POS1041 Final Exam Review Fall 2012Chapter 9: interest groupsInterest groups• Interest groups are a mechanism by which people’s concerns are conveyed to the governmento Facilitate organized political participation by people in electoral parties and policymakers• Every citizen has interest yet not every citizen is in an interest group and vice versa• Interest groups are usually small and organized around a discrete set of issueso Petition the government as outsiders• Interest groups are viewed as fans to their political partieso Donate money to get the best “players” to support their issuesTypes of interest groups• Private interest groupso 62% belong to these types of groupso Require membership for benefitso Seek economic or monetary benefits for memberso Business, labor, professional and trade associations all fight to protect private interest (AFL-CIO)• Public interest groups (citizen groups)o No membership requirement for benefitso Seek to secure benefits that are available to a wide arrange of citizenso Environmental groups, consumer advocacy groups and civil rights groups all represent public interest• Interest groups that represent government interesto System of federalism in US divides Gov. into local state and national levels Groups organize to represent subnational interest• i.e.; National governors association serves the interest of governorsLobbying• interest groups impact political decision making by focusing their activities on direct influence over policy through lobbyingo lobbying originates from the practice of interest group reps waiting in lobbies to talk to political elites about policy initiatives• lobbying is the main tactic used by interest groups and it serves many purposes:o Primary purpose of lobbyist is to provide current and meaningful info to Gov. officialso Educate lawmakers and staff on issues of the interest group• Lobbyist put info into talking points for lawmakers to better influence the way their issues are presented in congress and public• Successful lobbying involves forging mutually beneficial relationships with executive agencies and federal staff• Interest groups also have ways of lobbying the judicial brancho Amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs Provide supreme court with important background info and thorough legal justification for their argument in a case• Outside of courtroom interest groups further try to influence policy direction by pressuring congress over judicial appointmentsElection Activity• During election seasons interest groups are seen sponsoring grassroots efforts at voter registration, education and mobilization• Interest groups establish political action committees or PAC’s in order to raise money for campaigns of like-minded candidates• Interest groups particular useful to campaigns through their financial sponsorship of political advertising• 527 organizationso Tax exempto Largely unregulated by federal governmento Permitted by law to engage in only issue advocacy and not candidate advocacyOther forms of influence• Other indirect or outside strategies used by interest groups include grassroots lobbying and mobilizing public opiniono Grassroots lobbying is the process of getting members of interest groups actively involved in political process• By changing political opinion and gaining support interest groups can often attract attention of policymakers• Contact potential supporters via email, phone, mailing and advertisements• Interest groups act as watchdogs by monitoring activities of the Gov. and the implementation of public policyo Interest groups play an active role in holding Gov. accountableForming and maintaining a group• Interest groups are formed in response to the threat of undesirable changeo Private interest groups are formed in response to policy proposals that threatened them financiallyo Public interest groups are formed to fight the government regulation of individual behavior• Forming and maintaining an interest group requires impetus, resources, leadership and a solution to the collective action problemo Collective action problem is the problem that not everyone in the group puts in the work yet still receive the benefitso How to prevent this? Recruit members by offering solidary or purposeful benefits in return for participation Offer members selective or material benefits in return for participation Require membershipo Interest group entrepreneurs are individuals who attempt to organize people with shared interest to take collective action• Interest groups are likely to form when population has resourceso Easier to influence policy makers• Interest groups most likely to form when a disturbance occurs that affects people of high socioeconomic statuso A threatening disturbance, socioeconomic status and leadership are three factors that help explain why interest groups do/don’t form• Any group that lobbies is required to register with the federal governmentInequities in representation• Lower and middle class American are less likely than wealthy citizens to have interest groups representations on their behalf• U.S. is characterized by pluralist system o Representation is provided by those operating through competing groups• “Haves” are more likely than ‘have not’s” to be adequately represented by interest groups with a strong presence in D.C.Value of interest groups• In a democracy where individuals are permitted to have political opinions and express them through voting and petitioning, interest groups will exist.o James Madison understood this reality and points to a number of realities of interest group politics Says group mentality is rooted in human nature When people are free to have own ideas, own private property, practice own religious beliefs and endorse their preferred political candidates factions or interest groups will developo In representative democracy individuals influence their government in two ways: Directly (through lobbying) Indirectly (through elections and representation)• Advantages and disadvantages of interest group politicso Advantage Provides voice to factions of people in democratic societyo Disadvantage Proliferation of interest groups has tendency to divide people, encouraging animosity and oppression rather than cooperationChapter 10: JudiciaryArticle III: judicial branch• Outlines structure of the federal court system• Sets parameters
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