Essential Question
Section 1: Interest Group
Organization
Section 2: Affecting Public Policy
Section 3: Shaping Public
Opinion
Section 4: Measuring Public
Opinion
Chapter Summary
How does public opinion
influence government,
and what do interest
groups do to ensure that
their policy positions
have the most impact?
Content Vocabulary
• interest group
• public-interest group
Academic Vocabulary
• equip
• commodity
• target
Reading Strategy
Create a graphic organizer similar to the one
below to categorize different interest groups.
Do interest groups endanger the rights of
other citizens or do they play an important
role in interaction between government and
the public?
A. A
B. B
0%
B
0%
A
A. They endanger
citizen’s rights.
B. They’re important to
interaction between
government and the
public.
Power of Interest Groups
• An interest group is a group of people
who share common goals and organize to
influence government.
• Interest groups differ from political parties in
several ways:
– Interest groups may support candidates
for office who favor their ideas, but they do
not nominate candidates for office.
– Interest groups usually are concerned with
only a few issues or specific problems.
Power of Interest Groups (cont.)
– Most interest groups are organized on
the basis of common values, rather than
on geographical location.
• Interest groups help bridge the gap between
the citizen and the government.
• By representing more than one individual, an
interest group has a strong bargaining
position with leaders in government.
Power of Interest Groups (cont.)
• On the state and national levels, an
interest group draws from the financial
resources and expertise of its many
members.
On which of the following are most interest
groups organized?
A. geographic location
B. common values
C. political party
D. social class
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Leadership and Membership
• Interest group leaders strengthen the
political power of the group by unifying its
members.
• Since political decisions are made
primarily through competing interest
groups, people who do not belong to an
interest group are at a disadvantage.
Interest group leaders strengthen the
political power of the group by
A. unifying its members.
B. alienating dissenting
opinion.
C. electing individuals to
public office.
D. raising money for
individual candidates.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Business and Labor Groups
• Business-related interest groups are
among the oldest and largest in the nation.
• The National Association of
Manufacturers works to lower individual and
corporate taxes and to limit government
regulation of business.
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce speaks on
behalf of smaller businesses.
Business and Labor Groups (cont.)
• The American Federation of Labor and
Congress of Industrial Organizations
(AFL-CIO) is the largest and most powerful
labor organization today. Among the unions in
the AFL-CIO are:
– the United Auto Workers;
– United Mine Workers; and
– the International Brotherhood of
Teamsters.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters
is an example of
0%
C
B
A. A
B. B
C. C0%
0%
A
A. a union in the
AFL-CIO.
B. a member of the U.S.
Chamber of
Commerce.
C. a member of the
National Association
of Manufacturers.
Agricultural Groups
• Three major interest groups represent
almost 6 million American farmers:
– the American Farm Bureau Federation
speaks for the larger, more successful
farmers;
– the National Farmers’ Union draws its
membership from smaller farmers; and
– the Patrons of Husbandry, known as the
Grange, is the oldest farm group.
Which major farming interest group is also
known as “the Grange?”
B
A
A. A
B. B
C. C0%
0%
0%
C
A. the American Farm
Bureau Federation
B. the National Farmers’
Union
C. the Patrons of
Husbandry
Other Interest Groups
• Professional interest groups include the
American Bar Association and the
American Medical Association.
• Environmental interest groups include the
Sierra Club, the National Wildlife
Federation, and the Environmental
Defense Fund.
• Public interest groups are not dedicated
to representing a single interest group but
claim to represent policy positions that will
be in the best interest of all.
Other Interest Groups (cont.)
• Some interest groups, like the National
Conference of State Legislators and the
National Governors’ Association, are
made up of government employees.
• Foreign governments and private interests
of foreign nations also seek to influence
government in the United States.
• They might seek military aid, economic
aid, or favorable trade agreements.
The Sierra Club is an example of
A. a professional
association.
B. a public interest
group.
C. a foreign interest
group.
D. an environmental
interest group.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Content Vocabulary
• lobbying
• lobbyist
Academic Vocabulary
• techniques
• retain
• abstract
Reading Strategy
Create a graphic organizer similar to the one
below to list the ways lobbyists provide useful
information to members of Congress and
government officials.
Which is the most effective technique an
interest group can employ to seek support?
A. television campaigns
B. newspaper
campaigns
C. letter-writing
campaigns
D. e-mail campaigns
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
The Work of Lobbyists
• Lobbying is the process by which interest
groups try to influence government policy
by making direct contact with lawmakers
or other government leaders.
