Interest Groups
AP Government
Unit 3
What is an Interest Group??
•Interest groups are organizations that seek a collective
good, and which will not selectively or materially benefit
the members.
•“An interest group is an organization made up of
people who share common objectives and who actively
attempt to influence government policymakers through
direct and indirect methods.”
•“Interest Group is an organization of people with similar
policy goals that tries to influence the political process to
try to achieve those goals.”
What do Interest Groups do?
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Try to influence public policy
Lobbyists try and persuade public officials to
believe a specific view
 Every branch and every level of government
is affected by interest groups
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What SHOULD
Interest Groups do?:
• Promote interest in public affairs
• Provide useful information
• Serve as watchdogs
• Represent the interest of Citizens
“Linkage Institutions”
Parties, Elections, Interest Groups and the
Media are all considered “linkage
institutions” in our country
 What is a linkage institution?
 Institutions that help link, or connect,
citizens to their government.
 It helps give citizens a way to participate
and make their voices heard as well as to
learn more about their government and its
leaders.
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Interest Groups have been
criticized for…
 Ignoring
the wider interest of
society
 Producing confusion and deadlock
in Congress
 Generating so much emotion that
they make reasoned discussion
difficult
 Having too much influence
Political Parties vs. Interest Groups
Political Parties
• Nominate
candidates
• Want to win
elections
• Concerned with
many issues
Interest Groups
• Don’t nominate
• Want to influence
policies
• Concerned with
one issue
Lobbyists
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A Lobbyist is someone whose task it is to
influence legislation or policymaking
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Generally works for an interest group
Lobbyists are hired by:
Businesses
 Trade associations
 Colleges or universities
 Foreign countries
 Local and state government units
 Anyone else wanting their voice heard on policy
matters (Health issues, parent issues…)
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What Lobbyists SHOULD Do
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A lobbyist must be honest and truthful if he
or she wants to remain effective.
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Access to lawmakers is critical and if a lobbyist
gets a reputation of being untruthful or
disingenuous legislators doors will close.
Good lobbyists will also make lawmakers
aware of the downsides of a bill and the
arguments on the other side as well.
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/168449/may-132008/better-know-a-lobby---gun-control
The Development of
American Interest Groups
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Interest groups have been part of the
American political landscape since the
country’s founding.
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The open nature of the American government
invites organized political participation.
James Madison in Federalist #10 argued
that no one group should get control over
other groups.
The Roots and Development
of American Interest Groups
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National Groups Emerge (1830-89)
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The beginnings of lobbying and interest groups
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Anti-Slavery groups
Temperance Groups
The Grange
The Progressive Era (1890-1920)
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Important groups created
Organized Labor
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The American Federation of Labor (AFL) (1886)
Business and Trade Associations
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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) (1895)
The Roots and Development
of American Interest Groups
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The Rise of the Interest Group State (1960-70)
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A new sense of progressivism
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Religious and Ideological Groups
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Christian Coalition, Moral Majority
Business Groups, Trade and Professional Associations
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ACLU, Common Cause, NAACP
Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable
Organized Labor
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AFL-CIO
Teamsters
Why People Join Interest Groups
1. Solidary Incentives
• For the social contacts
• League of Women Voters, NAACP,
PTSA, American Legion
2. Material Incentives
• For economic reasons
• AARP, Farmers Groups, Labor Unions
3. Purposive Incentives
• For moral causes / crusades
• Right to-Life, Pro-Choice, Greenpeace
Who Joins Interest Groups?
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Upper class interest groups- Big Business
More affluent join and are active
 White collar workers
 Professional groups
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Working class interest groups- Big Labor
Labor unions have been very powerful in past
 The AFL-CIO broke up in 2004, cutting big
labor’s power
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Area of Concern/Cause
Who are They? Who Do They
Support??
AARP -American
Association of
Retired Persons
Benefits for retired people- Important voting
block!
