interest groups in action. activities of interest groups interest groups attempt to influence policy...
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Interest GroupsInterest Groups in Action in Action
Activities of Interest GroupsActivities of Interest Groups
Interest groups attempt to Interest groups attempt to influence policy by supplying influence policy by supplying public officials with things public officials with things they wantthey want
Activities of Interest GroupsActivities of Interest Groups
Credible informationCredible information Public supportPublic support MoneyMoney ““Trouble”Trouble”
Credible InformationCredible Information Includes Includes policy infopolicy info to allow to allow
a legislator to take a position a legislator to take a position on an issue or technical info on an issue or technical info needed to implement a policyneeded to implement a policy
Credible InformationCredible Information Interest group is most Interest group is most
powerful when the issue is powerful when the issue is narrownarrow & & technical technical & there & there are no competing interest are no competing interest groups to supply competing groups to supply competing infoinfo
Credible InformationCredible Information Supplying info may involve Supplying info may involve
political cuespolitical cues Allows a public official to line Allows a public official to line
up on the up on the liberalliberal or or conservativeconservative side of the side of the issueissue
Public SupportPublic Support Grassroots mobilization is a Grassroots mobilization is a
tactic chosen by an increasing tactic chosen by an increasing number of interest groupsnumber of interest groups
Environmental interest groups Environmental interest groups have successfully mobilized have successfully mobilized support for & against legislators support for & against legislators with the “Dirty Dozen” campaignwith the “Dirty Dozen” campaign
MoneyMoney Interest groups can establish Interest groups can establish
PACsPACs to finance political to finance political campaignscampaigns
Lobby Congress to reduce or Lobby Congress to reduce or increase appropriations for gov. increase appropriations for gov. agencies & provide jobs for agencies & provide jobs for former gov officials (revolving former gov officials (revolving doordoor))
MoneyMoney To obtain money beyond To obtain money beyond
member dues, interest groups member dues, interest groups have turned to:have turned to:
Foundation grantsFoundation grants Federal grants & contractsFederal grants & contracts Direct mail solicitationDirect mail solicitation
““Trouble”Trouble” Tactics such as protest Tactics such as protest
marches, sit-ins, picketing, & marches, sit-ins, picketing, & violence have always been violence have always been part of politicspart of politics
Used by both left & rightUsed by both left & right
Purpose of “Trouble”Purpose of “Trouble”
DisruptDisrupt the workings of some the workings of some institutionsinstitutions to force it to to force it to negotiate with younegotiate with you
Enlist Enlist the support of the support of third third partiesparties (media) (media)
Provoke attacksProvoke attacks & arrests are & arrests are made so that martyrs are made so that martyrs are createdcreated
Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups
Many policies have been enacted Many policies have been enacted to regulate interest groupsto regulate interest groups
All must deal with the fact that All must deal with the fact that interest group activity is a form interest group activity is a form of of political speechpolitical speech protected by protected by the the First AmendmentFirst Amendment
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946Act of 1946
Register with the secretary of Register with the secretary of the Senate & clerk of the the Senate & clerk of the House of Rep.House of Rep.
File quarterly financial reportsFile quarterly financial reports
Federal Regulation of Lobbying Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946Act of 1946
Supreme Ct. upheld the lawSupreme Ct. upheld the law Limited its impact to groups Limited its impact to groups
whose whose “principal purpose” is “principal purpose” is to influence legislationto influence legislation
Both the law & Supreme Ct. Both the law & Supreme Ct. ruling left significant loopholes ruling left significant loopholes for interest groups to exploitfor interest groups to exploit
Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups
In 1995 Congress passed In 1995 Congress passed tighter regulatory legislationtighter regulatory legislation
New law broadened the New law broadened the definition of lobbyistdefinition of lobbyist
Interest Group Regulation: Interest Group Regulation: 1995 Law1995 Law
Require more advocates to Require more advocates to register with the House & register with the House & SenateSenate
Require lobbyists to require Require lobbyists to require more info about clientsmore info about clients
Regulating Interest Groups: 1995 Regulating Interest Groups: 1995 LawLaw
Lobbyists must now register if they Lobbyists must now register if they spend at least 20% of their time spend at least 20% of their time lobbying and/or paid $5,000 or more lobbying and/or paid $5,000 or more for lobbying in any 6 month periodfor lobbying in any 6 month period
Corps & groups must register if they Corps & groups must register if they spend more than $20,000 in any 6 spend more than $20,000 in any 6 month period on their lobbying staffmonth period on their lobbying staff
1995 Law1995 Law Lobbyists must submit Lobbyists must submit
biannual reports that list:biannual reports that list: Names of their clientsNames of their clients Income and expendituresIncome and expenditures Issues on which they workedIssues on which they worked
1995 Law1995 Law Although the law did not Although the law did not
establish a new enforcement establish a new enforcement agency, violations may be agency, violations may be referred to the Justice Dept referred to the Justice Dept for investigationfor investigation
Fines for breaking the laws Fines for breaking the laws could amount to $50,000could amount to $50,000
1995 Law1995 Law Barred those tax-exempt nonprofit Barred those tax-exempt nonprofit
groups currently receiving federal groups currently receiving federal funds from lobbyingfunds from lobbying
Most effective restraints on Most effective restraints on interest group activity may result interest group activity may result from from tax codetax code (threatens to (threatens to revoke group’s tax-exempt status revoke group’s tax-exempt status if it engages in lobbying)if it engages in lobbying)
1995 Law1995 Law Spending limits can be Spending limits can be
circumvented by bundlingcircumvented by bundling Bundling occurs when a PAC Bundling occurs when a PAC
solicits funds for a candidate & a solicits funds for a candidate & a donor writes the check for the donor writes the check for the candidatecandidate
All of these checks are delivered All of these checks are delivered as a “bundle”as a “bundle”
1995 Law1995 Law Federal campaign records reflect Federal campaign records reflect
a series of individual donations & a series of individual donations & the PAC’s role is not evidentthe PAC’s role is not evident
Bundling has become one of the Bundling has become one of the most common PAC practices & most common PAC practices & has been used with considerable has been used with considerable successsuccess
Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups
An outstanding practitioner of An outstanding practitioner of bundling is bundling is EMILY’s ListEMILY’s List
PAC that supports pro-choice, PAC that supports pro-choice, Democratic women Democratic women candidatescandidates
Regulating Interest GroupsRegulating Interest Groups
Even the best regulations Even the best regulations may be may be ineffectiveineffective barriers barriers against the against the power of power of interest groupsinterest groups & & PACsPACs