Review #3 for Chapter 6

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Lobbying

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is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in a government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by many types of people, associations and organized groups, including individuals in the private sector, corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or advocacy groups (interest groups).

Interest groups

a group of people who act or work together in support of a cause

lobbyists

a person who takes part in an organized attempt to influence legislators

why do people join interest groups

People join interest groups because they are strongly motivated by the group's goals or, perhaps, they believe they can exercise power within the group that they would not otherwise have. Groups also entice people to join them by offering group benefits or even by punishing those who do not join.

incentives to join/benefits of interest groups

*Informational Benefits
-Special newsletters, training programs and conferences, and other helpful info. you can't get if you aren't a member. The Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP) offers special info packets for members with things like, "how not to get taken advantage of on the internet." Made my Grandma read it twice

*Solidarity Benefits
-Meet ups and other benefits that emphasize friendship and networking. The Sierra Club organizes hikes for their members so you can do what you enjoy and meet others who enjoy the same

*Purposive Benefits
-These emphasize the purpose and accomplishments of the group
--Interest groups are not stupid, they know that people prefer to do good if they can show off to others and let everyone know they are "good people doing good for the world."
---When they give you a "free" shirt or bumper sticker, they know you will display it to show how awesome you are and then the group gets free publicity to hopefully attract new members

*Material Benefits
-Special goods, services, or deals offered to members.
These are the most effective benefits, as they are monetarily making it worth your while to join
--The AARP are the masters of the material benefit. It costs $16 a year to be a member of the AARP and then you get discounts on everything - and when I say everything, I mean everything!

advocacy

is an activity by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions. Advocacy can include many activities that a person or organization undertakes including media campaigns, public speaking, commissioning and publishing research or conducting exit poll or the filing of an amicus brief.

First amendment basis

*Interest groups and lobbying are protected by the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
-Right to petition the government for redress of grievances
--the right to make a complaint to, or seek the
assistance of, one's government, without fear of punishment or reprisals
-Because lobbying is protected by the
Constitution, it can't be outlawed and there are limits to how much it can be regulated

theory of pluralism

is the idea that society is best served by having lots of different interests in society that are represented by groups who compete for influence with the govt. All the govt has to do is mediate between the different groups and use the info they provide to create useful, effective and worthwhile policies for the state or country.

economic groups

*Business Groups
-Texas Chamber of Commerce
*Labor Unions
-AFL-CIO, Harris County Branch

non-economic groups

*Professional/Career Groups
-Professional
--Texas Health Care Association
-Government Employee
--Texas Community College Teachers Association

*Public Interest Groups
-Environmental
--Sierra Club
-Public Advocacy/Govt Watchdog
--Common Cause Texas

*Social Groups
-Racial and Ethnic Groups
--NAACP
-Women's Groups
--Texas League of Women Voters

*Texas Power Groups
-The Texas Legislature, recognizing the power of certain interest groups, put together a list of power groups
--These groups include certain categories of interest groups and are the most influential in the legislature:
---Business Groups
----Particularly real estate groups
---Professional Groups
----Like the American Medical Association, Texas

free rider problem

People don't join interest groups because
it costs money to join (monthly or yearly
dues) and they can get the benefits for
free; they are free-riders

positive effects of interest groups

-Lobbyists provide much needed info that the legislature needs to do its job; without lobbyists, the legislature wouldn't be able to function
-Lobbying is protected by the 1st Amendment and protects citizens' rights to petition their govt

negative effects of interest groups

-Lobbying in Texas is done with very few rules and little oversight
-Give unelected individuals tons of control over public policy with no chance for the public to reign them in

Types of lobbyist

*In-house lobbyists
-Hired by an interest group to work exclusively for the organization as a member of staff
--Since these lobbyists are exclusively dedicated to the group, they are more likely to create and pursue a legislative strategy - writing their own legislation, getting a member of Congress to propose it, and then working to get it passed.

*Contract lobbyists
-These lobbyists are hired by interest groups as external contractors - political "hired guns" who work for more than one client (interest group) at a time, working on a variety of issues.
--These lobbyists are less likely to pursue a legislative strategy because they work for so many different interests and usually work for a particular interest group for too short a time

revolving door

refers to the interchange of personnel, usually between businesss and government, but also between lobby groups, management consultants, think tanks and government, as well as between the media or public relations firms and government.

Review #3 for Chapter 6

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