interest groups, lobbying & money i.intro ii.interest groups: definition iii.types a.public...
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Interest Groups, Lobbying & Money
I. IntroII. Interest Groups: DefinitionIII. Types
A. Public & Private • NRA, AARP
IV. TacticsA. Direct LobbyingB. Indirect Lobbying
• Civil DisobedienceC. $$$: Limits & Loopholes
Key Terms• Interest Groups• Telephone Tree• Mailings• PAC • MoveOn.org• EMILY’s LIST• McCain/Feingold• 527 Accounts• Citizens United• Negative Spending
Definition
A group that tries to get the government to pass laws to help their cause.
Interest Group
Types of Interest GroupsPublic Interest Groups
Environmental Groups– PETA– Sierra Club
Religious Organizations– Christian Coalition– Operation Rescue (Single Issue)
Other– National Rifle Association (Single Issue)
Types of Interest Groups
Private Interest Groups:
Lobby for causes to try to benefit members of their organization (MEMBERS ONLY).
Types of Interest GroupsPrivate Interest Groups
• Professional OrganizationsAmerican Medical AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationNational Education Association
• Other Organizations“Older Americans”
• AARPBusinessesForeign Governments
Tactics of Interest Groups
Direct Lobbying
Lobbyists speak directly with elected officials or members of their staff.
Tactics of Interest Groups
Indirect Lobbying• Groups mobilize average Americans to shape
public opinion & place pressure on politicians
Telephone TreeMailingsCivil Disobedience$$$$
AARP
Tactics of Interest Groups
Civil Disobedience
Violation of what is perceived to be an immoral law and accepting the punishment for violating those laws.
Why?-- to bring about publicity & hopefully change.
Money & Lobbying
PAC = Political Action Committee
A private group (corporation, labor union, interest group, etc.) that raises and spends money for use in elections.
PACs Raising a lot of MoneyJanuary 1, 2007- December 31, 2008
• MoveOn.org
– Supports Liberal Democrats
• EMILY’s LIST
– Goal: Elect pro- choice women (primarily Democrats) to public office
Source: fec.gov press release 6/4/09
• NRA Political Victory Fund
EMILY’S LISThttp://www.emilyslist.org/
• Early
• Money
• Is• Like
• Yeast
EMILY’S List Frontpage: 3/17/09
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/168449/may-13-2008/better-know-a-lobby---gun-control
McCain/Feingold-Contribution Limits
1. Individuals may directly contribute up to:
• $2,000 to a candidate• $5,000 to a single PAC
2. PACs may directly contribute up to:
• $5,000 to a candidate
Contributions & 2008 Election(Hard Money: contributions to political parties & to
individual House & Senate Candidates)
• Democrats raised: $780.5 million• Republicans raised: +$640.8 million
$1,421,3 ($1.42 billion)
The money was raised between 1/07-12/08
Source: fec.gov disclosure map http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/mapHSApp.do
For the 1992 election they combined to raise:
$514 million
Loopholes In The System
• “527 Accounts”
– No limits on contributions to 527 Account organizations
– But only “independent” advertisements are allowed
• Citizens United Decision
– Supreme Court decision allowed corporations to spend money on “independent” advertisements
Opponents of Supreme Court decision gather
outside the Court building
NPR Story (10/14/2010)
• http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=130569589&m=130572270
The Impact
Negative Spending
• Spending money to attack the credibility or political stances of an opponent
Interest Groups, Lobbying & Money
I. IntroII. Interest Groups: DefinitionIII. Types
A. Public & Private • NRA, AARP
IV. TacticsA. Direct LobbyingB. Indirect Lobbying
• Civil DisobedienceC. $$$: Limits & Loopholes
Key Terms• Interest Groups• Telephone Tree• Mailings• PAC • MoveOn.org• EMILY’s LIST• McCain/Feingold• 527 Accounts• Citizens United• Negative Spending