Interest Groups
Course
Political
Science I
Unit V
Public
Opinion and
Interest
Groups
Essential
Question
What are
interest
groups and
why are
they
important?
TEKS
§130.183(c)
(7)(A)(B)
Prior
Student
Learning
Public
Opinion
Estimated
Time
3 to 5 hours
Rationale
US politics is affected by many forces. The primary function of interest
groups is to shape public opinion and public policy by applying pressure on
public officials. A successful career in politics is dependent upon a strong
understanding of the purpose of interest groups and how to analyze,
manage, and respond to them.
Objectives
The students will be able to:
1. Classify interest groups
2. Compare the positive and negative aspects of interest groups
3. Demonstrate lobbying
Engage
Show the students some propaganda posters and as a class analyze the
message, the messenger, and the intended audience. (Note: some images
are available here,
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasi
on_home.html.) Use the Discussion Rubric for assessment.
Key Points
I. What is the nature of Interest Groups?
A. Roles
1. Interest group – (a.k.a. pressure group, organized interest, or
special interest) a group of people who join for a political purpose
and work together to influence public policies about their shared
interests
2. Have a variety of labels
a) Leagues
b) Associations
c) Clubs
d) Federations
e) Unions
f) Committees
B. Differences between interest groups and political parties
1. Interest groups do not nominate candidates for public office
2. Interest groups want to influence policies, not control the
government
3. Interest groups are privately owned and focus only on the issues
that affect the interests of their members
C. Functions
1. Stimulate interest in public affairs
2. Are vehicles for political participation
3. Transmit information between their group and the government
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4. Represent their members based on interests rather than
geography
5. Monitor public agencies and officials to hold them accountable
6. Compete with other interest groups, which balances the system
D. Criticisms
1. Push their own interests without regard for the common good
2. Allow unfair advantages for well-organized, better-financed groups
3. Can be used as a front by small groups with narrow interests
4. May not represent the actual views of their members
5. May use illegal tactics such as
a) Bribery and other uses of money
b) Overt threats of revenge
II. What are the types of interest groups?
A. General characteristics
1. Any association that tries to influence public policy
2. Very wide range of
a) Membership size
b) Societal level
c) Organization
d) Wealth
e) Foundational interests
(1) Economic (most common)
(2) Geographic
(3) Ideological
(4) Sociological
3. Many people are members of more than one interest group
B. Economic
1. Business Groups
a) There are hundreds of business groups in the US
b) Two of the best known are
(1) National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) – generally
speaks for “big business”
(2) Chamber of Commerce of the United States – speaks for
smaller businesses across the nation
c) Trade associations
(1) Are present in most segments of the business
community
(2) Several industries are represented by the most powerful
interest groups today
(a) Pharmaceutical
(b) Oil
(c) Natural gas
2. Labor Groups
a) Labor union – is an organization of workers in a shared
industry
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b) Press for the interests of their member-workers
3. Agricultural Groups
a) Include many powerful associations
(1) National Grange
(2) American Farm Bureau Federation
(3) National Farmers Union
b) Include many groups that speak for the producers of specific
products
(1) Wheat Growers
(2) National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
c) Include other farm-related business groups
(1) Pesticide manufacturers
(2) Farm implement dealers
4. Professional Associations
a) Are generally defined as occupations that require extensive
training
(1) Medicine
(2) Law
(3) Teaching
b) Are generally not as effective as most business, labor, and
farm groups, with the following exceptions
(1) American Medical Association (AMA)
(2) American Bar Association (ABA)
(3) National Education Association (NEA)
c) Do not have the membership of everyone practicing the
represented profession (i.e. not all doctors are members of the
AMA)
C. Issue-oriented Groups
1. Are very numerous
2. Are devoted to supporting or opposing a specific cause such as
a) Civil rights (American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU))
b) Women’s rights (National Women’s Political Caucus)
c) Conservation and Environmental Protection (Sierra Club)
D. Organizations for Specific Groups
1. Seek to promote the welfare of specific groups
2. Include the following examples
a) Veterans (e.g. Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American
Legion)
b) Senior Citizens (e.g. Older Americans, Inc., and the AARP)
c) Ethnic Groups
(1) African Americans (e.g. National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the
National Urban League)
(2) Japanese Americans (e.g. Japanese American Citizens
League)
(3) Mexican Americans (e.g. Mexican American Legal
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Defense Fund)
Arab Americans (e.g. National Association of Arab
Americans)
E. Religious Organizations
1. Seek to promote the welfare of specific religious groups
2. Include the following examples
a) Protestant (e.g. National Council of Churches, the Christian
Voice, and the Christian Coalition)
b) Catholic (e.g. National Catholic Welfare Council)
c) Jewish (e.g. American Jewish Congress and Anti-Defamation
League)
F. Public-Interest Groups
1. Have a broader focus and work for the best interests of the overall
community
2. Seek policies that benefit all or most people regardless of their
membership status in the organization
3. Have become more prominent recently (e.g. the Common Cause)
(4)