Both; Middle-aged
Republicans; Very old people
Democrats
AFL-CIO
Workplace issues and benefits for workers
Labor Union/Blue collar
workers; Usually votes for
Democrats
American Bar
Association
Concerned with legal issues such as caps
on awards to victims; malpractice
Lawyers; Usually Republicans
but not always
ACLU-American Civil
Liberties Union
Concerned with Bill of Rights and Civil
Liberties
Can be both but more
associated with
Democrats/Libertarians
AMA- American
Med. Association
Medical issues; Stem cell research;
malpractice
Doctors; Usually Republicans
Amnesty
International
Concerned about the treatment of prisoners
worldwide; political prisoners
Usually Democrats
AIPAC
Also B'nai B'rith )
Civil rights; Interested in Israel issues
Jewish Americans; Mostly
Democrats
Children's Defense
Fund
Issues involving children- insurance,
Mostly Democrats
Christian Coalition
Religious issues; pro-life An important voting
block!
Republicans
Interest Group
Interest Group
Area of Concern/Cause
Who are They? Who Do They Support??
Common Cause
Reform in government; watchdogs
Both
Focus on the Family
Family- oriented issues; pro-life
Republicans
League of Women
Voters
Voting issues; Debates
Both but many are Democrats
MADD-Mothers
Against Drunk
Driving
Concerned about teenage driving safety;
age laws
Parents/moms; Both
NAACP –Nat’l Assoc.
for the Advancement
of Colored People
Concerned with issues voting, and other civil
rights issues; An important voting block!
African Americans;
Democrats
NEA- National
Education
Association
Education issues; protect teacher jobs;
generally against NCLB or want to reform
NCLB
Teachers- High % usually
vote for Democrats
NOW- Nat’l Org. for
Women
Women’s issues; Pro-Choice
Women; Democrats
NRA- National Rifle
Association
Pro Guns/2nd Amendment Issues; Less
restrictive gun laws and gun control
Republicans/Libertarians
National Right to
Life Organization
Pro- Life/ Anti Abortion
Republicans
National Wilderness
Society
Environmental Issues
Mostly Democrats- Some
Republicans
Sierra Club
Environmental Issues
Mostly Democrats
Veterans of Foreign
Wars/American Legion
Veterans; Concerned with issues about
benefits
Both but generally
Republicans
Facts About the AARP
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Among those over 50, AARP members are
more likely to vote than nonmembers.
% of Americans Registered to
vote:
85%
% of AARP Members Registered
to Vote90%
% of American who always
vote in local elections:
50%
% of AARP Members who
always vote in Local
Elections57%
% of Americans who always
vote in presidential elections
77%
% of AARP Members who
always vote in presidential
elections84%
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AFL-CIO
Alliance for Justice
American-Arab AntiDiscrimination Committee (ADC)
American Association for
Affirmative Action (AAAA)
American Association for People
with Disabilities (AAPD)
American Association of Retired
Persons (AARP)
American Association of
University Women (AAUW)
American Bankers Association
(ABA)
American Bar Association
American Civil Liberties Union
American Chemical Society
American Conservative Union
American Farm Bureau
Federation
American Federation of State,
County, and Municipal
Employees (AFSCME)
American Federation of Teachers
(AFT)
American Hellenic Educational
Progressive Association (AHEPA)
American Israel Public Affairs
Committee
American Legion
American Petroleum Institute
American Postal Workers Union
(APWU)
American Public Welfare
Association (APWA)
Americans Against Political
Corruption
Americans for Democratic Action
Amnesty International
Animal Rights Coalition
Catholics United for Life
Center for Democracy and
Technology
Center for Public Integrity
Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI)
Children's Defense Fund
Child Labor Coalition
Child Welfare League of America
Christian Coalition
Citizens Against Government
Waste
Citizens for Budget Reform
(CBR)
Citizens for Tax Justice
Communications Workers of
America (CWA)
Others- not on
test!
