Liberal

•Conservative

•Moderate

•Libertarian

Measuring Public OpinionMeasuring Public OpinionNon-ScientificNon-Scientific

• Political Parties• Interest Groups•Mass Media• Letter Writing• Email, telephone, etc.• Straw Polls

Scientific PollingScientific Polling• Sample Populations

•Representative sample, random sample

• Sampling error•Ex) +/- 3

• Sampling Procedures•How do they sample the whole country?

Scientific PollingScientific Polling• Poll Questions

•How are the questions worded?

•Mail and Phone Polls•Some people refuse to be polled

• Interpret the Results•Dishonesty, uninformed opinions, but..•They are a snapshot of public opinion

Scientific PollingScientific Polling• Sample Populations

•Representative sample, random sample

• Sampling error•Ex) +/- 3

• Sampling Procedures•How do they sample the whole country?

Election 2008 PollsElection 2008 Polls• McCain

http://pollingreport.com/l.htm#McCain

• Obama http://pollingreport.com/o.htm

• Clinton http://pollingreport.com/C2.htm#Hillary

• Democratic Nomination http://pollingreport.com/wh08dem.htm

• General Election http://pollingreport.com/wh08gen.htm