Homework: PP and IGs test on Friday

FrontPage: Turn in FP; make sure to vote BoR…

RECALL OUR DISCUSSION OF HOW INTEREST GROUPS INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY…

There are two ways they can influence the decision-makers… What were these 2 ways?

Lobbying and donating money…

But, according to campaign finance laws (FECA laws of the 1970s), interest groups, unions, and corporations are prohibited from directly donating money to campaigns or political parties. They still spend a great deal on lobbying, however:

Amount spent on lobbying http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/index.php

Top spenders on lobbyists: http://www.opensecrets.org/lobby/top.php?indexType=s

INTEREST GROUPS AND DONATIONS In order to still have a voice and be able

to support candidates who will in turn support the IGs views, there is a way that IGs can still “give money” to candidates running for office How do they do this?

POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEES What are PACs? Who/what governs the actions of PACs

Federal Election Commission (FEC) Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act (BCRA) limits:

To Candidate: $5000 per election To Party: $15000 per year To another PAC: $5000 per year

Whom do PACs contribute to? Incumbents: why? Both candidates: why? Running unopposed: why?

TOP PAC CONTRIBUTORS Top PACs in 2008 election Money raised by all candidates:

BUT EVEN THIS IS NOT ENOUGH… Because the FEC and campaign finance

laws regulate the amount of money that can be given to and by PACs, some

groups argue that this limits their free speech rights.

In order to expand the ability to influence who gets elected (without participating in

the actual campaign process), another type of group has come on to the scene

in recent years…

“527 GROUPS” **(aka a “soft-money PAC”; named for §527 of the Internal Revenue Code) Purpose: to “influence the nomination, election,

appointment or defeat of candidates for public office by engaging in issue advocacy and voter mobilization” Utilize so-called “issue advocacy ads” that do not directly

ask for vote in favor of or against a candidate Do not spend money to directly advocate the election or

defeat of any candidate **Thus, 527s are not regulated by the FEC and BCRA rules

Permitted to accept unlimited contributions in any amount from any source; can spend any amount as well But cannot coordinate their efforts with a campaign

INFO ON 527S Top 527 Committees Top Individual contributions to 527s

HOW DO INTEREST GROUPS KNOW WHICH ELECTED OFFICIALS TO SUPPORT?

They look at voting records and assign a “grade” or score depending upon whether the elected official supports their position…

http://www.votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=53340

Homework: PP and IGs test on Friday

FrontPage: NNIGN – vote for BoR Madness winner

THE DIFFERENCES IN ADS – CAMPAIGNS AND 527S…

Candidate Ads http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpyOSLZw8qo&feature=relmfu – McCain

for President http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygb4fQwQ4yA&feature=related – Sestak

for Senate   527s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phqOuEhg9yE&feature=related –

SwiftBoat Veterans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGj0Zen3fkc - Move On http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyqe7Kjb0Nw&playnext=1&list=PL0C4C

9BD37A8129AD – Fix the Economy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anieuWFWe8s – Born Alive Truth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EA_yd-TaT5o – Citizens for a Stronger

America http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y18NQcByIyI&feature=BFa&list=PLCC60

8A914886E5C7&index=2 – Victim’s Voice 527