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ConflictNet
Concord Coalition
Congressional Accountability
Project
Contract with America
Bowling Green State University
Coalition Against the Contract [
"Contract on America" (book by
Ann-Marie Rosato)
Council for Responsible Genetics
Death Penalty Information Center
EcoNet
Electronic Frontier Foundation
EMILY's List
Empower America
Environmental Defense Fund
Family Farm Alliance
Federation For American
Immigration Reform (FAIR)
Feminist Majority Foundation
Online
Friends of the Earth
Fund for Constitutional
Government
Generation X Coalition
Government Purchasing Project
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GreenNet (environmental)
Greenpeace International
Habitat for Humanity
Hollywood Women's Political
Committee - HWPC
International Association of
Machinists & Aerospace Workers
International Brotherhood of
Teamsters
International Union of Bricklayers
& Allied Craftworkers
LaborNet
League of Conservation Voters
League of Women Voters' Voter
Education Project
Majority '96
Militia Watchdog
National Abortion and
Reproductive Rights Action
League (NARAL)
National Air Traffic Controllers
Association
National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People
(NAACP)
National Association for Public
Interest Law
National Association of Arab
Americans
National Association of Baby
Boomers
National Association of
Broadcasters
National Association of
Community Action Agencies
National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB)
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National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB)
National Coalition for the
Homeless
National Education Association
(NEA)
National Endangered Species Act
Reform Coalition
National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force
National Organization for Women
(NOW)
National Recycling Coalition
National Resources Defense
Council
National Right to Life
National Rifle Association
National Rural Electric
Cooperative Association
National Water Resources
Association
Nuclear Waste Citizens Coalition
Office & Professional Employees
International Union (OPEIU)
PeaceNet
People For the American Way
People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals
Physicians for a National Health
Program
Planned Parenthood
Public Citizen
Public Interest Research Groups
Service Employees International
Union
Sheet Metal Workers
International Association
Sierra Club
Society for Electronic Access
(SEA)
Society for Human Resource
Management
Taxpayers Against Fraud
Teledemocracy Action News +
Network
United Autoworkers Workers
(UAW)
United Food and Commercial
Workers (UFCW)
United Mine Workers of America
(UMW)
United States Space Foundation
Vietnam Veterans of America
Women's Legal and Public Policy
Information
WomensNet
Sites for Interest Group Research
California State University @ Chico
http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/fac/kfountain/
About.com
http://usgovinfo.about.com/blorgs.htm
Economic Interest Groups
•
Most interest groups are based on
economics
•
•
•
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Businesses (create favorable environment for
business to prosper)
Agriculture (work for price supports from gov’t,
but also limit gov’t influence)
Labor (Call public attention to the legitimate needs
of working people. Accomplishments …eight-hour
work day …child labor laws …minimum wage laws
...workplace health & safety laws)
Professional (protect and advance their
professional field -- to do this, they...publish
journals…give awards for excellence
...communicate their opinions to gov’t officials)
Other Types of Interest
Groups
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Cause-based
•
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(National Wildlife Federation, League of Women
Voters, National Rifle Association, MADD, Emily’s
List)
Concerned with the welfare of people
•
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(AARP – senior citizens, NAACP – African
Americans)
Religious Organizations
•
(Christian Coalition, American Jewish Congress)
Interest Group Techniques
Direct Techniques:
Indirect Techniques:
 Lobby at Capitol Hill
 Generating Public
Pressure
 Have private meetings
 Meet at social occasions  Use public pressure on
“hot button” issues
 Testify at hearings
 Use constituents to call
 Drafting legislation
lawmakers
 Providing political info
 Build alliances with other
 Supply nomination
groups
suggestions
What Makes an Interest
Group Successful?
1.
2.
3.
Leaders – having a prominent leader aids in
the reputation of the group and enhances a
group's ability to attain its goals.
Patrons and Funding – funding is critical.
Without money, it is hard to get your message
out.
Members – a group must have members to
be successful. Organizing members allows
for strength in numbers and pooling of
financial support.
