INTEREST GROUPS
Ryan D. Williamson
9 April 2015
Agenda
• Attendance
• Interest Groups in Georgia
• Review material from Tuesday
• Course Evaluations
• Reading for next week
Questions?
Objective
• Describe the role lobbyists play in Georgia
politics.
Lobbying in Georgia
• Georgia has about 1400 lobbyists representing more
than 3000 interests.
• The major groups include those representing doctors,
lawyers, public education, the environment, business,
and various other professionals.
• Ideological groups such as the ACLU and Christian
Coalition are also well established in the state.
• Labor unions are generally powerful groups but are
practically non-existent in Georgia given the right-towork status.
Lobbyists in Georgia
• Almost all lobbyists fit into one of four categories
1. A full time lobbyists who is employed by a company
• AT&T for example
2. A contract lobbyists who works for multiple clients
• Georgia Link for example
3. Those representing non-profit organizations
• Bill & Melinda Gates foundation for example
4. Those representing state agencies
• The Board of Regents for example
Role of Lobbyists in Georgia
• Much like in the US Congress, interest groups
serve as vital outlets of information for members
of the Georgia General Assembly.
• They also serve as reliable sources of campaign
contributions for members seeking reelection.
Questions?
Suppose that a congressional committee is considering
new laws regulating mattress manufacturing. During
this debate, the mattress manufacturer Sealy Inc.
sends representatives to talk with policy makers about
the needs and wishes of mattress producers.
Generally speaking, this kind of activity is called what?
Litigating
B. Lobbying
C. Petitioning
D. Soliciting
A.
In interest group politics, an entrepreneur is what?
An individual who attempts to influence policy makers
by speaking to them directly.
B. An individual who seeks to mobilize constituents and
others outside the policy-making community to contact
or pressure policy makers.
C. A leading group participant who is so committed to the
group’s goals or so skilled in the pursuit of that goal that
he or she does not need selective incentives.
D. A potential participant in a group for whom the cost of
participating is very low or the benefits of participating
are very high.
A.
Suppose that an environmental organization offers an
exclusive T-shirt to people who join the groups and pay
the first year’s dues. What is the most likely reason a
strategic organization would do this?
A. Offering a selective incentive like this can help
them overcome a free-rider problem.
B. The T-shirt is a distraction from the
organization’s main purpose, so doing this does
not make any sense.
C. They can raise awareness about
environmentally friendly cotton by using it to
make the shirts.
D. They can simply include the price of the T-shirt
in the dues.
Suppose that one interest group has a goal of advancing
women’s rights by working to convince Congress and state
legislatures to adopt and Equal Rights Amendment to the
Constitution. Another women’s advocacy groups tries to
advance women’s rights by submitting amicus curiae briefs
to the USSC on major cases related to discrimination
against women. In this context, what collective dilemma are
these two groups facing?
A collective-action problem
B. A coordination problem
C. A principal-agent problem
D. A prisoner’s dilemma
A.
In New York, a group called Cease PCB Dredging has
tried to raise public awareness of the environmental
problems posed by dredging the Hudson River. They
hope this added awareness will put pressure on policy
makers to stop this activity. Cease PCB Dredging is
engaging in what activity?
Direct lobbying
B. Indirect lobbying
C. Inside lobbying
D. Outside lobbying
A.
Answer Key
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B
C
A
B
D
Questions?
Remaining Schedule
April 14: Kollman ch. 9, Quiz 4
April 16: No class
April 21: Kollman ch. 13
April 23: B&G ch. 13, Quiz 5, review
May 5: Final Exam