association of people who hold similar views and/or goals
- interest groups organize people
organize letter writing campaigns, demonstrations
- interest groups encourage and provide means for political participation
GOTV campaigns, group engagement in political dialogue, "checkbook participation"
- interest groups supply information to the public and to policy makers
spreading literature, lobbying Congress, informative advertisements
The Iron Triangle
Why do Americans join interest groups?
- solidary incentives (sense of belonging to a group)
- material incentives (economic benefit or opportunity)
- purposive incentives (strong belief in the cause)
Various types of interest groups:
Economic Interests
- agricultural interests
National Potato Council, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
- business interests
US Chamber of Commerce, American Wind Energy Association
- labor interests
United Auto Workers
- cause-based interests
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Texans for Life Coalition
- societal interests
American Association of Retired Persons, National Organization for Women
- professional interests
American Medical Association, American Bar Association
Environmental Interests
Foreign Interests
What interest groups do:
- endorse candidates
- lobby elected officials (note section on lobbyists on p.267-268 of the text)
- inform the public
- file lawsuits
What they don't do:
- donate money to political campaigns
Political Action Committees (PACs) are created for the purpose of raising money and contributing money to candidates for their campaigns
What makes an interest group effective?
- size and resources
- effective leadership
- cohesiveness
The good and the bad of interest groups:
- give a voice to minority political interests
- too much influence
- emotional, narrowly-focused interest vs. good of the country