• The representatives of interest groups who
do this kind of work are called lobbyists.
The Work of Lobbyists (cont.)
• In 1995 Congress redefined lobbyists to
mean anyone who:
– is employed or retained by a client;
– makes more than one contact for the
client; and
– spends more than 20 percent of his or
her time serving the client.
The Work of Lobbyists (cont.)
• One of the most important ways that
lobbyists make their case is by providing a
member of Congress with facts and data
about the policy they want.
• Many lobbyists and interest groups might
have a hand in writing and drafting bills.
A lobbyist, as defined by Congress in 1995,
must:
A. be a resident of
Washington D.C.
B. spend more than 20
percent of his or her time
serving the client.
C. be a citizen of the U.S. for
at least seven years.
D. not be employed or
retained by a client.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Interest Groups Seek Support
• A wide range of techniques is available to
interest groups in their effort to influence
policy makers.
• Interest groups use the mass media to
inform the public and to create support for
their views.
• Many interest groups urge their members
to write letters or e-mails to government
officials to demonstrate broad support.
Interest Groups Seek Support (cont.)
• Different interest groups compete for
power and influence, keeping any single
group from controlling lawmakers and
other public officials.
What keeps any single interest group from
controlling lawmakers and public officials?
A. lobbyists
B. law
C. competition
D. a Constitutional
amendment
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
The Rise of Political Action
Committees
• Political action committees (PACs) are
specifically designed to collect money and
provide financial support for a political
candidate.
• While federal law prevents corporations and
labor unions from making direct
contributions to any federal candidate, the
law permits their political action
committees to do so.
PAC Contributions
The Rise of Political Action
Committees (cont.)
• The Federal Election Commission
issues regulations and advisory opinions
that control PAC activities.
PAC Contributions
Who regulates the actions of Political Action
Committees?
A. the Federal Election
Commission
B. the American Bar
Association
C. Congress
D. PAC committee
members
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
PACs and the Groups They Serve
• PACs can be classified into two categories
according to the groups they serve:
– Affiliated PACs are those tied to
corporations, labor unions, trade groups,
or health organizations.
– Independent, or nonconnected, PACs
are groups interested in a particular
cause that are not connected to any
existing interest group.
PACs and the Groups They Serve (cont.)
• 527 organizations—named for part of the tax
code—emerged in the 2004 election.
• 527 organizations do not directly urge
citizens to vote for a specific candidate,
but instead focus on advocating an issue.
What type of PAC is not connected to any
existing interest group?
A. independent PACs
B. private PACs
C. affiliated PACs
D. 527 organizations
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Strategies for Influence
• PACs use their money to gain access to
lawmakers and to influence election
outcomes directly.
• Interest groups, especially PACs, raise
much of the money used in political
campaigns.
• PACs generally support incumbents, or
government officials already in office.
PACs generally support
A. incumbents.
B. new candidates.
C. third-party
candidates.
D. conservatives.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Content Vocabulary
• public opinion
• peer group
• mass media
• political culture
Academic Vocabulary
• factor
• communicate
• affect
Reading Strategy
As you read, create a Venn diagram similar to
the one below and identify the ideological beliefs
of liberals, moderates, and conservatives.
Which has the greatest influence on political
socialization?
A. family
B. schools and peer
groups
C. social characteristics
D. mass media
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
The Nature of Public Opinion
• Public opinion includes the ideas and
attitudes that a significant number of
Americans hold about government and
political issues.
• Three factors characterize the nature of
public opinion:
– diversity—variance in public opinion;
– communication—how people’s ideas
and attitudes are expressed to
government; and
The Nature of Public Opinion (cont.)
– “significant numbers”—enough
people must hold a particular opinion to
make government officials listen to
them.
Which of the following is one of the factors
that characterize public opinion?
A. the mass media
B. political party
C. small
D. diversity
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Political Socialization
• Individuals learn their political beliefs and
attitudes through the process of political
socialization which is determined by:
– family and home influence;
– schools and peer groups—an individual’s
close friends, religious group, clubs, and
work groups;
– social characteristics; and
– the mass media—the internet, newspapers,
magazines, movies, radio, and books.
Political Socialization (cont.)
• Other influences on political socialization
include:
– government leaders—especially the
president;
– interest groups; and
– political efficacy—a person’s belief that he
or she has an impact on politics.
An individual’s close friends, religious
group, clubs, and work groups make up his
or her
A. interest group.
B. peer group.
C. political action
committee.
