Unit 3: Interest Groups, Lobbying, PACs

Terms in this set (14)

Interest group
individuals who organize to influence the government's programs and policies.
Direct Lobbying
paid professional representatives of the interest group meet privately with government officials to suggest legislation and to present arguments supporting their positions.
Grassroots mobilization
campaign in which a group get its membership to contact government officials in support of the group's position.
Political Action Committee (PAC)
a private group that raises and distributes funds for use in election campaigns.
Single-issue groups
interest groups that are extremely narrow and intense in focus on a particular issue. Examples include the NRA or NARAL
Federal Election Campaign Act-1974
is a United States federal law which increased disclosure of contributions for federal campaigns, and to place legal limits on the campaign contributions.
Buckley v. Valeo
it held that restrictions on individual contributions to political campaigns and candidates did not violate the First Amendment b/c it served a government interest by guarding against unscrupulous practices
McCain-Feingold
aka Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002, it essentially banned "soft money" contributions made directly to candidates and set stricter guidelines for campaign advertising
McConnel v. the FEC
a Supreme Court case that challenged the constitutionality of the Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002 in that it limited a contributors freedom of speech
hard money
federally regulated campaign contributions
527s
political organizations that are not regulated by the Federal Election Commission or by a state elections commission, and are not subject to the same contribution limits as PACs
soft money
funds obtained by political parties that are spent on party activities, such as get-out-the-vote drives, but not on behalf of a specific candidate. Prior to the BCRA of 2002, there was no limit placed on this type of contribution.
elite theory
a group theory that argues that power is concentrated in the largest and richest organizations.
Electioneering
To work actively for a candidate or political party. Used by interest groups to get and keep people in office who support their causes.
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