Where does ALL the $$ Come
From in Interest Groups??
Member dues
 Federal grants
 Direct mail appeals for cash
 Internet sites
 Dinners and fundraisers
 PAC’s !!!!
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Political Action Committees

A popular term for a political committee organized
for the purpose of raising and spending money to
elect and defeat candidates.
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PACS are the so-called “political arms” of interest
groups
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Most PACS represent business, labor or ideological
interests.
PACS are used to elect or defeat government officials
and promote legislation
The “revolving door”
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PACS hire former members of Congress to lobby their
old friends, committees, etc…
This is legal but …Is this Ethical???
The Birth of PACS
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In 1944, the Congress of Industrial Organizations,
(CIO) wanted to help President Franklin Roosevelt get
re-elected.
Standing in their way was the Smith Connally Act of
1943, which made it illegal for labor unions to contribute
funds to federal candidates.
The CIO then urged individual union members to
voluntarily contribute money directly to the Roosevelt
campaign.
It worked very well and PACs, or political action
committees were born.
Political Action Committees
(PAC’s)
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A PAC must register six months in
advance, have at least fifty
contributors, and give to at least
five candidates.
Corporations, unions, or other
associations may establish PAC’s.
There are over 4,000 PACs registered
with the Federal Election Commission.
PAC’s gave over
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$217 million to congressional candidates
in 1996
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$373
million in 2010!!!
Money from PACS
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PACs may receive up to $5,000 from any one
individual, PAC or party committee per calendar
year.
PACs can give $5,000 to a candidate committee
per election (primary, general or special).
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PACS support candidates with campaign money
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They can also give up to $15,000 annually to any
national party committee, and $5,000 annually to any
other PAC.
½ sponsored by corporations; 1/10 by unions
1/3 liberal and 2/3 conservative (2001)
Incumbents get the most PAC money!!
Money Limits
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Individuals can give up to $2600 to a
candidate but PACS can give $5,000 to a
candidate
Federal money will match presidential
campaign money but….
 Parties need at least 5% of vote in previous
year for presidential candidate to receive funds
 If that doesn’t happen you need PAC’s!!!
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http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-reportvideos/379369/march-30-2011/colbert-pac---trevor-potter
Important PAC’s
The Laborers International Union of North
America
 The National Association of Realtors
 The National Rifle Association (NRA)
 Microsoft Corp
 Exxon Mobil
 EMILY’s List- Early money is like yeast –
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makes the Dough rise (Democratic women)
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Human Rights Campaign
Big Spenders in 2007-08
Total Amount
Dem Pct
Repub Pct
Operating Engineers Union
$2,612,560
86%
14%
National Assn of Realtors
$2,289,750
59%
41%
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
$2,286,550
98%
2%
AT&T Inc
$2,065,200
36%
64%
American Assn for Justice
$1,904,000
95%
5%
National Beer Wholesalers Assn
$1,856,500
52%
48%
Machinists/Aerospace Workers Union
$1,840,300
97%
3%
American Bankers Assn
$1,818,520
39%
61%
International Assn of Fire Fighters
$1,787,600
75%
25%
National Auto Dealers Assn
$1,696,000
35%
65%
National Air Traffic Controllers Assn
$1,638,825
77%
23%
Air Line Pilots Assn
$1,634,000
85%
15%
Service Employees International Union
$1,631,000
94%
6%
Laborers Union
$1,548,500
92%
8%
Credit Union National Assn
$1,530,699
55%
45%
American Dental Assn
$1,530,412
52%
48%
Sheet Metal Workers Union
$1,509,010
97%
3%
United Parcel Service
$1,502,001
41%
59%
Plumbers/Pipefitters Union
$1,467,150
94%
6%
American Crystal Sugar
$1,336,500
64%
36%
PAC Name
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/index.asp
