How do legislatures, and politicians
decide what laws or policies to make?
Public Opinion
Major Events
Special Interest
Groups
Lobbyists
Public Opinion
“I can only go as fast as the people will let me.”
-FDR
Before public policy can be made we have to first
lets look at public opinion….
Public Opinion
-Public Opinion
Generic term for what the
majority of the public may
believe about an issue—can be
very misleading as a majority may
represent only 51%
• Opinions about government
officials, candidates, and issues
-Often misleading
• Can manipulate questions to get
the answers they want
Public opinion is the generic term for
what people think about the
government, the leaders of our country,
and the issues facing our government
and leaders. Why should the
government care about public opinion?
Why should the government also be
wary of public opinion?
What influences
people’s
opinions??
•Family & Friends
•Media (Print and
T.V.)
•Importance
Forming Opinions
-Many Factors Influence Opinions
-Mass Media
• TV, radio, newspapers, Internet
• Provides powerful images to the public
-Public Officials
In what ways does the media shape
public opinion? How can this be both
positive and negative?
• Voters elect those they trust to public
office – voice of the people
-Special Interest Groups
• Persuade people to their point-of-view
Measuring Opinion
-Public Opinion Polls
• Individuals answer questions to see
how the “general public” feels
-Random Samples
-poll methods where attempts are
made to include a wide segment of
the population in the poll
• Reflect the entire population
-Effects of Polls
• Make public officials respond to what
the people want
• Set the public agenda
The goal of interest groups and lobbyists is to persuade
legislatures and office holders to enact public policies that will
achieve their needs and goals.
Public Policy -
Public Policy
How individuals, interest groups and
the media influence the actions of the
government.
What is an interest group?
 An interest group is……

"An organization of people with shared ideas
and attitudes who attempt to influence public
policy."
Interest Groups
-Interest Groups
-a group of people who have similar
interests or concerns about an
issue
• Believe that by putting together
time, money, and resources, they
can influence decision-makers
-Bias
-term that refers to a one-sided
opinion on an issue
Why is it important in researching
public opinion and the ideas of interest
groups to recognize bias?
• Interest groups usually biased
-Impartial
-having no opinion on an issue
Types of Groups
-Economic Groups
Business Organizations
Professional Associations
Labor Unions
-Particular Groups of People
Ethnic – NAACP (National Association
for the Advancement of Colored
People)
Age – AARP (American Association of
Retired Persons)
Sex – NOW (National Organization of
Women)
-Particular Causes
• ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
The American Association of Retired
Persons is one of the most influential
special interest groups in America? Why
do you think this is?
What is the goal of a lobbyist?
 The goal of a lobbyist is as an activist usually paid by an
interest group to promote their positions to legislatures.
Lobbying
-Lobbying
-the act of trying to influence
people on behalf of an interest
group
• Hired by interest groups to go to
Congress and influence laws
-Functions of Interest Groups
Information
Represent their members
Interest groups hire people called
lobbyists to influence Congressmen to
pass laws on their behalf. Lobbyists’
most important job is to provide
information about their interest group
and support their members.
support certain candidates
-Lobbyists work at all levels of
government
Regulation of Lobbying
-Past activities of lobbyists have
been questionable
• Congressmen taking bribes, people
not getting their rights
-government regulation
-stop bribery
-special interest groups
-reporting lobbying activities
-effects of Lobbying
• Have been successful historically
of influencing legislation
Because lobbying has not always been
ethical, the government has passed laws
to limit lobbyist’s power (especially
through bribery of Congressmen).
Review Question
Public opinion is influenced by which of the
following factors:
a.
b.
c.
d.
By many sources
Mostly through advertising
Almost completely by lobbyists
Primarily by interest groups
Interest groups have been criticized for
which of the following reasons listed
below?
a.
b.
c.
d.
For having too much influence
Mostly by lobbyists
For being disorganized
For their refusal to hire lobbyists
Review Question
Political action committees (PACs) were formed
to do which of the following?
a.
b.
c.
d.
allow interest groups to pay lobbyists
allow interest groups to contribute money to
candidates and campaigns
assign volunteers to groups that need them
fund mass media
Review Question
Lobbyists work for which of the following groups?
a.
b.
c.
d.
the public
interest groups
public officials
the government
Review Question
How are interest groups different from political
parties?
a.
b.
c.
d.
interest groups do not concentrate on influencing
government policy and political parties do
interest groups concentrate on influencing government
policy and political parties concentrate on electing
candidates
interest groups use propaganda and political parties
avoid using propaganda
There is no difference between both interest groups
and political parties
Review Question
Which of the following would be considered a
public interest group?
a. a plumber’s union
b. a lawyers’ association
c.
a committee for clean water
d. a group dedicated to promoting motorcycle
ownership
Review Question
How are interest groups different from political
parties?
a.
b.
c.
d.
interest groups do not concentrate on influencing
government policy and political parties do
interest groups concentrate on influencing government
policy and political parties concentrate on electing
candidates
interest groups use propaganda and political parties
avoid using propaganda
There is no difference between both interest groups
and political parties