III. How do interest groups affect public policy?
A. Directly
1. Lobbying – “process by which organized interests attempt to affect
the decisions and actions of public officials” (McClenaghan, 2009)
a) Congress
(1) Prime place for making public policy in the federal
government
(2) Approaches that lobbyists use include
(a) Focus on individual members or on standing
committees
(b) Testify before congressional committees
(c) Submit prepared statements
(d) Make campaign contributions
(e) Write speeches
(f) Draft legislation
(g) Move their efforts to another branch of government
b) Executive Branch
(1) Writes many of the legislative details for the laws that
Congress enacts
(2) Lobbyists
(a) Focus on senior aides in the White House and
various agencies in the president’s administration
(b) Rely on their network of contacts
(3) Director of Public Liaison’s primary job is to nurture the
relationships of major and select interest groups
c) The Courts
(1) Some interest groups use the courts as a means to incite
change (e.g. National Association for the Advancement
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of Colored People (NAACP) and Brown vs. Topeka
Board of Education)
(a) Representing fringe groups in court
(b) Filing an amicus curiae brief
(i) amicus curiae – means “friend of the court”
(ii) Is a written argument presenting support for
one side of an issue in a court case even
though the submitter is not a party in the case
(c) Influencing the selection of federal judges
2. Lobbyists – people who represent interest groups and lobby for
their causes
B. Indirectly
1. Using grassroots lobbying
a) Grassroots pressures – “pressures from members of an
interest group or from the people at large, often beginning at a
very basic level—to bear on public officials” (McClenaghan,
2009)
b) Methods
(1) Communication from group members
(a) Letters
(b) Phone calls
(c) Faxes
(d) Emails
(2) Internet
(a) Websites
(b) Email list
(c) Blogs
(d) Online organizations
(3) Demonstrations and protest marches
(4) Publish ratings of members of Congress
2. Shaping public opinion
a) Persuade a significant amount of people to view the interest
group and its cause in a positive manner
b) Convince its supporters to communicate their opinion to
Congress
c) Methods
(1) Advertisements
(2) Group’s membership
(3) Public figures
(4) Mass media
3. Using propaganda
a) Is a technique of persuasion to influence behaviors
b) Has the goal to create a (true or false) belief
c) Must be presented in simple, interesting, and credible terms
d) Does not use objective logic
(1) Begins with conclusion and then supports it
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(2)
Often uses name-calling (greedy, ultraliberal,
ultraconservative, etc.) and idealistic generalities (fair,
just, etc.)
4. Electioneering
a) Helps a candidate win public office in exchange for the
official’s promoting of the interest group’s cause by
(1) Shaping legislation
(2) Allocating money
b) Uses political action campaigns (PACs), which perform a wide
range of tasks including
(1) Make financial contributions
(2) Hold fundraisers
(3) Conduct voter registration and get-out-and-vote drives
(4) Supply professional campaign consultants
(5) Provide information for campaign speeches
(6) Help the staff in local campaign offices
(a) Distribute campaign literature
(b) Work phone banks
(c) Take voters to the polls on election day
Activities
1. Interest-Group Paper. Have students select an interest group for a cause
that they support. Then have students research the organization and
write a summary about it. The summary should include relevant
information, such as the group’s supported causes, membership
numbers, funding sources, campaign funding, methods of lobbying, key
lobbyists, etc. Use the Summary Rubric for assessment.
2. Lobbyist Role-Play. Have the students prepare for this activity by
reviewing the information in their interest-group papers. Divide the class
into two groups, politicians and lobbyists. Have the lobbyists use their
knowledge and notes (and any additional research) to lobby their interest
group’s cause to a politician. Have the politicians write a letter to the
lobbyists supporting or rejecting their interests. When this is complete,
have the students alternate roles. Use the Individual Work Rubric and the
Peer Evaluation Rubric for assessment.
Assessments
Interest Groups Quiz and Key
Peer Evaluation Rubric
Discussion Rubric
Individual Work Rubric
Summary Rubric
Materials
Interest Groups computer-based presentation
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Computers with Internet access
Digital projector (optional)
Resources
McClenaghan, W. A. (2009). Magruder's American Government, Pearson.
Remy, Ph.D., R. C. (2010), United States Government: Democracy in
Action, Glencoe McGraw-Hill.
Wilson, J. Q., Dilulio Jr., J. J., and Bose, M. (2011). American Government
Institutions and Policies, Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasi
on_home.html
Accommodations for Learning Differences
For reinforcement, the students will select and join a grassroots
organization. Use the Individual Work Rubric for assessment.
For enrichment, the students will select an issue (school- or communitybased) that they have an opinion about and then write a formal letter voicing
their opinions to the appropriate authority. Use the Individual Work Rubric for
assessment.
State Education Standards
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Career and Technical Education
§130.183. Political Science I (One to Two Credits).
(7)
The student identifies interest groups. The student is expected
to:
(A)
classify interest groups such as public interest research
groups, lobbies, and political action committees; and
(B)
compare the positive and negative aspects of interest
groups such as public interest research groups, lobbies,
and political action committees.
