Special Interest Groups
Lobbying and PACs
Lobbying
Our government is a supportive
environment for interest groups
 Interests can benefit in having
influence over federal policies &
programs
 Lobbying: efforts of groups to
influence public policy through
contact with public officials
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What is a lobbyist?
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They are the primary
instruments for
fostering a special
interest groups goals
to the policymakers
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Negative publicity:
govt. officials
becoming and viceversa
Positives: specialists
to Congress, create
coalitions, take legal
action for group,
provide official
ratings, use the media
to exercise viewpoint
Inside Lobbying
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Direct communication between organized
interests and policy makers- value of close
contacts
Bribes do survive, but tend to be more
subtle
Many are former members of Congress
The targets are all branches of
government
IG lobbying is generally most effective on
narrow, technical issues that are not wellpublicized
Inside Lobbying: the 3 branches
Legislative branch: both groups and
members of Congress can gain, fair
play and aboveboard approach are
best: “3rd house of Congress”
 Executive agencies: Bureaucrats are
key targets- administrative and policy
decisions. Ex. Regulatory Agencies!
 The Courts: trying to influence
selection of federal judges, lawsuits,
amicus curiae
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Should their be regulations on
lobbying?
1946 Federal Regulation of Lobbying
Act (too many loopholes!)
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995
Tightened up registration and
disclosure requirements and
restrictions
On gifts and expenses Congress
receives
Lobbying. Good or Bad?
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+
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Provides info to
govt.
Representation by
interest
Linkage
mechanism
1st amendment
right!
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Rich and powerful
overrepresented
National interests
sacrificed!
What is an Iron Triangle?
Small and informal, yet STABLE set of
bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists
who seek to develop policies
 Inside track to legislators and
bureaucrats (ironclad)
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Issue Networks
More common pattern of influence
today
 Informal grouping of officials,
lobbyists, and policy specialists who
are brought together temporarily by
an issue
 Ex: participants coming together over
the issue of forest being opened to
logging
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Outside Lobbying
A form of lobbying in which an
interest group seeks to use public
pressure as a means of influencing
public officials
 Making use of constituency
connections
 Forms: grassroots lobbying (AARP),
votes and PAC money
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Political Action Committees
The organization through which an
interest group raises and distributes
funds for elections (candidates)
 Must be voluntary contributions
 The amount of contributions has
skyrocketed, but downward trend
 Calls for reform (Common Cause):
dominated by rich, business,
 The FECA passed + Mc-Cain-Feingold
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The biggest contenders:
The Assoc. of Trial Lawyers of
America PAC
 International Brotherhood of Elec.
Workers
 The American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees
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What has happened to the number
of PACs?
There has been explosive growth
 In 1974 = 600, today = 4100+
 Why?
 Legislation intending to prevent a few
wealthy from buying elections
 This opened up contributions to the
masses (represented by PACs)
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Discussion: Why might business
PACs be so numerous? What is the
effect?
Legislation effects…
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FECA of 1974 and ex. Of this type of
legislation
Currently, $5000 limit per candidate w/NO
overall cap!
PACs can contribute much more than
indiv, but…
The Citizens United v. FEC case has made
possible Super PACs and unlimited
fundraising
PAC funds between the two: What
obstacles to challengers face?