Interest groups and their roles
EQ: How do interest groups seek to influence US public
policy?
Warm up:
Watch this video (Thank you for smoking trailer)
and answer the following questions:
1. What are the main INTEREST GROUP in this movie?
2. What is a lobbyist?
3. Explain how lobbyists are portrayed in this trailer.
Word wall
1. Interest group- group of people who share
common goals and organize to influence
government.
2. Civil Society- network of voluntary associations
that exist outside of government in any free
society.
1.
Ex. Gardening clubs, Red Cross, interests groups like the
National Rifle Association (NRA)
3. Lobbyists- paid representatives of interest
groups who try to LOBBY (influence)
government officials.
Interest groups vs. political parties
1. Support candidates
who favor ideas.
2. Only concerned with
few issues
3. Do not try to attract
members with
different points of
view.
4. Fixed ideologies
5. Organized on common
values, not geographic
location
1. Influence
government
policies.
2. Form of
representative
government.
1. Nominate candidates
and try to win office.
2. Broad-based ideology.
3. Must attract people of
varied ideas to win
elections.
4. Consider problems that
affect all Americans.
5. Organized by
geographic location for
representation.
Have you ever thought about…
1. Who decides what is offered in the school
cafeteria?
2. Are there any rules about what is served?
3. Who might care about what you eat and why
the might be interested?
Well…today you will!
Directions: Read pg. 1 of your packet and fill out
the graphic organizer on your notes. (5 mins)
Read the first 2
paragraphs of pg. 2
and…
Directions: Match
the Type of Interest
group with the
interest group it
best represents.
• Finish reading “Taking sides” on page 2 and fill
out the graphic organizer on your answer
packet.
How do interest groups impact
government?
Assignment: Create
your own interest
group T-shirt
assignment!
You may create one
from the reading or
one covering a topic
that interests you.
Day 2: Interest groups
How do interest groups impact government?
Read pg. 3 in your packet and answer questions
(5 mins)
PACs vs. Super PACs
• Colberts Super PAC - Americans for a better
tomorrow, tomorrow.
PACs- Political Action Committees
PACs
Super PACs
Limited $ per
candidate
($2,600 to each
candidate per election)
Defined as any group
that spends over
$1000 to influence a
federal election.
CAN donate to
candidate (up to $5000
per election).
NOT run by candidate
Raise $ to support
campaigns.
UNLIMITED $$$$!
CANNOT DIRECTLY
donate to a candidate
or party.
Exit ticket time!!!