D. political culture.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Political Culture
• A political culture is a set of basic values
and beliefs about a nation and its
government that most citizens share.
• It sets the general boundaries within which
citizens develop and express their
opinions.
• A nation’s political culture also influences
how its citizens interpret what they see
and hear every day.
A set of basic values and beliefs about a
nation and its government that most citizens
share is called a(n)
A. peer group.
B. public opinion.
C. political culture.
D. interest group.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Ideology and Public Policy
• One’s political ideology is a set of basic
beliefs about life, culture, government,
and society.
• It provides the framework for looking at
government and public policy.
Ideology and Public Policy (cont.)
• In the U.S., the main ideologies are:
– liberals, who believe the government
should actively promote health,
education, and justice;
– conservatives, who believe in limiting
the government’s role in the economy
and in solving social problems; and
– moderates, who fall somewhere
between liberals and conservatives.
Conservative and Liberal Differences
In the United States, the three main political
ideologies include conservatives, liberals,
and
A. republicans.
B. democrats.
C. moderates.
D. federalists.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Content Vocabulary
• biased sample
• universe
• representative sample
• random sampling
• sampling error
• cluster sample
Academic Vocabulary
• access
• indication
• variation
Reading Strategy
As you read, complete a graphic organizer
similar to the one below to help you take
notes about the disadvantages of using mail
and phone polls to gauge public opinion.
Is relying on non-scientific methods like
straw polls, interest groups, and political
Web sites an effective way to gauge public
opinion?
A. A
B. B
0%
B
0%
A
A. yes
B. no
Nonscientific Methods
• Elected officials use a number of sources
to stay abreast of public opinion, including:
– political parties and interest groups;
– mass media;
– letters and e-mails or faxes;
– straw polls—which offer only a biased
sample of the population; and
– political Web sites and blogs.
Straw polls only offer a biased sample
because
B
A
A. A
B. B
C. C0%
0%
0%
C
A. they are scientific.
B. people respond
voluntarily.
C. they question a
group typical of the
“universe.”
Scientific Polling
• Scientific polling involves three basic steps:
– selecting a sample of the group to be
questioned;
– presenting carefully worded questions to
the individuals in the sample; and
– interpreting the results.
Presidential Approval Ratings Since 1940
Scientific Polling (cont.)
• The group of people that is to be studied in
a poll is called the universe.
• Since it is not practical to interview
everyone in a universe, pollsters question
a representative sample.
Presidential Approval Ratings Since 1940
Scientific Polling (cont.)
• Random sampling is the technique in
which everyone in that universe has an
equal chance of being selected.
• A sampling error is a measurement of
how much the sample results might differ
from the sample universe.
• Sampling error decreases as the sample
size becomes larger.
Presidential Approval Ratings Since 1940
Scientific Polling (cont.)
• One way to draw a random sample is by
using a cluster sample which organizes, or
clusters, people by geographical divisions.
• The way a poll question is phrased can
greatly influence people’s responses and,
in turn, poll results.
Presidential Approval Ratings Since 1940
The measurement of how much the sample
results might differ from the sample universe
is called
A. random sampling.
B. sampling error.
C. sampling cluster.
D. representative
sampling.
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Public Opinion and Democracy
• The Framers sought to create a
representative democracy that would
meet two goals:
– to provide for popular rule—to give the
people an active voice in government;
and
– to insulate government from the shifting
whims of an ill-informed public.
Which of the following influences public
policy?
A. votes by major
corporations
B. fiction novels
C. votes by foreign
countries
D. mass media
A. A
B. B
C. C
0%
0%
D. D
A
B
0%
C
0%
D
Interest Groups
• Who Interest groups are groups of people who share
common goals and organize to influence government.
• What Major categories of interest groups include
business and labor groups, agricultural groups,
environmental groups, public-interest groups,
government groups, and professional associations.
• How Most groups try to influence government policy
by lobbying lawmakers, running publicity campaigns,
and providing funds for candidates’ election
campaigns.
Public Opinion
• What The ideas and attitudes a significant number of
Americans hold about government and politics;
factors such as family, schools, peer groups,
economic and social status, the mass media, and
government leaders shape one’s political beliefs.
• Who In America, most people fall into the categories
of liberal, conservative, or moderate, depending on
their basic beliefs about government and society.
• How Officials measure public opinion by meeting
with leaders of interest groups and talking with voters,
as well as through scientific polling methods.
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