What Is The Most Important Tool For Interest Groups Seeking To Change Or Influence Public Policy

Learning Objectives

By the cease of this section, y'all will be able to:

• Explain how interest group s differ from political parties
• Evaluate the different types of interests and what they do
• Compare public and individual interest groups

While the term involvement group is not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution, the framers were aware that individuals would band together in an attempt to use government in their favor. In Federalist No. 10, James Madison warned of the dangers of "factions," minorities who would organize effectually issues they felt strongly about, possibly to the detriment of the bulk. Merely Madison believed limiting these factions was worse than facing the evils they might produce, because such limitations would violate individual freedoms. Instead, the natural way to control factions was to let them flourish and compete against each other. The sheer number of interests in the Usa suggests that many have, indeed, flourished. They compete with like groups for membership, and with opponents for admission to decision-makers. Some people suggest there may be too many interests in the United States. Others argue that some have gained a asymmetric amount of influence over public policy, whereas many others are underrepresented.

Madison's definition of factions can utilize to both interest groups and political parties. But unlike political parties, interest groups do not office primarily to elect candidates under a certain party characterization or to directly command the performance of the government. Political parties in the The states are generally much broader coalitions that correspond a significant proportion of citizens. In the American two-political party system, the Democratic and Republican Parties spread relatively wide nets to try to embrace big segments of the population. In contrast, while involvement groups may support or oppose political candidates, their goals are usually more issue-specific and narrowly focused on areas similar taxes, the environment, and gun rights or gun control, or their membership is limited to specific professions. They may stand for interests ranging from well-known organizations, such as the Sierra Club, IBM, or the American Lung Association, to obscure ones, such as the Northward Carolina Gamefowl Breeders Association. Thus, with some notable exceptions, specific interest groups take much more limited membership than do political parties.

Political parties and interest groups both work together and compete for influence, although in different ways. While interest group activeness oftentimes transcends party lines, many interests are perceived as beingness more supportive of i party than the other. The American Bourgeois Union, Citizens United, the National Burglarize Association, and National Correct to Life are more likely to take relationships with Republican lawmakers than with Democratic ones. Americans for Autonomous Action, Entrada for America'due south Time to come, and People for the American Mode all accept stronger relationships with the Democratic Party. Parties and interest groups practice compete with each other, even so, oftentimes for influence. At the country level, nosotros typically observe an changed relationship betwixt them in terms of power. Interest groups tend to have greater influence in states where political parties are comparatively weaker.

WHAT ARE INTEREST GROUPS AND WHAT Exercise THEY WANT?

Definitions abound when it comes to interest grouping southward, which are sometimes referred to as special interests, involvement organizations, pressure groups, or just interests. Near definitions specify that involvement group indicates any formal clan of individuals or organizations that attempt to influence authorities controlling and/or the making of public policy. Often, this influence is exercised by a lobbyist or a lobbying firm.

Formally, a lobbyist is someone who represents the interest organization before authorities, is unremarkably compensated for doing so, and is required to register with the government in which they anteroom, whether state or federal. The lobbyist'due south master goal is usually to influence policy. Nigh involvement organizations engage in lobbying action to accomplish their objectives. Equally y'all might expect, the interest hires a lobbyist, employs one internally, or has a member volunteer to lobby on its behalf. For nowadays purposes, we might restrict our definition to the relatively wide 1 in the Lobbying Disclosure Act.² This act requires the registration of lobbyists representing whatsoever interest group and devoting more 20 percent of their time to information technology.³ Clients and lobbying firms must also register with the federal authorities based on similar requirements. Moreover, campaign finance laws require disclosure of campaign contributions given to political candidates past organizations.

Link to Learning

Visit this site to research donations and campaign contributions given to political candidates past organizations.

Lobbying is not limited to Washington, DC, however, and many interests lobby there besides equally in 1 or more than states. Each country has its ain laws describing which individuals and entities must register, and so the definitions of lobbyists and interests, and of what lobbying is and who must annals to do it, also vary from state to state. Therefore, while a denizen contacting a lawmaker to hash out an issue is generally not viewed as lobbying, an system that devotes a certain amount of fourth dimension and resources to contacting lawmakers may be classified as lobbying, depending on local, land, or federal law.

Largely for this reason, in that location is no comprehensive list of all interest groups to tell the states how many in that location are in the United States. Estimates of the number vary widely, suggesting that if we use a broad definition and include all interests at all levels of government, there may be more than 200,000.⁴ Following the passage of the Lobbying Disclosure Act in 1995, we had a much better understanding of the number of interests registered in Washington, DC; still, information technology was not until several years after that we had a complete count and categorization of the interests registered in each of the fifty states.⁵

Political scientists have categorized interest groups in a number of ways.^six First, interest groups may take the form of membership organization s, which individuals bring together voluntarily and to which they usually pay dues. Membership groups frequently consist of people who have mutual bug or concerns, or who desire to be with others who share their views. The National Rifle Association (NRA) is a membership group consisting of members who promote gun rights (Figure x.2). For those who advocate greater regulation of access to firearms, such equally background checks prior to gun purchases, the Brady: United Against Gun Violence is a membership organization that weighs in on the other side of the issue.⁷

Effigy 10.2 A Florida member of the NRA proudly displays his support of gun rights (a). After the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on Feb fourteen, 2018, which resulted in seventeen deaths, massive demonstrations were quickly organized. On March 24, 2018, in Washington DC (b), San Francisco (c), and 880 sister sites, young Americans gathered and marched to highlight the need for gun control reform. (credit a: modification of work by Daniel Oines/Flickr, CC BY; credit b: modification of "March for Our Lives" past Phil Roeder/Wikimedia Eatables, CC Past; credit c: modification of "March for Our Lives SF" by Roger Jones/Flickr, Public Domain)

Interest groups may likewise course to represent companies, corporate organizations, and governments. These groups do not have individual members but rather are offshoots of corporate or governmental entities with a compelling involvement to exist represented in front of one or more than branches of government. Verizon and Coca-Cola will register to lobby in gild to influence policy in a way that benefits them. These corporations volition either have ane or more in-business firm lobbyist s, who work for i interest group or house and represent their organization in a lobbying capacity, and/or volition hire a contract lobbyist, individuals who work for firms that represent a multitude of clients and are often hired because of their resources and their power to contact and lobby lawmakers, to correspond them earlier the legislature.

Governments such as municipalities and executive departments such as the Section of Didactics register to entrance hall in an effort to maximize their share of budgets or increase their level of autonomy. These government institutions are represented by a legislative liaison, whose job is to present issues to decision-makers. For example, a state university ordinarily employs a lobbyist, legislative liaison, or authorities diplomacy person to represent its interests earlier the legislature. This includes lobbying for a given academy's share of the budget or for its continued autonomy from lawmakers and other state-level officials who may endeavor to play a greater oversight role.

In 2015, xiii states had their higher education budgets cut from the previous year, and most all states accept seen some cuts to higher pedagogy funding since the recession began in 2008.⁸ In 2015, as in many states, universities and community colleges in Mississippi lobbied the legislature over awaiting budget cuts.⁹ These examples highlight the need for universities and state university systems to have representation before the legislature. On the federal level, universities may lobby for research funds from regime departments. For instance, the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security may be willing to fund scientific research that might amend enable them to defend the nation.

Interest groups also include clan s, which are typically groups of institutions that bring together with others, oft within the aforementioned trade or industry (merchandise association s), and take similar concerns. The American Drinkable Association¹⁰ includes Coca-Cola, Red Balderdash N America, ROCKSTAR, and Kraft Foods. Despite the fact that these companies are competitors, they have mutual interests related to the manufacturing, bottling, and distribution of beverages, too as the regulation of their business activities. The logic is that there is strength in numbers, and if members can lobby for tax breaks or eased regulations for an entire manufacture, they may all do good. These common goals do non, however, prevent individual association members from employing in-firm lobbyists or contract lobbying firms to represent their own business or organisation as well. Indeed, many members of associations are competitors who also seek representation individually before the legislature.

Link to Learning

Visit the website of an association similar the American Beverage Association or the American Bankers Association and look over the cardinal bug it addresses. Do whatsoever of the issues it cares about surprise yous? What areas do you call back members can agree near? Are there issues on which the membership might disagree? Why would competitors bring together together when they normally compete for business concern?

Finally, sometimes individuals volunteer to represent an organisation. They are called apprentice or volunteer lobbyists, and are typically non compensated for their lobbying efforts. In some cases, citizens may entrance hall for pet projects because they intendance about some issue or cause. They may or may not exist members of an involvement group, but if they register to lobby, they are sometimes nicknamed "hobbyists."

Lobbyists representing a variety of organizations employ unlike techniques to achieve their objectives. One method is within lobbying or direct lobbying, which takes the interest grouping's message directly to a authorities official such every bit a lawmaker.¹¹ Inside lobbying tactics include testifying in legislative hearings and helping to draft legislation. Numerous surveys of lobbyists have confirmed that the vast majority rely on these inside strategies. For case, nigh all report that they contact lawmakers, testify earlier the legislature, help draft legislation, and contact executive agencies. Trying to influence authorities appointments or providing favors to members of regime are somewhat less mutual insider tactics.

Many lobbyists besides utilise exterior lobbying or indirect lobbying tactics, whereby the involvement attempts to go its message out to the public.¹² These tactics include issuing printing releases, placing stories and articles in the media, inbound coalitions with other groups, and contacting interest group members, hoping that they volition individually force per unit area lawmakers to support or oppose legislation. An environmental interest group like the Sierra Club, for case, might event a press release or encourage its members to contact their representatives in Congress about legislation of concern to the group. Information technology might besides apply outside tactics if there is a potential threat to the environment and the group wants to enhance awareness among its members and the public (Figure 10.3). Members of Congress are probable to pay attending when many constituents contact them almost an issue or proposed beak. Many involvement groups, including the Sierra Social club, will use a combination of inside and outside tactics in their lobbying efforts, choosing whatsoever strategy is most likely to assist them achieve their goals.

Figure 10.3 In Feb 2013, members of the Sierra Club joined a march on Los Angeles City Hall to demand action on climate change and protest the evolution of the Keystone pipeline. This was the Sierra Club'due south starting time act of civil disobedience across its 120-year history. (credit: Charlie Kaijo)

The primary goal of most interests, no matter their lobbying arroyo, is to influence conclusion-makers and public policies. For case, National Correct to Life, an anti-abortion interest group, lobbies to encourage authorities to enact laws that restrict ballgame access, while NARAL Pro-Choice America lobbies to promote the right of women to have safe choices about abortion. Environmental interests like the Sierra Social club lobby for laws designed to protect natural resources and minimize the utilise of pollutants. On the other hand, some interests lobby to reduce regulations that an arrangement might view equally burdensome. Air and water quality regulations designed to better or protect the environment may be viewed as onerous by industries that pollute as a byproduct of their production or manufacturing process. Other interests vestibule for budgetary allocations; the farm lobby, for example, pressures Congress to secure new farm subsidies or maintain existing ones. Subcontract subsidies are given to some farmers because they grow certain crops and to other farmers so they will not grow sure crops.¹³ As expected, whatever bill that might attempt to modify these subsidies raises the antennae of many agricultural interests.

INTEREST Grouping FUNCTIONS

While influencing policy is the master goal, interest groups also monitor government activity, serve every bit a means of political participation for members, and provide information to the public and to lawmakers. According to the National Briefing of Land Legislatures, thirty-six states have laws requiring that voters provide identification at the polls.^xiv A ceremonious rights group like the National Clan for the Advocacy of Colored People (NAACP) will go along track of proposed voter-identification bills in state legislatures that might accept an upshot on voting rights. This organization volition contact lawmakers to vox approval or disapproval of proposed legislation (within lobbying) and encourage group members to have activity by either donating money to it or contacting lawmakers nigh the proposed bill (outside lobbying). Thus, a member of the organization or a citizen concerned about voting rights need not be an practiced on the legislative process or the technical or legal details of a proposed beak to exist informed about potential threats to voting rights. Other interest groups office in similar means. For instance, the NRA monitors attempts by state legislatures to tighten gun control laws.

Interest groups facilitate political participation in a number of ways. Some members become active within a group, working on behalf of the organization to promote its agenda. Some interests work to increment membership, inform the public well-nigh issues the group deems of import, or organize rallies and promote get-out-the-vote efforts. Sometimes groups volition use events to mobilize existing members or encourage new members to bring together. For example, post-obit Barack Obama'south presidential victory in 2008, the NRA used the election equally a rallying cry for its supporters, and information technology continues to attack the president on the consequence of guns, despite the fact that gun rights accept in some ways expanded over the course of the Obama presidency. Interest groups likewise organize letter of the alphabet-writing campaigns, stage protests, and sometimes hold fundraisers for their crusade or even for political campaigns.

Some interests are more broadly focused than others. AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) has approximately thirty-eight million members and advocates for individuals fifty and over on a variety of issues including health care, insurance, employment, fiscal security, and consumer protection (Effigy 10.4).¹⁵ This organization represents both liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, and many who do not identify with these categorizations. On the other paw, the Clan of Black Cardiologists is a much smaller and far-narrower organization. Over the last several decades, some interest groups have sought greater specialization and accept fifty-fifty fragmented. Equally you lot may imagine, the Association of Black Cardiologists is more specialized than the American Medical Association, which tries to represent all physicians regardless of race or specialty.

Figure 10.4 Health care is an important concern for AARP and its members, so the system makes certain to maintain connections with key policymakers in this area, such as Xavier Becerra, then-California chaser full general and current, secretary of Health and Human being Services, shown here (on left) with (left to right) Blanca Castro, AARP advocacy manager, California governor Gavin Newsom, and California Associates member Jim Forest. (credit: modification of piece of work by AARP California)

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE INTEREST GROUPS

Interest groups and organizations represent both individual and public interests in the United States. Individual interests usually seek particularized benefit s from government that favor either a single interest or a narrow set of interests. For case, corporations and political institutions may antechamber regime for tax exemptions, fewer regulations, or favorable laws that benefit individual companies or an industry more generally. Their goal is to promote private goods. Individual appurtenances are items individuals can own, including corporate profits. An automobile is a private good; when y'all purchase it, you receive ownership. Wealthy individuals are more likely to accumulate private appurtenances, and they can sometimes obtain individual goods from governments, such as tax benefits, government subsidies, or regime contracts.

On the other mitt, public interest group s attempt to promote public, or collective, goods. Such commonage good s are benefits—tangible or intangible—that help most or all citizens. These goods are oftentimes produced collectively, and because they may not be assisting and everyone may non concord on what public appurtenances are all-time for guild, they are frequently underfunded and thus will be underproduced unless there is government involvement. The Tennessee Valley Authority, a government corporation, provides electricity in some places where it is not assisting for private firms to exercise so. Other examples of commonage appurtenances are public safety, highway safety, public educational activity, and environmental protection. With some exceptions, if an ecology interest promotes clean air or water, most or all citizens are able to enjoy the outcome. Then if the Sierra Lodge encourages Congress to pass legislation that improves national air quality, citizens receive the do good regardless of whether they are members of the organisation or even support the legislation. Many environmental groups are public interest groups that lobby for and heighten awareness of problems that affect large segments of the population.¹⁶

As the make clean air example above suggests, commonage goods are generally nonexcludable, pregnant all or about people are entitled to the public good and cannot be prevented from enjoying it. Furthermore, collective goods are generally not subject to crowding, so that even equally the population increases, people still have access to the unabridged public good. Thus, the armed services does not protect citizens only in Texas and Maryland while neglecting those in New York and Idaho, but instead it provides the collective good of national defense equally to citizens in all states. As another instance, fifty-fifty every bit more cars employ a public roadway, under most circumstances, boosted drivers still have the option of using the same road. (High-occupancy vehicle lanes may restrict some lanes of a highway for drivers who do not car pool.)

Source: https://openstax.org/books/american-government-3e/pages/10-1-interest-groups-defined

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