organization or people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goals AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONS NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALS ID: 684918
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Slide1
INTEREST GROUPSSlide2
… an
organization or people with shared policy goals entering the policy process at several points to try to achieve those goalsSlide3
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PERSONSSlide4
NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATIONSlide5
PEOPLE FOR THE ETHICAL TREATMENT OF ANIMALSSlide6Slide7
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLESlide8
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMENSlide9
1. While
political parties fight their battles in the
electoral process
, interest groups
do not seek to get their members elected
Interest
groups may support candidates for office, but American interest groups do not run their own slate of candidates
2. Interest
groups are often
policy specialists
, whereas political parties are
policy generalists
3. Unlike
political parties, interest groups do not face the constraint imposed by trying to appeal to everyoneSlide10Slide11
LOBBYING
“communication, by someone other than a citizen acting on his own behalf, directed to a governmental
decisionmaker
with the hope of influencing behavior”Slide12
a. they are an important
source of information
providing specialized expertise in a single policy area
b. they can help a member with
political strategy
for getting legislation through (they act as consultants)
c. they can help formulate
campaign strategy
and get the group’s members behind a politician’s re-election campaign
d. they are a
source of ideas
and innovationsSlide13
Theories of Interest Group Politics
“Do interest groups and lobbying create problems for government?”
Three theories to answer this question:
Pluralism
Elitism
HyperpluralismSlide14
1. Pluralist Theory
a
theory of government and politics emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies
a
. argues that interest group activity brings representation to all
b. groups compete and counterbalance one another in the political
marketplace
Therefore:
lobbying is open to all and is positive
.Slide15
2.
Elite Theory
a
theory of government and politics contending that societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule, regardless of the formal niceties of governmental organization
A
few groups (primarily the wealthy) have most of the
power
Most interest groups are insignificant
Therefore:
lobbying is a problem because it benefits the few at the expense of the many
.Slide16
3.
Hyperpluralist
Theory
a
theory of government and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened
a.
hyperpluralism
is an extreme, exaggerated, or perverted form of pluralism
b. too many groups are getting too much of what they want, resulting in government policy that is often contradictory and lacking in
direction
Therefore:
lobbying results in contradictory and confusing public policies
.Slide17
Iron Triangles
A network of
subgovernments
, a mutually dependent, mutually advantageous relationship between interest groups interested in a particular policy, government agencies that administer that policy, and the congressional committees that handle it.
Hyperpluralists
believe these relationships are ‘too cozy’ and lead to hard choices rarely being made … leading to contradiction and/or policy gridlock.Slide18
The “Iron Triangle”Slide19
What
makes interest groups successful?
Size
Intensity
Financial resourcesSlide20
Smaller
groups
are
more likely
to achieve their goals than
large groups.
But,
Why?Slide21
Potential Groups
All people who might be members due to a shared interestSlide22
Actual Group
Those in the potential group who choose to joinSlide23
The greater the percentage of the potential group in the actual group = greater effectiveness of the group
Therefore, smaller groups usually have an advantage in this regard.Slide24
Collective Good
Something of value that cannot be denied or withheld from either potential or actual group members
Such as clean air
In other words: Potential members benefit from positives that the actual group works to secure.Slide25
Therefore, the problem presents itself …
“Why should I, a potential member, become an actual member … if I’ll benefit anyways?”Slide26Slide27
The Free Rider Problem
The problem of not joining the actual group because benefits will be realized without joining.
“Why should I work for a group, pay dues, give time and energy, etc. when I get the advantages without doing anything?”Slide28
How to Overcome this Problem …
Providing attractive benefits only for actual members.
These are called
Selective Benefits
.
Goods that a group can restrict to those who are in the actual groupSlide29
Also …
“Issue Intensity”
Single-Issue Group
: a narrow interest, dislikes compromise, and
single-mindedly
pursues its goalSlide30
Financial Resources
Major criticism of the interest group system is that it is biased toward the wealthy
Top Groups, according to ‘power’
:
NRA
AARP
National Federation of Independent Business
American Israel Public Affairs Committee
AFL-CIOSlide31
How Interest Groups Shape Policy
Lobbying
Litigation
Going Public
Electioneering
PACsSlide32
Types of Interest Groups
Economic Interests
Labor, Business
Environmental Interests
WWF, Nature Conservancy
Equality Interests
NOW, NAACP
Consumer/Public Interest Lobbies