INFLUENCES ON CONGRESS
OBJECTIVE
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Identify what specific groups and individuals
influence the legislators’ decisions?
INFLUENCES ON LAWMAKERS
Lawmakers’ views on decisions are seldom
based on individual conscience, instead many
different groups influence lawmakers’ views.
 Voters back home,
 Lawmakers’ staff members,
 Political parties,
 The President
 Special-interest groups
THE INFLUENCE OF VOTERS
Lawmakers are heavily influenced by the needs
and opinions of their constituents (the voters).
 Lawmakers stay informed of voters’ attitudes
and needs by:
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 making
frequent trips back home,
 Surveys, questionnaires, polls, and
 reports from their staff in their home district.
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Lawmakers take this information to help make
decisions on issues.
THE INFLUENCE OF PARTIES
Nearly all members of Congress belong to one of
the two major political parties & generally support
their own party’s stands on legislation.
 House members support their parties more
strongly than Senate members,
 The issues themselves also determine whether
members follow their party leaders’ agenda.
 Members of Congress usually support their party
because party members usually share the same
general political beliefs.
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DEMOCRATIC PARTY
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“Liberal”
“Our party was founded on the conviction that wealth and
privilege shouldn’t be an entitlement to rule and the belief that
the values of hardworking families are the values that should
guide us.”
Generally the party favors:
Gun Control
Pro-Choice
Social welfare programs
Help for low income people
Greater government regulation of biz
REPUBLICAN PARTY
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“Conservative”
“With a core belief in the primacy of individuals, the
Republican Party, since its inception, has been at the
forefront of the fight for individuals' rights in opposition to
a large, intrusive government.”
Generally the party favors:
Small government
Gun Rights
Pro-Life
Less government regulation of business
Local and state governments
Support for higher income groups
PRESIDENTIAL INFLUENCES ON CONGRESS
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Presidents work hard to persuade lawmakers to
support laws they want passed and give or
withhold political favors to secure lawmakers’
support.
Use the media to influence
public opinion
 Influence individual
members of congress
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The “LBJ Treatment” 
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Interest groups and their lobbyists represent
various interests, including labor and business
groups, education and environmental
organizations, and minority groups.
 Try to persuade lawmakers to support certain
policies.
 Provide info about policies they support or oppose
 Visit lawmakers to ask for support
 Encourage citizens to write to Members of
Congress
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SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS
Political action committees (PACs) are political
fund-raising organizations that give their funds
to support lawmakers who favor the PAC’s
position.
 Are established by corporations, labor unions
etc.
 Use funds to support lawmakers who favor a
PAC’s positions on issues.
 Have increased dramatically
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DISCUSSION
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Do you think lobbyists and PACs are beneficial
or detrimental (harmful) to the lawmaking
process in Congress?