College and Career Readiness Standards
Social Studies Standards
III. Interdependence of Global Communities
C. Critical listening
1. Understand and interpret presentations (e.g., speeches,
lectures, informal presentations) critically.
D. Reaching conclusions
1. Construct a thesis that is supported by evidence.
2. Recognize and evaluate counter-arguments.
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Name________________________________
Date__________________________
Interest Groups Quiz
1. _____Which of the following is another name for an interest group?
A. Associations
B. Clubs
C. Unions
D. All of the above
2. _____Which of the following is NOT a true statement about interest groups?
A. Interest groups nominate candidates for public office
B. Interest groups want to influence policies, not control the government
C. Interest groups are privately owned and focus only on the issues that affect the
interests of their members
D. None of the above
3. _____Interest groups may push their own interests without regard for the common
good.
A. True
B. False
4. _____What type of interest groups are trade associations?
A. Sociological
B. Economic
C. Geographic
D. Ideological
5. _____What type of interest groups are professional associations?
A. Sociological
B. Economic
C. Geographic
D. Ideological
6. _____What type of interest groups are religious organizations?
A. Sociological
B. Economic
C. Geographic
D. Ideological
7. _____Public-Interest Groups have a broader focus and work for their own best
interests.
A. True
B. False
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8. _____Which of the following is the prime place for making public policy in the federal
government?
A. Congress
B. Executive Branch
C. The Courts
D. None of the above
9. _____Which of the following are approaches that lobbyists use to lobby members of
Congress?
A. Focus on individual members or on standing committees
B. Testify before congressional committees
C. Submit prepared statements
D. All of the above
10. _____All lobbyists use direct methods.
A. True
B. False
11. _____Which of the following is NOT a lobbying method of grassroots movements?
A. Communication from group members
B. Online organizations
C. Corporate vacations
D. Protest marches
12. _____Propaganda is used to create a belief using objective logic.
A. True
B. False
13. _____The act of helping a candidate win a public office, in exchange for the
candidate’s support of the interest group’s cause is called which of the following?
A. Electioneering
B. Bribery
C. Politics
D. All of the above
14. _____In the context of interest groups, what does the acronym PAC mean?
A. Political Area of Control
B. Political Action Campaign
C. Political America Committee
D. None of the above
15. _____Which of the following are actions that PACs perform?
A. Help the staff in local campaign offices
B. Make financial contributions
C. Supply professional campaign consultants
D. All of the above
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Interest Groups Quiz Key
1. D
2. A
3. A
4. B
5. B
6. D
7. B
8. A
9. D
10. B
11. C
12. B
13. A
14. B
15. D
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Your Name___________________________________ Your Group Number_______
Peer Evaluation
1) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
2) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
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3) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
4) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
12
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5) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
6) Name of Student________________________________________
At what level of seriousness did they take this activity?
Not Very Serious
Very Serious
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to the brainstorming process?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Did they make a significant contribution to preparing for the activity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
What was the level of their participation in the activity(s)?
None
A Lot
0
1
2
3
4
Would you want to work with this person in a group again based on
their level of productivity?
No
Yes
0
1
2
3
4
Total Score_______
13
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Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Discussion Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Participates in group discussion
Encourages others to join the
conversation
Keeps the discussion progressing
to achieve goals
Shares thoughts actively while
offering helpful recommendations to
others
Gives credit to others for their ideas
Respects the opinions of others
Involves others by asking questions
or requesting input
Expresses thoughts and ideas
clearly and effectively
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
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Name______________________________________
Date_______________________________________
Individual Work Rubric
4 pts.
Excellent
Objectives
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
Follows directions
Student completed the work as directed,
following the directions given, in order and to the
level of quality indicated
Time management
Student used time wisely and remained on task
100% of the time
Organization
Student kept notes and materials in a neat,
legible, and organized manner. Information was
readily retrieved
Evidence of learning
Student documented information in his or her
own words and can accurately answer questions
related to the information retrieved
*Research/Gathering information (if relevant)
Student used a variety of methods and sources
to gather information. Student took notes while
gathering information
Total Points (20 pts.)
Comments:
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Name_______________________________________
Date_______________________________
Summary Rubric
Objectives
4 pts.
Excellent
3 pts.
Good
2 pts. Needs Some
Improvement
1 pt. Needs Much
Improvement
N/A
Pts.
The critical analysis has all required
parts from introduction to body to
conclusion.
The critical analysis is concise but
complete.
The critical analysis demonstrates
that the writer comprehends the
content.
The critical analysis demonstrates
accurate spelling, grammar, and
punctuation.
The overall content of the critical
analysis emphasizes appropriate
points.
The writer shows an understanding
of sentence structure,
paragraphing, and punctuation.
The source of the critical analysis is
clearly and accurately documented.
The critical analysis demonstrates
the correct use of terminology.
Total Points (32 pts.)
Comments:
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