Chapter 11: Interest Groups
Group Voting Tendencies (We need to write more!)
Analyze the group voting tendencies chart and explain the voting tendencies of
the following groups:
Jewish Americans
Roman Catholics
Men & Women
Rural and Urban Settings vs. Suburbs
Unions vs. Farmers
No College vs. College Grad
Announcements:
• Quiz over Chapter 8 & 11 (Together) on Friday. I AM CHECKING
YOUR NOTES FOR THE QUIZ.
• Tutoring every Tuesday! YOU ARE TAKING THE AP GOVERNMENT
TEST!
ID Cards (We need to start doing these too!)
KEY TERM
Interest Group
Definition/Synonyms
A collection of people or organizations that
tries to influence public policy
Synonyms: lobbyists, NGO’s, Public Interest
Groups
Sentence
The Interest Group
raised awareness for
its cause by creating
commercials to air
during prime
television.
Present-Day
Example
CWF has used its resources to
raise public awareness of
partial-birth abortion through
extensive media campaigns
and distributed two million
pieces of literature through
our voter education program.
Picture
Key Terms: Chapter 11
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Interest Group
Pluralist Theory
Disturbance Theory
Transactions Theory
Collective Good
Population Ecology Theory
Political Action Committee
Economic Interest Group vs. Public Interest Group
Lobbyist/Lobbying
Free Rider Problem
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007
Pluralism vs. Elitism
-Define Each Theory
-Explain the root of that theory
-Provide at least 2 quotes explain each theory
-Compare and Contrast the two theories
-Which group to you lean toward?
-Define hyperpluralism. How is that different from pluralism? How is it
similar?
Chapter 12: Congress
•Pluralism
Stress on immaterial power
•If an individual cannot keep up with politics,
their interests will be protected by interest
groups
•Compromise and bargaining define Pluralist
theory
•Government has a checks and balances system
the evens out power
•can easily be frozen in decisions by different
interest groups
•People in decision-making positions are
constantly moving in and out of power
•Elitism
Stress on material representation of power
•Only successful individuals who have
proven power may enter political system
•Superiority of the property owning, upper
class define Elitist Theory
•Government is comprised of a single mind
type that creates policies
•Need to elevate some non-elites to power
circles to appease masses
•Power is decided at the top and masses are
uninformed
Powers of Congress
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Lay and collect taxes and duties
Borrow money
Regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the states
Establish rules for naturalization
Coin money
Establish a post office
Issue copyrights and patents
Create courts lower than Supreme Court
Declare War
Raise and support and army
“Necessary and proper clause”
Chapter 12: Congress
Constitutional Differences
House
Senate
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• 100 voting members (two from each state)
• Six-year terms (one third up for reelection every
two years)
• Offers “advice and consent” on presidential
appointments
• Tries impeached official
• Approves treaties
435 voting members (population)
Two-year terms
Initiates all revenue bills
Initiates impeachment procedures and passes
articles of impeachment
Differences in Operation
House
Senate
• More centralized
• Committee on Rules fairly powerful in controlling
time and rules of debate
• Power less even
• Emphasizes tax and revenue policy
• Less centralized; weaker leadership
• No rules committee, limits on debate come
through consent or filibuster
• Power more even
• Emphasizes foreign policy
Changes in the Institution
House
Senate
-Power centralized in the Speaker’s inner circle of
advisers
-House procedures becoming more efficient
-Turnover is relatively high, although those seeking
reelection almost always win
-Senate workload increasing; threat of filibusters more
frequent than in the past
-Becoming more difficult to pass legislation
-Turnover is moderate
Congress Key Terms: Quiz JUST ON KEY
TERMS/JOBS/HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW next
class
• Apportionment
• Joint committee
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Bicameral legislature
Bill
Cloture
Conference committee
Congressional Budget Act of 1974
Congressional review
Discharge petition
Filibuster
Gerrymandering
Impeachment
Incumbency
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Majority leader/party
Minority leader/party
Pocket veto
President pro tempore
Redistricting
Select or special committee
Speaker of the House
Standing committee
Veto
War Powers Act
trustee
Congress in the Constitution?
• Article I
• “All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of
the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of
Representatives.”
Is it good that we have a Bipartisan Congress?
Bicameral: House of Representatives &
Senate
• Create a chart for each house
House of Representatives
Committees, Committees, Committees
• Standing Committees: committees which bills are referred for
consideration
• Joint Committees: standing committees that include members from
both houses of Congress and are set up to conduct investigations or
special studies (economy, taxation, scandals)
• Conference Committees: joint committees to reconcile differences in
bills passed by the House and Senate
• Select or (special) committees: are temporary committees appointed
for specific purposes, such as investigating 9/11 terrorist attacks
Incumbency: What is it?
• Already holding an office
• Benefits of Incumbency
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Name Recognition
Access to the Media
Easier fund-raising
Franking privilege
Filibuster
•A formal way of halting Senate action on a
bill by means of long speeches or unlimited
debate
Who influences the votes?
•Interest Groups
•People from state
•Staff Members
Is there only one way to VETO?
• Veto
• Pass or Sign
• Pocket Veto: 10 Days while recess occurs
• Wait 10 Days while Congress is still in session