3.6 Identify how interest groups and lobbyists influence law
making and voter bias.
I: INTEREST GROUPS: ORGANIZATIONS OF PEOPLE
WHO UNITE TO PROMOTE THEIR IDEAS.
TYPES OF INTEREST GROUPS

A: Economic Interest Groups
 1.
US Chamber of Commerce
 2. Tobacco Institute
 Small Business Administration

B: Representing Workers
 1.
The American Federation of Labor and Congress
of Individual Organizations (AFL-CIO)
 2. American Bar Association

C: Other Interest Groups
 1.
National Organization of Women (NOW)
 2. National Rifle Association (NRA)
 3. American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
 4. Sierra Club
 5. Americans for Tax Reform


D: Interest Groups and Government
1. Elections



A. many interest groups form Political Action Committees
(PACS)
B: PACS collect money from the members and use it to
support candidates
2. Lobbying Government


A: Interest Groups use lobbyists to help them influence
government
B: Lobbyists are representatives of special interest groups
who contact lawmakers directly to try and pass bills that
favor their group or issue.
WHAT’S THEIR ROLE: 6 ROLES IN THE PROCESS
1. Inform public about candidates and
issues
2. Recruit and endorse candidates
3. Contribute money to campaigns
4. Sponsor “issue ads”
5. Form Political Action Committees (PACS)
6. Grassroots organizing Ex: Voter
registration
GROUP EFFECTIVENESS

Size of organization
 American
(AARP)
Association of Retired Persons
Geographic distribution (AAA)
 American Automobile Association
 Cohesion (AFL - CIO)

 American
Federation of Labor & Congress of
Industrial Organizations

Intensity (NARAL - Pro-choice)
 Nation
Abortion Reproductive Rights Action League
HTTP://WWW.VOTESMART.ORG/INTERESTGROUPS
WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
Organization with a structure that provides for
leadership & guidelines
 Members share certain ideas or have a similar
perspective that unites them in a common
cause
 Seeks to influence public policy by lobbying for
change by affecting the actions of government
 Hire Lobbyist to help influence public policy
