Pressure groups in the USA
Quick quiz
Katy Ivey
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Key pressure groups: what do
these acronyms stand for?
1. NRA
2. AARP
3. ACLU
4. NOW
5. AIPAC
6. NAACP
7. AMA
8. LCV
9. ABA
10. NFIB
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Pressure group activities:
define the following
1. Direct action
2. Lobbying
3. ‘Revolving door’
4. Clientelism
5. ‘Iron triangles’
6. Pluralism
7. Elitism
8. PAC
9. Super PAC
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Examples of pressure group
activities
1. Which pressure group compiles the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list and are they successful?
2. Which pressure group successfully campaigned against George W. Bush’s changes to
social security (pensions)?
3. Which two weapons manufacturers dominate military spending in the USA?
4. Which pressure group sponsored Oliver Brown in the case of Brown v. Board (1954)?
5. Which pressure group provides ratings for Supreme Court nominees?
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Pressure groups, Congress
and the Supreme Court
1. Why do 99% of all pressure groups seek to testify at Congressional committee hearings?
2. Which law prohibited pressure groups from donating directly to Congressional candidates?
3. ACLU is very active in pursuing court cases. Give an example of when the Supreme Court
has ruled in its favour.
4. A record 148 Amicus Curiae briefs were filed in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
which decided on same-sex marriage. What are amicus briefs?
5. How did the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (2007) limit lobbying?
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Acronyms: answers
1. NRA – National Rifle Association
2. AARP – American Association of Retired Persons
3. ACLU – American Civil Liberties Union
4. NOW – National Organization of Women
5. AIPAC – American Israel Public Affairs Committee
6. NAACP – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
7. AMA – American Medical Association
8. LCV – League of Conservation Voters
9. ABA – American Bar Association
10. NFIB – National Federation of Independent Business
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Definitions: answers
1. Direct action – A method used by pressure groups to gain publicity and raise
awareness of issues. This is usually a sign that they are outsiders. E.g. Occupy.
2. Lobbying – An attempt to exert influence on policy-making, legislative or judicial
process by individuals or organised groups. Opensecrets.org publishes details of
lobbying activities (www.opensecrets.org/lobby/); total expenditure on lobbying in
2014 was $3.24 billion.
3. ‘Revolving door’ – The process by which former legislators or bureaucrats work for
lobbying firms to use their expertise and contacts to lobby the institution of which
they were once a member, e.g. The Ashcroft Group. While this was limited in the
Honest Leadership and Open Government Act, there is evidence that the revolving
door still operates by stealth.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Definitions: answers
4. Clientelism – When agencies serve the interests of those they are supposed to be
overseeing, usually at the expense of the public interest. E.g. MMS allowed BP to
complete its own safety checks on Deepwater Horizon so it could collect revenue
from drilling.
5. ‘Iron triangles’ – A strong relationship between a pressure group, the relevant
congressional committee and a government department in an attempt to guarantee
outcomes to the benefit of all three, e.g. the military-industrial complex.
6. Pluralism – Dahl’s book Who Governs argues that ‘an active and legitimate group
can make itself heard efficiently at some stage in the decision making process’. No
law prevents any pressure group from campaigning on any issue. Indeed, it is
encouraged by the first amendment and Supreme Court rulings such as Snyder v.
Phelps (2011).
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Definitions: answers
7. Elitism – C. Wright Mills argued in The Power Elite that America was controlled by a
small elite of wealthy and powerful individuals acting in their own interests. For
example, the vitamin supplement industry in the USA is largely unregulated,
partially due to the campaign donations to Tom Harkin and Orrin Hatch.
8. PAC – A group which donates directly to a candidate (usually connected to a PG). It
aims to raise and spend money to elect and defeat candidates. They are limited to
$5,000 in receipts and expenditures by FECA. E.g. AT&T PAC donates roughly
equally to both parties.
9. Super PAC – A group which cannot donate directly to a candidate but can spend
unlimited amounts independently of a candidate. E.g. Restore Our Future spent
$142m in 2012 (video explaining super PACs).
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Examples of activities: answers
1. Which pressure group compiles the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list and are they successful? League of
Conservation Voters; critics argue that candidates targeted for defeat are likely to
lose anyway.
2. Which pressure group successfully campaigned against George W. Bush’s changes to
social security (pensions)? AARP
3. Which two weapons manufacturers dominate military spending in the USA? Lockheed
Martin and Boeing
4. Which pressure group sponsored Oliver Brown in the case of Brown v. Board (1954)?
NAACP
5. Which pressure group provides ratings for Supreme Court nominees? ABA, though the
Federalist Society provided ratings for G. W. Bush
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015
Pressure groups, Congress and
the Supreme Court: answers
1. Why do 99% of all pressure groups seek to testify at Congressional committee hearings?
Because Congressional committees write legislation
2. Which law prohibited pressure groups from donating directly to Congressional candidates?
FECA
3. ACLU is very active in pursuing court cases. Give an example of when the Supreme Court
has ruled in its favour. Reno v. ACLU (1997)
4. A record 148 Amicus Curiae briefs were filed in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
which decided on same-sex marriage. What are amicus briefs? ‘Friends of the court’ can
submit information when the Supreme Court hears cases relating to their own
interests.
5. How did the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act (2007) limit lobbying? This
aimed to close the ‘revolving door’ by preventing former legislators from lobbying
for a year after leaving office. It also banned lobbyists from ‘wining and dining’
(paying for meals and trips for) members of Congress.
Philip Allan Publishers © 2015