Bibliography

1. "Alphabetical Listing of Industries OpenSecrets." OpenSecrets.org: Money in Politics -- See Who's Giving & Who's Getting. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/alphalist.php.
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2. Election 2012: Who’s Fronting The Money?" Here & Now. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. http://hereandnow.wbur.org/2011/12/06/campaign-finance-pacs.

3. "Interest Groups Spending Millions on TV Ads in Wisconsin – CNN Political Ticker - CNN.com Blogs." CNN Political TickerAll Politics, All the Time - CNN.com Blogs. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/03/interest-groups-spending-millions-on-tv-ads-in-wisconsin/.

4. Remy, Richard C. United States Government Democracy in Action. 104th ed. New York: Glencoe/ McGraw Hill, 1996. Print.

5. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. Web. 07 Dec. 2011. http://www.youtube.com/.

Interest Groups in the News

Interest groups spending millions on TV ads in Wisconsin
By:CNN Senior Political Editor Mark Preston
March 3, 2011

In Wisconsin earlier this year, a labor union and the conservative interest group, Americans for Prosperity spent nearly $230,000 each on commercial ads to try to contour the public’s view on bargaining and budget cuts. These attempts would in time have a huge impact everywhere if they won. An interest group is meant to voice goals and wants to influence lawmakers’ decisions. This event goes to show how much effort is put into getting what you want and the Americans for Prosperity interest group wanted the public to see how bargaining and the budget cuts are impacting Wisconsin.

Opinion/Editorial

Interest groups have impacted our government greatly since they first began. However, some think that these groups are too powerful and too controlling. In my opinion, interest groups are the nation’s voice. These groups get things done and get answers. The goal of an interest group is to voice their wants and to influence decisions made by the government. Our nation has millions of people and not all decisions the government makes is loved. That is why there are interest groups to speak for the millions of people in our nation. Interest groups such as environmental groups influence policies on saving wildlife, or business and labor interest groups that influence lawmakers of policies that could improve the economy. Those business and labor interest groups are needed desperately because today we are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Therefore, interest groups are impacting the United States in an effective and positive way, a way that gives our nation hope for a better future.

The Rise of Political Action Committes (PACs)

Political Action Committees (PACs): organizations designed to collect money and provide financial support for a political candidate.
• Channel money from interest groups to candidates they support.
• Super PACs are going to be used for the 2012 election.
o Not like traditional PACs, there is not going to be a limit on how much money PACs can donate.
Origins and Rules of PACs
• Laws created to limit the amount that individuals could give to candidates.
• Wanted the PACs to grow. In 1974, there were only 600 PACs and now there are more than 4000.

Laws Governing PACs
1. The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) of 1971 govern PACs.
2. A PAC must register with the government 6 months before an election.
3. Must raise money from at least 50 contributors and share among at least 5 candidates.
4. Follow accounting rules.
5. Can give $5000 directly to each candidate per election
6. Interest groups can spend large amounts of money for or against candidates,

Federal Election Commission (FEC)
• Issues regulations and opinions that control the PACs activities.
o In 1975, corporations could use their own money to administer their PACs.
o PACs increased by more than 100% in labor union but Corporate PACs increased by more than 1000%.
Affiliated and Independent PACs
• PACs involved with corporations, labor unions, trade groups, or health organizations are affiliated PACs.
o They raise funds through contributions from corporate executives, union officials, workers, and stockholders. An example is the Sun Oil Corporation’s SunPAC
o Groups interested in a specific cause such as abortion set up PACs that do not link to a business. An example is Gun Owners of America.
• Independent PACs raise money through direct mail appeals to people throughout the nation.
o Independent PACs spend less on candidates and elections but raise more money than business or labor PACs.

Strategies for Influence
1. Use money to gain access to lawmakers
2. Directly influence election outcomes.

Gaining Access
• Contributions make it easier to gain access to members of Congress to voice their views.
• Incumbents: supported by PACs are those Gov’t officials already in office.
• All about whether money was given or not.

