Interest groups want to PASS POLICY
BUT don't run their own candidates for office
Interest groups can “access,” or influence many points and levels of government
More than 2/3 of all Americans belong to at least one group or association.
Supports pluralist interpretation of American politics
Hyperpluralism is a result when so many powerful organized interests are competing that the policymaking process is slowed down.
Is it possible that interest groups can become so powerful that the needs and demands of ordinary citizens can be ignored?

Why do some join and others do not?
Collective Good: if the contribution of an individual will make a difference to an effort, then it is worth it to the individual to join.
Single Incentives – companionship, a sense of belonging, and the pleasure of associating with others
Material Incentives :
·Direct material incentives → provides discounts, insurance plans, and organized travel opportunities for its members.
·Indirect material incentives → protects the interests of members from government laws
·Purposive incentives – taking action for the sake of their beliefs or principles.
Provides link between the people and the government

Interest groups are often spawned by mass social movements.
Social movements may generate interest groups with specific goals
Interest groups have become popular due to their quick response to issues and social movements
Ex) Civil Rights, environmental, animal rights, women's rights, Christian Rights, gay rights, etc.

Economic
Environmental
Gender
Ideological
Religious/Social Issues
Ethnic
AFL-CIO, Corporate
Greenpeace, Sierra Club,
NWTF
Nat'l Organ. of Women
NRA, AARP, NARL, ACLU
Christian Coalition
Focus on the Family
NAACP

The key to success for interest groups is the ability to have access to government officials .
1. Publicity, Mass Media, and the Internet
2. Mass Mailing
3. Direct Contact w/ Gov't
4. Litigation: 1) Initiating lawsuits or 2) amicus curiae briefs
Amicus curiae: "Friend of the Courts"
Arguing in cases that they are not direct parties
5. Protest
6. Supporting a Candidate
7. Contributions to Campaigns
8. Founding new political parties
9. Lobbying

Basically if a candidate is sympathetic to a group's cause then the group will try to keep that candidate in office
Every year each legislator is given a score based on the percentage of times that he or she voted in favor of the group’s position.

What do lobbyists do?
W ork closely with the interest groups that employed them.
M ake sure the results they want do not change before the vote goes through in Congress
K now sometimes much more than Congressmen and serve to educate them on issues
C onvince Senators and Reps that if they support legislation that benefits their interest groups then the officials will have the support of the lobbyists constituency

Meetings with public officials – furnish needed information to Congressmen government agency appointees.
Te stifying before Congressional Committees for or against proposed rules.
Te stifying before executive rulemaking agencies
As sisting legislators in drafting legislation or regulations.
In viting legislators to social occasions.
Pr oviding political info to legislators
Su pplying nominations for federal appointments to the executive branch.
and

Legal arm of interest groups to raise funds for candidates
Main influence is the ability to raise money
Tend to lean towards incumbents

1974 Federal Election Campaign Act
A llow corporations, labor unions, and other interest groups to set up PACs to raise money for candidates.
· must be from at least 50 volunteer donors and must be given to at least 5 candidates in each election.
·Each corporation or union is limited to one PAC.
·Interest groups funnel money to the candidates they think can do the most good for them.
·Maximum contribution to each candidate is $5,000 per election
·Interest groups see PAC contributions as a way to ensure access to powerful legislators
·There is no limit on the amount a PAC can spend on issue advocacy, either on behalf of a candidate or party or in opposition to one.

Soft Money:
U nlimited money raised for party building purposes
Largely illegal except for limited contributions
Party building may include ads that educate voters about issues, as long as the ads don't take the crucial step of telling voters which candidates to vote for.
Ha rd Money: from political donations that are regulated by law through the Federal Election Commission
Independent Expenditures: Spending your own money for or against a candidate
527 Organizations: type of U.S. tax-exempt organization named after Section 527 of the U.S. Internal Revenue
Code; They are ran by interest groups on issue advocacy and not candidates

Soft Money vs. Hard Money
Governor Woods runs an ad that says, "I am a good person. President Eanes is a bad person. Vote for me on election day." Because of the "Vote for me..." portion, this is a political ad, which must be paid for with "hard money."
President Eanes runs an ad that says, "Governor Woods has a record that includes awful things. If these awful things continue, people will come to your house, steal your money and shoot your dog.
Be sure to vote on election day."
Because the ad "educates" people on an issue and doesn't tell them to vote for a particular candidate, it's party building, and can be paid for by soft money.

PAC Name Total
Amount
Dem
Pct
Repub
Pct
$4,020,900 58% 42% National Assn of
Realtors
Intl Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers
$3,344,650 98% 2%
AT&T Inc $3,108,200 47% 52%
American Bankers
Assn
$2,918,143 43% 57%
National Beer
Wholesalers Assn
National Auto
Dealers Assn
$2,869,000
$2,860,000
53%
34%
47%
66%
International Assn of Fire Fighters
$2,734,900 77% 22%
Operating
Engineers Union
American Assn for
Justice
Laborers Union
$2,704,067
$2,700,500
$2,555,350
87%
95%
92%
13%
4%
8%

Opensecrets.org WebQuest
1. Explore the website
2 . Click on Influence/Lobbying and click the PACs Link
3. What are the top three PACs for the 2011-12 year?
4. Which party received the most percentage of the money from each?
5 . What are Super PACs?
6. What court case led to the creation of Super PACs?
7. Name the top three Super PACs and the candidate or viewpoints if candidate is not listed.
8 . Find 3 different PACs that interest you.
9. Write down total contribution made
10. Which party did the most money go to?