Gov: Groups Influence Policy

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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 and evaluate the significance of interest groups in terms of their goals, methods, and influence on government and public policy.

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Interest Groups Influence Policy

Campaign contributions are one way interest groups try to influence government policy. They have other, more powerful methods as well.

Lobbying. Many interest groups rely heavily on lobbying to advance their interest. Lobbying is an attempt to influence the policy process by persuading public officials to favor or oppose action on a specific issue. Lobbyists speak to members of Congress and their staffs, testify before Congressional committees, and offer comments on hearings held by executive agencies. Often they provide useful information that helps officials create policies that serve the public interest.

The two main lobbying strategies are labeled inside lobbying and outside lobbying. Each strategy involves communication between pubic officials and group lobbyists, but the strategies differ in what is communicated and who does the communicating.

Inside lobbying is based on interest group efforts to develop and maintain close contacts with policymakers. It is designed to give an interest group direct access to officials in order to influence their decisions. Access is not the same as influence, which is the capacity to affect policy decisions. Using an inside strategy, lobbyists develop direct contacts with legislators, government bureaucrats, and members of the judiciary in order to persuade them to accept the interest group’s perspective on policy.

Although an interest group may rely solely on inside lobbying, this approach is not likely to be successful unless the group can demonstrate that its concern reflect a vital constituency. Interest groups make use of constituency connections when it is advantageous for them to do so. They engage in outside lobbying, which involves bringing public pressure to bear on policymakers.

Research and policy proposals. Some interest groups carry out research and write policy proposals that support their goals. They work with think tanks to carry out this research. A think tank is an organization of scholars and policy experts who study public issues and write articles and books that summarize their research. Interest groups use these expert findings to influence government officials.

Litigation. Interest groups also try litigation or bringing of lawsuits to influence policy. One interest group that has used litigation effectively is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). NAACP lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits to court to advance the cause of civil rights. Their most famous victory is the 1954 Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education, which helped bring an end to segregation in public schools.

Grassroots mobilization. Interest groups try to influence policy through grassroots mobilization. This means rallying strong and vocal support from a large group of people at the local level.

Grassroots mobilization takes the form of public demonstrations. Increasingly, it is carried out by mail or over the internet. Interest Groups call upon their members to write card or flood the e-mail inboxes of public officials with messages urging a particular course of action. Interest groups also using social media to raise awareness on specific issues. Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter allow these groups to spread their ideas and engage supporters.

The precise impact of grassroots mobilization campaign is difficult to assess. Members of Congress  downplay its importance, but all congressional offices monitor letters, email, and phone calls as a way of tracking constituents’ opinions.

Iron Triangles and Issue Networks

Interest groups use two policy processes – iron triangles and issue networks – to obtain influence. An iron triangle consists of a small and informal but relatively stable set of bureaucrats, legislators, and lobbyists who seek to develop policies beneficial to a particular interest. Iron triangles represent the pattern of influence in only certain policy areas and are less common now than in the past.

A more frequent pattern of influence today is the issue network, which is an informal grouping of officials, lobbyists, and policy specialists who are brought together temporarily by their shared interest in a particular policy issue. Unlike an iron triangle, the issue network would dissolve once the issue was resolved.

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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.