Influencing Elections
• Having a huge campaign fund very early in the election, it discourages potentially strong competitors from entering.
• No real competition in the election means the incumbent does not need to spend the money saved just on the campaign.

How Much Influence
 What do you think? Positive or negative influence on the government?

Methods of Interest Groups

The Work of Lobbyists
• Lobbying: direct contact by approaching senators and representatives in the lobby of the capitol.
• Lobbyists: the members of the group that do this.

Who are Lobbyists?
• “Political persuader”
o To influence the people who are in control of the government.
o Must know which officials have the most influence on decisions made and must understand the government in order to be successful.
o Must know the desires and problems of the groups they represent.

Providing Helpful Info
• Persuade Congress members with pamphlets, reports, and statistics.
• Try to meet personally with Congress members
• Testify before Congressional committees
Drafting Support
A. Help in writing bills
B. Help Congress members draft proposed laws
a. Interest groups and their lobbyists draft parts of or the entire bill for nearly 50% of legislation.
Providing Election Support
• Raise most of the money used in political campaigns. The purpose of this is to get the legislators who favor their policy goals elected so they can have a chance to get passed into law.
Court Action
• Go to the courts to gain their policy goals

Winning Public Support
1. Media Campaigns-television, newspapers, magazines, and radio. Inform the public and get support for their views.
2. Letter Writing- Interest groups urge members to write to Gov’t officials.

Regulation of Interest Groups- Are Interest Groups Too Powerful?
• Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act was passed by Congress in 1946.
o Lobbyists must register with the Clerk of the House and the Secretary of the Senate.
o Identify employer, salaries and expenses, and file expense reports quarterly.

Other Limitations
• Interest Groups are financially and politically powerful.
• Have a strong influence on legislation.
o Size if group
o Diversity

Types of Interest Groups

• Business and labor groups
o Concerned about taxes, prices of food, housing, inflation, unemployment, etc.
o Try to convince lawmakers of policies that will they feel will strengthen the economy.
o Among the oldest and largest in the United States
• The NAM (National Association of Manufacturers) - lower individual taxes, raise tariffs, limit government control of business
• COPE (Committee on Political Education)- fund-raising, voter registration, support political candidates
• Agricultural Groups
o Represent almost 4 million American farmers
 American Farm Bureau Federation-speaks for more successful farmers
 National Farmers' Union (NFU)- smaller farmers and favors higher prices for crops
• Other Interest Groups
o Professional Interest Groups- influence licensing and training of lawyers and doctors. Represent bankers, teachers, professors, etc.
o Environmental Interest Groups-goals range from conserving natural resources to protecting endangered species.
o Public Interest Groups- goal is to seek policies that will benefit the American society.
o Government Interest Groups- groups formed within the American government that wants policies that will benefit cities and states.
 National Governors Association
o Additional Interest Groups
 Thousands of interest groups have been formed.

What is an interest group?

An interest group is defined as a group of people who possess common goals and organize to influence government.

How Interest Groups Function

• Bridge the gap between the citizen and the government.
• Citizens voice their "wants" or goals to government leaders.
o The President
o Congress
o City Council
o State legislators

Difference between Political Parties and Interest Groups.

1. Political parties nominate candidates for office and try to win elections
2. Interest groups support candidates who like the group's ideas, but they do not nominate candidates.
3. Interest groups are concerned with few issues or problems whereas political parties are broad-based organizations.
4. Interest groups are based on common beliefs, goals, values whereas political parties are based on geographic location.

How Effective is an interest group?

 An interest group has a stronger consulting position with leaders in government.
 An interest group can influence beyond the power of its individual members.

“Studies have shown that people on lower socioeconomic levels are less likely to join such groups….. while the opportunity to join together to influence government is a right of all, the people who might benefit most do not often exercise that right” (Remy, p. 286).

The Leader’s Role in an Interest Group.

1. Strengthen the political power of the group
2. Keep members informed of group activities through telephone calls, letters, or newsletters
3. Head speaker of the group
4. Choose people who contact government officials
5. Plan the group’s strategy
6. Manage all financial decisions of the group