INTEREST GROUPS
Interest Group are:
 Organizations composed of individuals who
share one or more interests in common and
who have formed an association for their
purpose of advancing or protecting their
interests
Interest groups are similar to
political parties
 Provide method of participation for people
 Act as linkage institution
 Provide representation for members
 Educate people and leaders about issues
 Agenda building-pushing their issues to front of
political consciousness
 Program monitoring-making sure policies are
carried out according to their wishes
Similarities continued…
 Provide campaign contributions for elections
 Goal of influencing policy
 Provide factions for electoral competition
Differences between political
parties and interest groups
Parties
 Similar views on most
issues
 Broad coalition of
members
 Affect policy by
getting people
elected to office
Interest Groups
 Similar views on one or
a handful of issues
 Narrow focus
 Affect policy through
access and lobbying
Types of Interest Groups
Private Interest groups: pursue chiefly economic
interests that benefit their members
 Business groupslargest and most
powerful of interest
groups that represent
large business
corporations,
chambers of
commerce, small
business
 National Association of
Manufacturers
 American Petroleum
Institute-represents 400 oil
and gas corp.
 US Chamber of Commerce:
3 million businesses, 2,800
state chambers,
Labor Groups
 Campaign for
workers’ issues like
minimum wage,
workplace safety,
industry protection
from overseas
competition
 AFL-CIO-88 unions and
trade groups
 United Auto Workers
Union
 National Education
Association
 Teamsters Union
Agriculture Groups
 American Farm
Bureau Association
 In 2005, over $25
billion paid out
 Farm groups that
lobby for farm
subsidies,
environmental
issues, genetic
engineering
Professional Groups
 Groups that represent
occupations that
require some special
training (question:
what do they lobby
for?)
 AMA-American
Medical Association
 ABA-large and wellfunded group
representing lawyers
Other Private Interest Groups
 Elderly
 Foreign
governments
 AARP-powerful
lobby for people
over 55 with a lot
of clout on issues
like Social Security
and prescription
drugs. Seniors
vote in large
numbers
Public interest groups: groups that lobby for
benefits and interests that are not limited to
its members
 Consumer Groups:
Nader’s Raiders
 Women’s Groups:
NOW
 Religious Groups
 Environmental Groups:
Audubon Society,
Sierra Club
Single Issue Groups: groups that look
at a single issue they want to change
 National Rifle Association:
very rich and powerful
 Abortion: Operation
Rescue, Planned
Parenthood
 Civil Rights: NAACP,
LULAC (a group rising in
importance as the Hispanic
population grows)
 PETA
Methods
 Interest groups try to influence the making of
public policy by using tactics that are effective
for them such as donating campaign funds, filing
lawsuits, electioneering.
 Lobbying provides access for interest groups and
forces Congress to take action on their issue.
Sometimes no action is a successful strategy
because nothing changes, for the interest group.
Direct lobbying
 Personal Contact: meeting
with policymakers and doing
what they can to persuade
them to support their cause
 Providing Expertise: using
their specialized body of
knowledge about a certain
topic to aid in writing
legislation
 Testifying at hearings:
provide information for
Congressional hearings to get
their message out and get
free publicity (see iron
triangle)
Final direct method
 Giving money: Interest groups endorse
candidates who support their interest and then
help finance that candidate’s campaign by using
PACs.
 PACs give billions of dollars primarily to
congressional campaigns and to incumbents.
 PACs are limited by law to give $5,000 for each
campaign (hard money), but there are no limits
on donations to parties (soft money).
 PACs can also create issue ads without
specifically endorsing a particular candidate.
Indirect Methods
 Mobilizing grassroots: Letter campaigns, phone
campaigns-getting members to act on their own
 Molding public opinion: ads, rallies, rating political
leaders; cultivating a positive image of their group
in the eyes of the public
 Coalition building: ex. Daylight Savings Time
Coalition was made up of lobbyists representing
7/11, Kingsford charcoal, amusement parks, lawn
and garden centers, meat producers, and travel
companies