2010 Top PAC Contributions
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National Assn of Realtors
$3,680,296
Honeywell International
$3,569,700
AT&T Inc $3,047,375
National Beer Wholesalers
Assn $3,001,000
Intl Brotherhood of Electrical
Workers $2,888,623
Operating Engineers Union
$2,747,920
American Assn for Justice
$2,731,500
American Bankers Assn
$2,637,904
American Federation of
Teachers $2,302,250
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International Assn of Fire Fighters
$2,288,000
National Auto Dealers Assn
$2,285,400
Credit Union National Assn
$2,211,346
Carpenters & Joiners Union
$2,209,375
American Fedn of St/Cnty/Munic
Employees $2,204,000
Teamsters Union $2,179,560
Boeing Co $2,094,000
American Crystal Sugar $2,087,500 6
Laborers Union $2,085,500
National Assn of Home Builders
$2,022,500
National Education Assn $2,018,050
2011 Top PAC Contributions
PAC Name
Honeywell
International
Total Amount
Dem Pct
Repub Pct
$1,002,216
28%
72%
National Beer
Wholesalers Assn
$924,500
44%
56%
Intl Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers
$826,200
96%
2%
AT&T Inc
$805,500
36%
64%
Credit Union
National Assn
$706,450
47%
53%
American Crystal
Sugar
$695,500
54%
46%
Lockheed Martin
$694,000
38%
61%
New York Life
Insurance
$659,500
44%
56
Where
does all
the $$ Go?
AKA
If you give you
shall receive!!
Super PACs

Super PACs are a new kind of political
action committee created in July 2010
following the outcome of a federal court
case known as SpeechNow.org v. Federal
Election Commission (after the Citizens
United case).
 Technically they are known as
“independent expenditure-only
committees”
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-reportvideos/382014/april-14-2011/colbert-super-pac---trevor-potter
Super PACs
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Super PACs may raise unlimited sums of money from
 Corporations
 Unions
 Associations and individuals
They spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or
against political candidates.
 Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs are prohibited
from donating money directly to political candidates.
Super PACs must, however, report their donors to the
Federal Election Commission on a monthly or quarterly
basis -- the Super PAC's choice -- as a traditional PAC
would
Super PAC Group
Independent
Expenditures
Viewpoint
Total Raised
American Crossroads
$1,135,853
Conservative
$6,643,257
House Majority PAC
$919,562
Liberal
$985,000
Communications Workers of
America
$107,000
Liberal
$295,000
Cooperative of American
Physicians
$102,184
n/a
$1,258,351
Priorities USA Action
$96,555
Liberal
$3,161,535
Majority PAC
$86,550
Liberal
$1,082,407
Club for Growth Action
$51,917
Conservative
$1,144,022
Conservative Action Fund
$25,287
Conservative
$35,000
Lantern Project
$20,435
Liberal
$25,310
Freedomworks for America
$12,295
Conservative
$0
Turn Right USA
$5,792
Conservative
$285
United Mine Workers of America
$4,782
Power PAC
Liberal
$0
Raising Red
$2,125
Conservative
$200,000
Matthew 25 Network
$1,100
Liberal
$0
Great Site for Research
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http://www.opensecrets.org/index.php
Acts Regulating Lobbyists
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1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act
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1978 Ethics in Government Act
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Lobbyists must register and file reports
Officials must disclose finances and employment after
leaving government service
1995 The Lobbying Disclosure Act
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Must Register and Report clients
Estimate how much they are paid and report the % to
the government
FYI- Approximately 4 Million Dollars were
spent lobbying EACH member of Congress
in 2005!
Jack Abramoff Scandal
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“Super-Lobbyist” Abramoff
plead guilty to corruption
charges in 2006
Abramoff pleaded guilty to
defrauding the Native American
tribes that were his clients, to
tax evasion and to conspiring
to bribe public officials
He illegally gave gifts and
made campaign donations to
legislators in return for votes or
support of legislation
Several federal officials were
also accused and found guilty
in the scandal
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http://www.pbs.org/moyers/moye
rsonamerica/capitol/watch.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7387331n
And now for a bit of fun….