Gov: Interest Groups

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Content Objective:

Understand how government policies and decisions have been influenced and changed by individuals, groups, and international organizations.

Language Objectives:

• Understand, learn, and use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly through informational text and direct instruction.
• Identify and/or summarize main ideas, facts, supporting details, and opinions in an informational and/or practical selection.
• Read and synthesize information found in various parts of charts, tables, or diagrams to reach supported conclusions.

Learning Target:

Students will explain the role groups play in the political process and public policy development.

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Americans join all kinds of groups that reflect their interests. When such groups seek to influence government, they are called special interests. The term special interest refers to a particular goal or set of goals that unites the members of the group.

Interest Groups Good or Bad

Many Americans distrust special interests. They believe these groups seek to achieve their goals at the expense of society as a whole. They see interest groups as a selfish corrupting force in U.S. politics. James Madison addressed this in The Federalist Papers #19. He wrote that factions (interest groups) posed a threat to democratic government if their power went unchecked. Madison believed that pluralism held the answer. Pluralism is the idea that political power should be distributed and shared among various groups. Competition between these groups along with an effective system of checks and balances will prevent any one group from gaining too much power. Interest groups competing in a pluralistic society should act as a check on tyranny and make government more representative.

Interest groups offer Americans a way to participate in the political process. Interest groups speak out on issues of concern to their members and the public at large. They present specialized information to government officials. They monitor government action to ensure that the rights and interests of their members are protected. Interest groups keep people informed about their government. Even though special interests occasionally influence the political system in negative ways, they playa critical role in the democratic process.

Interest Groups Americans Join

There are thousands of interest groups in the United States. Although they differ in many respects, their basic goal is the same: they all try to persuade elected officials to take actions to support their interests. Special-interest groups fall into several categories, depending on their membership and goals.

One of the largest categories consists of economic interest groups. This category includes business groups, trade unions, professional associations, and labor unions.

Another broad category consists of citizen groups, many of which claim to promote the public interest. Some of these groups may also be motivated by a particular ideology or set of issues.

Government interest groups exist at every level of government. There are other categories as well, such as foreign policy interest groups, nationality groups, and religious organizations.

Why People Join Interest Groups

Americans join interest groups for various reasons. Some join for the information and benefits the groups offer. Many interest groups publish newsletters and host workshops and conferences for members. Some offer training that helps members qualify for higher-paying jobs. Americans also join interest groups because they agree with the group’s goals and want to be part of a larger community of shared interests.

Interest Groups Organized and Funded

All interest groups need both money and people, but they are organized and financed in many ways. Most interest groups have an elected board of directors or trustees who set policy and decide how the group’s resources will be used. Many groups have both national and state chapters, each led by their own boards or trustees.

Funding methods vary among interest groups. Many economic and single-issue groups get most of their operating expenses from dues, membership fees, and direct mail fundraising campaigns. Some public interest groups get their primary funding from foundations or government grants.

Political Action Committees

One way interest groups try to influence government in by contributing money to political parties and candidates during election campaigns. Campaign finance laws passed by Congress in the early 1970s placed limits on some types of campaign contributions. These laws allowed the creation of new funding organizations called political action committees (PACs).

PACs are private groups sponsored by corporations, trade associations, unions, or other interest groups. By law, PACs are allowed to collect donations and funnel that money into political campaigns. Most of these donations come from the employees or members of the group that formed the PAC. The amount of money raised and spent by the PACs have grown. Corporations were the top contributors to PACs, though many public interest groups, trade associations, and labor unions also make large donations.

Many Americans believe that PAC campaign contributions give interest groups too much influence over elected officials. Most research shows that PAC money does not buy votes in Congress. However, it does give contributors greater access to lawmakers.

What Makes Interest Groups Powerful

Several factors help interest groups become successful.

Size and money. Interest groups succeed when they have a large membership and substantial resources. Interest groups with millions of members can gain the attention of government officials through sheer force of numbers. With ample funds, they can afford to maintain offices around the country, hire a large staff, and pay travel and lobbying expenses. They can also produce expensive media ads to raise their public profile.

Unity of purpose. Size and resources matter, but so does the commitment of members to the group’s goals. Small, single-issue or ideological groups may demonstrate this unity most effectively because their members tend to be motivated and focused. Even a large, diverse group like AARP can show great unity of purpose. When members of an interest group voice unified forceful views on an issue, government leaders tend to listen.

Effective leadership. Strong leadership is another critical factor in an interest group’s success. Effective leaders can clearly express the group’s message and win support from others. Without effective leadership, even a group with a powerful message may fail to achieve its goals.

Information and expertise. Successful interest groups know how to gather and analyze information and deliver it to decision makers. In the 1970s, Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen used careful research and analysis to convince Congress to pass consumer protection laws that improved car safety.

Large, well-funded groups have a clear advantage in efforts to influence government policy. Many small but dedicated interest groups have also had a notable impact, despite their limited resources.

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Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed here are those of the students and speakers of our government classes and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of this website, institution, or organization. Any views or opinions are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual.