1) An interest group is an organization that works to influence government policy in order to achieve shared goals for its members. Interest groups differ from political parties, which seek to get members elected to make policies. 2) Interest groups are part of "iron triangles" that influence policymaking along with congressional committees and government agencies. Small interest groups tend to be more effective than large ones due to problems with free riders and spreading benefits. 3) Interest groups use lobbying of lawmakers, electioneering through campaign donations, litigation, and generating public support to influence public policy and shape political agendas. Their role is to provide information to lawmakers and be policy experts and strategists.

1. Interest Groups
AP UNIT 2 (CONTINUED)

2.  interest group - organization of people
with shared policy goals who work to
influence government institutions in
order to accomplish these goals
– DIFFERENT than political parties
– Interest groups just want to influence the
gov’t and officials in the policies they
make; political parties want to get elected
to gov’t to make the policies themselves

3.  Interest groups are found in theories of
pluralism, elitism, and hyperpluralism
as to their role in gov’t
– (look over democracy notes for
definitions)

4. Iron Triangles
 Interest groups are one side of an iron
triangle  the three-sided policy-making
relationship between (1) an interest group
that advocates for a policy, (2) a
congressional committee that
handles/makes that policy, and (3) the
bureaucratic agency in charge of enforcing
that policy
– Iron triangles have immense control in certain
policy areas (ex: retirement)

5. Small vs. Large Interest
Groups
 Small interest groups are more effective than
large interest groups
 free-rider problem - nonmembers still
benefit from the work being done by the
members of the interest group
– the bigger the group, the less people participate
– benefits are greater in a small group; in larger
group, benefits are too spread out
– Smaller groups are more likely to work
collectively for policy change and be better
organized than larger groups
 selective benefits - only members of an
interest group can enjoy certain benefits

6.  single-issue group - a group that has
a narrow interest in a subject/policy,
works to accomplish that one goal, and
does not favor compromise on the
issue
 Factors that affect interest group
success:
– size
– intensity
– financial resources

7. How Interest Groups Shape
Public Policy
 Interest groups are another example of a
linkage institution (groups that influence
which issues are put on the gov’t’s policy
agenda)
 Can affect public policymaking through:
– lobbying
– electioneering
– litigation
– gaining public support

8. 1.) Lobbying
 lobbying - interest groups try to
influence policymakers to carry out
their group’s goals
 representatives of an interest group
that do this influencing are called
lobbyists
 lobbyists can be paid full time by an
organization or on a for-hire basis

9. Benefits of Lobbyists
 Can be considered experts within their given
field of policy --> are important sources of
information about a policy (especially to
members of Congress)
– Generally focus on lobbying/supporting gov’t
officials who already think like them
 Can be called upon to be policy strategists to
get a particular policy passed
 Can be called upon for advice on how to
make a candidate appeal to a certain
audience
 Can be called upon for new ideas or
approaches to policy issues

10. 2.) Electioneering
 electioneering – interest group
involvement in the electoral process
through campaign contributions
(PACs), advocating for a particular
candidate, and getting people out to
vote for said candidate

11. PACs and Interest Groups
 Interest groups often create/donate to PACs
to support a candidate whose views align
with the group’s goals
 a candidate that wants to keep this funding
generally has to pursue the interest group’s
or PAC’s goals while in office
 PAC contributions are more likely to go to
incumbents (officials currently in office) -->
seen as a more effective investment with
less risk

12. 3.) Litigation
 litigation - influencing the court system
to hand down rulings favorable to an
interest group’s goals
– filing amicus curiae briefs – outside
arguments written to influence courts
toward one side of a court case (amicus
curiae =“friend of the court”)
– Filing class-action lawsuits - a group of
people with the same complaint file one
suit together in court

13. 4.) Public Support
 Interest groups work to create a
positive image of themselves to the
American public
 Use public opinion to their advantage
to get their policies on the political
agenda

14. Some Types of Interest Groups
 Economic Interests
– Labor/union groups - push for fair wages, work
hours, employee benefits, etc.
– Business groups - push for conditions that
promote the creation and growth of businesses
 Environmental Interests
– Push for protection of environmental resources,
animal populations, and land preservation
– Ex: WWF (World Wildlife Fund), National Wildlife
Federation

15.  Agricultural Interests
– Interests of farmers and agricultural
policies of gov’t (ex: American Farm
Bureau Federation)
 Equality Interests
– push for equality/fairness for groups in all
aspects of society (laws, pay, education,
workplace, housing, etc.) --> especially
African American and women groups
– Ex: NAACP (National Association for the
Advancement of Colored People),NOW
(National Organization for Women), ACLU
(American Civil Liberties Union)

16.  Professional Interests
– Interests of groups that require
professional training to do jobs
– Ex: NEA (National Education Association),
ABA (American Bar Association), AMA
(American Medical Association)

17.  Public Interest Groups
– Push for collective goods (benefits that
cannot be denied to anyone); benefits for
all, not just members of their interest
group
– Ex: consumer groups like Consumer
Product Safety Commission
(monitored/regulated safety of consumer
products) or public interest groups like
Common Cause (for a fair, open gov’t)
and League of Women Voters