Interest Groups: The Politics of Influence
This chapter deals with organizations that attempt to influence government and society: interest groups. The chapter began with the historical development of interest groups as well as the Madisonian assumptions of the role played by factionalism within a large polity like the United States. Furthermore, a framing discussion was offered as to whether or not “factions” of one type or another contribute to democracy (are deemed pluralistic) or detract from it (are seen as elitist). The chief socio-economic change brought on before and after the Civil War was the industrialization/urbanization that created an impetus for widespread group formation and activity. The Progressive/New Deal eras and the Great Society period of the 1960s and 1970s ushered in the modern group system that we still see today with the addition of counter-action groups representing the political right’s interests in the years during and after the consolidation of the Great Society.
Interest group resources such as membership, leadership, and organization, as well as strategies employing insider (i.e. lobbying) and outsider (i.e. grassroots mobilizing), were discussed at length within the chapter. Groups were differentiated along economic/private (e.g. peak associations and labor unions) and social/public (e.g. issue and citizen advocacy groups) dimensions.
Finally, the chapter provided a case study of interest group agitation with a re-telling of the Obama Healthcare initiative. The case analysis emphasized the role of group activism both in support of and opposition to the proposed healthcare system changes that were signed into law by the president and upheld by the Supreme Court. In addition, the analysis included the failed attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare by the Trump administration and the Republican-controlled Congress.
Quizzes
Critical Thinking Exercises
Interest groups have a critical function in American democracy: organizing public opinion, monitoring government, and reporting back to their members. Functioning ideally they can form independent oversight and policy advocacy, which connects representatives to their constituents.
In recent years, as with campaign finance, many citizens and members of the media have become increasingly concerned by the amount of money involved in interest groups. Some interest groups have begun selling calendars, magazines, coupons, and other products to their members in efforts to raise ever larger sums of cash. Do interest groups still focus on informing the public and advocating for the interests of their members or have they become more singularly focused on raising money?
- Compare and contrast these organizations:
- Focus on the Family (https://www.focusonthefamily.com/)
- National Federation of the Blind (https://www.nfb.org/)
- National Organization for Women (https://www.now.org/)
- National Rifle Association (https://home.nra.org/)
- American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) (https://www.aflcio.org/)
- Service Employees International Union (https://www.seiu.org/)
Can you clearly and easily find statements of what their organizations are advocating to government? Do the organizations provide clear and direct information about government actions that may affect their members? How much attention is given to asking for money (e.g. are they offering products, soliciting donations, etc.)?
Useful Links
Links to further content exploring the themes covered in this chapter
Open Secrets
This site operated by the Center for Responsible Politics provides information on lobbying activity, campaign donations lists, and expenditures, as well as PAC contributions.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Website for the pro-business lobbying organization, the United States Chamber of Commerce that has numerous affiliates in all 50 states.
Harry and Louise 1993
These classic commercials from the 1993 healthcare debate showcase the independent and coordinated issue campaign activities of grassroots lobbying by interest groups.
Harry and Louise Return
The Harry and Louise theme was returned to this time in favor of healthcare reform by a different coalition of interest groups and social movements during the 2008 presidential election cycle.
Interest Group Sites
National Hispanic Leadership Conference
AIDS United
AFL-CIO
International Brotherhood of Teamsters
United Farm Workers of America
United Steelworkers
American Veterans
Veterans and Military Families for Progress
Citizenship, Self-determination and Political Action
National Women’s Political Caucus
Service Employees International Union
American Association of Retired Persons
Americans for Democratic Action
Citizens Against Government Waste
CATO Institute
Website for the ideologically libertarian think tank, Cato Institute.
Institute for Policy Studies
Website for the ideologically progressive think tank, Institute for Policy Studies.
Christian Coalition
Website for the socially conservative interest group, the Christian Coalition.
American Conservative Union
https://www.cpac.org/foundation/home
Website for the ideologically conservative lobbying group, American Conservative Union. This organization produces a data set of congress members voting records evaluated according to ideological orientation.
Federal Election Commission
This is the Web page of the Federal Election Commission that provides information on campaign finance laws.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
This is the site for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) representing approximately 750,000 members who are employed as skilled laborers.
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
With 1.6 million members, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the largest public service employee union in the U.S.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored Peoples
Website for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People dedicated to advancing civil rights legislation.
NARAL Pro-Choice America
This is the Web page of the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League that
supports pro-choice candidates and policies.
National Organization for Women
https://www.healthcare-now.org/
Official website of the National Organization for Women.
National Right to Life
https://www.healthcare-now.org/
This interest group agitates on behalf of the pro-life position relative to the abortion issue.
American Medical Association
https://www.ama-assn.org/about/publications-newsletters/alexa-flash-briefing-news-ama
Advocacy organization for physicians.
Healthcare-Now!
https://www.healthcare-now.org/
Advocacy organization for a national single-payer healthcare system.